#also I cannot ask my rabbi this so

[frownyalfred]

the creator talking about omegas and Ramadan over on tiktok has me up wondering how pikuach nefesh applies to heats during Jewish fasts too and yeah, maybe that’s enough internet for today.

#I think the Muslim and Jewish teachings on this are very similar #but I would need to ask my rabbi #also I cannot ask my rabbi this so #here we are #a/b/o #a/b/o mention #a/b/o tw #omegaverse #Judaism #Islam

[nope-body]

.

#not having a good first Shabbat at college at all #honestly considering going to check out chabad services if the next Hillel service or two is like this one #it was out of order and it didn’t make sense and they skipped the ends of some stuff (they only did half the shema??) and like. #they don’t even have a rabbi. how do they not have a rabbi? like I know it’s a student run organization but I’m pretty sure you need a rabbi #for services and stuff #they’re bringing one in for the high holidays #also the lack of singing and ruach?? a congregation full of old folks have more ruach than their service #Shabbat is a celebration!! #I’m not expecting like a camp style Shabbat shira but you can sing prayers! praying doesn’t have to be something you try to get over with! #I was just disappointed in the leadership and in how they ran the service #I am definitely asking my parents to send me a prayer book because I cannot stand their weird Hillel service books #also!!! we were outdoors and so many people put the prayer books on the ground!! intentionally!! and they didn’t even kiss/mime kiss them #when they picked them up!! #there’s no way that custom is so specific to my area #it’s about respecting gd’s name and the prayers!! #that’s a basic judaism thing! #it just didn’t feel very Jewish which was odd because like. it was the most Jewish thing I’ve done in such a long time #I appreciate that they’re doing their best but if you’re going to lead services you actually have to lead services

[queertransetc]

Is it ok to convert to Judaism so I can work with Lilith without breaking closed practice rules? Ive been told only jews can work with her. I don't believe in the Jewish god but I believe in Her and feel a connection.

For starters, I don’t know a ton about Lilith, aside from yes, only Jews can work with her. I’m also no expert on conversion, as I’m not a convert nor have I been heavily involved in someone else’s conversion. For this reason, I’d like other Jews who see this, especially converts, to add in their thoughts on the matter. My answer is going to be relatively vague considering the question at hand

That said, I would be very wary of someone converting specifically for Lilith, especially if they don’t believe in any tenets of Judaism. You don’t believe in our god, not all converts do. But there’s so much more to Judaism that conversion requires beyond that belief. My question for you, anon, is what other reasons do you have for converting? If it’s only for Lilith, you don’t actually want to be Jewish. You just want access to a closed practice. Ask yourself: am I ready to join a new culture and ethnicity? Am I ready to face antisemitism? Am I ready to analyze the antisemitic thoughts and beliefs I already have and uphold? Am I ready to support a new community? Am I interested in adopting other beliefs and practices of Judaism?

Talking to a rabbi will likely give you even more questions you need to ask before you can know if conversion is right for you. As I said, I know relatively little about conversion, and I know nothing about you, anon. If you feel serious about converting already, tell a rabbi exactly what you’ve sent me, and ask to have a more in-depth discussion on your interest in converting. After getting to know you more, they’ll likely have a better answer on whether converting because of Lilith is appropriate or not

At the end of the day, I cannot tell you whether conversion is right for you. What I can say is that it’s a serious decision that takes a lot of time and hard work. Converting to Judaism is not something a rabbi will let you do unless they’re certain you are ready for all that entails

@ folks in the notes, if you intend to respond to anon’s message, please be kind and assume they’re asking in good faith <3

#Lincoln logs #ask box #Judaism #jumblr #conversion #Jewish conversion

[muneca-lemon-steppa]

can i just say that i am OBSESSED with your Alfie series. literally cannot get enough of it. Also!! Was wondering if you could write a fluff piece were reader gets injured and alfie comes to her rescuee? Your writing is so good <3

Hi my love! This ask was so so sweet! I am so glad you like the series, it was so much fun to share it with you guys, I know I tell y'all all the time but it's true! My heart is just so full I can't help it! And of course I can write some fluff! You know I love it hehe. I'm sorry this took a while but I hope you like it! This was actually inspired by my Thanksgiving fiasco this past year lmao. I was in charge of the turkey, mac and cheese, dessert, and potatoes. My little brother was my sous chef and I completely cut my thumb open and my brother almost passed out lmao. Anyway, sending all my love to you! - Mo

Ouch

Alfie Solomons x F!Reader, fluff, Warnings: injury, mentions of blood

There is something so soothing about the kitchen. When the world is so chaotic and cold and uncertain, the kitchen is a haven. Here it’s safe and warm and systematic. The chops and bubbling of the stove are so rhythmic, any harshness of the day just falling off your shoulders in waves. Because here you could understand and set the temperature. Here you could control the outcome and be free. Even if you were trying something new, you could be confident in the knowledge that it would always have a good outcome. It was your favorite part of the day, just cooking with Alfie. You on one side with Alfie on the opposite, working separately to jointly create beautiful.

The only problem that came with cooking, was that it was a little too peaceful. You became too relaxed. And as Alfie was apt to remind you, it wasn’t good to be too relaxed around knives and hot stoves. But it was too easy. The steady hum of the fire and boiling. The pattern you’ve gone through many a time. Your body would take over like a dance from your childhood. Your hands knew what they were doing. Your mind could take a break. And she would wander. Things to be completed in the office tomorrow. That new quilt you were making for your mother. Alfie needing a haircut.

