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https://judaism1.livejournal.com/38344.html
2005-07-17 12:42 externaluseonly
Hello,
I go to a catholic school in Australia and am doing a religion assignment, and I was wondering if anyone would be willing to answer a few questions for me?
I need to interview a person of the jewish faith, living in australia and If you could give me a hand or point me in the direction of someone who could, that would be a huge help.
thanks alot.

PA Sermon: Muslims Will Rule the World, Jews Are a Virus
2005-05-18 13:16 usedbook
Shalom. Even from a mosque in suburban Canada, these extremist views are expressed and not considered heretical but are founded in Islam, al-Qur'an wa Sunnah. As a former Muslim, I must say that it still never ceases to shock me how anti-semitism is rampant in the Islamic religion. Any comments on this sermon?

research project!!!
2005-05-11 04:59 tomato_rosebud
I don't have a paid account, so I can't create a poll, but I am doing a research project about American Jews' relationship to Israel, and if the American Jews in this group could answer a few questions for me, that would be great!

1. What branch of Judaism do you most identify with?

2. What political party do you identify with?

3. Do you consider yourself a Zionist?

4. In terms of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, do you favor:
a) a two-state solution
b) the annexation of the occupied territories, ie: Greater Israel
c) some other solution

5. Do you think the level of U.S. involvement in the Palestinian-Israeli peace process should:
a) increase
b) decrease
c) stay about the same

6. Who do you think was/is the greatest Prime Minister of Israel?

Thanks for participating in this!

x-posted all over the place!

birthright....
2005-04-19 19:31 masanni4
Ok, I’ve been watching and replying on other peoples' comments and concerns now it's my turn:

I when I was in 2nd grade, I was adopted by one of my mom's friends who was Jewish. I am now 19 and was raised in the Jewish lifestyle (reform) since. I want to go on Birthright this summer (may 26th to be exact) but I’m starting to feel uneasy about it because I wasn't born Jewish and haven't gone through an traditional/official conversion yet. I mean, I’ve been living this way for so long and am very involved in the Jewish community that I don't think that it should matter but... I don't know. Also, I never had a bat mitzvah. I’m a girl though, so I shouldn't really latter either. I’m so overwhelmed right now. Like the questions they ask before you go on the trip, I don't think I can answer whole-heartedly. For example... "Is your mother Jewish?" yes, but my birth mother isn't. "Are you Jewish?" yes, but not by everyone's standards (i.e. orthodox). See? lol. I think I deserve to go still. What do you guys think?


I did talk with the rabbi at the local synagogue here though and I’m going to start the official process in the fall when I get back to college.

https://judaism1.livejournal.com/37025.html
2005-04-13 23:51 syndrometer
Can anyone link me to any online Rabbinical texts regarding the Jewish belief of afterlife? If not, just tell me what you know.

existance
2005-04-08 13:15 onusi
Helo. I was wondering if anyone would post me for quotes from the torah that relate to either identity or the soul. I would be most grateful

https://judaism1.livejournal.com/36388.html
2005-04-07 00:18 assimilate_me
I'm writing a program for my temple youth group about the Jewish viewpoint of the afterlife. If anybody has any resources on the topic, that'd be great. Thanks so much!

Crossposted.

A Question of Politics or Anti-Semitism?
2005-04-06 19:14 jfbat
Here’s a question for y’all. A day or two ago, I posted a rant on my LJ about the possibility of the draft coming back into style, and most of the posts were more or less on topic, but one guy, a Republican twenty-something from Montana, went off on a tangent and claimed that he’d been hearing the word “neocon” as used by the “liberal media” to describe the inner circle of policy makers in the Bush administration was actually a code word for “Jew”. I disagreed, and if you care to see the whole exchange, you may certainly take a look.

The thing is that I’ve heard that argument brfore, but always from folks who are not (to my knowledge) Jews themselves and who generally believe in the current administration’s actions. I’ve never heard another Jew make the claim, regardless of politics. I have heard Jews who are heavily involved in politics (George Soros comes to mind) described in pretty unsavory terms by folks who don’t agree with their, often (but not always) in the conservative media.

I guess my question is: is he crazy, or am I? (Both? Neither?)

Discuss . . .

Jewish Women's group
2005-03-31 01:27 assimilate_me
I've been thinking of starting a Rosh Chodesh group in my area. I've found a couple sites about it but I was wondering if anyone had any personal experience with starting one?

Thanks in advance!

Crossposted

Hi
2005-02-25 19:17 sexandviolence
Temple Beth Abraham is down the street from my house. I've always wanted to go, and I think I finally am going to, once I am a little more familiar with it. I am considering getting: Judaism for Dummies or Completes Idiot Guide...

