Deana's F358 Blog

2006-12-11T17:30:00.000-08:00

Here is my final paper. I decided to post it because I thought some of you might find it interesting! Hope you enjoy!

How Judaism Manifests Itself in Sigma Delta Tau

A person’s Jewish identity is an exceptionally difficult concept to encapsulate. The struggle for an individual to find him/herself in the scheme of life is difficult enough, without the added issue of being a religious minority. For many, this struggle comes to a head in college, a time when people “try on” identities like they try on shoes. To throw Judaism into the mix is a befuddlement to some, a non-issue to most, and a concept to embrace for the rest. Where to draw the line, however, is the question most ask. When should one’s Jewish identity play a role, and when is it time to be a “normal college student?” The women of Sigma Delta Tau, a nationally Jewish sorority for college women, yet a locally secular chapter of Indiana University, face these questions each day. In this paper, I will show that the women of Sigma Delta Tau at Indiana University understand their affiliation with Judaism as a continual struggle, based on the duel responsibilities of being part of both a national organization, as well as representing their own interests as an independent chapter.
Historically, the Greek system has roots reaching far back into the American memory. These clandestine organizations served as a form of rebellion for members and an escape from the “rigidity of early American college life,” (Jewish, 4). Throughout the nineteenth century, “American college Greek-letter societies spread across the land and developed an extensive culture which included passwords, secret handshakes, insignia, special ceremonial robes, and often esoteric rituals with details and symbols borrowed from ancient Roman, Christian, and Masonic traditions,” (Jewish 4).
However, the Greek system circa 1900s was extremely unreceptive to Jewish prospective members, barring most from entrance. “There was nothing to prevent fraternities from specifying that prospective members had to be ‘Caucasian,’ ‘white Christian,’ ‘a child of two Christian parents,’ or ‘of full Aryan blood.’ In one Christian fraternity in the late 1920s, possession of one-eighth Jewish blood disqualified a student for membership,” (Jewish, 4). Some campuses went to such extremes as to publish the religion of a student in rush pamphlets, placing a “P” (Protestant), a “C” (Catholic), or an “H” (Hebrew), next to each name with an annotation at the bottom in explanation (Jewish, 5). Even if such formal measures were not already in place, “the gentile fraternities, many of which had crosses on their insignia, professions of faith in Jesus Christ as part of their rituals, and encouraged regular prayer and church attendance, were hardly places where a Jewish student could feel welcome,” (Non-Recognition, 128).
In response to this intolerance, a number of Jewish men and women formed their own fraternities and sororities, respectively. Sigma Delta Tau (SDT), founded on March 25, 1917 is one such example. As explained by Sigma Delta Tau’s website, this sorority was founded by seven women, most of whom “had experienced the subtle, but very real, discrimination practiced against the religious minorities by many Greek organizations at the time,” (sigmadeltatau.com), and thus these individuals established their own sorority. Although Sigma Delta Tau is nondiscriminatory, its Jewish connections are evident. Upon navigating the SDT homepage, one will find a page geared toward potential new members. Among other attributes listed, one of the prime reasons a student should join SDT is that it “provides an opportunity for a Jewish sorority experience,” asserting that “though membership is open to all, SDT has a long history of strong Judaic traditions. On many campuses, SDT works closely with Hillel [a Jewish campus organization] as leaders in the campus Jewish community. SDT’s members represent all races and religions, however, when needed, SDT can provide the opportunity for members to practice and explore Jewish religious and cultural traditions,” (sigmadeltatau.com).
Through a personal interview with Michelle Carlson, the National Vice President of Recruitment, I was able to gain more information regarding the national policies of SDT, which will benefit us in our search to understand how Judaism manifests itself in the Indiana University chapter. Anti-Semitism continues to be an issue, specifically in the south, where girls are dropped from the recruitment process simply as a result of their last name. According to Carlson, in the face of such intolerance, Sigma Delta Tau is “a place where Jewish girls can feel comfortable that there are no questions being asked about their backgrounds, and we [SDT] as an organization have made it so that it is not a religious focus,” (Carlson, personal interview). Thus, from a national standpoint, it is clear that Sigma Delta Tau has direct ties to Judaism, but does directly engage in any sort of religious activity. However, it is interesting to note that Sigma Delta Tau has a national policy prohibiting holiday decorations of any kind, Christmas or Chanukah related (Carlson, personal interview).
In many chapters, Indiana University specifically, the role of Judaism within Sigma Delta Tau is not so clear cut. While the Upsilon chapter of Sigma Delta Tau at Indiana University currently remains populated solely by Jewish women, it still maintains its locally secular identity, making for some interesting issues within the chapter. Some members are of the belief that although SDT is not locally Jewish, because of its nationally Jewish origins, it should uphold its sense of Jewish identity. These members may not believe that this sense of identity should be displayed in any overt manner, but rather in a sensitivity toward those who have a strong association with Judaism. Other members strongly believe that Sigma Delta Tau should continue on the secular route, and not engage in such an overt manifestation of Judaism.
As suggested by the Sigma Delta Tau webpage, there is frequently a connection between the members of SDT and the university Hillel. To continue our investigation, I deemed a more in depth understanding of the IU SDT’s campus-wide affiliation with Judaism to be important. Hillel is an organization that seeks to serve as a resource for students on campus. It is multi-facetted, allowing students to rely on it religiously, socially, emotionally, ect. According to Tslil Shtulsaft, one of the JCSC Fellows (Jewish Campus Service Corps) at the Indiana Hillel, Hillel’s goal is to serve as a “Jewish home away from home, where students feel comfortable to come to,” (Shtulsaft, personal interview). Shtulsaft’s role at Hillel is to connect Jewish students to the IU Jewish community. His focus is not on the students in regular attendance to the Hillel functions, but rather on the Jewish students who remain unaffiliated; a job that oftentimes connects him to the Greek community.
According to Shtulsaft, the students residing in “Jewish” houses don’t have a strong need to be at Hillel. While individuals may come, as a whole, their Jewish connection lies in being a member of their fraternity of sorority. In contrast, “it’s the non-Jewish houses that need Hillel. We had a Break Fast [after Yom Kippur] at Kappa this year. We decided to do it at a non-Jewish house because we have found that Jewish houses will find a way to do a break fast. Non-Jewish houses wont,” (Shtulsaft, personal interview).
Though the “need” may not be as great, with regards to involvement in Hillel, “SDT is the strongest out of any house in the Greek system,” (Shtulsaft, personal interview). However, Shtulsaft is of the belief that the women of SDT are not any more or less Jewish than the members of the other Jewish houses on campus. Rather, he believes that SDT’s involvement stems from the personal connections he made with several freshmen last year, many of whom now hold leadership roles on the Hillel executive board.
The members of the Indiana Chapter of Sigma Delta Tau maintain various viewpoints regarding how Judaism should manifest itself in the chapter. Some members are active in Hillel and sustain a strong bond with their Jewish identity, thus they are more adamant about preserving the Jewish foundations of the house. Others however, understand the Indiana University chapter of SDT to be secular, and as such would like to place a much lower emphasis on the Jewish aspects of the house. While there are many individuals with varying viewpoints within the house, two members with strong beliefs regarding these topics are Rachel Kaplan and Lilly Cohen*. As we examine their opinions and beliefs, we may begin to gain an understanding as to why a constant struggle for the manifestation of Jewish identity exists.