Stir.

I need to make time for that book this weekend

Pour.

Alfie looked so handsome today if it weren’t for that awful stain on his shirt

Stir

Mama and Papa asked us to come for Shabbat this week. I need to tell Alfie.

Chop

We should go to the park this week

Chop

I wonder if we can visit Rabbi Reuben as well

Chop

Alfie’s birthday is also coming up

Chop

I’m so excited for his birthday surprise

Slice

“AH!!! Oh God ah!!”

A long and deep line blossoms on your palm. Far too entrenched in your mind, you were completely missing how the knife was getting closer and closer to your hand. You quickly grab a nearby dish towel, tightly wrapping your hand to catch the trickle dripping to the wood on the floor. Alfie is quick to you though, loudly dropping the cutlery and bowl he was holding. "Shit! Sweet heart you alright? What d'ya do to yourself?"

"Nothing nothing Alfie darling! Just a little scrape I'm sorry!"

Alfie peered at the slowly soaking dishtowel and raised his thick blonde brows at you. Mustache quirking, indicating that once again, you are a terrible liar. Gently but without holding room for argument he unraveled your makeshift bandage as you winced. His mouth furrowed and grumbled, "Ah shit treacle. This is why I always tell you right? You can't be all day dreaming when you're working in here! You insist on not letting me help ya, and then there you go fucking filleting yourself!"

Cool tears start trickling down. It burned with the introduction of the air and the embarrasment of getting a nasty cut. Alfie sighed, wiping your tears with one hand has he cradled your injury in the other. If there was one thing he hated most in the world, it was seeing you cry. "Aw my dove, no tears yeah? Not too bad ain't it? Why I don't even think it'll need a stitch I wager. Just a little alcohol on it and a bandage and you'll be right as rain. C'mon my angel, let's get you better aye? Dinner can wait a few minutes."

Despite having a terrible temper and being completely and utterly impatient... Alfie Solomons was an incredibly gentle and tender nurse. Stern. Always stern. And teasing. And scolding. But gentle above all else. You winced and shed a small tear when Alfie poured the clear and horrendous smelling alcohol on your wound. He tutted and kissed your temple all the while telling you, "Maybe this'll teach you eh? Nothing like a war would to make you more smart about your surroundings."

You thanked your lucky stars you didn't need a stitch at all. Despite the blood it was really a shallow cut. Alfie wrapped your hand skillfully. Pressing a kiss right over the bandage as the final salve. As you whispered a chaste thank you, Alfie pulled you into his chest saying, "Now listen my dove. I don't like to baby you. You are a grown woman and I'm not one to tell woman how to conduct herself or her affairs. But I get worried about you. Always drifting off somewhere in that pretty head. Not watching yourself. Not wanting help. You have got to let me help you my darling. Yeah?"

You nod, kissing him to assure him that you are ok. He chuckles kissing you back. Pushing you to the dining room chair he teases you further, "Now my dear patient, it is imperative that you sit there and keep that hand elevated. Lots of rest of relaxation yeah?"

"Alfie! I have to finish dinner!"

"No I'm sorry treacle but it is the doctor's orders! Can't have you losing a finger next can we?"

You laugh and argue with him, eventually get him to compromise to allowing you to fill a pitcher with water and set the kettle on. No matter what the others of Camden said, they could never say that he wasn't a good man.

#alfie solomons #alfie solomons x reader #alfie solomons x you #alfie solomons fanfic #alfie solomons x y/n #peaky blinder fanfic #peaky blinders #tom hardy

[date-a-jew-suggestions]

I desperately want to convert but I am chronically ill and I am afraid I cannot live up to the standards. I am afraid I can't keep holidays or keep kosher even though I really want to. Do you know if it's possible to be Jewish even if you can't do it all the way? I feel such a strong sense of love and reverence for Judaism and I have felt drawn to it since I was 15(I am 21 now) but I became disabled at 19 and have lost so much in the way of being able to be present or consistent.

Short answer: yes absolutely 100% you can be Jewish, and if it’s something you feel would bring you happiness, you should pursue conversion.

The longer answer is that while our customs and traditions are important, we believe that human life is more important. Part of what that means is that Jewish tradition should not come before your physical OR mental health. If your chronic illness is preventing you from going to synagogue, that is okay. Most synagogues livestream their services now too, which makes it a lot more accessible for some people!! It’s also not the end of the world to miss a service. And having to alter the rules a bit or not keep kosher for health reasons is very common. I know a lot of Jews who just choose not to keep kosher.

My advice would be to talk to the rabbi of the synagogue you decide to join, and ask them what accommodations are available. They should be able to help, and hopefully they can work with you to figure out what would be best for you.

I am physically abled, so there are probably things I’m missing on this post. If any disabled Jews have anything to add, please feel free 💙

#jumblr #judaism #converts #jewish conversion #disabled jews

[unbidden-yidden]

So some advice for folks who are trying to deal with the photos and videos they've seen online from this situation, from someone who routinely has to look at photos and videos of domestic violence and its aftermath in my line of work:

Accept that terrible things happen in the world. That sounds weird, right? But I found that, at least for me, the explosive indignation that this could've happened at all and like, fighting back against the reality and how much I didn't want to believe that something like this could happen - that just caused me to take on secondhand trauma. You cannot change horrors that have already happened.