Do you recommend either of these? Or is there a better book somewhere?

https://judaism1.livejournal.com/35404.html
2005-02-16 14:55 nobleprolet
Hi there,

I am a young german with a big interest for history. I studied it for two years, irregularily, and then I got ill for 3 years. Now I'm looking forward to enter university again.

I have an idea for a research project on german jews and the Holocaust. I would like to know what you think of it, and what you think other jews might think of it.

The idea evolves about my own stance on the Holocaust being a crime against my neighbors. I think much of the current statements on the Holocaust call it a crime against jews. However, is it an important aspect of the Holocaust that it was directed at people who were my neighbors, people of my city, fellow citizens?

There is one german jew whom I've come to adore while studying german history, Walther Rathenau. This man was a politician who cared for Germany, wanting the best for all of its people. Who tried hard to bring Germany out of the isolation it had been condemned to after World War I.

So far my studies show that Rathenau was famous amongst the people. When he was assassinated by some nationalists there were many who grieved about that. Many who knew what a loss that was.

I do not understand how the german public adored a dirtbag like Hitler and so quickly forgot how it adored the jew Rathenau only some years before that. It's not getting into my head. Was it just empty adulation of a celebrity guest on the political stage?

This is one focus of my study. Another will be the relations between jewish germans and germans of other background, christian germans, germans of foreign ancestry, cosmopolitan germans of the time etc.

I really think this is an aspect of the horror of the Holocaust that is very much neglected. That many people of your background simply were my neighbors. We murdered our neighbors.

Shalom!
2005-01-27 00:54 gowhitegirl
My name is Brittany, I'm 19 in Olympia, Washington, and I'm looking into converting to Judaism. My fiance is Jewish and, because of what I've observed in his morals and traditions, we both hope to raise our children Jewish in the future.

I was raised in a Christian household but I was never baptised because my parents insisted I make my own decision in my faith, and let me use Sunday school and church as learning tools rather than ultimate truths.

I'm interested in having a Jewish wedding as well, and I just feel very overwhelmed with all there is to know and learn. Also, does anyone know information on being converted? Are conversion classes extremely spendy?

Any information you have would be much appreciated, and I'm looking forward to my new journey.



X-Posted to Jewishteens, Jewishwomen, Judaism1, and Jewcrew.

