But Richard Simmons' mom is Jewish.
So, he's got the street cred to be called a Jew.
As for Gene Simmons...
Lapsed, I'm told.
Posted on 04/09/2006 3:02:39 PM PDT by ConservativeStatement
The reading of the Torah ended, and Cantor Charles D. Osborne led the congregation at Temple Emanuel in Newton in a poignant prayer for renewal.
It was time for the sermon.
Rabbi Michelle Robinson rose and delivered the most stirring sermon of her young career -- an impassioned demand that the Conservative movement in Judaism sanction same-sex unions and other Jewish rituals for gays and lesbians. If movement leaders, who are in the midst of a deep debate over these issues, disagree, Emanuel, one of the wealthiest and most influential Conservative synagogues in New England, should sanctify such unions anyway, she said.
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
Of course not.
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What are you still looking at me for?
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Fine. Yes, it was sarcasm.
Yes...but the question is...
Will Rabbi Michelle rock and roll every night? And party every day?
I've been to a couple Conservative services. One was very much into political correctness (IIRC, even the prayer book made a point of being "gender neutral" or something?), while at the other, in Key West, the Rabbi was openly critical of President Clinton during the sermon, which was pleasant.
My understanding is that the Conservative movement was started by people who, in an effort to return to at least some tradition, broke away from Reform Judaism. However, they were not prepared to return to what is now referred to as Orthodox.
"My understanding is that the Conservative movement was started by people who, in an effort to return to at least some tradition, broke away from Reform Judaism. However, they were not prepared to return to what is now referred to as Orthodox"
That's precisely what it's about. The problem is, these days it's drifting back towards Reform and has ceased being distinct. Its role has been usurped or replaced by the Modern Orthodox movement.
I belonged to a Reform temple for many years before it dawned on me what the denomination had become. Now I don't go to any of them, not being religious enough to join an Orthodox temple, and having the idea that Conservative is fairly close to Reform in many ways.
I may have rejoined our old Reform temple since I used to enjoy sparring with the Rabbi about the leftism of Reform Judaism, but he passed away, and it all seems kind of pointless now.
Planning a Seder with my wife though, tonight.
But Richard Simmons' mom is Jewish.
So, he's got the street cred to be called a Jew.
As for Gene Simmons...
I stand corrected on Richard Simmons,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Simmons
however, I am correct on Gene Simmons.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Jewish-American_singers
Orthodox?
They can't be..
Sort of reminds me of what happened to Judaism before the Babylonian Captivity.
As far as I am concerned, the Orthodox Jews are the only real Jews. They alone have not watered things down, and they alone seem to recognize that the Torah, Ta'nach, Kethuvim and Psalms were from God.
Some redundancy there.
TORAH = Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
TANACH = Torah + PROPHETS + Ketuvim ("writings")
Psalms = included in the Ketuvim
I think the quote is the correct approach. We should not allow tradition to prevent new interpretations. Interpretation is what Judaism is about. Orthodox Jews practice Rabbinic Judaism, which is very much about interpretation of Torah law. Interpretation, debate is the Jewish way. But this has more to do with the practice, rather than the law itself. To twist the interpretative nature of the practice into "new interpretations" of law is another matter.
Some things are very clear and unambiguous and not subject to interpretation. Would the Rabbi suggest we should interpret the Second Commandment that it's OK to believe in other gods so long as we put The Lord above the others? Nonsense.
Um . . . the only "Orthodox temple" is the one in Jerusalem--destroyed twice, and to be rebuilt soon and never destroyed again.
Only "Reform" calls its synagogues "temples" and does so explicitly to claim that they have superceded the Jerusalem Temple, which they say is primitive and outdated. "Reform Judaism" is thus every bit as supercessionist as classical chr*stianity.
Danke.
Fair enough, I will not argue those points. Thanks.
These people shpuld start their own institutions. They could call it "Congregation B'Nai Korach".
If I remember correctly, the sons of Qorach were pious and honorable. The Torah notes "uvenei-Qorach lo' meitu."
Korach himself was not. Perhaps "Congregation Anshe Korach" or "Congregation Avodah Zarah"..
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