Let me repeat that: You cannot change horrors that have already happened.

None of us can go back in time and undo the traumatic event. It's done. It happened. I once had a client whose abuser ran over her legs with his truck trying to kill her. I saw her wounds up close and personal. I still remember the smell of the wounds and how there was still a faint but nauseating scent of rubber. Nothing I could do could turn back the hands of time to before that nightmarish event.

But here's the thing - you can decide what you are going to do about it moving forward.

Sometimes you're in a realistic position to help. Sometimes you're not. But asking yourself the question, hey what practical good can I do in this situation? How can I help here? Is a million times more productive and comforting than wallowing in rage. The key is that finding a useful way to help or even just asking the question restores a sense of agency to you in a moment when you feel powerless against the deep cruelties of this world. And it often also empowers the victim(s) knowing that there are good, motivated people who are there to support and advocate for them.

Some of this shit is going to haunt you no matter what you do. Cutting through the haze of rage to take stock of the reality on the ground and what you can do to improve it is easier said than done. But if you try, it will help you and the people directly affected.

Accept that we currently live in a world of horrors, and then resolve to do what you can about it. And when you've done what you can? Accept that the rest is out of your hands now and that now the rest of it is in G-d's hands.

לֹא עָלֶיךָ הַמְּלָאכָה לִגְמֹר, וְלֹא אַתָּה בֶן חוֹרִין לִבָּטֵל מִמֶּנָּה.

Rabbi Tarfon used to say: It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it.

[spacelazarwolf]

i had a question about the religion vs tribal post u reblogged earlier. does this mean converts dont have to be particularly religious? or can converts only convert if they want like. the full religious experience (i am wording this very poorly my apologies) like. can someone convert if they want to simply be a jew, and not just because of the religious aspects? idk

the tldr is no, jews by choice don't have to meet any certain level of religious observance to maintain their jewish status post-mikveh. once they've been approved by a beit din and immersed in a mikveh, they are unquestionably jewish.

that being said, i got a little over excited and wrote up a whole thing about the process and legality of jewish conversion so buckle up buttercups.

the process of conversion is long, usually at least one full year, and supervised by a rabbi. the conversion student meets with their sponsoring rabbi throughout the year so the rabbi can monitor their progress and education, assess their motivations and character, offer them guidance and support, and finally to determine when/if they are ready to go before a beit din and complete their conversion. this isn't something the conversion student requests, it's something that can only be approved by their sponsoring rabbi.

the process and expectations, along with what's considered a valid or halachic conversion, differ depending on which community the conversion student is petitioning to join. for example, most orthodox and conservative communities still require circumcision or hatafat dam brit in order for a conversion to be valid while reform and reconstructionist do not. the standards for what it means to commit to living a jewish life will also be different depending on the community. someone who converts with a sephardic rabbi may follow different rabbinic rulings than someone who converted with an ashkenazi rabbi.

once the sponsoring rabbi has determined that the conversion student is genuine and is ready to complete conversion, the conversion student will appear before a beit din which consists of three jews who are educated in jewish law, at least one of whom must be a rabbi. (usually all three are rabbis, but i've been on two beit dins and am definitely not a rabbi.) the beit din then determines if the conversion student is sincere, knowledgeable, and making this decision of their own free will. they may ask the convert some questions to determine their basic knowledge of jewish law, ask the convert to tell them about their journey to judaism and why they want to become jewish, and will very often ask if the convert is fully prepared to join a historically oppressed people. i have been on two beit dins and one question i've asked both times is if they have a support system to help them navigate their new identity and the discrimination they're very likely to face. the crux of the beit din is "do you know what you're getting yourself into?"

if the beit din determines that the convert is not ready, they will turn them away. usually, this means they'll try again in the future, but sometimes the person decides that conversion is not for them. that being said, since the sponsoring rabbi has to determine first if you're ready for the beit din, it's very rare for someone to be turned away at that point. (though my rabbi has some very....odd stories about people who have put on an act for years to convert, only to go on and on about jesus to the beit din. needless to say those people are expeditiously sent away.)

if the answer is yes, the convert will then immerse in a ritual bath called a mikveh. most often people will go to an indoor mikveh, but sometimes converts will opt for a lake, river, ocean, etc. that's deemed acceptable. after they leave the mikveh, they are jewish. they've received their "jewish citizenship" and their status as a member of the jewish people cannot be questioned. (with the caveat that different communities don't always accept conversions from other communities, and there are some that don't accept conversion at all. and of course, just because something is a violation of jewish law doesn't mean people don't still do it. there is still a lot of anti-convert rhetoric within the jewish community that we have to reckon with.)

once someone becomes jewish, it's up to them the kind of life they want to live. if someone underwent an orthodox conversion, it's probably because they wanted to live an orthodox jewish life so it's unlikely they will leave the mikveh and never set foot in a synagogue again, especially considering for orthodox conversion it's generally expected that by the time you go before a beit din you have been living an orthodox jewish life and live in an orthodox jewish community for at least a year. that being said, if they did decide to adjust their observance or find they prefer a different community, or even if they decided they no longer wanted to be observant at all, they would still be jewish according to jewish law. the only time the semantics would change is if they converted to a different religion, in which case most communities would consider them a jewish apostate. if someone converted through a non orthodox community and wanted to join an orthodox jewish community, they would have to undergo an orthodox conversion.

