What kind of Jew are you? (different levels of judiasm)

From being conservative to being a frummie, what kind a jew are you?!
Im Ashkenizic (if thats how you spell it), and im really interested to know what you are...? please tell me..... maybe we are the same... the truth is we're all sisters and brothers no matter how Jewish we are!

 

I'm post-denominational, so down with the system and all that.

Dauer

 

o0o... okay. interesting, but i never heard of that before.

 

I'm progressive.. If that counts.

 

I am non born jewish... also known as goy.

I love the jewish people (unfortunately that counts for nothing in the greater scheme of things )

Peace

 

Jewish culturally, agnostic faith wise (or lack thereof).

 

I don't think we can talk about "levels" of Judaism. It's not as if a person climbs a ladder from being one type of Jew to another (unless we're talking about something a little more ethical/philosophical/whatever like going from rasha to tzadik.) They're all just different varieties.

 

out of mild curiousity, how many kinds of jews are there?

 

You mean denominations? There's Orthodoxy, which can then be divided up in a number of different ways, Conservative Judaism, Reform Judaism, Reconstructionist Judaism, and then there is post-denominational Judaism which is really a move away from the labels that divide us. You tend to find Jews who could otherwise be labelled in any of the above groups calling themselves post-denominational. There's also Jewish Renewal, which is a trans-denominational group.

In parts of the world other than America, Conservative and Reform may exist under different names, with slight variation.

Dauer

 

Oh, I forgot to mention Jewish Humanism. They're the new kids on the block. So there's Orthodoxy which loosely divides up as the following site explains:

http://www.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/363_Transp/08_Orthodoxy.html

conservative:

http://www.uscj.org/index1.html

Reform:

http://rj.org/

Reconstructionism:

http://www.jrf.org/

Jewish Renewal:

http://www.aleph.org/

And Humanistic Judaism:

http://www.shj.org/

 

I study Torah with a Chassidic Rabbi at the Chabad of Greater Los Feliz (This week 7/30 - 8/05 it is Parshah Va'etchanan or Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11). I am unsure whether or not I can claim Judaism, or any other religious tradition as an identity, however, since I was born Baptist and have not officially converted. My wife is Jewish, Sephardic, and quite secular but very supportive of my . . . what would you call it? . . . my interest? . . . my calling? . . . my fascination? . . . my obsession?

All I know is I am inexplicably humbled, fascinated and ecstatic (and as surprised as anyone can be by this simple fact) when we get together to discuss each week's Parshah. You can call me whatever you like.

Peace and Love

 

I'm the most atheist jew you'll find. I don't even know what's Rosh Hashana or Kippor or whatever. I never had a bar-mistva. The jewest thing in me is my name. I'm that kind of jew.

 

Sefardi isn't a tribe. It's just an ethnic indicator like ashkenazi or Mizrahi. Calling it a tribe would confuse it with the twelve tribes.

 

He has been, and continues to be, completely gracious, supportive and encouraging. I think our overriding interest in the subject and our mutual respect for one another as human beings in love with God makes a non-issue out of my identity in relation to Judaism.

Yes, of course. It will probably happen.

Yeah, that makes sense. I trust that they are humble and respectful.

If any of them try to convert you, you can tell them that while very few have ever been able to fully explain the complementary relationship between Christianity and Judaism, it is certainly true that in many ways, Christianity is "Judaism for Gentiles." When one looks beyond the all-too-often unquestioned, or at least unacknowledged icon-worship that some present as Christianity and recognizes the reason for J.C.'s self-sacrifice (God transcends everything, even Jesus), then one can begin to understand and realize the primacy of Judaism. Intellectual honesty then compels one to study the Torah.

Jews, of course, don't have to go through this process to get to God. Therefore, it makes as little sense to try to convert Jews to Christianity as it does to drive a bookmobile through the Library of Congress.

Of course, I may be wrong about all of this. I am still learning. Hopefully, I probably will be for the rest of my life.

Peace and Love

 

As a whole all the jewish people I have met, some from Israel on student exchange programs are very polite. This goes a long way in forming an opinion about a country.
What I really like is the way they get together and celebrate weddings, pretty cool.

 

Jews who wish to maintain clear boundaries between Jewish and non-Jewish values and behaviors,the task of being different becomes more demanding every year. Many young families do not own television sets,or own only monitors so that they may play videos or DVDs of there own choosing.Most dress according to very specific preferences that not only comply with thier interpretation of Jewish law but also make them instantly recognizable to each other.Yeshivish haredi Orthodoxy is primarily distinguished by its societywide ideal for singles and young married men to devote years to full-time study of Talmud,and thereafter to continue Talmud studies on a regular basis after working hours.