Rachel Kaplan, a junior at Indiana University, grew up in a family who was extremely involved with Judaism, which is reflected in her personal history. Kaplan currently belongs to a Reform synagogue and went to a Jewish preschool. Her family not only convenes for Shabbat dinner on a regular basis, but celebrates holidays with her extended family as well. She was part of the Reform camping system (attending OSRUI from 1998-2006), served as an active member of NFTY (a youth group through the Reform movement), and spent a semester in Israel. On a more personal level, although Kaplan is very involved with Judaism, she does not observe each ritual, and as such finds it to be interesting, “because some people perceive me as very religious and some people see me as not very religious at all. So I fall in a unique place in the spectrum,” (Kaplan, personal interview).
Lilly Cohen*, also a junior at IU, was raised in a family who was not exceptionally observant. According to Cohen, her family participated in religious holidays, but “did we light the candles every Friday night? No,” (Cohen, personal interview). However, Lilly did go to Hebrew school and was a part of the Jewish camping system as well.
Nevertheless, it is interesting to note that no matter how different each of these members’ backgrounds may be, both girls joined Sigma Delta Tau for similar reasons. Throughout the course of their interviews, both Kaplan and Cohen cited personal connections as primary reasons for drawing them to Sigma Delta Tau; each knew members of the house that led them to join. As such, certain levels of ease and familiarity were present, “I felt very comfortable here, and I knew a few girls in the house and I got along with them. So, I thought that I would be able to get along with a lot of other girls in the house as well,” (Cohen, personal interview). Further, when asked what role their religious backgrounds played in their decisions to join SDT, both respondents gave surprisingly similar answers as well. For both Kaplan and Cohen, their decisions were not based upon the necessity of being in a Jewish house, but rather being uncomfortable in a house comprised either primarily, or solely, of non-Jews. According to Kaplan, “A lot of houses were known for not having a lot of Jewish girls in the house, and I didn’t necessarily feel comfortable in them. I didn’t want to have to constantly be explaining myself to them, or handing in excuses, or worrying that date party or parents weekend would fall on a Jewish holiday. I also didn’t want to be the token Jew somewhere. To sum it up, I would say that my religious beliefs didn’t have a huge impact on me choosing SDT, but in me not choosing another house,” (Kaplan, personal interview).
In regards to Sigma Delta Tau being a locally non-Jewish chapter, however, the respondents had major differences in opinion. Cohen affirms the positive light of the non-Jewish chapter, explaining that to be solely Jewish would reflect badly on Sigma Delta Tau. And although Kaplan agrees with this mentality, it is her belief that SDT at Indiana is going through somewhat of an identity crisis, “because while we’re not a Jewish house, nationals prevents us from putting up Christmas lights, we don’t have meetings on Jewish holidays, and on Passover they serve Matzah in the kitchen. And to say that we’re not a Jewish house is just silly, because we do these things because all of our members are Jewish. So, if that doesn’t constitute a Jewish house, I’m not really sure what would,” (Kaplan, personal interview).
Additionally, Kaplan commented on the concept of a person being considered “too Jewish,” within the chapter. In our discussion, Kaplan specifically references a Passover Seder organized by a group of girls in the chapter not known to be particularly religious; anyone not going home or attending the Hillel Seder was invited to attend. According to Kaplan, the Seder was a success, and constituted a bonding session for the members of the house. However, in Kaplan’s mind, had she brought up the idea, it would have taken on an invasive and negative connotation, simply because she is known throughout the chapter as “religious,” contrary to the women who organized the event. “I think there is a double standard, and it comes out a lot during recruitment, where we want to remain having the same identity, having somewhat of a Jewish identity, but we don’t want to be ‘too Jewish,’” (Kaplan, personal interview).
Within the last year, Christmas lights were an intensely debated topic (prior to the knowledge that there was a national ruling on such matters). And as you can imagine, there was a large amount of controversy regarding the issue. In Cohen’s opinion, Christmas lights are not necessarily symbols of Christmas, but rather designations of the holiday season. To her, “us [SDT] not putting up lights is us [SDT] not showing holidays spirit,” (Cohen, personal interview). She feels that her argument is only bolstered by the fact that other traditionally Jewish houses on campus have joined in the festivities, and decorated their houses. In contrast however, Kaplan “simply does not think that it is appropriate,” (Kaplan, personal interview). However, Kaplan does not limit her views to Christmas lights, for she is of the opinion that SDT should not be decorated with any sort of holiday paraphernalia.
Similarly, the volatile issue of serving pork in the kitchen presents a major dilemma for many members of Sigma Delta Tau. Kaplan and Cohen, representing two opposite ends of the spectrum, elaborate on this issue. National SDT policy dictates that each individual chapter may choose whether to serve pork in the kitchen (Carlson, personal interview). While Cohen is of the school of thought advocating for pork products in the IU chapter, Kaplan is strongly opposed. In Cohen’s opinion, because SDT is not considered to be a kosher house, thus offering other non kosher food to its members, bacon and similar pork products should not be viewed in a unique light. Rather, she believes pork should be an alternative option to those who wish to partake in it, similar to a vegetarian option, “I’m not saying we [SDT] shouldn’t offer turkey bacon. Just as we offer vegetarian options, we should offer real bacon to those who don’t have dietary restrictions,” (Cohen, personal interview).
Kaplan, representing the other end of the continuum, believes that cooking pork in the kitchen would cause discomfort for many members of Sigma Delta Tau. In Kaplan’s view, the Jewish foundations are oftentimes the very thing that draw members to SDT, thus serving pork in the kitchen not only negates one of their motivations in joining the chapter, but would put members in an uncomfortable situation as well. However, she is not opposed to chapter members bringing in pork products from outside, and views this as a good compromise, “there is no rule saying you cant have pepperoni pizza, or make bacon in the microwave, but serving pork in the kitchen is completely different,” (Kaplan, personal interview).
As seen from the responses given by these two members of Sigma Delta Tau, there is a great deal of push and pull within the chapter regarding a Jewish connection. As a chapter, Indiana University’s SDT is not affiliated with Hillel, however many of its members choose to hold leadership positions on the executive board. How to best represent the needs of members such as Lilly Cohen and Rachel Kaplan, who clearly view Sigma Delta Tau’s association with Judaism in different lights, is a continual struggle. While many members can identify with Cohen’s viewpoints, understanding SDT to be a sorority which happens to be filled with Jewish women, many others relate to Kaplan’s beliefs. These individuals do not believe that SDT should manifest its Judaism in an any overt sense, but rather in a sense of compassion toward those whose Judaism creates a comfort level within, and a connection to, Sigma Delta Tau. The question of how the women of Sigma Delta Tau manifest their sense of Jewish identity is complex. As members of both a nationally Jewish sorority but a locally secular chapter, the struggle is continual, with new issues developing daily. Nonetheless, it is precisely this balance between a Jewish and secular identity, that draws members to Sigma Delta Tau.

