What does it mean to be Jewish?

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The part about "Letter vs. Spirit" is quite reminiscent of Matthew 5:21 - 48 at the least. Yeah, his paper seems to neglect this.

No it isn't. Jews are very firm on the idea of One God. Christians prefer Three Gods.

Also Christians deny the Commandments. See Paul's blathering on this matter.

Christians (and other Gentiles) are nothing like Jews.

ruveyn

Agreed. Messianic Judaism is an oxymoron.

Also, why is the matriarchal link so important? My father was Jewish and my mother was not and I found that most Jews completely rejected the notion of me having Jewish heritage. I would always hear that being 1/2 Jewish was fine, as long as it was from the mother's side. No matter how many times I went to Temple, celebrated Passover and other holidays, or attended Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, it just never mattered. I even went to Hebrew school with my best friend - nothing. No Jew ever accepted me as being even remotely Jewish. Ultimately my mother had me Confirmed into Catholocism and later I rejected religion altogether, but that's another story...

What does it mean to be Jewish? One could say, trying to do good and be righteous and find order in a hectic and seemingly crazy world... I believe there is mitzvah that says we should "be a light unto nations", no?

And for the record, I myself am a convert to Judaism (so I know what a mikvah is, lol). Why? Well, one reason could be that in terms of the belief structure, it made more logical sense to me than did the belief structure I was raised to believe in.

I see it this way.

You have Jews. You have the "Children of Israel." You have Hebrews.

Someone born of a given lineage may be "Hebrew" or of the "Children of Israel" but unless they follow the covenant made between God and their forefathers, they are not "Jews."

Maybe I have my semantics off, but if Hebrews rejected the covenant, they were not to be part of Jewish society. So there must be a dividing line.

In biblical times the lineage descended from the father's side. In later times when Jews were scattered among the nations of the world, Jewish women were often sexually abused (raped). The long and skinny is one is never sure who the father of a child is, but one is sure who the mother is. So the Rabbis decided that lineage will descend by way of the mother. In addition to which it is the mother of a child who has the most influence in forming the child's religious and moral values. The hand that rocks the cradle moves the world

ruveyn

I am Jewish. Why do identify as Jewish? Because:

1) my mother is Jewish
2) I was raised in a Jewish home
3) my observance of Jewish cultural practice connects me to the larger Jewish community.

I do not particularly believe in Jewish theology. I do not believe that there is religious merit in the observance of mitzvot. But I do believe that they are valuable in creating a cultural identity, and in well ordering a society.

Accordingly, I fall within the ambit of Reconstruction Jews. Traditional observance has a place in a mordern society, but it must adapt to incorporate the equality of the sexes, LGBT Jews--even Aspies--in order to continue to be relevant.

So can others join the club? From my perspective, yes. Conversion is not really different than immigration--you might not have been born as we have been born, but by making a decision to live within our culture, it is incumbent upon us to make you welcome.

I am culturally Jewish, but not religiously Jewish. My mother is Jewish and I was raised with a Jewish identity, and to respect my Jewish heritage.

Unitarian is a quite new religion which is why it doesn't yet have all of those things. Judaism is NOT a culture since many cultures around the world adhere to judaism and it's NOT a race since people off all races believe in judaism. It's just a RELIGION. Just like catholicism and baptism.

as the old joke goes; whenever you get two Jews together you get 3 opions...

I don't think they know themselves; from what I hear 'who is a Jew?' is one of the hot button issues in Israel.

My best friend when I was growing up was a Jewish girl who went to a Unitarian church and celebrated both christmas and hanukkah (and whose mother made incredible challah from scratch). I studied for science olympiad with two brothers who were Jewish and brought up in the Jewish faith. My first lover was a buddhist Jew from Israel. My sister-in-law is a non-temple-attending, casually faithful Jew who may or may not start attending services again ('for the children') once I get some nieces and/or nephews.

Judaism is the faith of the Jews; one is a religion, the other is a race and a culture which was once insular but is increasingly melded with the culture of the U.S. in general. Israel is a whole 'nother kettle of fish; one can convert into judaism there, but only in the orthodox form.

The Unitarian movement is around three hundred years old. Ten generations or so and there is no sign that Unitarians will acquire a culture (other than the one that surrounds them) or even a sense of humor any time soon. Attending a Unitarian Service is like celebrating the drying of paint. The only time I ever experienced Unitarian passion is when a bunch of them came over to my house to burn a question mark on my lawn.

ruveyn

But like history_of_psychiatry said Judaism is not a single culture. You can't compare Ethiopian Jewish culture with Yiddish culture, couldn’t be more different. Sephardic culture also very different.

I though it is funny that you mention music, because Unitarian churches seem to get used a lot for rock concerts so it is not for what of trying

Mark of the Question topic

ruveyn is the only true jew, and paradoxically atheist when it suits him.

Where do Reform Jews go for their spiritual burial, when even Reform Judaism is too religious for the? They join the Unitarian Church. Instead of keeping the Commandments, they celebrate the drying of paint and pray To Whom It May Concern.

ruveyn