conversion to judaism is compared to naturalization a lot because it's very similar. you go through a process, prove you are ready to be a citizen and are knowledgeable about the country you're petitioning to be a citizen of, then once you gain your citizenship it cannot be revoked, including if you break the law. if you gain your american citizenship under the expectations that you will respect the laws of the land, then run 10 red lights, you're still an american citizen you're just a citizen with 10 traffic tickets. similarly, in my opinion, if you gain your "jewish citizenship" under the expectation that you will follow the laws of the community, then eat a plate of bacon, you're still a jew you're just a jew who has violated halacha. if we wouldn't revoke the jewish status of someone who was born to a jewish family for eating a plate of bacon, i would argue it's similarly inappropriate to try to revoke the jewish status of someone who converted for eating a plate of bacon.

however, there have been instances where a conversion has been retroactively deemed invalid. however, there was, in true jewish fashion, much debate about what could invalidate a conversion. in this essay submitted to and accepted by the rabbinic counsel, the determination was made that if the conversion in question was obtained by deceit and the rabbi and beit din did their due diligence in determining the motives of the conversion student, the conversion can be deemed invalid. if the conversion was obtained by deceit and the rabbi and beit din did not do their due diligence, the conversion remains valid, regardless of the motivations and deceit.

something i see mentioned a lot when it comes to conversion and observance after conversion is the argument that if someone takes on the commandments during their conversion then doesn't follow them, or they are pursuing conversion only to gain and/or weaponize jewish identity, they are deceiving the beit din and therefore their conversion should be invalid. i get the logic, but i also agree with what the above essay has to say. the responsibility lies with the rabbi and beit din to determine the motivations of the convert. the moral failure of deceit can be attributed to the convert, but the legal responsibility still lies with the rabbi and beit din. we can question all day long why someone would want to convert if they aren't going to do x, y, and z, but at the end of the day if a rabbi and beit din have supervised and approved their conversion, it's a done deal. their conversion cannot be revoked by a court of public opinion.

it's something that i think is very difficult to grapple with because i don't think any of us want someone to lie their way into our community. given our history of persecution, i think it's understandable how scary that could be. that being said, conversion is not an issue of morals but of jewish law, so in conclusion of this essay no one asked for, i think that it's not the responsibility of the community at large to determine if someone's conversion is valid or to question they way they live their life. that opens the door to a sort of mob justice that jews by choice already have to deal with constantly. it's the responsibility of the sponsoring rabbi and beit din to determine if the person seeking conversion is a good candidate.

#ask avishai #jewish #jumblr #jewish conversion #JewU

[neverwritewhatyouknow]

Because of all the hate I’ve been getting recently as I defend my ethnicity’s and religion’s right for representation in media, specifically the movie Red, White & Royal Blue, I did something I never do.

I went to temple.

I’m not religious. I’m culturally Jewish and really only do the high holy days, Passover, and Hanukkah. The latter two mostly just for the food.

I went for a sign that what I was doing was good. That I shouldn’t give up, even though, you know I get death threats (I don’t post them anymore) and people who actively hate me.

During the service, the Rabbi told us about the daughters of Zelophehad, and how they asked Moses for land that was rightfully their father’s. Since society at that time didn’t give land to women, Moses went to God and asked what to do. God was like “Yeah, give ‘em the land and let’s rewrite the rules on who gets land.” And they basically rewrote the system because of what they wanted.

My Rabbi then said, the daughters did it for almost a selfish reason, they wanted what was supposed to be theirs. But the selfishness was for the good of many, since they could use the land for more. Plus, their ask changed things for everyone. Their passion for the land, and their bravery to challenge the system, meant that the land they had could be used for power and change. It brought about more equality.

The Rabbi then asked us what we were passionate about. LGBTQ+ rights? Fighting against SCOTUS unjust rulings? Student loans? What do we have in our personal lives that we can be selfish about that would change the lives of many, just by us challenging the system in place?

For me, I’m selfish because I want Amazon Prime and the RWRB production (crew and cast) to apologize for erasing Nora’s Jewishness from the movie. I’m selfish because I want my representation, because I’ve earned it. I’ve watched so many things that had no Jewish characters. Or ones where there were, but no Jewish actors playing them. I’m selfish because I wanna see myself represented.

But my selfishness, and the challenge to the system I take on, is for the good of many. An apology from RWRB would show that it’s not okay to erase Jewish characters just because you want to. Would show that Jews deserve good roles. That we’re more than stereotypes. That Jewish actors are necessary. That Jews are more than a religion. That all ethnicities and minorities, no matter what, deserve representation. Yeah, I’m fighting for Jews, but I’m also fighting for equal and accurate rep all around. Ethnicity cannot be erased for anyone.

I went looking for a sign, and I got one. Unlike the dog in the burning room who says “It’s fine,” I’m in the room and saying it’s not. Because there’s things that have to change. And apparently Jewish women have always been the ones to bring about change for the good of many.

Red, White & Royal Blue needs to own up to their Jew-erasure and the silencing of voices who called them out on it.