Works Cited Page

1. Cohen, Lilly. Personal interview. 5 December 2006.

2. Carlson, Michelle. Personal interview. 7 December 2006.

3. Kaplan, Rachel. Personal interview. 5 December 2006.

4. Sanua, Marianne. “Jewish College Fraternities in the United States, 1895-1968: An
Overview.” Journal of American Ethnic History Winter 2000, Volume 19 Issue 2. Academic
Search Premeier. EBSCO. IU Libraries. 20 November 2006 .

5. Sanua, Marianne. “The Non-Recognition of Jewish Fraternities: The Cases of Columbia and
Brown Universities.” American Jewish Archives 45 (1993): 126-145.

6. Shtulsaft, Tslil. Personal Interview. 6 December 2006.

6. Sigma Delta Tau Webpage. 1 December 2006.

2006-12-06T17:38:00.000-08:00

After reading the article on the Conservative movement's decision to east the ban on gay rabbi's, all I could think was, "its about time." In my opinion, I feel that this decision has been a long time coming, and its high time that the council has made some reforms on their opinions regarding homosexuality and Judaism.

It seems to me that the Conservative movement, one that is supposed to identify with the changing culture of American society, would be one that should take into account the beliefs that seem to be important to the society as a whole. Clearly, gay rights have been an issue for some time, and it is surprising to me that it has take so long for the Conservative movement to ease some of the restrictions on homosexuals. Just as womens rights were important, and thus females were allowed to be ordained as rabbis, the same should be true for homosexuals.

I think the responses from the Reform and Orthodox sects are to be expected. However, I still dont understand why they feel the need to critize the decisions of other Jewish communities....nobody is forcing the Orthodox community to ease their ban on homosexuals.

2006-12-05T20:51:00.000-08:00

I am a member of Sigma Delta Tau, a Jewish sorority on campus. As many of you know, this past weekend was 19 party, a weekend where 1700 (yes 1700) girls trecked from house to house in the cold to meet girls from each different sorority in hopes of becomming a member of one themselves.

As I spoke to many of the girls who partook in this adventure, I started to think back to what went through my mind as I went through recruitment. As I recall, one of the most important factors for me was "the Jewish factor." Not to say that I dont have non-Jewish friends, but I personally know that I would not feel comfortable living in a house where I was the one and only Jew, or one of only a few. Therefore, I made sure to ask at every single house I entered, what their "religious composition" was. I know that this was not the sort of question most people thought to ask, but my thought process was, well if this is the type of question that would bother them, this isnt the house I want to be in anyway.

As I entered and exited each house, I found myself liking some, hating others, and loving a few. When it came time to decide what I really wanted in a sorority, I asked myself some questions that now I realize portray my Jewish identity. I asked myself how I would feel if my kitchen served pork, or how I would feel walking a house if it was decorated with Christmas lights and it had a Christmas tree in it. I soon realized that I in fact would not be comfortable in a setting like this, and thus chose a Jewish house.

However, it is interesting to think about what goes through the minds of other Jewish girls as they too consider which sorority to join.

