Blue Fringe

A few years ago, I was introduced to the band Blue Fringe. 

Blue Fringe is described on the website as...

"four 20-something friends: Dov Rosenblatt, guitarist, songwriter and vocalist with an engaging stage presence and heartfelt style; Avi Hoffman, composer and lead guitarist known for his electrifying, bluesy notes; drummer Danny Zwillenberg, who incorporates rhythms from the likes of Latin, reggae, funk and rock; and Hayyim Danzig on the bass, both electric and upright, who gives the group its soul with bass-lines deeply rooted in old-school funk and jazz."

The most interesting thing about this group is how subtle the Jewish message is. If you aren't listening closely, it sounds like any other kind of music. The contemporary rock music is appealing to all audiences, but the message is special. Blue Fringe takes biblical and liturgical texts from Judaism and puts them to music, therefore spreading Jewish messages in an innovative way.

I am a huge fan of Blue Fringe and their music. At first, I was caught off-guard by the music. I was certainly not expecting the words that I heard to be paired with this contemporary rock music. I had the amazing opportunity of working with the band in a benefit concert for Israel that I co-chaired last year (check out the article my sister wrote about the event!). The guys in the band were really nice and down-to-earth. They were really enthusiastic about the concert, worked with us to raise as much money as possible, and were genuinely interested in making a difference. And, with Blue Fringe's help, we raised $10,000 for Magen David Adom!

I think that the goal of any Jewish musician is to bring people together through music. Blue Fringe definitely succeeds when it comes to bringing all kinds of people together. At the concert I helped organize, there were people from all different Jewish backgrounds- and even people who aren't Jewish came to support Israel and to enjoy some great music.

In the world of Jewish music, it isn't everyday that you find a group that can do what Blue Fringe does. I was hesitant about working with Blue Fringe at first. The band members are Modern Orthodox, and I wasn't sure what to expect from them on a personal level. The only thing I knew about them, as people, was that they were a bunch of young guys (that wear tzit-tzit and kippot) who were brought together because of their love for music. In the end, they put on an incredible show, and they were very easy to work with. I highly recommend their music to everyone, regardless of their religion, because it sends out universal messages that anyone can appreciate.

Pesach on Campus

We are now several days into the celebration of Pesach in Bloomington, and I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised with they way things are going.

I am finding it fairly easy to keep up eating food that is kosher for Passover. I purchased the kosher for Passover meal plan at Hillel, and I was able to get my hands on some kosher food to keep in my dorm room. I did a massive cleaning of my room so that my food would remain kosher for Passover. Living on the Jewish Studies FIG floor has also made it easier for me to observe Passover. I always have at least one person who is heading over to Hillel to eat, and I had plenty of people to attend seders with.

The food is no problem, but the seders were not what I expected.

I guess that a large number of people who show up for the McNutt seder are only doing so because their parents want them to go. Being active in Hillel, I figured that I would recognize a good number of people at the seder. However, I definitely did not know a majority of the people that came to the seder. I even saw a girl who went to my high school, that I had no idea went to this school! Overall, I felt fairly uncomfortable with the seder at McNutt. It was impersonal, disorganized, and impossible to hear anything over all of the talking that was going on around the room. I went to Hillel for the second seder, and I felt much more comfortable. It was a smaller crowd, a smaller room, and a more traditional seder.

Nothing will ever replace the feeling that I get when I am at a family seder or a seder with family friends- there are deep-rooted traditions that run throughout my family, and Passover just doesn't feel the same without them.

As they say... next year in Jerusalem (or maybe Cherry Hill, NJ?)

the FIG

As a member of the Jewish Studies Freshman Interest Group (FIG) and a Jewish Studies major, I think that it is more than appropriate for me to discuss this in my blog.

Coming into Indiana University, I was determined to make this large school into a smaller community. I have several friends who participated in the FIG in past years, and they made it seem like a great option for me to consider when it came time for me to finalize my enrollment at IU.