#rwrb movie #red white and royal blue #red white royal blue movie #rwrb cast #rwrb #red white and royal blue movie #casey mcquiston #red white royal blue cast #nora holleran #rachel hilson #jewish #red white royal blue #cmq #rwrb film

[jewishconvertthings]

Hey I hope this is ok to ask! My partner is Native American (Mvskoke) and considering conversion. They are considering conversion but worry that joining the Jewish people would mean turning their back on the Mvskoke people and would override their peoplehood in the Mvskoke. I know you probably can't speak for the Mvskoke aspect, but would you happen to know of any Native American + Jewish bloggers or people who talk about this topic or any books? (esp those who have converted?) I asked my rabbi but he didn't have any ideas unfortunately.

Hi anon,

You are correct that I cannot personally speak from the Mvskoke side of things, or even from the POV of needing to integrate an existing culture into my Judaism - my journey as a white ex-Xtian has very much been about moving as far away from my origins and assimilating into Jewish life and culture as thoroughly as possible. There were very few things of my background that I found worth retaining, and those that I intentionally brought with me have direct correlates within Judaism anyway.

Prospective gerim who do have strong and positive connections to their heritage and/or faith of origin are going to have different challenges and opportunities than me. Judaism does not syncretize with other faiths well by design, and so integrating these identities - while likely possible - will almost certainly be a balancing act. Your partner is going to have to decide what trade-offs are acceptable in cases where things don't mesh well. I don't know much about the traditional Mvskoke religion or the extent to which your partner follows it (if at all); however, if it involves any form of polytheism or an incompatible form of monotheism they are probably going to have to make a choice. That's an excellent rabbi question if/when they reach that point of exploration. The other big potential areas of clash I see are if there are traditional foods that cannot be made in a kosher way or if there are important events that consistently happen on Shabbat. These latter issues are going to be more acute the more traditionally observant they are wishing to be as a Jew, and become less acute if they take a more flexible approach to halacha, such as through the Reform movement.

All that said, I have seen plenty of Jews by choice and/or Jews with multiple cultural backgrounds live out their other culture(s) in combination with their Judaism in ways that are beautiful, authentic, and personally meaningful. There may be challenges, but also opportunities to bring unique perspectives and Torah to the Jewish people.

Regarding resources, I'm going to put this out to jumblr, to see if there are folks who can speak to this experience or who have recommendations for specific books or other sources. I unfortunately do not have good recommendations off-hand, and would love to connect them to the right people and reading if possible.

#jumblr

[victimized-martyr]

Did you ever mention how you got into kyman? Personally speaking, I got into it (again) around 2020 when I rewatched sp, and I basically fell down the rabbit hole. I’ve been into it on and off since then.

I probably did somewhere, but I'll say it again!

I wanted to see what SP was all about so I decided to just watch the most recent episode/special at the time-- post covid. But I realized, it was a story that wasn't forgiving for newcomers, and I had NO idea who was who. I have vivid memories of being weirded out by the redhead guy being upset about the rabbi dude's wife and kids. Then when he said "did you know that he once snuck into my room and gave me fucking aids?!" I GASPED bc one, it was super out of nowhere, super crude, and two, I falsely assumed like, OHHHHH they're gay exes... that explains this weird behavior. I'm sorry what else was my dumb ass supposed to assume! And I watched the rest of the special viewing them in that context hgkd But when I started to properly watch the show from the beginning/ hop between episodes, I felt embarrassed for myself, I was like HOW on earth could I have made that false assumption. I was actually grossed out by the thought of kyman at the start! I knew that Cartman was obsessed with Kyle, and that they did care for each other as friends, but I couldn't fathom Cartman's obsession being anything genuine or Kyle reciprocating. I even made a post abt it on my main as I was watching the show, it might still be in there somewhere lol. I was happy just watching the show as is and I was like, dang! This might be the first thing I get into without shipping anyone! Then, my buddy @shpadoinkle-day texted me what was practically the kyman manifesto and urged me to "wait till seasons 20/21, it'll change everything"

at the same time, an irl buddy watched THAT moment in Manbearpig w/ me for the first time and went "that's... kinda fruity" and I was also like?? yeah?? damn... Then I saw seasons 20/21 and it opened up my eyes. I think it was the only seasons I was so enthralled with to completely binge in one night ghfksd and I. was. floored. Kyle crying over cartman? during a montage of couples breaking up? Kyle being speechless when he saw cartman get a gf? Kyle questioning if he liked heidi, Kyle's stupid ass "we're all going out with Cartman right now", how he inserted himself in the relationship so hard, yet when taking heidi from cartman, talks as if he wasn't doing it for Heidi. His frustration at Heiman was at the very top in list of justification at bombing a country (yes, Kyle says he's upset a girl he liked turned into cartman... but there's layers in that statement, esp. compared to kyle's actions). Kyle memorizing the day they got together, confronting Heidi and asking how Cartman is doing as a boyfriend, what specifically she finds about him that's redeemable (and we all know how Kyle is about finding the good in people), batshit insane things a normal person (like stan) wouldn't ask his friend's girlfriend. And then of course, Kyle dropping all that effort when they break up. Insanity. I realized the obsession was mutual, and rewatching the show in that context completely rerouted my watching experience with the show. It kinda made it funnier for me too lolol. I started picking up on all the evidence I saw shippers point at, and I got what they meant fr. Kyle and Cartman are assholes and poke at each other's insecurities, have hurt each other, yet will not let the other die, Kyle is usually the first one to call for cartman if something happens to him, he saves him when he doesn't deserve it, and Cartman, as stated by Stan, cannot live without him. And it's subtly shown he wouldn't keep kyle just to rag on, bc if that were the case, he would not hesitate to hold it over Kyle's head. Their feelings for each other are very complex, and--if you really pay attention to the show--mutual.

