Tag Archives: jew

Religion in Genealogy Part 4: Jews

I have to say that I am rather enjoying writing the posts in this series. Not only have I been able to share with you information that I already knew, but I have also set out to research things that I don’t know. Religion plays a huge role in researching our ancestors, and I am happy to be learning more about the various religions while sharing it with you. So far this series has covered the Quakers & Shakers, Anabaptists, and Huguenots & Doukhobors. Today my focus is going to be on the Jews. Jews practice the religion of Judaism, … Continue reading →

Yentl (1983)

“Yentl” is one of the most deeply touching films I’ve ever seen. I saw it for the first time when I was about ten, and the memory of it stayed with me until I saw it again, years later. Barbra Streisand truly shines in this role. Her name is Yentl, and she’s the daughter of a rabbi. Women are forbidden to study the Talmud, but she badly yearns to have the religious education of her father and his students. At night, she draws the blinds and her father (Nehemiah Persoff) teaches her the sacred words of the book, knowing that … Continue reading →

Free Ten-Day Trip to Israel for Jewish Youth

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Yes, you read that right. A completely free ten-day trip to Israel. What’s the catch? There isn’t one, really. If you are a Jewish youth, aged 18 to 26, Birthright provides a free “peer-group” experience in the Holy Land. You don’t even need to be a practicing Jew, just Jewish by birth. As a matter of fact, they’d prefer that you are a “less knowledgeable” Jew. The trips are their way of strengthening Jewish identity abroad. Young people spend the week and a half with Israeli students, soldiers, and community leaders. What I found really interesting was that there are … Continue reading →

Creation, Men and Women

In a sense, every marriage, since it is comprised of a man and a woman, is a “mixed marriage.” The fact that men and women are opposites makes the relationship, by nature, stormy, which adds a sense of danger or excitement. It is often said that G-d brought men and women together to complement each other, not only to “make up for” each other’s deficiencies, but to refine each other’s character traits. Men and women may find that, after a certain period of time together, they may feel that they are two halves of a whole. This isn’t a development, … Continue reading →

Tu B’Shevat is (almost) Here

I love Tu B’Shevat, because it always brings warmth and sweetness to the winter, and is a much tastier reminder than Groundhog’s day that winter is nearly over. Tu B’Shevat is called the Rosh Hashana for trees, and many celebrate this holiday by eating a lot of different kinds of fruit particularly fruit associated with Eretz Yisroel. We make special blessings on 7 kinds of food that characterize the Land of Israel, including figs, pomegranates, dates, barley, grapes, wheat and olives. Although not all of these foods grow on trees and not all of them are fruits, it is a … Continue reading →

Going Forward Through the Sea

This week’s Torah portion describes one of the greatest miracles ever recorded: The Splitting of the Red Sea. It is said that even the simplest handmaid who saw this event experienced the highest level of prophecy. The Lubavitcher Rebbe has said that the we are currently in the era of the messiah and the Ultimate Redemption. This redemption will resemble the redemption from Egypt, which we read about in the Book of Shemot, or Exodus. Since the coming Redemption will be even greater than the exodus from Egypt, we can expect to see miracles even more astounding than the splitting … Continue reading →

Why Don’t Orthodox Men Shake Hands with Women?

I apologize for the title of this blog, since it is kind of one-sided; Orthodox women also do not shake hands with men. However, I felt the gender inclusive title of “Why don’t Orthodox Jews shake Hands with Members of the Opposite Gender (respectively)” was a bit too long, and I find that more often women complain about not having their hands shaken by men than vice versa (it was only in the last few decades, according to a social historian, that women have begun to initiate handshakes.) A friend’s husband who was becoming religious told me that this was … Continue reading →

What is Hassidism?

We’ve seen them in airports, in movies, on the street, and (at least in my case) in our living rooms. Some of them wear fancy fur-lined streimels that sit atop their heads like huge crowns. Some have long sidelocks elegantly curled at each side of their heads, short sidelocks tucked behind their ears, or no sidelocks at all. The women may wear wigs alone, with hats or no wigs but helmet-like hats which cover every strand of hair. Yes, as implied by this lengthy introduction, they are most apparent for their dress, but who are hassidic Jews and what do … Continue reading →

More Great Jewish Books

The Rebbe’s Army: Inside the World of Chabad-Lubavitch by Sue Fishkoff (2003) I read this book a few years ago and found it an excellent introduction for those who are interested in Lubavitch Chassidim and how they have expanded from a relative small Chassidic group in White Russia to an organization with over 3,000 official centers around the world which provide Shabbat meals, lectures, a second home and Jewish simcha (joy) to any Jew who is in, let’s say, Hong Kong and is looking for freshly baked challah or a minyan (group of ten) for davening (praying). This book gives … Continue reading →

Leaving Egypt Every Day

According to the Torah, every day every person should feel as if he or she has left Egypt. The Jewish people escaped from slavery thousands of years ago to serve Hashem and to travel to the Promised Land. What does this event or series of events have to do with our lives in 2007? The Hebrew word from Egypt, Mitzraim, is also related to the word meaning boundaries or constrictions. Every day, we face challenges to our spiritual life. Just having to work 9 to 5 (or like me, at all hours, off and on) seems like an obstacle to … Continue reading →