When I applied for the program,  I was under the impression that I would be living on the same floor as people who I would have a lot in common with. I was pleasantly surprised to come to school and discover just how diverse the FIG was. I was also surprised to find out that not every person in the FIG was a Jewish Studies major. This brought up a big question for me, did they do the FIG just so they could live in McNutt? Or are they generally interested in Jewish studies?

According to my friends who participated in the program in the past, my FIG advisor would be a Jewish IU student who is active in Jewish life. I, however, experienced a very different advisor. My advisor was a Jewish student who knew a lot about life at Indiana University, but he did not have many ties to Jewish life on campus. I think that he brought a lot of good things to the table, but he fell short when it came to providing us with a rich Jewish campus experience.

In the future, I hope that things will return to the way that the Jewish Studies FIG used to be. A friend of mine is the advisor for next year, and I think that he will do a great job at incorporating the JEWISH aspect of the FIG back into the program.

yarmulkes, a constitutional challenge?

According to breaking news on JTA, there are yarmulkes that are being displayed in Washington at the newest museum- the Newseum. These yarmulkes, also known as kippot, were once the centerpiece of a religious controversy in the U.S. Airforce.

These kippot were worn by Simcha Goldman, who was a clinical psychologist for the airforce in the 1980's. Apparently, he was threatened by the court marshall for wearing the religious article indoors. This was a major debate, because it brought into question the 1st amendment freedom of free exercise of religion. In response to this controvery, Congress passed legislation that allows some religious apparel to be worn by those in the armed forces.

This brings up some difficult questions about Jewish identity versus American identity. Which is more important? I would hope that in a "free country" like America, one would be able to express their religious and patriotic identities at the same time without feeling pressure to hide one or the other. What does this say about America, or American Jewish identity?

Sephardic March of the Living

Wow. I am extremely impressed with the plans for a Sephardic March of the Living. I think it is a great idea, and will really expand people's understanding of the Sephardic Jewry.

I would be interested to go on this trip for the sole purpose of figuring out my possible Sephardic ties. As I have expressed in other blogs, I am convinced, and quite strongly so, that I have Sephardic roots on my Dad's side of the family. I have very little knowledge of this side, and I am interested to find out more.

When it comes to Sephardim in the Holocaust, I have absolutely no knowledge of any facts or stories. To be honest, I don't think I ever even thought about the possibility of the Sephardic population being targets of the Nazi Regime, especially the Greek population. March of the Living is an incredible program as it is right now, I have several friends that have been on it in the past, and a good friend of mine is leaving soon for the next trip. When I was in the Czech Republic in the summer of 2005 with my Israel trip, we were able to experience Terezin with a survivor. I don't think there is anything more powerful than hearing the stories of the place you are from someone who lived through them. I was also fortunate enough to be a part of a reenactment of the Exodus mission with an American war veteran who worked on the ship (who is also married to the survivor that was with us in Terezin).

I think it is important to explore the places that the March of the Living programs take you. These experiences really help expand and develop one's Jewish identity.

Jews and Politics

Coming from a large Jewish community in the Greater Philadelphia area, I have been doing a lot of reading about the Pennsylvania primaries that are right around the corner. I came across an interesting story on jta.org about how the Jewish voters are going to affect the PA primary vote. This article focused on Obama addressing the never-ending questions about his Pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. who has "spewed venom towards the United States and Israel."

I noticed this article when I saw Obama standing in a strangely familiar room, which turns out to be in Congregation Rodeph Shalom in Philadelphia (a very historic Reform synagogue in the area that is absolutely gorgeous). Obama was addressing these pressing issues with the Jewish leadership from the Philadelphia area. According to this article, many Jewish voters are still on the fence for the primaries, and they hold a pivotal vote in determining the delegate that gets the nomination.

My best friend's uncle (Rabbi Philip Warmflash) was present at this event, and he is a Clinton supporter who wanted to experience for himself. I think it was important that the Jewish leaders were able to hear Obama speak for himself, rather than be forced to listen to other people continue to spread lies and rumors about him and his background. 

