Well I recently realized that I really have been on my journey a year now. I started to go to synagogue because I wanted to a year ago....went to the Shabbat Chanukah service in 2010 and here it is Chanukah 2011. I knew that this journey would happen but after my trip to Israel this summer I knew my journey had to happen and needed to happen.
The one thing I realized with today being christmas is that old habits die hard! It was weird to not have a tree this year and not to do way to much shopping for friends and family and the hardest of all not to have this elaborate meal that you would spend a whole day cooking to the point you were too tired to sit down and enjoy it! It is how I have always done it and I thought this morning that I need to cook and then realized no I don't. So here I am watching movies and doing laundry like it is just a normal day and it is for me now. I have really enjoyed Chanukah this year it has more meaning since I have learned the reasons behind it.
So in the Jewish traditions on christmas eve I went to see a movie but did not go have chinese food! Off to a friends house to hang out and then home for another movie! Shavua Tov to all
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Chanukah
I have been really getting into Chanukah music the past couple of weeks since we were given a disc in conversion class as a gift. Like Christmas music some of it is really just fun to listen to and sing along with but there are some songs that just really hit home and one such song is "Light One Candle". I could just listen to it over and over again and much to my partners dismay I do!
Light one candle for the Maccabee children
With thanks their light didn't die;
Light one candle for the pain they endured
When their right to exist was denied;
Light one candle for the terrible sacrifice
Justice and freedom demand;
And light one candle for the wisdom to know
That the peacemaker's time is at hand!
Chorus:
Don't let the light go out,
It's lasted for so many years!
Don't let the light go out!
Let it shine through our love and our tears!
Light one candle for the strength that we need
To never become our own foe;
Light one candle for those who are suff'ring
A pain they learned so long ago;
Light one candle for all we believe in,
That anger not tear us apart;
And light one candle to bind us together
With peace as the song in our heart!
(chorus)
What is the memory that's valued so highly
That we keep it alive in that flame?
What's the commitment to those who have died?
We cry out "they've not died in vain,"
We have come this far, always believing
That justice will somehow prevail;
This is the burden, This is the promise,
This is why we will not fail!
(chorus)
Don't let the light go out!
Don't let the light go out!
Don't let the light go out!
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/p/peter+paul+mary
Here are the lyrics and I hope I don't get into trouble for it! But as with all things Jewish that I have learned so far there are so many wonderful lessons to be learned by the lyrics. On the surface you can just enjoy the song and I must admit a couple of years ago I was not a fan but after starting this process and REALLY listening to them it has become one of my favorite Chanukah songs. It tells of the story of how the Jews fought the Syrian Greeks. It talks about the the suffering and the sacrifices that the Jews had to make to stand up for what was right and good. Against all odds the Maccabees drove the Syrian Greeks out of Israel and after rededicating the temple had a celebration of their victory and winning their right to carry on.
The song is here to celebrate that victory and remind us of that fight but I also think that there is something to be said in this song for our future and the future of humanity. We as a people and as a person have good things happen and bad things happen and we need to remember that through all of that to stand up for what is right and to fight any injustice we see. It is not just something to do around Chanukah but something we need to do every day of our lives.
Fight for our rights, fight for our peoples rights, fight for others who are suffering as we did during the war with the Syrian Greeks and to do it while remembering the past but also know we are changing the future for the better.
From a spectator to now a person living it Chanukah is a very important holiday for many reasons and it is not the "Jewish Christmas"....it is so much more than that. It is a celebration, it is time for family and friends, it is a time for latkes and dreidles, it is a time to remember and to forge ahead and through joy and tears to make sure to fight the good battle for what is right and just and help the underdog! I believe we owe this to the Maccabees because that is what they did for us.
I truly hope that even one person who reads this will take the spirit of Chanukah with them! A very wise woman told me being Jewish is always about remembering the past but to not forget about the here and now and the future and as I continue on this journey I am really starting to see how that really does play out in Judaism. Happy Chanukah to everyone and remember "don't let the light go out, its lasted for so many years. Don't let the light go out, let it shine through our love and our tears."