#kyman #this is all a word dump i'm sorry if it doesn't make sense #asks #the weird Thing happening between these two characters is damn chaotic and mutual. I ain't sayin u gotta ship them cos you dont gotta #but to say it's one sided or not there at all is a misread of the show. I'll die on that hill. #Like they're so. fucking weird that it's a reoccurring joke that they get mistaken for a couple. or people easily believe they're together #The shock of them being together is. kinda the joke. as seasons go by #matt and trey love making them fruity or putting them into fruity situations and the sooner u accept 'hey that's gay af' the funnier the #show is i promise y'all #believing kyman is one sided or not there does little for the 'he gave me aids when we were young' joke. if u accept they fruity? bursting #out laughing i guarantee

[mylight-png]

i know you said goyim don’t respond but I’d really like to know about yom kippur and your fast

This is very nice and respectful, thank you!! For future reference (for anyone reading this), questions are okay!! When I say "don't respond" I usually mean that I'd prefer for goyim not to respond to the question I ask of other Tumblr Jews in the post, not response to the post in general.

Okay so, Yom Kippur is our day of atonement, where we take the day to pray and ask for forgiveness for anything we've done the previous year.

On this day there are a few rules. Firstly, we cannot eat or drink. Second, we cannot wash or use any lotions/creams/etc. Finally, we can't wear leather shoes.

The way I was taught explained that we are supposed to be "like angels" on this day (which also means that one of our prayers, usually whispered, is said out loud on Yom Kippur) and therefore when we abstain from these "human pleasures" we are fulfilling this concept. And then the more seemingly evident reason is that it's a way of showing our regrets for our transgressions.

There's also the basic holiday prohibitions such as driving and using electricity (among others).

Although fasting is considered the "big thing" of Yom Kippur, there are circumstances under which it is considered a mitzvah (there's a few ways to explain a mitzvah, think of it as a rule in this case) to eat/drink if one's health would be harmed by fasting. For example, I have issues with my kidneys, so I drink on Yom Kippur (I don't eat though).

I'm not a rabbi, nor would I be considered particularly observant, so take this with a grain of salt and keep in mind that I have definitely left out some details! However, I'd say this is a fairly decent surface-level explanation of Yom Kippur.

Thank you for your respectful question, I'm glad that you want to learn!

#jewish #judaism #jumblr #jew #opinion #jewish joy #wholesome #discourse #joy #yom kippur

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

By Sharon Brous

Rabbi Brous is the founding and senior rabbi of Ikar, a Jewish community based in Los Angeles, and the author of “The Amen Effect.”

A somewhat obscure text, about 2,000 years old, has been my unlikely teacher and guide for the past many years, and my north star these last several months, as so many of us have felt as if we’ve been drowning in an ocean of sorrow and helplessness.

Buried deep within the Mishnah, a Jewish legal compendium from around the third century, is an ancient practice reflecting a deep understanding of the human psyche and spirit: When your heart is broken, when the specter of death visits your family, when you feel lost and alone and inclined to retreat, you show up. You entrust your pain to the community.

The text, Middot 2:2, describes a pilgrimage ritual from the time of the Second Temple. Several times each year, hundreds of thousands of Jews would ascend to Jerusalem, the center of Jewish religious and political life. They would climb the steps of the Temple Mount and enter its enormous plaza, turning to the right en masse, circling counterclockwise.

Meanwhile, the brokenhearted, the mourners (and here I would also include the lonely and the sick), would make this same ritual walk but they would turn to the left and circle in the opposite direction: every step against the current.

And each person who encountered someone in pain would look into that person’s eyes and inquire: “What happened to you? Why does your heart ache?”

“My father died,” a person might say. “There are so many things I never got to say to him.” Or perhaps: “My partner left. I was completely blindsided.” Or: “My child is sick. We’re awaiting the test results.”

Those who walked from the right would offer a blessing: “May the Holy One comfort you,” they would say. “You are not alone.” And then they would continue to walk until the next person approached.

This timeless wisdom speaks to what it means to be human in a world of pain. This year, you walk the path of the anguished. Perhaps next year, it will be me. I hold your broken heart knowing that one day you will hold mine.

I read in this text many profound lessons, two particularly pertinent in our time, when so many of us feel that we are breaking. First, do not take your broken heart and go home. Don’t isolate. Step toward those whom you know will hold you tenderly.

And on your good days — the days when you can breathe — show up then, too. Because the very fact of seeing those who are walking against the current, people who can barely hold on, and asking, with an open heart, “Tell me about your sorrow,” may be the deepest affirmation of our humanity, even in terribly inhumane times.

It is an expression of both love and sacred responsibility to turn to another person in her moment of deepest anguish and say: “Your sorrow may scare me, it may unsettle me. But I will not abandon you. I will meet your grief with relentless love.”

We cannot magically fix one another’s broken hearts. But we can find each other in our most vulnerable moments and wrap each other up in a circle of care. We can humbly promise each other, “I can’t take your pain away, but I can promise you won’t have to hold it alone.”

Showing up for one another doesn’t require heroic gestures. It means training ourselves to approach, even when our instinct tells us to withdraw. It means picking up the phone and calling our friend or colleague who is suffering. It means going to the funeral and to the house of mourning. It also means going to the wedding and to the birthday dinner. Reach out in your strength, step forward in your vulnerability. Err on the side of presence.