I volunteer at the Obama office in Bloomington, and I have heard many Jewish voters voice their hesitations about voting for him because of this Pastor or his ancestral background. However, it is important to get the facts straight and not fall into the trap of smearing a campaign through rumors and accusations. 

I think it may come as a surprise to many people that the Jewish population has such a large impact when it comes to voting, because of small numbers overall. However, it is important to get out there and vote, because if you don't speak out for yourself- there is no way you will be content with the way our country is being run.

Inspired by a Jewish History paper...

I recently wrote a paper for H252, which is the second semester of Jewish History that focuses on 1492 to modern day Jewish history. When I received the assignment, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it focused on Jewish identity in the Diaspora (mainly North America) versus Jewish identity in Israel, and the challenges that they both face.

A point that I made was that Jewish life and identity in America is more focused on the religious aspect of the religion rather than the culture, while Israeli Jewish identity is largely secular. In the paper, I cited a document that stated that the American is essentially a hyphenated character; i.e. a Jewish-American or an African-American, and there is no such thing as a pure American.

I found the identity of the Israeli Jews to be most interesting. I have interacted with many Israelis in my life, and I am happy to have many Israeli friends. Over the years, I have had many conversations with Israelis about their Jewish identity. When I went to Israel in the Summer of 2005, I was shocked to find that a great number of people identify as secular Jews. Many Israelis have explained this trend by claiming that living in Israel makes their lives Jewish by default, and they do not have to work so hard with the religious aspect to maintain a Jewish identity. While in America, people hold religion very close to Jewish identity- and identify with a specific denomination or movement.

Another interesting point that I came across in my research for my paper is the idea that Jews have a constant feeling of minority status engraved into their cultural memory and identity, regardless of their status in the country. By numbers, Jews may be a minority. However, with regards to impact on life in the Diaspora (especially North America), the Jews are most certainly not a minority.

Just something to ponder...

Interfaith marriage... is it so bad?

Being a successful product of an interfaith marriage (and by successful I mean I have grown up with a strong Jewish identity and I do not identify as anything but Jewish), I feel strongly that people don't give interfaith marriages enough credit. I can see the potential for problems when an interfaith couple does not discuss their intentions for religious observances before they get married or have children, but I believe that it is not as bad as some people make it out to be.

A majority of the interfaith families that I know have done a fantastic job raising their children in a Jewish household. If an interfaith marriage is approached correctly  (and by correctly, I mean they establish a Jewish household- which is correct in my mind), it can be a great way to teach diversity and acceptance. 

The URJ (Union for Reform Judaism) has set up an excellent way to reach out to all "minority" groups within Judaism. The URJ Outreach program provides many resources that are necessary to creating a successful interfaith family. "God loves the stranger, providing food and clothing for each one. You too must love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt" (Deuteronomy 10: 18–19). They use this quote from Deuteronomy in order to sum up the mission of the Outreach program. I think that the Outreach program, itself, is a great way of utilizing Jewish ideas and values to welcome those who otherwise would not be welcomed. However, I do find it strange that Hebrew Union College will not accept or ordain students that are in an interfaith relationship. It seems a bit hypocritical to me.

I think I was hesitant when we went into the class discussion about exogamy, mostly because in the past I have been made to feel inferior because of my interfaith family. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome of this discussion. Exogamy is a very sensitive subject and I understand all sides of the argument, but I find it hard to come to any conclusions myself. I think this is something that will change and develop over time. However, I believe that it is important to keep an open mind about exogamy, because there are many successful stories out there.

No Tam Tams this year?! Kosher for Passover on a college campus

Who would have thought that a tiny cracker could cause so much controversy?!

Come to think of it... I guess this is just another indication of how much food affects one's Jewish identity. Many people will find Passover to be a little less enjoyable without having Tam Tams readily available to nosh on.

