![[MLJ Logo]](http://www.mljewish.org/mlj.gif)
www.mljewish.org
|
www.mljewish.org |
Mail.Liberal-Judaism |
| Volume 4 Number 132 | Sat Mar 11 23:55:06 1995 |
Date: Wed, 8 Mar 95 07:40:49 PST From: Your Moderator <faigin@israel.nysernet.org> Subject: Administrivia: Downloading Files I've received a number of email messages regarding the files that were recently made available. Perhaps, as I work with computers as my profession, things that are straightforward to me are not to others. For that, I apologize. Let me clarify. The files that were posted are in the PostScript format. This means that they should start with a string similar to: %!PS-Adobe-3.0 and have commands similar to /rct/rcurveto ld/st/stroke ld/n/newpath ld/sm/setmatrix ld/cm/currentmatrix PostScript is a programming language for a certain class of printers, from a number of different manufacturers. These files are *not* readable on your computer, they must be printed. On a PC, you would print them by using a COPY /B command to your printer. On a Unix system, you would use "lpr" or "lp". For a MAC, you need a program called "sendps". This should have been part of the latest Microsoft Word distribution; if not, it should be on any of the major MAC archive sites. Are ASCII versions available? No. The two liturgies were generated using WordPerfect 6.0 for DOS (but can be read by any WordPerfect 6.x version), and utilize latin and hebrew fonts, as well as graphics. The presentation was generated using Freelance Graphics for Windows. If you are on a PC or Unix system and have access to the GhostScript product from the Free Software Foundation, you might be able to view them in that fashion. I believe that ghostscript is available for Windows on any of the SimTel mirror sites. Your Moderator
Date: Thu, 9 Mar 1995 18:10:05 -0800 From: mshulman@ix.netcom.com (Moshe Shulman) Subject: How radical (especially w.r.t. Shabbat) were the Hasmoneans? david.chessler@trinitydc.edu (David Chessler) writes: >The Hasmonean revolt was reportedly led by the ancestors of the Rabbinic Jews, >and not by the Temple authorities, the Priests. [...] Indeed, the Sadducees >[...] Remember that it was priest against priest. The Hasmoneans were actually priests themselves who were associated with the Pharisees. >There may well have been a split in interpretation of the law on defensive >fighting on Sabbath, but [...] Again, reading the sources make it appear that ignorance of the law was the problem and not that they though it was forbidden. As soon as they were informed of the error, there was a change. it is very hard to imagine people willing to give their lives rather then violate the law of Shabbos being willing to violate that very law unless they were certain that they were allowed. >I note that no one has commented on other innovations by the Hasmoneans: >naming high priests and kings of improper lineage. This is true. They were also castigated for it, and that is why the Kings of the line of the Hasmoneans became Sadducees when they were told by the Pharisees that it was wrong.
Date: Wed, 8 Mar 1995 15:52:56 -0800 From: Bill Wadlinger <wadlinger@turret.beaver.edu> Subject: Inclusion of non Jews I have been following with great interest a number of threads. Lawrence Schweitz solicited opinions on the importance of a building. Intermarriage has been a fertile ground for discussion. Synagogue shopping has been another. For me, all of these enter into a current project I am involved with: synagogue policies on rights and responsibilities of, and limitations to, the role of non-Jews in a congregation. Let me see if I can draw all of this together reasonably coherently. Reconstructionist Congregation Or Hadash (Wyncote, PA) is, in a sense, at the epicenter of the Recon. movement. For many years, our home has been at the Recon. Rabbinical College, and we have close ties with FRCH, the Federation of Recon. Congregations and Havurot--because FRCH also shares space at the College, and because one of the people at FRCH is also a congregant and board member of O.H. More than a decade ago, O.H. wrote a policy that allowed for families with non-Jewish members to obtain synagogue membership as a family. This was a cutting edge document that was subsequently used as a model by many synagogues that were grappling with the same issues. When my family and I joined O.H. several years ago, I was amazed by it; I was a non-Jew who was considering conversion (and subsequently completed that process), but I somehow had never imagined I would find a group that was so welcoming and that included non-Jewish family members in so many important ways. Now we have an interfaith couples group that meets regularly with our rabbi, and discussions in the group have stimulated a desire to revisit both the policy and the language in which the policy is framed. An ad hoc committee was formed which includes two founding members of the congregation (both of whom were primary architects of the original policy), two non-Jewish members from the interfaith couples group, two converts, the rabbi, and a few others. At our first meeting, we decided fairly quickly that what was needed was not so much changing the current policy, but expanding it and rewriting it. We agreed that a process was needed, and that the process should begin by researching various documents; in fact the rabbi has already begun preparing readings on historical connections of non-Jews to Jewish communities. What we decide to do will have an impact on our intermarried members, and on prospective members who are out shul shopping (intermarried or not); turning prospective members into real members will have an affect on our long-term financial health since we are purchasing a building, our first very own home, on July 1. (You can see why these various threads become one for me these days!) And our determinations may also have an impact on other congregations that may want to study our process and conclusions. We are, of course, interested in learning how other synagogues have handled such policies. My guess is that with increasing intermarriage, it is a topic few have been able to avoid. I thought this might provide some topic for discussion and interesting differences of opinion here. In addition, I would enjoy exchanging e-mail on the topic with people who wish to share thoughts or documents at a level of detail that might be inappropriate here. Here in a