2006-12-05T20:33:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I attended services at the local synagogue, Beth Shalom, because one of my friend's rabbi's from home was in for the weekend. Rabbi David, who was originally from Israel, is a member of the Reform movement, and one of the few rabbis to be ordained by the reform movement in Israel.

Hearing his sermon and having coffee with him afterward gave me an entirely new perspective of the religious situation in Israel. Before hearing him talk, I knew that the state was governed by the Orthodox movement, but I guess I never really knew what that entailed. By listening to him speak, not only did I learn a great deal about the Reform movement in the state of Israel in general, but I found that Israel is the only democratic nation that Jews do not have religious freedom. It sounds so ridiculous to hear; the Jewish state not giving religious freedom to the Jews! But as preposterous as it sounds, its true. The only sect of Judaism that is permitted to practice Judaism in the manner that they see fit are the Orthodox, and to me that is a tragedy.

It is absurd that a religion, that has wandered in the diaspora in search of a place to practice Judaism and be allowed religious freedom, take away the ability of fellow Jews to practice Judaism in the manner in which they would like. I had no idea that this amounted to such things as not being able to get married unless it is overseen by a member of the Orthodox rabbinate. It even extends to such tragedies as bus bombings and the like, where Jewish law dictates that a body must be buried within 24 hours of the death. Therefore, after a bus bombing, multiple funerals are held throughout the night, just to keep this rule. This seems so inhumane and unnenecessary to me....so impersonal.

It seems to me that it is the duty of the Jews in the diaspora to come to the aid of the Jews in Israel who do not wish to be a part of the Orthodox movement. But, I guess thats only my opinion.

2006-11-28T21:09:00.000-08:00

I found yesterdays discussion of Messianic Jews and Jews for Jesus to be extremely interesting. Prior to this, I was unaware I never considered the difference between the two. It is interesting to know that one is a Christian group while one considers themselves part of the Jewish faith.

After class, I was discussing this issue with a friend of mine, and I explained the distinction to him, and we were discussing some of the issues at hand. He mentioned that in Chicago, there were prayer houses for Messianic Jews, to which I responded, you mean "synagogues." And he gave me a weird look and said, "No. I dont." The rest of our conversation was centered around this idea; should Messianic Jewish prayer houses be referred to as synagogues? He maintained that the answer was no. He said that because they were not what he referred to as "true" Jews, where they practice should not be called a synagogue. Just because they wear tallit and practice kashrut does not make it different.

I'm not sure that I agree with that ideology. Although I dont agree with the theology of Messianic Judaism, I dont really know how I feel about what they call their places of worship. On one hand, they practice some form of Judaism, and read the Torah, not and do not worship in the way that Christians do. So...they should be able to call their places of worship synagogues? But on the other hand....they believe in Jesus as their personal savior....so....I dont really know.

Any thoughts and feedback would be welcome!

2006-11-26T18:31:00.000-08:00

During this past week while I was home celebrating Thanksgiving with my family, which is one of my favorite times during the year, I had the opportunity to spend time with one of my cousins who is not Jewish, and talk to her about her experience as a Catholic being brought into a Jewish family.

My cousin, who I've previously mentioned in class, grew up in an extremely religious Catholic household in the south, and had every intention of raising her children to be Catholic as well. However, upon marrying my cousin and entering my family, her views altered, and as she learned and became a part of our traditions, she decided to give her children a more Jewish background. They attend Reform Jewish dayschool, they have Shabbat dinners on Friday nights at their house, and they make it a point to have Jewish rituals embedded within their lifestyle.

As my cousin and I shopped for clothes for the kids this weekend (they are 1 and a half, 3 and 5), she picked out Christmas outfits for the kids, because they still celebrate Christmas at their house, and I took that opportunity to discuss her feelings about being the only Christian member of the family full of Jews. For the most part, she said that she felt accepted for who she was and felt no pressure to change, but at times she felt slightly separated from the rest of the family, especially around the holidays, like Christmas. When we all get together to celebrate Chanukah, at times she feels strange not being able to join in. I had never really taken time to discuss her feelings about being "marginalized" before, but because we had discussed it in class, my awareness of her feelings was up a notch, and I thought it might be an interesting thing to discuss with her.

2006-11-14T18:19:00.000-08:00

As I read the article, "Shiksa, The Gentile Woman in the Jewish World," a million thoughts ran through my mind. The first reaction I had was one of surprise; I had never before thought of the root of the word "shiksa." To me, it was just a Yiddish word meaning "gentile girl," but I never considered the background and origins that could be associated with it. To learn that this word was not the innocent Yiddish word that I had taken it for was slightly distressing to me. I feel that the original meaning of the word in relation to the Torah has been lost, and that people should be made aware that the word is derived from one meaning "to abominate or loathe an unclean thing."

I agree with the American-born Israeli journalist quoted in the article, Ze'ev Chafets, who states that "Jews who would rather cut off their tongues than say 'nigger' or 'spic' ...talk about...'shiksas' with blithe indifference..." In my opinion, I think the Jewish community needs to be cautious about the message they are trying to communicate to the general population. For a community who is so adamant about being accepted into society, and not being marginalized in any way, it is interesting that it has no qualms about marginalizing a portion of the community that becomes a threat to them. The Jewish community discusses the notion that not just Jews, but any minority population has the right to inclusion, meaning African Americans, and the like, yet they attempt to marginalize gentile girls, who are actually a portion of the majority population. Why is it that the Jewish community should expect inclusion when they are in a sense practicing just the opposite?

2006-10-29T22:45:00.000-08:00

The film "Trembling Before G-d," a documentary portraying the struggles of homosexual Jews in the Orthodox community appropriately begins with Biblical quotes and messages condemning homosexuality from the Shulchan Aruch; passages conveying the ideals which the Orthodox community views in quite a literal sense. In the documentary, through a number of interviews with Rabbis, psychologists, and homosexual themselves, we as an audience gain an understanding of the view of homosexuality in the world of Orthodoxy.