The Passover seder, in and of itself, is a great example of the role that food plays in Jewish life, ritual, and identity. It will certainly be an interesting challenge to remain kosher for Passover on campus. From what I have heard, it is no easy task. In the last week or so, I have had several conversations with friends about the approaching holiday and how we are going to handle this food dilemma. Some people are going home for the weekend in order to attend family seders and get kosher for passover food. Being from New Jersey, I don't have the option of hoping in a car and being home in time Passover dinner.

Some people I have talked to have decided that keeping kosher for Passover is going to be too hard at school, and therefore aren't going to do it. This brings up a major conflict in my mind. Kosher, or not kosher... if you attend seders and are involved with Passover in one way or another, are you still observing the holiday? To some, an attempt at keeping kosher for Passover is good enough- it's the thought that counts, right? But to others, there is no other way to observe the holiday than to follow the laws of Passover as they were written.

Curious to see everyone's thoughts...

The Jew in the Bubble

A very interesting, emotional, and intense conversation with a friend inspired me to write this blog. I am sure that some people share the same feelings as I do about this, at least I hope others do...

Sometimes I feel like I grew up in this "Jewish Bubble" of a community. I am sure that this is partially true, just because where I grew up has a very large Jewish population. Cherry Hill, NJ has been referred to by some as the "Jerusalem of NJ" because of how many Jews reside there as well as the diversity you find within the Jewish community. I enjoyed growing up there. I led a very happy life in this Jewish community, and I couldn't have imagined a better place to live. No one really questioned my Jewish identity there, which I definitely took for granted.

It never occurred to me that I would have to defend my choices within Judaism as well as my overall Jewish identity. When I left my safe bubble of Cherry Hill and arrived at this huge school without knowing many people at all, I was shocked when I was confronted with accusations of not being a "Good Jew" (whatever that means) because my house was not Kosher, or because I didn't go to shul multiple times a week. I was brought up in a diverse Jewish community where people were generally understanding of the various denominations. There were a few times that I had to explain why I practiced Judaism the way I did, but I never really had to defend my beliefs.

In some ways I think it is a good thing that I have had to defend my beliefs. It makes me want to learn even more so I can give more intellectual answers to those who question me. But at the same time, I find it pretty discouraging and disheartening that people criticize my practices. I guess it is a part of life, and I am just going to have to get used to it.

What constitutes a "true" Israel experience?

Today's class discussion got me thinking a lot about my experience in Israel.

I went to Israel in the summer of 2005 with 98 people from my camp, URJ Camp Harlam, on NFTY's L'dor V'dor/Exodus Trip (almost the same trip as the NFTY Safari that was discussed in the ethnography we read) and upwards of 570 participants overall. The trip consisted of three parts: First we flew to the Czech Republic and spent four days in Prague where we learned about the Jewish community there and visited Terezin (A deportation camp from the Holocaust, and camp where the poem "The Last Butterfly" was written). Then we flew to Cyprus where we boarded a boat and spent three days traveling across the Mediterranean. During our "cruise" (if you can call it that) we re-enacted the Exodus mission and got to learn a lot about the first pioneers and Zionists to land in Israel. And the third part was four weeks in the actual country of Israel. During the month spent in Israel, I had the opportunity to travel the country according to the historical chronology. I hiked Masada at sunrise, floated in the dead sea, hiked 50+ miles from the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) to the Mediterranean, spent a night in a Bedouin tent, experienced Jersualem, and much more.

I think that my Israel trip was the perfect way that I could have experienced Israel for the first as a 16 year old with a strong connection to Judaism. Despite what was said in class, I believe that these Israel programs do provide the participants with great experiences. I can understand why some may see these programs as being very "cookie cutter" and "idealistic" views of life in Israel, but I am not sure that is the point of these trips. I certainly did not expect to go to Israel for a month and come out of my trip understanding what life in Israel was like. I was expecting to experience the country for what it has to offer, even if that means doing it in your typical "tourist" ways. I don't think my trip would have been as meaningful, or left me dreaming of the day that I can return to Israel, if I had been living the day to day life of an Israeli citizen as my first experience with the country. Unlike the group in the ethnography we read... I went, I saw, and I remember almost everything. Sure, a few details may be fuzzy- I cannot tell you what I did all day every day- but I can tell you that I came out of my trip feeling more connected to my Jewish life than ever before, and I still have that feeling.

