> Beth- > > this is why I'm a Reform Jew. I cant' be a reform jew, I dont' believe in the religion. just the culture.
> My daughter had a Bat Mitzvah - not known in Orthodoxy. > She wore a Tallit (prayer shawl) and Yarmulke. > She chanted from the Torah. interestingly enough my secular, athiest mother felt my brother needed a bar mitzvah but not her daughter. And as "feminist" (hate the word because its rife with anti-male sentiment to many people and I am not in any way anti-men) as I am that is how she raised me. But she felt a girl didnt' need a bat mitzvah. She did ask me if I REALLY wanted one, and told me that she didnt think I did, so I said no (because of how she asked me). > > I try not to feel "inferior" to Orthodox Jews who hew to the mitzvot. I must > say, though, it bothers me that the Orthodoxy (particularly in Israel) tries > very hard to not only make me feel that way, but to say I am not really a > Jew. Thats interesting because even the most orthodox of jews consider me a jew. A bad jew maybe but a jew nonetheless. My friend was asked by her son whether being a jew is being a religion or being a race because his teacher taught him its a religion. She called me to ask - I said that it wasnt' quite clear but quite frankly if its passed via the mother, how could it be just a religion? The teacher told the kid he was incorrect and its a religion. Ah well. ______________________________________________________________________ Get the mailserver that powers this list at http://www.coolfusion.com Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/cf-community@houseoffusion.com/ Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/index.cfm?sidebar=lists
