Do you keep kosher? Let’s say someone sat down next to you on an airplane. Say, an evangelical Christian. Or a Messianic Jew. Or a completely unaffiliated Jew. And saw you eating your own kosher-packed food. And asked you:
“Why do you keep kosher?”
Could you answer the question? Without hesitating? Without stuttering?
If you pray daily, and were sitting on the plane next to someone, who asked you:
“Hey. What is that hymnal?”
What would you respond? Could you, on the spot, articulate a coherent answer?
What if they just noticed a hamsa, or a chai, or that your name is Bergerstein, and asked:
“May I ask you something I’ve always wondered? What do Jews believe?”
What would you answer?
What if they said: Why is there so much fighting in the Land of Israel? Is it true that different kinds of Jews don’t get along? Why are you wearing a kippah? What are those fringes [tzitzis]?
Recently I taught a class in which I challenged the participants to articulate one or two sentences that would express, whether to a child or adult, why it’s important to be and stay Jewish. What would you say? Do you know what you believe? Do you know why you believe it? Are you proud to be a Jew?
Or, as Dr. Suess might ask: “What would you do if someone asked you?”
This happened to me just the other day! A salesman came to the door and asked about the mezuzah. I was caught by surprise and unfortunately didn't explain it that well. I just hope he knocked on other doors in the Jewish neighborhood and got a better explanation!
This just happened to my 16 year old son. He explained about covering his head and what it meant to him. I was very proud of him!
Jenni. I'd love to hear whole conversation! Can you elaborate?
I still don't know what I "believe." I can see things like healthy attitudes to have and healthy actions to take in Judiasm, but I really struggle with belief. For example, I believe that it is healthy to believe that there is a higher power in the universe. Do I believe that there really is a higher power? I'm not ever sure, but I'm always looking for signs. It may not sound pretty, but it's the truth.
I get that a lot. I work in an office with: my boss (aethist, very secular Jew), a christian edelphi (like evangelical christianity – studied the torah – old testament – knows a bit of hebrew – believes all jews should be united in israel – so she's zionist too! – covers her hair in church and is really interested in our similarities and differences), a secular (not committed to any one religion) person who is married to a secular Jew but who knows quite a lot, a roman catholic, a muslim and myself, a religious jew. Aside from our work conversations, we have mighty interesting conversations about learning from one another about each other's practices.
I do have to say it's been great having these girls (all ladies except the boss) around. They accommodate my needs for attending conferences around shabbat and holidays (spent a shabbat in a very small town with these girls and although there was a tiny jewish community, i wouldn't have been able to keep shabbat without their help and understanding of my practices) We've discussed shabbat and holidays as well as other jewish practices and their own practices in comparison. So I think I've opened some eyes up about being orthodox and I've had my eyes enlightened by my colleagues religious practices.
I'm FFB, but I think that everyone who is serious and honest about their religiosity goes through a period of indecision and agnosticism.
When I went through this, I did tons of reading about what the "other side" believes. What I came up with is that science at its foundation is also based on axioms and unproved theories. So it made sense to me to believe in the Torah instead of some made-up rules by human scientists who change their mind every couple of years, based on the newest "discoveries".
re: keeping kosher – nowadays people realize that you are what you eat. The Torah teaches that kashrus affects your soul and I figure that I need to respect my soul at least as much as my body.
rena, so did I! Love this:
"I figure that I need to respect my soul at least as much as my body."
Thanks.