Well, that was my two cents. Take it or leave it, I just needed to get my thoughts out there.

Prove your identity...

How Do You Prove You're a Jew?

This article brings up a very interesting question and addresses something that does not settle well with me in regards to Israel. I could not imagine having to prove to a court of Orthodox Rabbis that I am in fact Jewish.

In some ways, I think that the idea of having to prove your Jewish identity in order to be married in Israel can be a good thing. It promotes the advancement and growth of the Jewish people. But at the same time I think that many people, including myself, may feel like they are not welcome in Israel because of their background. The fact that the clergy members I grew up looking up to, learning from, and being inspired by are not considered to be Rabbis in my "religious homeland" is a bit unsettling to me. The thought of making aliyah is almost completely out of the question for me at the moment, simply because I know that my religious choices and practices are not recognized by the Israeli government.

Overall, my question is... how "Jewish" is this concept of making one prove that they are "Jewish enough" to have their marriage recognized or to live in the land of Israel? What every happened to the mitzvah of welcoming the stranger?

I hope this blog entry made sense to someone. I wish I could better put into words how I feel about this whole idea, but I am at a loss at the moment.

The Very Rigid Search

Being a big fan of Jonathan Safran Foer's writing, I was ecstatic when I looked at the syllabus and saw that we were assigned to read "The Very Rigid Search." This story is the basis for one of my all time favorite books, Everything is Illuminated. After reading the short story, I couldn't help but wonder what it was that made this an outwardly Jewish piece of literature. I know that we discussed it in class today, but I don't know if I still have a good understanding of what makes this story "Jewish."

Ok, so the character "Jonathan Safran Foer" is a Jewish man who is looking to find the home of his Grandfather in a small shtetl in Ukraine. I get that his Jewish roots are what brought him on this "rigid search" to begin with, but is there anything in the actual story that makes it Jewish? Safran Foer wrote in the notes about the story that when he looks at it, he sees the writing of a Jewish author. Maybe I am missing an undertone of Jewish values or some message that promotes Judaism in some way, but I think that overall the story can go either way. I guess I can understand why this story was included in a collection of Jewish short stories by Jewish authors (the book is called Lost Tribe, I suggest everyone looks into it, I have read some pretty good stories that are found in that book), but I don't know if it could be considered a Jewish story overall.

I guess I am just curious to see what everyone else thinks about it. Has anyone found anything outwardly Jewish about this story?

Jewish music... or is it?

I used to classify Jewish music as songs that I play when I songlead at camp, lead services, and learn at Hava Nashira (a "Jewish" music retreat for adults), and the occasional artist like Matisyahu or Blue Fringe. But now I know that Jewish music can range to anything from "Ghettoblaster" hip-hop to a collection of funky klezmer-folk fusion. I think that as long as one can connect the music to a part of their Jewish identity or culture, it can be considered "Jewish" in one way or another. 

A perfect example of this type of classification of Jewish music that I can give is music in Jewish summer camps. I am a songleader at my camp, and music is the driving force behind almost everything we do. We sing at every meal, whether it is the blessings before and after the meal, an all-camp song session, or a spontaneous outburst of song within a bunk or unit. I would say that 95% of the songs we sing at camp would automatically be identified as "Jewish" to any listener. However, the other 5% we sing are not typically classified as "Jewish." This 5% includes folk songs (like "This Land is Your Land by the one and only Woody Guthrie), popular songs, and even the occasional round of "The Rainbow Connection." To any outsider from our camp, these songs seem anything but Jewish. However, to the community of Camp Harlam, these songs define important Jewish moments and memories. Were they written with the intent of being considered "Jewish," most likely not. But do they hold that meaning to a number of people, absolutely.

