Since being back from being nestled in the Judean Hills, climbing the academic ladder (as Paul Reinbach [sp?] would say), I have not all that much to do with all this new knowledge inside of my head. Going to my shul just makes me angry...and well now I'm going to be working there which I'm actually pretty exciting. Although it might be hard trying to save the world as an office assistant, filing papers, passing out pizza, putting out the challah, pouring the grape juice...Hey! But it's a start!...right?
The fact that I know that in 1492 was the Spanish Inquisition and all the Jewish people left Spain, is something that if I were to tell a friend at school would look at me and probably call me, "Crazy Jew!" and walk away.
It's frustrating being a Jewish girl in a Christian world. We are apparently part of American the "Mixing Pot" which doesn't make sense when most of our holiday breaks are on CHRISTAN holidays, and revovle around their calenders. Another example is my own high school track and field team.
My track coach is a very religous man making his kids go to church on sundays. And he even says that Family comes first, then religon, then school, then track. I could say that I keep the Sabbath, but then I would have to miss every single track meet. It sucks. I want to be able to keep the Sabbath, but it's hard to do it in a Christan world.
When I was in Israel, I kept the Sabbath, didn't spend money, travel, or work on anything really. I would take a nice walk to the Tel at Tzuba and just sleep a lot. But now, I have to go to track. In a sense, throwing the shotput and discus isn't really "work" because I enjoy it, but I'm not so sure if is considered work in the eyes of Judaism. It's a struggle that a lot of Jews face in America. I know it was one of those main topics of Rabbi Eric Yoffe at the URJ Biennal, but I was in Israel so I didnt get to hear that first hand.
I have stopped using money and doing any kind of school related school work on Shabbat. I know its a step in the right direction, but I guess I'm just longing for the homeland to be honest.
This post has kind of a lot of ramblings, but it's my mind kind of splatered on my computer screen. I haven't blogged in a while, so it's all coming back to me. And its frustrating for sure.
My current struggle (besides all of those other things) is how I'm going to make that difference. Sure, I may only be 18, but there's one thing that I know. I want to make a difference in Judaism someway some how. Whether it be in Israel or America.
Question of the moment...would you call America the Galut? Or the Diaspora. It's what I'm wondering at the moment.
<3
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
The Amidah
I know it's been a while, but here it goes again.
I went to shul this past friday for the first time in America in 2008. And for that matter for 5768.
That night was the first night that we were using the Miskan T'Fillah, the newest reform siddur. Our synagogue is starting to use it, but rather slowly to make the transition easier from Gates of Gray to Miskan T'Fillah.
Our clergy has come up with a system of at the end of every month we shall use this siddur and then by June 2, we will start using it for good on Friday nights and then by August using it good for Shabbat Shacharit. I was thinking that this past Friday night was going to be radiclly different and maybe we would try some new things.
Boy was I wrong.
We basiclly did the same thing with a new siddur, just because there aren't any places where it says "Please rise" "Please sit" doesn't stop them from putting in their own ideas. Okay, so I know I am being a bit ridiculous with the whole CTK Reform Judaism, but sometimes I would like to actually have that CTK!! No at my synagogue.
This past summer I was told numerous times to change the world. Friday night I thought I might give it a shot, right?
At the oneg filled with chocolate top cookies and cakes of all sorts, I marched up to our head Rabbi. I asked her, "Why don't we stand for the entire Amidah? Isn't that what we are suppose to do? Imitate the angels?" She responded, "Where does it say in the Torah that you are suppose to stand for the Amidah, why can't you sit for the Amidah?" Hmm...at that point I was confused but couldn't stand up for myself. I was defeated. At least I tried.
After explaining this to my mother, she told me it's not easy to argue with a Rabbi, but it got me thinking. Since when does MY synagogue follow all the laws of Torah and Halacha?! That would of been a good argument. But the point is, we sit down in the middle of the Amidah. It doesn't make sense to me. The Amidah means standing, I know in Israel they sometimes call it shmone׳esrei, even though there could be 19 prayers in the Amidah, but that's a whole different story.
If the same thing happend to you at your shul, how would you go about it?
I went to shul this past friday for the first time in America in 2008. And for that matter for 5768.
That night was the first night that we were using the Miskan T'Fillah, the newest reform siddur. Our synagogue is starting to use it, but rather slowly to make the transition easier from Gates of Gray to Miskan T'Fillah.
Our clergy has come up with a system of at the end of every month we shall use this siddur and then by June 2, we will start using it for good on Friday nights and then by August using it good for Shabbat Shacharit. I was thinking that this past Friday night was going to be radiclly different and maybe we would try some new things.
Boy was I wrong.
We basiclly did the same thing with a new siddur, just because there aren't any places where it says "Please rise" "Please sit" doesn't stop them from putting in their own ideas. Okay, so I know I am being a bit ridiculous with the whole CTK Reform Judaism, but sometimes I would like to actually have that CTK!! No at my synagogue.
This past summer I was told numerous times to change the world. Friday night I thought I might give it a shot, right?
At the oneg filled with chocolate top cookies and cakes of all sorts, I marched up to our head Rabbi. I asked her, "Why don't we stand for the entire Amidah? Isn't that what we are suppose to do? Imitate the angels?" She responded, "Where does it say in the Torah that you are suppose to stand for the Amidah, why can't you sit for the Amidah?" Hmm...at that point I was confused but couldn't stand up for myself. I was defeated. At least I tried.
After explaining this to my mother, she told me it's not easy to argue with a Rabbi, but it got me thinking. Since when does MY synagogue follow all the laws of Torah and Halacha?! That would of been a good argument. But the point is, we sit down in the middle of the Amidah. It doesn't make sense to me. The Amidah means standing, I know in Israel they sometimes call it shmone׳esrei, even though there could be 19 prayers in the Amidah, but that's a whole different story.
If the same thing happend to you at your shul, how would you go about it?
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