Posted on 07/27/2011 4:49:39 PM PDT by SJackson
Gwyneth Paltrow has, at one time or another, announced that she does not believe in religion, is simply spiritual, and is raising her kids Jewish. Perhaps she is a little confused about what she wants to do, or practice, but at the end of the day, does it even matter? I say yes it does.
The Jewish population is getting smaller. With inter-faith marriage, people opting to not have children at all, or simply stepping away from religion entirely, there are less and less Jews every year, so I figure if a woman wants to raise her kids Jewish, who am I to judge?
We need more Jews! Our faith dictates that our religion is passed on from mother to child, so by that criteria, Gwyneth Paltrow is not Jewish, so neither are her kids, so she cannot possibly raise them to be Jews. That is simply a ridiculous argument in any scenario.
Lance Armstrong’s mother was not a champion cyclist, but she raised one. Neil Armstrong’s parents never went to space, but they raised a son to walk on the moon. I have never won an Oscar, but I am raising a child who will be an award-winning actor and director one day.
I am Jewish by birth. My family has been Jewish, on both sides, for as far back as we have been able to trace, so does that qualify me to raise my son Jewish more than Gwyneth is to raise her children Jewish? Are Jews so elitist that we would tell her she can’t do it?
My son spent ten years in a private Jewish Day School and I had to Google half of the holidays they closed for because not only did I not know what the holidays were, but had never heard of them. I eat lobster and make my son cheeseburgers, so am I qualified to raise a Jew?
Paltrow is a big star, people listen to what she says, so if she can make it cool to be Jewish, I say rock on sister. Jews are cool baby. On behalf of my Jewish self, and my Jewish son, I say welcome. Do whatever you want. It’s an important thing to give your children faith.
To clarify, Apple will need to convert if she wants to marry my son, but no worries, you will have done all the legwork so it will just be a formality. In a world where Jews continue to struggle to be accepted, I welcome those who wants to take it on and say to you all, keep the faith.
I didn’t say that. The story of Abraham in the Bible/Torah begins with God instructing Abram to leave Ur and go. Does it look like Abram needed to “convert” from the worship of another God or does it look like he was simply worshiping the the God of his father and grandfather and so on?
You clearly missed the convenent, a rather bloody scene, involving torn animal bodies and genital mutilation.
He even took a new name, which is what you do when you convert.
That said, the point being Jews-by-Choice must be treated the same as Jews-born-of-a-Jewish-Mother is expressly stated about twenty times in the Torah.
In fact, one may not remind them that they converted, as that is a violation of the Law.
Some of the best Rabbis, ever, were converts.
Period.
Old grandmothers in my family would light a small piece of dried palm frond when there was lightning. Said the smoke would confuse the devil and keep us safe. I'd look at that little wisp of smoke and have the kind of feeling you probably had about your great grandmother...
Judaism believes that God established certain laws for Jews (613 commandments) and certain laws for all mankind (7 commandments). God also established laws to define who is within the Jewish people, and thus obligated to keep the full set of 613 commandments. Under God’s law, yes, you receive the status of a Jew by being born of a Jewish mother (much like, under American law, you are usually an American at birth if one of your parents is). Non-Jews can freely choose to undertake the obligation of the 613 commandments, and thus convert to become Jews. But Jews cannot abscond and reject their obligation to keep the commandments.
Just as a caution, being a non-religious Jew does not necessarily equate to being an extreme leftist politically. There are many such Jews who are solid conservatives, and you'll find some here on FR.
No, one does not need to trace his ancestry back to Biblical times in order to be Jewish. Many of today's Jews, whether they know it or not, are descended from converts to Judaism somewhere along the way.
And one does not necessarily have to be a "follower of the Jewish faith" to be Jewish, since Jews are both a national/ethnic group and a religious group, as distinguished from, e.g., Christians and Muslims. However, if one born to a Jewish mother formally converts into another religious tradition, he would no longer be considered Jewish according to Jewish law.
“Jewish mother formally converts into another religious tradition, he would no longer be considered Jewish according to Jewish law.”
Not according to Orthodox. He’s still Jewish, just heretical.
>>Just as a caution, being a non-religious Jew does not necessarily equate to being an extreme leftist politically. There are many such Jews who are solid conservatives, and you’ll find some here on FR.<<
I am not aware of any conservative and non-practicing Jews who run around posing as observant Jews when it suits them. Maybe there are, but I’ve never met any such hypocrties.
I agree. To be a Jew —or a Christian or a Muslim—means a higher level of commitment than a few family rituals. She thinks itis more like becoming a Buddhist. Doesn’t cut it.
Then we have that fellow David, whose great-grandmother was not an Israelite but who through faithfulness to her late husband followed her mother-in-law back to Judah and married another Jew.
Um...the story is about “Jewishness”. And Gwyneth Paltrow. I commented on both. Did you not read the article? Did you not read the headline? “Sheesh” yourself.
I didn’t like your response. And I don’t like this response - as late as it is. Sheesh, yet again.
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