As we learned in class today, there is no such thing as "Jewish music." There is no way to create a sound that is purely Jewish. Music is music, it is up to the listener to classify what they believe they are listening to. I think that the album that I listened to was a perfect example of the listener needing to determine what kind of music they are listening to.

I listened to "Woody Guthrie's A Happy Joyous Hanukkah" by The Klezmatics. Woody Guthrie is regarded as the "father of folk music." I would be lying if I said that I wasn't a complete nerd when it came to folk music. I grew up with it, and I consider it to be one of my favorite types of music. When I first put in the cd by The Klezmatics, I was a bit skeptical. What could this klezmer group bring to the lyrics of Woody Guthrie. In my mind, there was no room for klezmer music and folk music to combine. Luckily, I was proven wrong. I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to listen to.  It reminded me of a cd my over-the-top religious school teacher would play for my class when we were younger. 

According to a review in the New York Times, "...the Klezmatics were not bound by any genre. They could sound like a chamber ensemble, a jazz combo, a ragtime group or a roots-rock band as well as a klezmer group." I think that the Klezmatics did a great job combining the unforgettable folk music of Woody Guthrie with klezmer instrumentals. This album, along with the other albums we listened to in class, have definitely changed my idea of what "Jewish music" is. 

just something interesting i came across

A friend sent me this link this morning, and I thought it was really interesting and inspiring. Despite anyone's political opinions, I just think it sends out a great message.

www.dipdive.com

Will.I.Am Says "Yes We Can"

Watch and listen closely... Maya Rubin makes a few appearances to represent the Jewish population of America, her contribution is in Hebrew!

Edit (3/4/08):

I wanted to add to this post a while ago, but I never got around to it. I am curious about what could possibly be seen as "Jewish" within the upcoming Presidential election. I know many people that are basing their votes on one issue, Israel. One-issue voters do not sit well with me, but I can understand where they are coming from. It is up to the Jewish population of voters in the USA to elect the candidate that they believe will be the best person to run the country, and that includes representing the Jewish people and working on the situation in the Middle East.

Who would have thought...

I would have never thought that there was a prayer for the conversion of Jews. Maybe that is just me being a bit ignorant when it comes to Catholic liturgy, but it seems a bit odd. Now, I have been approached several times in my life about "saving my soul," but I never thought that someone was praying for the conversion of the Jews. According to The New York Times, a top Vatican cardinal, who is in charge of the inter-religious relations with Jews, denied the revision of a Conversion prayer (see link) "Vatican Cardinal Defends Jewish Conversion Prayer".

The first thing I thought of when I read this article was how much controversy this one prayer can cause. The inter-religious relationship between Jews and Catholics can be severely marred by this traditionalist prayer. According to the article, one Cardinal stated,

"We think that reasonably this prayer cannot be an obstacle to dialogue because
it reflects the faith of the Church and, furthermore, Jews have prayers in their
liturgical texts that we Catholics don't like,"

I cannot think of any part of Jewish liturgy, at least that I am aware of, that prays for the conversion of non-Jews. I guess I can understand the reason for wanting to keep this prayer as is because it holds traditional value. However, if the overall goal is to better relations between the two religions, I am not sure that this prayer is going to sit well with either party. The way I see it, those who are praying for the conversion of Jews are also praying for them to change their identity. When looking at it that way, it is hard to forsee any progress with inter-religious relations in the future. I don't want to sound like a cynic because I do believe that there is always a possibility for improvement, but I know that it does not sit well with me that there is a select group of traditionalist Catholics that are praying for me to convert. I am certainly not praying for the conversion of them when I pray. I am confident and comfortable with my religious beliefs, and I think that is good enough for me.

I also find it interesting that the Pope decided to reinstate an old-style Latin mass that was phased out in the 1960's. There was obviously a reason that it was put out of practice, and using it again has the potential to cause more harm than good in regards to inter-religious understanding. There is a difference to "giving witness" to one's faith, and praying for the conversion of others. 