Throughout the movie, while there were many circumstances discussed, and interviews given, there were three that stood out in my mind that give a good representation of the Orthodox movement's view. A gay member of the Orthodox community, David, who grew up extremely religious, tried to supress his homosexual urges his entire life. In his mind, "Judaism is correct, homosexuality is wrong, and therefore Judaism must have the answer." David sought therapy from a Rabbi who instructed him to eat figs and say pslams each day to relive him of his homosexual urges. When this proved ineffective, he moved on to different types of conditioning, including flicking his wrist with a rubber band, or biting his tongue, each time he had homosexual desires.

Additionally, The Atonement Ceremony for Sexual Sins really hit home for me. During this ceremony, Rabbis chanted prayers for resolution of sexual sins, one being resolution for sins of homosexuality, prefacing it with "G-d forbid such people are here." He continued to say that these people clearly dont study Torah, dont pray, dont keep the commandments, ect.

The last interview I want to describe is one with a Hasidic lesbian, Michelle, who feels that she is the only Hasidic lesbian woman, stating that "I fel like I'm an outsider. Theres no place for me here."

These examples, for me, are statements on how the Orthodox community chooses to interpret law. They have a very narrow view of the law and the Bible, and their beliefs are not open to change. In my understanding of Orthodoxy, I would think that it would be difficult to find an Orthodox view that would condone homosexuality. However, that being said, I dont understand how the therapeutic techniques described in the documentary are seen as being prescribed by the Bible, and condoned by Jewish law. This type of conditioning treats homosexuality as a disease that can be cured, but how can flicking ones wrist each time he or she has a sexual inclination toward another person "cure" him/her of homosexuality?

It becomes clear through the documentary that although this is not a common situation in the Orthodox movement, by no means are these people alone in their struggles, whatever they may think. It is extremely unfortunate that these individuals feel that they are cut off from all of their family and friends because of their sexual tendencies, but at the same time, I wonder why they cant be a religious Jew in a non Orthodox movement. I wonder if these individuals could be happy in a right winged Conservative synagogue, which would be a little more accepting of homosexual individuals...

2006-10-29T20:54:00.000-08:00

"Queer Jews," by David Scneer and Caryn Aviv, is an article that brings up a number of interesting points about the homosexual Jewish community. The introduction discusses a variety of interesting facts and trivia regarding this community that I found extremely interesting, and that I was unaware of prior to reading this article. "Queer Jews" is an anthology which describes how the homosexual community struggles with their identities, both as members of the Jewish community, and as homosexuals. It goes into detail discussing the "price of inclusion and asks difficult questions about sameness and difference," (5).

In my opinion, one of the most interesting ideas this article brings up is the notion that Jews are supposed to be a "light unto nations" (Isaiah 42:6, 49:6). According to this anthology, the interpretation focuses on the responsibility of the Jewish community to lead the surrounding communities to "lead cultural change, pursue peace, and seek justice," (5). This concept I feel is an interesting one; it reminds me of the concept of the Jews as a chosen people. Does this mean that it is the responsibility of the Jews to lead by example, to be inclusive, and to represent the ideals and beliefs that the surrounding communities are supposed to embody? But who'se ideals ideals and beliefs are the proper ones to portray?

Among the many other interesting ideas on the article, another one that I feel is worthy of mention is the concept of "queer programming" in Temples. According to one synagogue where there was once a large amount of such programming, there has recently been a decline due to fact that homosexuals have become such an accepted part of the community that separate programming seems to be unnecessary. The authors of "Queer Jews" ask a fantastic question: "We wonder if separate queer Jewish space might dissove as other Jewish organizations open their doors to queer Jews. Is this what happens to the original institutions designed as a place of refuge when oppressed groups become integrated? This question is an interesting one to ponder. In Reform synagogues, where females are fully integrated into the community with no restrictions, there is little if any separate programming for women; the need is simply not there as it would be in a non-egalitarian Conservative or Orthodox setting. Could the same thing happen to "queer programming?"

2006-10-22T15:37:00.000-07:00

Last night I went to see a movie at one of the movie theaters in town. As always, before the movie came on there was an annoyingly long series of advertisements and previews. Normally, I dont pay much attention to these announcements, and choose to talk to the people I'm with instead. However, last night one of the advertisements caught my attention. The ad for Fandango, a internet site for purchasing movie tickets and seeing movie times, promoted their website by using a group of Indian dancers and music, accompanied by paper bags singing about the merits of Fandago.

The dancers, dressed in traditional Indian costumes, danced to traditional music, but in more of a flamboyant fashion than one would normally associate with Indian dancers. Also, the paper bags (singing in paper-bag-puppet style) were clothed in the customary garb as well.

As I watched the Fandango ad, I found myself thinking that while the ad did grab your attention, and the music was semi-catching from a marketing point of view, that if I was Indian, I would be offended by the derogetory message being publicized by this advertisment. This advertisment was publically making a mockery of their customs, which if I am not mistaken, are a traditional part of their religious heritage. I found myself wondering how I would feel if the Fandango ad sported Hasidic rebbes dancing around in black suits and black hats? I realized that I, along with most of the the Jewish community, would feel scandalized. Its interesting that nobody from the Indian community has raised concerns about this advertisement, which clearly publicizes them in such an outrageous light.

2006-10-15T21:49:00.000-07:00

Today I looked at the various theater related websites relating to Judaism. The first one, focusing on Vanessa Hidary, I found to be a little surprising, but as I read her poems, I really liked the message she was trying to send. I feel that her poem, "Hebrew Mamita" was a very realistic portrayal of many situations encountered in everyday life regarding Judaism. Oftentimes people stereotype Jews into certain categories, and these categories are associated with negative representations of the Jewish people. Frequently, when faced with these circumstances, it seems to me that although people may feel uncomfortable with the negative connotations that are being put with the term "Jew," but yet are unable to defend themselves, and the Jewish faith and culture. Its an interesting thing if you think about it. Its one of those things where there are a million responses that you should have said, could have said, but instead you were just silent, and let the moment for not only a defense of sorts, but education a perhaps ignorant person pass by.

