Judaism is a religion,
a nationality and an ethnic culture, whose history appears in the Old Testament
of the Bible.
Orthodox Judaism
follows the Old Testament (Torah), the 10 Commandments, the Jewish Holy Days
and the Laws of Moses.
In 70 AD, Jews were
driven from Israel and settled across the globe. Assimilation into new
countries and new cultures helped the Jews to continue to survive and prosper
while still remaining loyal to their Jewish culture and faith. But Jews divided
by denomination based assimilation and discipline.
Reform Judaism was a
movement that began in the late 1700s in Europe. Jewish scholars recognized
that their God was recognized as God by most other religions and this continuum
should be acknowledged. Jews had populated most of Europe and had assimilated
in these cultures. The Reformers were recommending the Reform Judaism movement
as means to recognize this assimilation. This resulted in two denominations,
Orthodox and Reform. Those Jewish families who chose to remain Orthodox
retained the original prayers and practices.
Orthodox, Hasidic Judaism
began in the 1800s. Following a Biblical commandment not to shave
the sides of one's face (Leviticus 19:27), male members of most Hasidic groups
wear long, uncut side locks and black suits and hats and walk to their Orthodox
Temple on Saturdays. They speak and read Yiddish, Hebrew and local languages.
Messianic
Judaism recognizes Jesus Christ at the Messiah. Their symbol depicts the
Menorah, the Star of David and the Crristian sign of the fish. The first Messianic Jews were the Apostles
and early converts and believed that the Old Testament lives in a continuum
with the New Testament. Christian Bibles contain both. There are 200 Messianic
Congregations in the US. Half of these congregations are made up of ethnic
Gentiles who emphasize the continuum and may be intermarried.
Many
Jewish families recognize the continuum to of Judaism and Christianity. Whether
they are Orthodox, Reform or Messianic depends on their emphasis, tradition and
preference.
Jewish families choose
their denomination, retain their Jewish Family Culture, observe Jewish Holy
Days in their homes, attend Jewish Temple services and learn Hebrew. Many have
their children schooled in Jewish Parochial Schools.
Jewish families manage
to excel, because they focus on family. The US is home to 8 million Jews. 10%
are Orthodox.
Jewish family
traditions are stronger than most other religious and ethnic traditions. These
families instill the importance of knowledge, achievement, kindness,
self-reliance and self-respect.
My Catholic family has
always been “adopted” by our Jewish friends. My parents’ best friends when we
lived in Memphis TN were Eunice and Irving.
We moved to Queens NY in 1950 and were the only family in Richmond Hills
with a Christmas Tree. We were invited to the High Holy Days events in Jewish
homes and they visited us every Christmas.
The Rock Band I led in
high school played all the bar mitzvahs in St. Louis Mo., because I would sing
“Hava Nigla, hav two Nigilas, hav three Nagils, they’re pretty small, hava
neranena they’re yummy too” pointing to the cookie trays.
I have always felt a
connection through our Catholic roots to Judism. We continue to enjoy our
Jewish friends and neighbors even today and so do our kids. We love Mel Brooks
comedy movies.
The Old Testament
references to the Messiah give strong and direct credibility to
Christianity. The Jews are the “Chosen
People” who have invited us Gentiles to share in God’s grace.
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody
GA Tea Party Leader
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