[I want to edit this paragraph. I do not mean to seem like I object to prayer in Latin. I am not a fan of going to services at my synagogue and praying mostly in English, so I certainly do not wish to give off the impression that I am against praying in Latin. What I do not understand is why bring back this mass that was phased out in the 1960's. It was done for a reason, right?]

Overall, I do not really know what to make of this issue. I find the article very interesting, and it definitely sparks my interest in Catholic liturgy and inter-religious relations. I am hoping that there will be a follow-up on this story as well. I am curious to read what everyone else thinks about this article.

Am I Sephardic?

Jillian Amely Cogan... my name doesn't scream Sephardic, but I have a sneaking suspicion that my family roots do trace back to Sephardic culture. My mother, born and raised in Philadelphia and New Jersey, both very Jewish areas, has roots that trace back to Eastern Europe. My father, on the other hand, was born and raised in Cuba. After reading about and discussing Sephardic Jews today in class, I cannot help but wonder if there is any trace of Sephardic culture in my family tree. 

My dad's side of the family is comprised of, what I lovingly call, crazy Cubans. Last semester in "What Makes it Jewish?" we learned about crypto-Jews, and I felt an odd connection an familiarity with some of the stories of these people lighting candles on Friday nights and having tops that resemble dreidles. A few years back, I remember an interesting discovery that I made with my dad. We were sitting around in my house, and for one reason or another, got on the topic of Jewish songs. The tune to "Heiveinu Shalom Alecheim" always reminded my dad of a song his family used to sing in Cuba called "Las Pazas De Con Nosotros"-- both songs have the same meaning. At first I thought he was kidding, trying to play a joke on me or something. However, I was surprised at our next big family get-together, when my Grandmother, Grandfather, and Aunt all broke out into the Spanish version of this hebrew song that I had been singing my entire life! It turns out that the woman I am named after, Amely David (My great-grandmother) was born in Jerusalem to a Syrian woman named Nagib Alit. I have to do more research about their backgrounds and how they ended up in what was then Palestine, and Cuba... but I think I may be on to something.

This little story of mine definitely seems to relate to what we talked about today. It is possible that this hebrew song of my childhood is also sung in spanish by people in the Sephardic tradition. Overall, Sephardic Jewry is hard to define. I was unsatisfied with the "official definition" of who is Sephardi that was given in the FAQs of The American Sephardi Federation. The information does not help me determine whether or not my family is Sephardic. My immediate family is affiliated with the Reform movement, and carries all of the typical Ashkenazi traditions that are found in North American Jewish life. I am curious, however, to explore the traditions and culture of Sephardic Jewry and see what else my crazy family has in common with them.

denominations? sects? what does it all mean?

You would think that after nineteen years of living an active Reform Jewish life, I would be able to clearly define the differences between what I believe versus what other denominations believe. It used to be simple, when I was younger- I would associate Reform Judaism with being less religious, whatever that meant. However, in the last four or five years I have come to realize that the assertion that Reform Jews are less religious or observant is not always accurate.

In high school, I took it upon myself to branch out and meet teenagers from all different Jewish backgrounds. I got involved with planning a benefit concert for Israel with USY, NFTY, BBYO, and NCSY, and every Wednesday night I would have "Latte and Learning" with Orthodox teenagers at the local kosher Starbucks. I was also very active in my region of NFTY, and I was sent to workshops all over the country where I would work with teens from other denominations. My experiences really opened my eyes to just how similar we all may be.

After exploring the websites of each movement (Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox), I have come to the conclusion that we aren't as different as we claim to be. Our religious practices may differ, but we are all working toward the same goal. That goal is to live a productive, successful Jewish life, raise our children to be the leaders of our respective movements, and to continue education throughout life. I always find it interesting when people get touchy or defensive about the movement they identify themselves with, because in the end everyone wants the same thing. I know that I get upset when people say "Reformed" instead of "Reform," because it sounds so negative when you add the "-ed." I prefer the term "Progressive" because it seems to hold a more positive connotation, and is more explanatory. I also found it interesting that the "religious continuum" seems to be cancelled out when one really breaks down the overall goals of each movement.