I felt that Vanessa Hidary's poem, while her choice of words was a bit surprising to me at times, hit home. When she spoke of the connection felt when at the Western Wall, and how it made her feel as though she should fight and defend Judaism for those who couldnt or werent able to, it really spoke to me. I think the imagery that she uses is wonderful, and it really brings to mind alot of history about the Jewish people into this one poem. Overall, I think because of its honesty, this poem has the ability to speak to a wide array of audiences.

2006-10-08T15:05:00.000-07:00

Basya Schecter

Today, I listend to the album, "Queen's Dominion" by Basya Schecter. I found this music to be an interesting blend of intstruments, which I enjoyed quite thorougly. This music, which I found to be distinctly "middle eastern," but not necessarily Israeli, I feel would appeal to a wide range of individuals through its use of oud, violin, santour, and percussion. The oud, I learned, is a pear shaped, stringed instrument traditionally used in Middle Eastern music. The body of the oud is melon shaped, which allows for a more complex sound to resonate, which can be heard throughout the album, "Queen's Dominion."

The tracks on "Queens Dominion" all have a similar sound quality, but are very distinct as you listen, each one conveying a specific meaning and spiritual quality. The music is very different from anything I'd ever heard before, but the more I continued to listen to the tracks, the more involved with the music I became. I found myself listening to the distinctions in the music, and listening for the carefully arranged violin and santur interjections, which I felt were a perfect completement to the oud, which gave the music its distinct Middle Eastern quality.

As I listened to the CD I found myself wanting to learn more information about this beautifully arranged music, and found that the opinions expressed by music critics seemed to be positive. All Music Guide stated, "The pairing of oud and santur is an exquisite combination... the playing is excellent.... each piece is beautiful and sublime." In addition, another review described the album as being "... a stunning, delightful, gentle, and always fascinating blend of music from the United States through Arab lands to India, China, and beyond."—Ari Davidow, Klezmershack.

According to a website on Pharoah's Daughter, the band of which Basya is a lead singer, Basya's unique style was cultivated as a result of her many travels and experiences in the Middle East. This album, which I feel brings in a variety of musical backgrounds and blends them into one harmonious sound, is an inspirational, spiritual CD that I recommend to all who are interested in Middle Eastern music.

2006-10-03T21:04:00.000-07:00

The online magazine "New Voices" turned out to be an extremely interesting piece of reading material. I didnt quite know what to expect when I began reading, but I ended up really enjoying all of the articles I read. I was surprised at the variety of categories that the articles encompassed, and I really admired their frank sense of discussion regarding the topics; the authors gave their honest opinion of the subject matter regardless of whether it was postive or negative.

My favorite article was "Beyond Hummus and the Dead Sea." It was an article discussing a new type of birthright trip, called "Birthright Unplugged," a trip designed to take participants to the Palestinian territory to give them another perspective that they may not normally get during religious school or Jewish day school. However, I like that they make sure to put the quote in about how there does seem to be some sort of agenda with this new trip.

I also really enjoyed the article, "The Questionable Rebirth of Campus Antisemitism" because I had a personal experience with campus antisemitism my freshman year. I was a member of the Jewish studies FIG, and one day when I walked up the stairs to my dorm floor, there was a swastika carved onto our door. It was a very surprising thing to see considering there is such a large Jewish population on a campus such as Indiana University.

I found New Voices to be a well written magazine that spoke well for the Jewish movement. It encompassed a varity of unique perspectives, and it was respectful to all of the view points it spoke about. I think using magazines and online magazines to broadcast information and opinions is a great way to publicize information to the Jewish community, and more organizations should consider using this strategy.

2006-10-03T16:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, on Yom Kippur, I attended services in St. Louis, Missouri, my hometown. As I stated in my first blog, I grew up in the Conservative movement, but because I recently made the decision to hopefully attend Reform Rabbincal school, I thought it would be a good idea to attend Reform High Holiday Services. I attended services both last week and this week on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and yesterday, on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

Yesterday I attended two services at the Reform Congregation, what they called the "multi-generation" service, and the "traditional" service. I LOVED the multi-generation service. The minute I walked into the synagogue, I could feel the excitement of all of the congregants, and trust me, there were tons of them. There was not an empty seat in the entire place. Rick Recht, the artist in residence at this particular synagogue, was the main focus of this service, and his music gave the service its feel. In addition, there was a group of teens on the bimah, called the "teen team" which helped Rick perform his songs. They played instruments ranging from the violin to the guitar, and they sang in harmony. This gave the service a much younger feel to it, and it added alot in spirituality. The majority of the people in attendence for this service were families, especially families with younger children, as well as families with teens. I really enjoyed this service overall, because it promoted community involvment, something I feel that the Reform community tends to focus on.

The second service I attended was the "traditional" service. The entire feeling of this service was completely different. The moment the families from the previous service started leaving, I could tell there was going to be a shift in demographic. The people in attendence to this service tended to be the older generation, set in their ways, and not ready to make a shift into more lively entertaining music with such entertainers as Rick Recht. This service was definately less upbeat, and surprisingly included much more English than Hebrew. I did not find this service to be very inspirational and uplifting, and I was slightly disappointed in what I got out of the service.

In attending both of the services, both "Reform" services, it was interesting to compare both of them and see the differences between the younger generation and the older generation. It will be fun to see what the younger generation will bring to the Reform Movement in the coming years.