Small, tender gestures remind us that we are not helpless, even in the face of grave human suffering. We maintain the ability, even in the dark of night, to find our way to one another. We need this, especially now.

Here’s the second lesson from that ancient text. Humans naturally incline toward the known. Our tribes can uplift us, order our lives, give them meaning and purpose, direction and pride. But the tribal instinct can also be perilous. The more closely we identify with our tribe, the more likely we are to dismiss or even feel hostility toward those outside it.

One of the great casualties of tribalism is curiosity. And when we are no longer curious, when we don’t try to imagine or understand what another person is thinking or feeling or where her pain comes from, our hearts begin to narrow. We become less compassionate and more entrenched in our own worldviews.

Trauma exacerbates this trend. It reinforces an instinct to turn away from one another, rather than make ourselves even more vulnerable.

There is another important lesson from that ancient text. On pilgrimage, those who enter the sacred circle and turn left when nearly everyone else turns right are grieving or unwell. But the text offers that there is another who turns to the left: the person sentenced to ostracization — in Hebrew, the menudeh.

Ostracization was a punishment used sparingly in ancient times. It only applied to people who were believed to have brought serious harm to the social fabric of the community. The ostracized were essentially temporarily excommunicated. They had to distance themselves from their colleagues and loved ones, they were not counted in a prayer quorum, and they were prohibited from engaging in most social interactions. And incredibly, they, too, entered the sacred space, where they, too, were asked: “Tell me, what happened to you? What’s your story?” And they, too, were blessed.

This is breathtaking. The ancient rabbis ask us to imagine a society in which no person is disposable. Even those who have hurt us, even those with views antithetical to ours must be seen in their humanity and held with curiosity and care.

We desperately need a spiritual rewiring in our time. Imagine a society in which we learn to see one another in our pain, to ask one another, “What happened to you?” Imagine that we hear one another’s stories, say amen to one another’s pain, and even pray for one another’s healing. I call this the amen effect: sincere, tender encounters that help us forge new spiritual and neural pathways by reminding us that our lives and our destinies are entwined. Because, ultimately, it is only by finding our way to one another that we will begin to heal.

#NYTimes #Tribalism #spiritual direction #Sharon Brous #community #humanity #humanism

[astriiformes]

I've been thinking about converting to Judaism for a long time now and idk where to even start or who to ask about it. Do you have any tips? I could message you, if that's easier. Sorry to bother ❤️

So the single most important piece of advice I can offer you is: find and connect with a local synagogue.

Obviously "local" can mean different things depending on where exactly you live and how many Jews there are in the area, but Judaism is incredibly communal, and converting especially so, and it's important that you integrate yourself with a community as a part of your learning process. You could read up on Judaism for years, but without having a community to learn from, celebrate holidays with, realize you disagree with certain members of and learn how to process those disagreements (yes!! really!! the "two Jews, three opinions" thing is real and has to be lived actively!), and find a sponsoring rabbi through, you'd be totally removed from Judaism The Practice as opposed to, like, Judaism The Concept.

That said I know it can be intimidating to approach a community without at least some knowledge (and it's good to know things about, say, the different movements so you can find a synagogue that practices Jewishness in a way that's going to fit with your own personal minhag, or practice), so if you want some reading recommendations, Choosing a Jewish Life and Living a Jewish Life, both by Anita Diamant are both conversion class classics, and Essential Judiasm by George Robinson is a personal favorite of mine and fairly comprehensive when it comes to the basics.

But I really cannot emphasize enough that converting to Judaism is about joining a people, and a large part of the process is going to be about community, figuring out if it's really for you by living it instead of just reading about it, and talking through your journey with your sponsoring rabbi(s) and fellow students. I think people who come from other religious backgrounds don't always get that, and it's one reason I had to roll this one around in my head a little before answering it because, like, I know approaching a synagogue can be intimidating and sometimes varyingly accessible, but it really is so critical to the process and the only way to know if Jewishness really is for you -- a decision that's going to be left up to you personally, since it's a religion that's open to converts, but not to proselytizing. Also because Judaism is multifaceted and it's as important to interact with people you don't agree with and interpretations that don't resonate with you as it is to figure out what does, because there are as many opinions about Judaism as there are Jews (and then some).

I'd do some research on congregations as close to you as possible (and if there isn't one wildly close, ones with online/streamed services exist too) and reach out to whatever contact person they have on their website about attending as someone exploring the idea of conversion. Usually they'll have information on next steps, too, and may know when their synagogue is next running a class for learning about Judaism. But that's who you're going to want to go to for sure if you're looking at starting the process seriously.