Light one candle for the Maccabee children
With thanks their light didn't die;
Light one candle for the pain they endured
When their right to exist was denied;
Light one candle for the terrible sacrifice
Justice and freedom demand;
And light one candle for the wisdom to know
That the peacemaker's time is at hand!
Chorus:
Don't let the light go out,
It's lasted for so many years!
Don't let the light go out!
Let it shine through our love and our tears!
Light one candle for the strength that we need
To never become our own foe;
Light one candle for those who are suff'ring
A pain they learned so long ago;
Light one candle for all we believe in,
That anger not tear us apart;
And light one candle to bind us together
With peace as the song in our heart!
(chorus)
What is the memory that's valued so highly
That we keep it alive in that flame?
What's the commitment to those who have died?
We cry out "they've not died in vain,"
We have come this far, always believing
That justice will somehow prevail;
This is the burden, This is the promise,
This is why we will not fail!
(chorus)
Don't let the light go out!
Don't let the light go out!
Don't let the light go out!
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/p/peter+paul+mary
Here are the lyrics and I hope I don't get into trouble for it! But as with all things Jewish that I have learned so far there are so many wonderful lessons to be learned by the lyrics. On the surface you can just enjoy the song and I must admit a couple of years ago I was not a fan but after starting this process and REALLY listening to them it has become one of my favorite Chanukah songs. It tells of the story of how the Jews fought the Syrian Greeks. It talks about the the suffering and the sacrifices that the Jews had to make to stand up for what was right and good. Against all odds the Maccabees drove the Syrian Greeks out of Israel and after rededicating the temple had a celebration of their victory and winning their right to carry on.
The song is here to celebrate that victory and remind us of that fight but I also think that there is something to be said in this song for our future and the future of humanity. We as a people and as a person have good things happen and bad things happen and we need to remember that through all of that to stand up for what is right and to fight any injustice we see. It is not just something to do around Chanukah but something we need to do every day of our lives.
Fight for our rights, fight for our peoples rights, fight for others who are suffering as we did during the war with the Syrian Greeks and to do it while remembering the past but also know we are changing the future for the better.
From a spectator to now a person living it Chanukah is a very important holiday for many reasons and it is not the "Jewish Christmas"....it is so much more than that. It is a celebration, it is time for family and friends, it is a time for latkes and dreidles, it is a time to remember and to forge ahead and through joy and tears to make sure to fight the good battle for what is right and just and help the underdog! I believe we owe this to the Maccabees because that is what they did for us.
I truly hope that even one person who reads this will take the spirit of Chanukah with them! A very wise woman told me being Jewish is always about remembering the past but to not forget about the here and now and the future and as I continue on this journey I am really starting to see how that really does play out in Judaism. Happy Chanukah to everyone and remember "don't let the light go out, its lasted for so many years. Don't let the light go out, let it shine through our love and our tears."
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Jewish 101?
Well I am now about 3 months into my conversion class and from many aspects it has gotten very frustrating. I got so flustered and frustrated with trying to learn hebrew I was ready to give up but I am happy to report that I am feeling much more confident with my abilities and I even joined another class to help me out and just to reinforce it.
Let me start off with I mean no disrespect to anyone and am very appreciative for the opportunity to learn and go on this journey with others. My frustration really comes into play with the fact there is so much information given to us and so much to learn that you don't even know where or what to ask questions about. The class has been on such an academic level that there has not been any practicality to it. I know and totally agree that I need to know the history and the reasons behind something but at the same time I also need to know why I am supposed to bend at the knee and then bow when we pray, "Baruch attah Adoni". Is it bad if I dont bend because it happened before I realized that was where and what I was supposed to do? If it is bad will I be forgiven because I didn't know? It is now almost Chanukah and we learned in the most brief way the story of the holiday but we didn't learn the prayer that we are supposed to say when we light the candles every night. I only found that out when I went to the class I just joined in last night and got a hand out with the prayers on it and some other tid bits of useful and fun information. We have discussed so many things and I have learned so much but I still feel lost on so many levels.
