Anyone here Jewish?

[mycatis]

Hi, maybe it's not polite to ask people their religion, if not then I'm sorry, but I was wondering if anyone here was Jewish?  My friends laugh at me because they say I'm obsessed with the Jewish Faith. Someone asked me the other day if I actually knew any Jews and I realised I didn't.  There isn't even a synagogue in my town.  Does anyone know if I would be allowed to visit one, if I could find one?

[maggie01]

I used to work with a girl who was jewish a long time ago and I found it interesting. Can't remember much about it now.

[Chessman]

My wife is Jewish, and even though I was brought up as a Christian, my immedite ancestry is Jewish, and to marry her, I had to take a course, which was a coming back, why do you want to know?.

[Chessman]

as far as visiting a Synagogue, you wouldn't be allowed to just walk in, you would need permission, and a member to go with you, any other questions, I would be happy to answer, but clanad, who I don't know if he's Jewish or not, from a previous question I posted, seems to be a lot more knowlegable than me, but if you want, ask away.

[mycatis]

Well to be honest my questions aren't really about the practices of Judaism, so don't know if you will feel able to help but you asked for lol
Why has anti -semitism always happened?
How have the Jewish people managed to cope with such abuse over the centuaries and still act with such dignity?
Why are people surprised that after the Holocaust, Jewish people finally stood up and said "enough is enough"?
Can a convert to Judaism be accepted as a real Jew, if they beleive in their hearts that they are really Jewish, despite their birth?
Sorry if this is a bit heavy for AB lol :-)

[chongalolo]

I am Jewish by birth.  Although I don't believe in God I am deeply attached to my historical, cultural and ethical roots, which sounds contradictory, but to me Judaism is much more than a personal relationship with a supreme being.  There is a synagogue near where I live and I go there every week.  It is my oasis in the world, and the people there are my extended family.  I find peace and warmth there.  Anyone is very welcome to visit, for services or just to see the building, by prior arrangement.  We have local schools visiting nearly every week.  We have really good relationships with local Muslims and Christians and meet up every 3 months to get to know each other better.  There are more areas of commonality between the three faiths than any of us realised.

Your question about anti-Semitism etc deserves a long answer as it is a complex and difficult subject to discuss.  The dignity I guess arises from faith and a belief in being the chosen people in that we have to try to set an example to rise above attempts to destroy the faith and culture.

A convert would be accepted if it he or she was converted in the Orthodox branch of Judaism.  Other branches, like Reform or Progressive are not considered acceptable by the Orthodox.  It is not easy to convert and demands a big commitment from the person. 

There are many Jews around who do not practice their faith or even admit that they are Jewish, so when you say you don't know any Jews, don't be so sure of that!  Just scratch the surface a little....

[mycatis]

Thank you chongalolo, I think I will try and find a synagogue  to visit.  I have always imagined that it must be a great thing to be able to sit in a synagogue during a service and feel this amazing sense of belonging, of having a "people" and knowing that you were part of this long, amazing history.  I hope that makes sense.

[Chessman]

chongalolo has given a good answer, and is absolutely correct about converts, as I said, my family are Jewish, but I was brought up a Christian, both my parents converted out, to marry, I had to get a copy of my grandparents marriage certificate, go to a doctors for a letter to prove i'd been circumcised, take a 'coming back' course, and even then it was hard to find a Rabbi who'd marry us, even though my wife can trace her jewish ancestry back to Cromwellian times.

I won't go to much into anti-semitism, Jews in foreign lands have always been hard working and studious, as a result, have risen to positions of wealth and power, of course, this doesn't apply to all, so when a scapegoat was needed, Jews fitted the bill, it didn't help also, that in a Christian society, Jews were often blamed for killing Jesus, (not true).

A Semite is someone who comes from the Middle East, therefore, Arabs also are Semites, what your seeing now, with some people attacking synagogues, is not anti-semitism, but ant-Jewish, the same with the Holocaust, anti-Jewish, a distinction not many people make, but true.

Your last post about a sense of belonging, is very true, a wonderful feeling.

[netibiza]

My husband is Jewish by birth (and incidently by nature!) but he has no belief in any God.  I am Anglican and we had never had any problems with it.  I attend my church , brought my daughter up as a Christian (with hubby's agreement) only until she was old enough to decide for herself. Religion is a very private and personal thing.  By the way, we were married in a Registery Office.

[Chessman]

To follow on from netibeza, My elder brother converted to Catholicism, (for his wife), my younger brother converted to C of E, (for his wife), you ladies have a lot to answer for,  and my sister, who is a Baptist, married an Atheist, and as far as I can tell, every person, in all these intermarriages, get on well with each other,

[pepepe000]

where are you? i know a jewish lady who is very nice and open about her religion. can introduce you if you leave anywhere near me

[mycatis]

I'm in Scotland, I'll find a Synagogue somehow and phone them, thanks though :-)