#my messages are open if you have more specific questions #but yeah. synagogue. you want to talk to your local synagogue #who are probably quite nice and get this question somewhat regularly so i have that helps with the intimidation factor #in this day and age converting does involve Sending Emails which i think is worse than wrestling with an angel actually #but if it's the right choice for you it is very worth it

[socialist-microwave-laser]

Different anon - "If 99% of people use Zionism to mean support of the Israeli gov't and not an emotional connection to Israel, isn't that what the word means?" - such a very very dangerous mindset, pretty much immediately stripping away any rights from any minority. Globally, most people saying "transgender" mean "insane", most people saying "marital rape" mean "thing that isn't real". You cannot make an Appeal To Majority argument in response to a movement by minorities to try to end their oppression and extermination by the majority!

yeah,,,, i think also anon's example using the term "conservative" was kinda perfect? since jews do, in fact, use "conservative" to refer to conserving something. there's a whole branch of judaism called conservative judaism that, fun fact, has nothing to do with the conservative political leanings

i am planning on answering those asks, i've been workshopping it in my notes app. but also i have an annotated bibliography, a paper, a presentation, and four (4) tests coming up. so yk that's taken a bit of a back seat lmao

i will be regretting that sudra post in the morning, i have shul bright and early. plus i generally consider dealing with Goyische Bullshit™️ to be melacha and as such not allowed on shabbat. sorry hashem

anyway about that ask, i've actually been talking with my rabbi about zionisms that break away from what 99% of the world think zionism is and she gave me a list of books to start with, and i'm gonna be attaching that book to my response whenever i finally make the response. sorry to that anon for taking so long

#asks #anonymous #zionism definition #jumblr #tsiyyonus definition

[spacelazarwolf]

I mean this in genuine good faith and am asking because my family isn't historically Ashkenazi but has been operating as such since they left France/French Rite died out. How do you go about keeping an Italian rite when afaik there isn't an Italian rite shul outside of Italy and Israel? I'm learning judeo-french and uncovering family legacy via really old siddurim but as far as anyone can tell me I cannot be Zarphatic without a community. Since there is obviously no community anymore, I am told I have to pick a dominant rite instead. Do you do this for shul and then privately do something else? Is there an option I'm missing? I am based in Europe, so idk if that's part of it. I was just curious seeing that you're posting about being a USAm and also italki. I know it's a different situation because there are no french rite shuls outside of some that are influenced (interestingly especially in parts of Italy)!

this is a good question!

i am not as familiar with how jewish communities function in europe, or how your specific community functions, so i can only speak from my own perspective as an american in a primarily ashkenazi community.

you are correct that there are no synagogues that follow the italian rite outside of italy and israel. italki jews make up only about 0.3% of the global jewish population, and our population is pretty evenly split between italy and israel. i don't know of any other italki jews in my area, or at least any that are practicing.

i am very lucky in that my synagogue is already pretty multicultural, as one of our founding rabbis is sephardic, so we don't really follow one specific rite. we have our own siddur that incorporates ashkenazi and sephardi traditions, as well as a bit of our own personal flair. you will often hear things like "please rise or stay seated, according to your tradition" during services. because of this flexibility, it's pretty easy for me to infuse my personal practice into my communal practice.

some of the ways i've been able to incorporate my own rite in shul is to use italian hebrew pronunciation white reciting prayers. it's easy and most people don't even notice i do it. i'm not sure if there's a french equivalent. i'm also planning on teaching our friday night regulars the italian rite kiddush (which is much easier than the ashkenazi one because the cantor/leader does most of the work lmao) and incorporating some italian jewish music into our services. i also have a few projects in the works, including planning an italki seder as well as a weekend/shabbat program where our friday evening, saturday morning, and havdalah services will all be in the italian rite, feature italian jewish music, italian jewish traditions, etc. and of course accompanied by italian jewish food.

granted, this is all pretty easy for me to do, not just because of the diversity of my synagogue, but also because they're chill as fuck. if your synagogue is not as chill and you don't want to/don't have the option to find a different one, you will likely need to follow whichever rite your synagogue does at shul, and your own at home. obviously this is not ideal, but learning about french jewish music, judeo-french, french jewish history and traditions, etc. and incorporating as much as you can into your personal practice will still be very rewarding.

in terms of how you identify, literally do whatever you want forever. i don't know much about french jews and how they identify, but if you want to identify yourself in a particular way regarding being a french jew, you should have the autonomy to do that. people might not like or understand it, and that's ok because it's not their life. others will be very fascinated and excited to hear about traditions they may have never heard of before, and for me those are the best moments.

#ask avishai #jewish #italki jew

[guiltywisdom]

I have a question and I know this is going to sound stupid, but this is something that's always bothered me. Why does God make people like that man's wife who lack a body part? The world appears to have been very cruel to her, and she could have been spared that pain. I don't understand why He would create someone whose life is going to involve so much hardship. I have nothing but love and support for her as a person, I just also have nothing but confusion about why that kind of birth defect happened.

This is how I think about it but it isn't the only answer, cannot be the only answer, and I suggest you seek out other explanations but for me a simple answer is, this world is fallen. Birth defects and other infirmities we are subject to because of our separation from Him; this isn't however to be understood as a punishment, God is not punishing anyone. It is just a simple fact that we are separated from God as a whole and that because of this bad things do happen.

In ‭‭John 9:1-3 it says, "As [Jesus] walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God's works might be revealed in him."

Sometimes also it is God's plan to give us crosses to bear in order for those things to impact our lives and the lives of those around us, our overall impact on the world. God himself suffered for us, our God is not unaccustomed to suffering for future good. I'm disabled and I often wish I wasn't disabled but I know how different my life would be if I were not, honestly I'm not sure I would be so loving and so compassionate and therefore I may not be able to help people as I do here. One way to think about disabilities is to think of them as lessons; lessons for both the person dealing with it and also for everyone around them.

For Christ Jesus said ‭in Matthew 25:45, "Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me."

#replies #asks