A Lecture on Reincarnation from Rabbi Nissel (The best Rabbi EVER!)
2005-01-26 16:31 moocowbess
   Definition of Reincarnation:  Understand what exactly happens at the end of days.  Sources:  Living in the 21st century- does reincarnation affect us.  
Derech Hashem:  Reward and Punishment:  In the real world everything we do has a consequence.  The reason we do not stress the negative, we have very low expectations for our generation.  The Arizal taught us:  as we get closer to mashiach, a small mitzvah is huge in this time (because of the distortion of proper living in this generation).  
   There are 3 places where g-d can reward and punish us for what we have done.  This world, the world to come and Olam Hanishamos, your body goes into a state which is expunged by the snake gunk (gunk of death inside of us, mystical introspection of the snake gunk causing mortality to Eve) a process of being purified under the ground.   The body goes to the world of souls and the olam hanishamos is similar to the world to come.  It is like: Ex: you can see what is going on in the other worlds, then there is the place (11 months) for cleansing your soul.  
Punishment is a secular chirstian word.  Our explanation is removing the damaging of your soul.  We would rather get punishment here.  
   Ramchal asks:  the questions should not be why do bad things happen to good ppl, but why do good things happen to good people.  When you see righteous people go through suffering in this world it is because god wants to give them maximum enjoyment in the world.   When you see a person enjoying life here in "reward" it is possibly questionable what punishment they are recieving later on.  
EX:  A guy goes into a gorgeous fancy 5 star restaurant.  He sits down (beautiful ambience), beautiful people serve him the best food, he orders the biggest steak in the house.  As the guy eats he can't remember having so much pleasure.   Afterwards they say it is no bill, it is on the house.  The guy tries to stand up, and he realizes he can't.  He realizes he can't move.  He looks under the table and realizes he has no legs.  He's been eating his own flesh.  He's been eating his own legs.   Everyone is laughing at him, and he cannot believe a greater hell.  People don't realize how they are eating their own flesh.  
   Another root is found about the way in this world to give the best opportunity for man:  The goal of the whole system is to give maximum pleasure to man.  One soul can come to this world many times in different bodies.  What is the purpose of this, through this, you can fix up the second time around that which you messed up the first time.   Another reason is to complete that which was not completed.  After all the incarnations have been completed (there is a maximum of 4 shots)- the law at the end of days (the great moment of judgement)- you will be judged as the sum of all your reincarnations.  
Which body do we have?  We are not a soul or a body.  We are the way our soul and our body connects.  The heart is the interface between the higher spiritual you and the physical earthly animal you.  That is what the you has to come back in the world to come.   So which body you get in the world to come?  
   There are two reasons why g-d favors us we already recited.  
Story:  there was a certain rabbi that lived the last 100 of years (controversy)- the reform movement gave him alot of grief.  He revealed one day to his inner circle of students:  "I happen to know the following information that in my first incarnation, I was one of the people who came out of Egypt.   I was a good Jew, but when it came to the rebellion with Korach, I took a neutral stance. (Korach was a tzadik, by the way, not just an evil being).  Now my job in the world is to fight for Moshe's emes.  G-d will put people in the environment and manipulate the environment and will have this test once again.   Another example is given in the...
   Zohar:  "The laws of Mishpatim- all the laws of social legislation- stealing, ownership, buying and selling etc..."  This parsha is the big secret of incarnations.  The laws of justice is the secret of gilgul!! why?  
Once upon a time there was a man called the Chazon Ish, he was a person who was not spooky at all- after the holocaust- he rebuilt torah judaism together with the brisker rav (in bnei brak) he was a halachik and political leader in klal yisroel (but he knew about these spooky things).   One of his students puts his hand down and finds a shilling (a british coin) and says "I'm aloud to keep this."  The Chazon Ish says correct.  A person losing money - Yiush shelo mida'as lo havi Yi'ush- The student asks the Chazon ish- is this because of gilgul?   What does this mean?  Ex:  if reuven is walking down the street and the coin belonged to Shimon.  Reuven can keep it, because perhaps in the gilgul previous time, Shimon owned reuven the equivalent of a coin.  These are oporrtunities to complete something through an alternative form of compensation.  
   A male can only reincarnated as a male, female a female- a Jew as a Jew.  
A person is very poor in their lifetime and doesn't have a chance to accomplish what a rich person has to do in their lifestyle (Tzedaka, using money in a form of recognition you a merely a harbinger of the coin granted to you by the divine).  The last generatino since the holocausts- Jews have been wealthy- and it coule be very well that we originally were poor in "morroco" and now we have another task to fulfill we couldn't fulfill then.   Could also be that when we were in a previous life we were living in a ghetto- and now we have a different test where religion is not given on a plate.  
   The Zohar brings another example how Gilgulim work.  This is very spooky and beautiful. The Zohar is living up on a mysitcal level:  If you are sold as a Jewish slave (debt) and they are treated like a king in the household (more like your a partner in the family because you are treated well).   We don't want this but if they do come in like this married, you leave married.  If you come in single and master gives you a wife (A Canaanite bondswoman) you don't take her with you once you are liberated.  
What happens if you come in single (meaning) : into this world, married, and you can't have children.  If you leave without children, G-d will bring you back again and will have kids.  Your wife from your previous incarnation will be your bashert in your next incarnation.  
   Does everyone agree with the Ramchal.  The Arizal (the father of modern mysticism living 500 yrs ago in sfat wrote 30-40 pages, lists all the famous gilgulim).  For example, Moshe's wife was Tzipora but she doesn't have the easiest marriage because her husband is not with her.   Within all her holiness her husband cannot spend time with her, she comes back and remarried someone who she has a more connected relationship with.  No one has ever disputed with Ramchal since it was written.  
What does a body mean?  If you die in old age, you want to come back looking young and beautiful.  Your body is something that makes no sense, because it is constantly changing.  Every person in this room goes through six stages.  First atge of the body is a fertilized ovam- then you come out looking like a rat (ha)- clearisal stage (ha) hormones kicking in- handsome stage- slowly towards old age- prune old stage:   If you took a photograph of these five stages, you cannot recognize its the same person.  What happens if you have a liver transplant?  what happens?  
   Moshe Rabbeinu's face after being 40 days learning from Hashem up on the Har had become a spiritual being- which is why Hashem put a 'mask' on him.  the body itself is not what we see in the mirror, the real you is the body you create through your actions and your deeds.   Moshe's face underneath the ask is a little bit what our body is going to be like at the end of days.  The body itself is going to be more spiritual than physical.  (Mashiach's face looks like a light).  
You can see gedolim and see there faces glow.  (Rav Nebentsal).  
   What does the concept of reincarnation mean for me, myself and I?
Absolutely nothing.  The last 45 minutes have been a total waste of time in practical application.  the following scenario is where the concept of gilgul becomes very important.  When a hcild dies young and you want to console a parent- the most powerful comfort is telling them that they are part of a greater plan of life- and that- their child remains their child.
   Ramchal was 39 when he died.  Rabbi Akiva became religious at 40.  Ramchal came down to rectify the first 40 years of Rabbi Akiva's life (twilight zone music).  We say the word special about kids, we need to realize they really are special- The Steipler would stand up for special children- not because they wanted to make the parents feels good- but because this child has been brought into the world for tikunim trapped in this body for a reason.   Therefore they need certain frusteration in this world to completely cleanse their body.  
Through facilitation we see they are much more connected to their spirituality.  Tzadikim gedolim know what they have to fix.  When you see there is one error of halacha you are constantly struggling with- it could be the reason you came down here... thinking about it.  
   You as a Jew must live the best possible life, but know there is something much bigger and more powerful going out there.  
Story:  Lives in 4 Parnas (Rav Nissel)
   An outreach rabbi in 6 parnas lives on a synagogue complex on the premises of the synagogue and the mikvah.  The following happened 4-5 yrs ago.  They gave birth to a child, and the child grew up in the synagogue (first 3-4 years of its life).   The child had a special friendship with a special kid (11 yr old girl).  If you look at the child you can say the child was truly sweet at a very young age who looked like they had a great future.  Usually children with a good nature are dispositioned to doing right.   Every time the father would go over to Germany the kid would start behaving dysfunctionally (he independently verified it from the whole community).  One day the child was playing in the mikvah, jumped into the mikvah and drowned.  For 7 days the parents sat in the floor mourning.   On the night of the 7th day of the shiva, the child comes back to the father- he said "I came back in this world because I needed rectification"- I lived in the middle ages as a great Talmud and I died by the sword without a proper Jewish burial- and now I have a proper Jewish burial and am permitted to go to the high place.   The Father woke up and wanted to know if such a rabbi existed killed by the crusades- there was indeed a great rabbi in the back of the talmud was the Mordichai never had the honor of a Jewish burial.  The father took upon himself to study all the works of the Mordichai.   The father after the tragedy- had a dream- the child came back and said "I told you not to cry for me, why are you crying for me"- he was referring when he was crying his eyes out when he put his clothing away.  They went to the 11 yr old girl, and communicated with her and asked what she knew- she said it's obvious he's the Mordichai and came back to fulfill the proper burial (twilight zone music).  

