Posted on 06/05/2004 12:13:36 AM PDT by rdb3
Hmm... Well, uh, that's something. Not that there's anything wrong with that. </Seinfeld> I'd much rather see this than more converts to Islam.
James Landing, a professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago who has studied black Judaism, says their numbers probably do not exceed 10,000.
Yes, but you can't say that they don't exist. This is nothing new.
Also, what is "black Judaism"? Judaism is Judaism, right?
There is a certain degree of tribalism within Judaism... Askenashic (European Jews), Sephardic (Middle Eastern Jews)... so "black Jews" could be another one of these 'tribes'... Certainly, one of the 12 original tribes is believed to have settled in Africa.
Ping!
I'm one of those converts. Unlike other black Jews I have met, I didn't convert due to marriage, but because I studied Judaism and found it worked as a belief system for me. My late husband did not convert, but would attend temple events with me and our son, who converted with me.
I used to be Catholic and have 12 years of Catholic school. Some of that training dies hard (there are times when I want to cross my self and the urge for a ham during Passover (Easter) can be overwhelming), but usually I manage to act like a good Jew and avoid these things. : )
I don't know what 'black Judaism' is. Perhaps it is a poorly phrased way of referring to black people who convert to Judaism.
You're right...better Judaism that islam.
Judaism builds...islam destroys.
It has been known for decades that there have been black Jews - the Jews of Ethiopia, now almost completely resettled in Israel. Communities of Indian Jews also exist, and I seem to recall hearing about Chinese Jews, but couldn't give you a cite for the life of me.
The Ashkenazi/Sephardic split has to do with geography, not tribalism. To make a long story short and probably oversimplified, Sephardic Jews are the Jews who remained in the Middle East and who were expelled from Spain. Sephardic Judaism was thus isolated from Ashkenazi Judaism, and never underwent the reformations and counterreformations that led to the Orthodox/Reform/Conservative/Reconstructionist divisions.
I've probably butchered this explanation - several freepers could give you a better synopsis.
Who loves ya baby?
Ping!
There are black Jews. There are Jews who dress in black. For all I know there are black Jews who dress in black. There is no such thing as black Judaism.
The first of many. :)
I had no idea those little red x's were Jewish. ;-)
Okay. Try this one, then. :)
I knew who you meant - it's late, and I'm feeling goofy. See you later - Shabbat shalom!
Black conservative ping
If you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)
Extra warning: this is a high-volume ping list.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.