I am very comfortable going to services and look forward to going every week. I understand how the prayer book is laid out and how all of that works because the synagogue I attend has learner services periodically. So much was explained either before or after a prayer with the reasons for doing it. I feel so much of the class I am in is missing this part of it and I have no idea where to get this from. In all fairness, I have not had this discussion with my Rabbinic sponsor because I was just really able to verbalize what I was feeling tonight after class but in my next meeting we will touch on this. I have resources so now I just need to make an effort to write down questions as I think of them so that with all of my resources I can get an answer.
My question for you is....Where can I buy a copy of Jewish 101?
Let me start off with I mean no disrespect to anyone and am very appreciative for the opportunity to learn and go on this journey with others. My frustration really comes into play with the fact there is so much information given to us and so much to learn that you don't even know where or what to ask questions about. The class has been on such an academic level that there has not been any practicality to it. I know and totally agree that I need to know the history and the reasons behind something but at the same time I also need to know why I am supposed to bend at the knee and then bow when we pray, "Baruch attah Adoni". Is it bad if I dont bend because it happened before I realized that was where and what I was supposed to do? If it is bad will I be forgiven because I didn't know? It is now almost Chanukah and we learned in the most brief way the story of the holiday but we didn't learn the prayer that we are supposed to say when we light the candles every night. I only found that out when I went to the class I just joined in last night and got a hand out with the prayers on it and some other tid bits of useful and fun information. We have discussed so many things and I have learned so much but I still feel lost on so many levels.
I am very comfortable going to services and look forward to going every week. I understand how the prayer book is laid out and how all of that works because the synagogue I attend has learner services periodically. So much was explained either before or after a prayer with the reasons for doing it. I feel so much of the class I am in is missing this part of it and I have no idea where to get this from. In all fairness, I have not had this discussion with my Rabbinic sponsor because I was just really able to verbalize what I was feeling tonight after class but in my next meeting we will touch on this. I have resources so now I just need to make an effort to write down questions as I think of them so that with all of my resources I can get an answer.
My question for you is....Where can I buy a copy of Jewish 101?
Sunday, December 11, 2011
December Dilemma pt. II
I thought that this topic was a very cut and dried one and no big deal for me. I was a christian without any ties to a particular religion but believed in God and now I am converting to Judaism and have to deal with the whole christmas issue. I will miss the trees because I enjoyed their beauty, they never really had a significant religious value to them for me so no biggie and I thought that was the end of it.
Our topic for this past conversion class was the December Dilema/Chanukah rolled into one. We learned the story of Chanukah. The Jews thought the king of Syria had died and then celebrated their freedom and much to their surprise he was alive and not pleased with their behavior so he desecrated the temple to show them who was the boss so to speak. After a three year war the Jews were victorious over the Syrians and then the rededication of the temple Chanukah was declared a holiday. You light candles to remind people on the outside of the miracle that happened.
Then we talked about interfaith families and how they might deal with Christmas/Chanukah. That is where I could really see how it would become a dilemma. For me it is not a problem but some in our class have children and the family is not converting just one person. A friend was saying that they had the menorah in the kitchen would light the candles and say the blessings and then when the candles burned out would go in the living room and open presents with the christian members of the family. That would be such a difficult slope to navigate to keep them both seperate and not muddy them into one catch all holiday.
We also talked about when people wish you a Merry Christmas. As a christian I always wished people in passing a happy holidays because you don't know by looking what faith if any they have. If I know you are christian I will wish you a Merry Christmas but otherwise I think I am going to stick with happy holidays but graciously accept Christmas wishes from strangers that don't know I am not a christian.
Our topic for this past conversion class was the December Dilema/Chanukah rolled into one. We learned the story of Chanukah. The Jews thought the king of Syria had died and then celebrated their freedom and much to their surprise he was alive and not pleased with their behavior so he desecrated the temple to show them who was the boss so to speak. After a three year war the Jews were victorious over the Syrians and then the rededication of the temple Chanukah was declared a holiday. You light candles to remind people on the outside of the miracle that happened.
Then we talked about interfaith families and how they might deal with Christmas/Chanukah. That is where I could really see how it would become a dilemma. For me it is not a problem but some in our class have children and the family is not converting just one person. A friend was saying that they had the menorah in the kitchen would light the candles and say the blessings and then when the candles burned out would go in the living room and open presents with the christian members of the family. That would be such a difficult slope to navigate to keep them both seperate and not muddy them into one catch all holiday.
