Judaism & ME ♥
Not being religious, might have something to do with it. You know me, I always find myself being caught into religious debates all the time. Either with teachers, peers, even my own grandma pushes my buttons sometimes. And if we could, we'd go at each other's throats all day. Most of the time, I just have to walk away because the things she argues make no logical sense to me at all.
But despite all that, I put my little trooper hat on and decided to help a friend in need. Mel is taking a Culture Communications class, and one of her projects, which is worth a third of her grade is on the line. Her assignment was to go to a cultural event or ceremony that wasn't of her own and do a report. To observe, take notes, interview people, the whole nine yard.
Unfortunately, the Renaissance Festical, was not an option. I was sad. -_-
But so, she finds this Jewish temple off Calkins Rd., called, Temple Beth-el I believe it was how you spelled it. And not wanting to go along, she asked me to tag along. I figured, what the hey. It wouldn't be that bad. Sure, I could have done other things, but I knew she would have done it for me. And plus, my cuddle time with the boys was later that night anyway. XP
But anyway, so, we go. It's raining. I, amazingly, knew how to get there, because I sometimes take Calkins Rd. to get to Nishara's house. So we took the way I knew how to get there and we go inside. Immediately, I felt out of place. I wasn't aware it was this highly formal things, and I walk in with crazy hair, my RED hoodie and jeans. -_- Oh boy.
So I'm looking around, and I pick up this pamphlet, cuz you know, I didn't want to look like a total tard standing around there, and it's says on the front, "JEWISH WOMEN AND BREAST CANCER." I figure this relates to me halfway, being a woman and all, so I give it a quick look through.
These people, are the most self-rightoues group of religious freaks, evar in life breathing. (Sorry to any Jews on my friends list...) I read the first paragraph which reads: "Breast cancer can be devastating to any woman, regardless of your faith. But for Jewish women, the reality of it can hit family, friends, religion as well as work."
What...the fuck. Are they implying that only Jewish women have friends and a family to take care of? That only Jewish women have jobs and a practice of Faith? Jews view themselves as God's chosen people (no duh) so they automatically place themselves on a pedastal above everyone else. Religious or not. Either your a Jew. Or your just dumb. End of story. But that wasn't even the best part.
We go in there, and we take a seat in the back, making it perfectly clear that we are not Jewish or religious in nature, so we are obviously not there to participate. We explain the project for school, and we explain that we are there simply as observers and that is all. Well, the person we talked to was very nice, and assured us that it was fine and to just make ourselves at home and to enjoy it as much as possible. It was something very different, but I didn't have any idea just how much of an unenjoyable experience it was going to be.
Again, I am not Jewish, so I have no idea what is going on. They proceed to take out the Torah. Well, guess what? I didn't know it was the Torah, I've never seen one in my life. I literally, thank you very much, thought it was magical treasure. I mean, it's this huge looking scroll, laced in GOLD for crying out loud, that they proceeded to carry around the room, as if, it we're a little infant. O__O And I guess, to show respect, your supposed to stand when it comes by you.
Well, we didn't know. Nor did we really...you know...care.
Well, one of the guys comes over to us and tells us. That we are rude.
O___O
I am rude. For sitting there. They also had this prayer or something, and it was all in Hebrew. Ok, I've never spoken a word of Hebrew in my life, how am I supposed to know what they all are chanting on about? They we're supposed to chant it 3 times, and the object of the whole thing was, by the end of the third go around or something, when you felt so moved, you we're supposed to stand up. Thus, by the end, everyone was supposed to be standing. Well. Not Jewish. Don't speak Hebrew. So...how am I supposed to be moved to the point I have to get out of my seat with joy joy joy??
Again, we got called rude. And he almost made Mel cry and told her that she was a very rude young lady and she didn't have to give him that "look".
-_- Just another reason why I'm not religious. Period.
But despite all that, I put my little trooper hat on and decided to help a friend in need. Mel is taking a Culture Communications class, and one of her projects, which is worth a third of her grade is on the line. Her assignment was to go to a cultural event or ceremony that wasn't of her own and do a report. To observe, take notes, interview people, the whole nine yard.
Unfortunately, the Renaissance Festical, was not an option. I was sad. -_-
But so, she finds this Jewish temple off Calkins Rd., called, Temple Beth-el I believe it was how you spelled it. And not wanting to go along, she asked me to tag along. I figured, what the hey. It wouldn't be that bad. Sure, I could have done other things, but I knew she would have done it for me. And plus, my cuddle time with the boys was later that night anyway. XP
But anyway, so, we go. It's raining. I, amazingly, knew how to get there, because I sometimes take Calkins Rd. to get to Nishara's house. So we took the way I knew how to get there and we go inside. Immediately, I felt out of place. I wasn't aware it was this highly formal things, and I walk in with crazy hair, my RED hoodie and jeans. -_- Oh boy.
So I'm looking around, and I pick up this pamphlet, cuz you know, I didn't want to look like a total tard standing around there, and it's says on the front, "JEWISH WOMEN AND BREAST CANCER." I figure this relates to me halfway, being a woman and all, so I give it a quick look through.
These people, are the most self-rightoues group of religious freaks, evar in life breathing. (Sorry to any Jews on my friends list...) I read the first paragraph which reads: "Breast cancer can be devastating to any woman, regardless of your faith. But for Jewish women, the reality of it can hit family, friends, religion as well as work."
What...the fuck. Are they implying that only Jewish women have friends and a family to take care of? That only Jewish women have jobs and a practice of Faith? Jews view themselves as God's chosen people (no duh) so they automatically place themselves on a pedastal above everyone else. Religious or not. Either your a Jew. Or your just dumb. End of story. But that wasn't even the best part.
We go in there, and we take a seat in the back, making it perfectly clear that we are not Jewish or religious in nature, so we are obviously not there to participate. We explain the project for school, and we explain that we are there simply as observers and that is all. Well, the person we talked to was very nice, and assured us that it was fine and to just make ourselves at home and to enjoy it as much as possible. It was something very different, but I didn't have any idea just how much of an unenjoyable experience it was going to be.
Again, I am not Jewish, so I have no idea what is going on. They proceed to take out the Torah. Well, guess what? I didn't know it was the Torah, I've never seen one in my life. I literally, thank you very much, thought it was magical treasure. I mean, it's this huge looking scroll, laced in GOLD for crying out loud, that they proceeded to carry around the room, as if, it we're a little infant. O__O And I guess, to show respect, your supposed to stand when it comes by you.
Well, we didn't know. Nor did we really...you know...care.
Well, one of the guys comes over to us and tells us. That we are rude.
O___O
I am rude. For sitting there. They also had this prayer or something, and it was all in Hebrew. Ok, I've never spoken a word of Hebrew in my life, how am I supposed to know what they all are chanting on about? They we're supposed to chant it 3 times, and the object of the whole thing was, by the end of the third go around or something, when you felt so moved, you we're supposed to stand up. Thus, by the end, everyone was supposed to be standing. Well. Not Jewish. Don't speak Hebrew. So...how am I supposed to be moved to the point I have to get out of my seat with joy joy joy??
Again, we got called rude. And he almost made Mel cry and told her that she was a very rude young lady and she didn't have to give him that "look".
-_- Just another reason why I'm not religious. Period.