2006-09-26T16:04:00.000-07:00

I found the class discussion yesterday about tzedakah, or the act of giving, to be extremely interesting. Is it more honorable to give anonymously? Does receiving recognition for a donation (in any manner, money, time, energy spent, ect) mean that an act is less honorable than the act of a person who does it without recognition? Its certainly a question worth contemplation.

It was brought up yesterday in discussion that Rambam declared that the most honorable act of giving was one in which the person doing it was completely unrecognized, and the person reciving the tzedakah had no idea as to how he or she recieved it. This mitzvah, giving without recognition, is certainly a worthy form of giving because the person doing the mitzvah (good deed) is doing it without the expectation of gratitude. I have nothing but the utmost respect for all individuals who can engage themselves in this type of giving.

On the other hand, there are certain situations that I do believe merit recognition for mitzvot. For example, as a member of our class pointed out, when a loved one passes on, and the community comes together in support, oftentimes the family will make a contribution in the loved ones name in honor of the support shown by the community in their time of need. In such a circumstance, I think that a recognition of some sort is fitting. By recognizing that a specific person donated a gift to the community, and not an unknown benefactor, it is symbolizing the appreciation and love the family would like imparted to the rest of the group.

In regards to the UJA-Federation's method or recognition, I absolutely do not agree. I dont feel like it is at all necessary, or respectful to call out donors' names and monetary contributions during an annual dinner. I feel that this sort of public display is a humiliation and embarassment. Not everyone can afford to contribute to the extent of their neighbor, and to make one person feel as though their contribution is not enough, in my opinion, is disrespectful. Each person's financial situation is a personal affair, and as such each contribution should be treated with equal importance. If the UJA-Federation would like to have some sort of public recognition, perhaps a reading of all of the donors without the individual contributions read alongside the names would be appropriate. At the end, the finale could be a final reading of the total contributions made, to show how the community, as a whole, has come together in support of the UJA-Federation.

2006-09-24T18:33:00.000-07:00

After reading the article in class about George Allen, and then reading the subsequent article further describing his actions, I am extremely disappointed with the manner in which this situation was handled. It is atrocious that Mr. Allen responded to the question of his family's Jewish roots in this way; trying to hide his heritage and openly mocking Jewish religious practices such as thos of kashrut. I am actually disgusted at the fact that in the article George Allen is quoted as saying "I still had a ham sandwich for lunch." In my opinion, it is up to the Jewish community to take a stand about people making a mockery of the Jewish religion in ways such as this one. In many instances before, politicians and other figures in the public sphere have uncovered links to a Jewish past, and clearly, there are better, and more respectful ways to handle such a discovery. George Allen handled this new information in an extremely poor manner, and as such, deserves whatever repercussions come as a result. It is unprofessional, and un-American to belittle the religion of others, and in my opinion, that is precisely what he does in this situation. Allen could have politely deferred questions to his publicist, or said something which would have handled his political situation in a beneficial light, while at the same time being respectful to all those around him.
It is interesting to me that George Allen has taken such an offensive stance on this issue. It is not as if a Jewish heritage would make Allen himself Jewish. Allen's mother is quoted as saying that it was her father that was imprisoned by the Nazis. As we discussed in class, matrilineal descent is the commonly accepted form of determining whether or not one is Jewish, and as such, George Allen would not be considered Jewish, because his mother is not Jewish (because her father, not her mother, was Jewish). To view a person as partially Jewish, according to bloodline, is almost a Nazi method of understanding Judaism, a practice clearly not accepted in Jewish life. It is facinating to me that a simple link to Judaism, through a grandparent, is enough to create such a stir in George Allen's life, and to cause him to be so rude, and altogether disrespectful in his actions.

2006-09-19T16:47:00.000-07:00

I found the Chabad website to be extremely interesting. Not only is it one of the most well organized websites that I have viewed so far, but it is one of the most interactive. My favorite part of site was the childrens section. I found the childrens section to be extremely innovative and unique.
It was especially interesting to me how the Chabad seemed to want to interact with popular culture. For example, the Itche Kadoozy Show reminded me a great deal of something one would see on a show like Sesame Street or the Muppets. The physical appearance of the characters, along with the animation developed was very similar to something a child would watch Saturday morning before breakfast. Chabad does an excellent job incorporating these techniques, using popular culture, with teaching children about their religion. The Itche and Kadoozy show, for example, features a road trip section, where children can listen to a CD full of high holiday tunes.
I also enjoyed looking at the "childrens torah" section, where they not only taught children what a Torah was, but they also described what made a Torah holy, and how a Torah was constructed. These features, designed to assist children in their learning are extremely useful. Children, as they are naturally inquisitive, are bound to enjoy using a website like this, and as such are likely to push their parents to discuss, and follow the practices they learn about from this website.
I found this integration of popular culture with Judaism similar to some of the practices of the Modern Orthodox. The "Shlock Rock" that we viewed in class last week, somehow reminds me of this. Perhaps it is the use of popular, accepted forms of media in society being utilized to teach Torah. What surprises me is that this concept is not one that has really taken hold in the more liberal sects, like the Reform and even the Conservative movements. I would think the Reform movement would be more likely to create a "tv show" like method of teaching for children, or to dub rap lyrics to a popular song to teach Torah. Perhaps this will come in the future, but for now, it seems that the more religious and observant sects have a hold on this type of teaching.