So to address the title of this blog, I pose a question. Is it disrespectful or wrong to call the different forms of Judaism "sects" or "denominations" when one is describing them? I remember being told back in the day that those words weren't appropriate to use, because we are all part of one religion. If that is the case, what should I say?

I guess that is all for this post, but I know that this discussion of the differences between the different movements will never truly be over. I hope everyone enjoyed their long weekend!

Bush in Israel

This is my first blog entry, so I guess we will see how this goes!

I am not an extremely political person, but I cannot help but write about this. Anyone who has watched the news lately is bound to have heard about President Bush's trip to Israel. There were many stories about how security was being heightened in the country (which cost Israeli taxpayers around $25,000/hour and practically shut down the city of Jerusalem), as well as mumblings about what his visit may mean to the future of peace in the middle east. Upon landing in Israel, President Bush was quoted in saying:

"The United States and Israel are strong allies. The source of that strength is a shared belief in the power of human freedom. Our people have built two great democracies under difficult circumstances. We built free economies to unleash the potential of our people. And the alliance between our two nations helps guarantee Israel's security as a Jewish state."

With the Presidential election drawing closer by the day, it is obvious that the questions of Israel and the Middle East are two of the "hot topics" for candidates. As someone who tends to be liberal in politics, and identifies as a Zionist Reform Jew, these topics hold a great deal of weight in my political standings. However, after discussing various Presidential hopefuls and where they stand with Israel, I have only become more confused. My trip to Israel was in the Summer of 2005. I spent 4 incredible weeks there, and left just before the disengagement. Being there right before the disengagement opened my eyes to just how deeply rooted the Arab-Israeli conflict is. As much as I cannot imagine this two-state policy being put into place, I do not really know what else we can do. So this is where my confusion stems from for this upcoming election. Do I vote based on one aspect of a candidate (that aspect being Israel)? Or do I look at the candidate as a whole? I hope my decision becomes clearer as the election approaches.

Back to Bush's trip to Israel, a major stop in his visit was Yad Vashem. Upon looking at an aerial photo of Auschwitz, Bush made a comment about how the US should have bombed the site. It was somewhat unclear as to if he meant to bomb the camp or the tracks leading to the camp, but either way- we were bombing something. I am not saying that President Bush was wrong by saying that the US should have taken more action with Auschwitz, but I just don't see (in any situation) why bombing seems to be the answer. I have always believed that there is an alternative to violence, I just don't know what that alternative is in this, and several other situations. Which brings me back to my hesitations for the Presidential election and Israel. I guess I will just have to wait and see what else comes about in the upcoming weeks.

On a completely different note, recently I have been having some interesting conversations with friends from other schools about what Jewish life is like on their respective campuses. I am happy to say that I love Jewish life here at IU. Being in the Jewish studies FIG has allowed me to share my knowledge of Reform Judaism with others, and learn a great deal about Conservative, and even Orthodox Judaism. I always thought I was well informed about the differences and similarities between the denominations, but I have learned a lot in the last few months. I believe that taking the classes I have chosen as well as spending a great deal of time at Hillel has been helpful in defining who I am as a Jewish student from New Jersey at Indiana University.

In the beginning, I was nervous about what it would be like for me out here. I come from a town in New Jersey that might as well be nicknamed "Jerusalem" because of how dense the Jewish population is. I was nervous to step outside of my East Coast Jewish bubble of a community and dive into the world of college in the mid-west. But I have found a great community here, both Jewish and in general, that I could not imagine living without at such a large school.

I hope this entry wasn't too painful or boring to read... but i'm new at this.

I wish everyone the best in their 2nd week of classes!