We also talked about when people wish you a Merry Christmas. As a christian I always wished people in passing a happy holidays because you don't know by looking what faith if any they have. If I know you are christian I will wish you a Merry Christmas but otherwise I think I am going to stick with happy holidays but graciously accept Christmas wishes from strangers that don't know I am not a christian.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
My December Dilema
Well I have made it thus far in my conversion class and now welcome to December and Christmas.
Having been raised christian I really thought that I would have a hard time dealing with the loss of the holidays but after really thinking about it and looking back for me the holidays were never religious. I went to church with my grandmother because she wanted me to join her and it made her happy but I never really bought into the whole premiss behind Christmas. I am not trying to down play anyone's beliefs here but for me it just did not work. I went through the motions but it was about the decorations, the family memories, and the presents.
Over my many years I have amassed quite the collection of Christmas decorations that I love and look forward to seeing every year. I would put up seven trees and each one had a different theme and I would buy a few new ornaments for each one every year building the memories and creating new ones. I have a great snowman and santa collection and I know have to say good bye to all of them. I was having a hard time trying to figure out what to do with all of my memories and then a friend needed some stuff so I decided I am going to give it to my friends if they want it then I will sell it. This way I know my stuff, at least to my friends, will go to good homes and will start building new memories in new families and I will get to know that I helped in that.
I will have to go through all of my stuff because there are a few ornaments that I will keep and they will go every where with me. They are gifts from friends that have passed away, gifts or ornaments I bought for my grandmother, and a few that my mom bought for me. I will never be able to part with those and so they will get sorted out of the rest, carefully wrapped and packed away. I am sure I will take them out and look at them but I will know that they are with me even though the person that gave them to me is no longer here.
The hardest part for me is just seeing the house so bare at this time of year! Its not depressing or sad but I really do miss the trees and all of my other things but it is a cleansing step on my journey and I am really getting excited about lighting chanukah candles this year. I dont get my own menorah yet since i am not officially jewish so that will be an early Chanukah gift for next year I am sure.
So I want to finish this off with wishing you a merry Christmas if you are christian or a very happy Chanukah to all of my Jewish readers and I hope it is a season filled with love, joy, and lots of family and memories. Now I think I am going to go read about Chanukah and the story behind it.
Having been raised christian I really thought that I would have a hard time dealing with the loss of the holidays but after really thinking about it and looking back for me the holidays were never religious. I went to church with my grandmother because she wanted me to join her and it made her happy but I never really bought into the whole premiss behind Christmas. I am not trying to down play anyone's beliefs here but for me it just did not work. I went through the motions but it was about the decorations, the family memories, and the presents.
Over my many years I have amassed quite the collection of Christmas decorations that I love and look forward to seeing every year. I would put up seven trees and each one had a different theme and I would buy a few new ornaments for each one every year building the memories and creating new ones. I have a great snowman and santa collection and I know have to say good bye to all of them. I was having a hard time trying to figure out what to do with all of my memories and then a friend needed some stuff so I decided I am going to give it to my friends if they want it then I will sell it. This way I know my stuff, at least to my friends, will go to good homes and will start building new memories in new families and I will get to know that I helped in that.
I will have to go through all of my stuff because there are a few ornaments that I will keep and they will go every where with me. They are gifts from friends that have passed away, gifts or ornaments I bought for my grandmother, and a few that my mom bought for me. I will never be able to part with those and so they will get sorted out of the rest, carefully wrapped and packed away. I am sure I will take them out and look at them but I will know that they are with me even though the person that gave them to me is no longer here.
The hardest part for me is just seeing the house so bare at this time of year! Its not depressing or sad but I really do miss the trees and all of my other things but it is a cleansing step on my journey and I am really getting excited about lighting chanukah candles this year. I dont get my own menorah yet since i am not officially jewish so that will be an early Chanukah gift for next year I am sure.
So I want to finish this off with wishing you a merry Christmas if you are christian or a very happy Chanukah to all of my Jewish readers and I hope it is a season filled with love, joy, and lots of family and memories. Now I think I am going to go read about Chanukah and the story behind it.
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