2006-09-17T19:57:00.000-07:00

While sifting through the information found on the American Sephardic Federation website I was not only surprised, but a little overwhelmed at the wealth of information and history found within this organization. I never really contemplated the difference between Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jews, and it never occured to me that there might be an organization devoted to keeping their beliefs, opinions, and history in tact. In my mind, while I was aware that Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jews had different customs, I guess I assumed that their basic beliefs and ideologies were the same, so the need to document a "history" wasnt necessarily important.
Under the "mission" section, the Federation states their vision for the federation, and it explicitly lists "to ensure the continuation of the Sephardic legacy, heritage and traditions through educational programs and archival preservation," as one of its goals. This shows us that not only does the Sephardic community believe that they have a separate history than the rest of the Jewish community, but that they feel the need to differentiate themselves in a way that is similar to a sect of Judaism, such as Reform, Conservative, or Orthodox.
I additionally found the information on the HUC website concerning the various forms and liturgical styles of Sephardic music to be extremely interesting. I enjoyed reading about the regional liturgical styles, and learning that various communities, depending on whether or not they were close to Ashkenazic synagogues incorprated choirs and utilized other musical instruments simply to deter their members from seeking religious fulfillment elsewhere.
I feel that the idea of succumbing to the pressures of the community around you, and utilizing ideas from "rival" communities to attract members and to retain current members is a philosophy that was not only in tact years ago, but still exists today. I know of many synagogues that incorporate various forms of prayer and ritual simply to appease their congregations so that they will not seek religious fulfillment elsewhere.
Maybe theres more similarities between the communties than we think. Even though each separate community strives to be different, there are inevitable similarties that the Jewish community as a while has. Why strive to be so different when we should really focus on becoming more of a united group?

2006-09-10T16:17:00.001-07:00

In Jewish American culture, little else compares to widespread popularity of youth movements, or youth groups. Every religious sect in American society has their own movement, and a number of non affiliated groups exist as well. For me personally, BBYO (B'nai B'rith Youth Organization) was the end-all-be-all. As I looked at the NCSY website, which is the Orthodox's youth movement, I kept in mind the ideals and beliefs held by the Reform youth movement, NFTY, the Conservative Youth Movement, USY, and the non-affiliated youth movement I was a part of, BBYO. As I navigated the NCSY site, at times I was extremely surprised at what I found, at other times I found exactly what I expected.
As I said before, I'm well aware of what being a part of the Orthodox community entails, as my early childhood was spent in such a community. There were many attributes of the NCSY website listing their opinions, beliefs, and goals which did not surprise me in the least. There was easy accessibilty to educational opportunities, such as Torah on Foot, which is a pamphlet outlining the important attributes of the Torah. There was an entire webpage devoted to discussing the importance of "dating Jewish," which in the Orthodox community is considered of utmost importance.
However, there were a number of things that surprised me about the NCSY website. I guess the number one shocker for me was the easy navigation on the website. In theory, the Orthodox movement is the one that should be routed in tradition, and use of modern technology such as websites seems to be a little out of the realm of "tradition" for recruiting members to the movement. Additionally, while I understand that adherence to Halakhah is of extreme importance, it surprised me how direct they were in regards to this aspect of the youth group. While most youth groups focus more on the fun, social opportunities involved in the youth movement, this website concentrated a great deal on how NCSY is a movement interested in bring unaffilitated youth educational opportunities, and keeping said youth on the righteous path. Additionally, they are very clear about their expectations regarding their policies on behavior during events. It surprises me that they have policies in their behavior contracts specifically detailing which kinds of physical contact are acceptable, what manner they are acceptable in, and between which persons they are allowed to be between.
Generally speaking, I navigating this website was an interesting experience for me. While I do understand alot about the Orthodox movement in terms of beliefs and ideals, I'm not exceptionally informed about their social movements, so learning about the youth movement was something that was extremely appealing for me.

2006-09-03T21:07:00.000-07:00

According to its websites and readings, Reform Judaism asserts that it is a sect of Judaism that intertwines traditional beliefs with modern day realities. Its basic premise proclaims that it can be "adjusted to fit the changing needs of people in modern society" (Dana Evan Kaplan).
Up until recently, Reform Judaism has never been something I would have ever considered embracing as my central Jewish identity, however in the last few months, my opinion has been completely altered. Let me begin by explaining that I grew up in St. Louis Missouri, and that my early childhood was spent in an Orthodox synagogue. Not that my family was ever Orthodox, but it was where my aunt and uncle went, we adored the rabbi there, and we felt welcomed into the community. We drove to Shabbat services on Saturday morning, and from there we would walk to my aunt and uncle's house, have Shabbat lunch with the twenty other guests that would undoubtedly be in attendance, and spend a quiet afternoon reading, playing outside, or for me, playing checkers with my aunt. When our rabbi left for a different job and a new rabbi came, he felt that our brand of Judaism, because it was not strictly Orthodox, did not merit membership in his synagogue, and therefore the community which once welcomed us with open arms suddenly became unwelcoming and unreceptive, so we moved to a traditional synagogue, with customs somewhere between a conservative and orthodox shul.
For the majority of my life I grew up in this synagogue, and never questioned the traditions that it taught. For my bat mitzvah, I did not get to read from the Torah nor did I participate much in the morning service, instead I had a havdalah service.
When I decided to become a Jewish Studies major and to pursue my desire to one day become a rabbi, I had a difficult choice to make. At first I assumed that I would be a conservative rabbi, because that was what I had been brought up. However, once I began to examine my personal beliefs and opinions on different levels I realized that my principles were more in line with Reform ideology. While I am somewhat traditional in the services that I like to attend, I found that in most other areas, my views are inherently Reform. I do strongly believe that each persons' Jewish identity and practice is personal and should mirror his or her personal beliefs. I do believe that womens rights are of utmost importance, that an egalitarian community is important in modern society. It bothers me that I've never read out of the Torah, and that I've never worn a tallis. And although the Conservative movement is technically egalitarian, it is not as devoted to the inclusion of women to the extent that the Reform movement is. In addition, while Im not sure yet how I will feel about performing interfaith marriages, I feel it is extremely important to not only include the families of interfaith marriages in the synagogues, but to make them feel welcomed into the community. These things, combined with the core belief that Judaism has the capacity to fit the changing needs of people in modern society leads me to believe that Reform Judaism will be a better fit for me in my ability to lead a community.