Symbols
2005-01-23 23:15 onusi
I was wondering if anyone would be so kind as to give me a little information on the Star of David (which is probably the wrong name for it). What it means, a little history and any myths or legends would be good. Thanks.

Second Annual LJFAD
2005-01-18 08:46 kyrie_eleison_7
April 12, 2005 is the second annual LJFAD (LiveJournal Friends Appreciation Day). Would y'all be so kind to spread the word to other friends? I'd appreciate it. Here is the detail post. Thanks...

https://judaism1.livejournal.com/33248.html
2004-12-19 17:19 heyunyi
Hello people! I have a question. I'm a Christian and have been talking to a Pagan on another livejournal community. This person is trying to tell me that the relationship that I think I have with my God is really the result of the "gods of my ancestors" who care about me just because we're family and that I should be seeking out the gods of my ancestors instead. And I'm trying to tell this person, that even if a multitude of gods exist (which I don't believe is the case), I would much rather pursue the foreign "Jewish storm god" (as this pagan asserts that He is) than the "gods of my ancestors", whoever they are. So she made this comment to me:

"Do you know that most orthodox Jews don't think that jehova listens to christians or muslims? That muslims and christians are "so far off" from what God said in the old testament, that their prayers don't even really appeal to him or reach him? Many jews don't see their God as "your" God specifically."

So I'm curious if the more orthodox among you agree with her assessment. Does your God listen and care about the prayers that are directed to him by us Gentiles, even if Christian and Muslim ideas about God are so much different than yours? Does God still respond to our desire to have a relationship with him regardless of what religious,cultural, and ancestral background we are coming from?

Thanks!

A true terrorist caught
2004-12-16 23:32 cute_kitty
http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2004/12/16/montreal-school-041216.html
He said that he did it "in retaliation for the attacks I saw happening in the Middle East". Have whatever political views you want, but to target children is the worst possible kind of crime, one that deserves punishment. I for one am glad for him to be punished.
x-posted everywhere, I'm excited.

My grandfather has a failing liver...
2004-12-15 20:52 pacino1901
If you could please keep Moishe Ben Maeshe in mind while davening, saying Tehillim, saying Chittas, or doing Mishaberachs this Shabbos, it would be greatly appreciated.

Good Read
2004-12-15 00:37 ninotchka84
I don't know if there are any other "half-Jews" out there (technically I'm full because it's through my mother but my dad is not Jewish so I identify), but I'd like to recommend a book called The Half-Jewish Book. It's really interesting as well as funny.
Anyone else read this? It was a great airplane companion for me today.

https://judaism1.livejournal.com/32122.html
2004-12-14 19:53 desih0ney88
why is judaism such a tolerant religion?