very tiny nutshell, is the current Or Hadash policy: non-Jews may join the synagogue with their Jewish spouses; officers and board members must be Jewish; non-Jews can chair committees except those which are by definition board positions; everyone can serve on committees; non-Jews can only lead prayers or readings that do not cast them in the position of Shaliach Tzebor (representatives of the Jewish community). For aliyot, families can come to the bimah, but only Jewish members say blessings. Non-Jews may not lift or tie Torah. Only Jews are counted in a minyan-- women and men alike. The honor of opening the ark is open to all. Everyone may vote on congregational matters. (One thing that distinguishes Reconstructionism is that it is a completely American movement founded on a democratic model. Even before I converted, I had a vote on an earlier proposed building purchase which came up for a congregational vote). I intend to share the responses I receive here or in e-mail with our committee, and look forward to learning how others have institutionalized their philosophies on the inclusion of non Jews. Bill Wadlinger, Academic Computing Beaver College Glenside, PA wadlinger@beaver.edu Voice phone: 215-572-2153 Fax: 215-572-0240
Date: Wed, 8 Mar 1995 06:16:11 -0800 From: Rabbi Michael Feshbach <RABBIF@aol.com> Subject: Re:Intermarriage Almost every discussion of intermarriage I have ever participated in has led to a sharing of personal stories. This is good, this is healthy, this raises people's sensitivities to one another... and it is far too rare in our world today. And what we learn from it are that people develop very different models. But the sharing of personal stories, while it may be an effective tactic and worthwhile as an activity in its own right, does not change the trend. To discuss an intermarriage is not the same thing as discussing intermarriage. (Or is it? Maybe there is no "there" there apart from the individuals who make up the trend. But I don't believe that.) I believe that many, many individual intermarried families make a great contribution to Jewish life through the decisions that they make... AND I believe that intermarriage is a tremendous threat to Judaism. To answer one side of the coin with the other is actually non-responsive to the issues being raised... maybe that is what is so vexing about discussions on this topic. I enjoy hearing people's stories. I learn and grow from it. But I also want to be able to discuss (and learn from other people's thoughts) about the impact of the phenomena. Perhaps what we need is different threads within the same discussion group -- Intermarriage (Impact), and Intermarriage (Experience). Well, that's my two shekels for the day. Best to all, B'shalom, Michael Feshbach Rabbi. Temple Anshe Hesed Erie, PA
Date: Thu, 9 Mar 1995 18:32:53 -0800 From: Michael R. Leavitt <mleavitt@netcom.com> Subject: Re: Intermarriage Bravo, Linda. I know a number of people in my havurah who have successful intermarriages and raise their children as fully identifying and reasonably knowledgable Jews, but I've never heard of anyone who has done it in as challenging an environment as yours. Yasher Koach and much mazel. Austria!!! Mike Leavitt <mleavitt@netcom.com> Reston, Virginia
Date: Thu, 9 Mar 1995 18:23:46 -0800 From: Michael R. Leavitt <mleavitt@netcom.com> Subject: Re: Intermarriage mshulman@ix.netcom.com (Moshe Shulman) writes: >The Talmud does not even recognize the validity of a marriage between >a Jew and non-Jew. The concept of a civil marriage was not existant in >the Talmud (and I am not sure if there was even such a concept in the >culture of that time) I am not aware of anywhere in traditional Jewish >communities where this has changed from that time until the present. Moshe, please help me in two areas. First, where in Talmud is this discussed. I've got access to a Soncino translation, and would like to poke around. Second, please help me understand how the invalidity of an intermarriage jibes with the matrilineal tradition. I would think that we wouldn't need a matrilineal tradition if intermarriage wasn't ever valid: it seems like it just wouldn't be an issue. Thanks for the help. Mike Leavitt<mleavitt@netcom.com> Reston, Virginia
Date: Fri, 10 Mar 1995 09:02:36 -0800 From: Herb Shukiar <herb@rand.org> Subject: Jews in danger in Uzbekistan Thought you might appreciate an update on the situation of the Jew in Ubekistan who was libelled for a murder he couldn't have preformed. February 21, l995 TO: All Participating Networks and Respondents FROM: Pamela B. Cohen, National President Micah H. Naftalin, National Director Union of Councils 1819 H. Street, N.W. #230 Washington, D.C. 20006 SUBJECT: UPDATE #3, URGENT KOINOV ACTION APPEAL As a consequence of the world-wide response of more than 5,000 of you, we are able to report continued progress in the case of Iosif Koinov of Tashkent, Uzbekistan -- the 76-year old Bukharan Jew falsely accused of the murder of a Uzbek youth. There is no question that this spotlighting has been crucial, and remains more important than ever. l. Following the events of January 18, when the regional court sent the case back to the regional procurator for further investigation, the procurator appealed to the city court judge who, on February 10, affirmed the lower court decision. 2. The regional procurator has been replaced. Observers express hope that this action may be an indirect acknowledgement of Koinov's innocence. 3. Today, we learned from the Uzbekistan Ambassador in Washington, Fatikh Teshabaev, that his officials in Tashkent report that Iosif has been released from prison and is home "under his own recognizance." We are now awaiting direct confirmation from Koinov himself. Assuming this information is correct, it may be an indication that Uzbek authorities are attempting to resolve the Koinov case. However, Iosif Koinov remains in danger until the murder charges are dropped and until he has been totally cleared of the murder committed when he was not in the city. Accordingly -- PLEASE KEEP UP THE PRESSURE: WRITE TO THE AMBASSADOR AND THE PROCURATOR, NOTING YOUR PLEASURE WITH THE APPARENT PROGRESS, BUT EXPRESSING YOUR CONVICTION THAT THE MATTER WILL NOT BE SATISFACTORILY RESOLVED UNTIL KOINOV IS VINDICATED WITH ALL CHARGES OFFICIALLY DROPPED AND AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT HE IS INNOCENT. The Ambassador's address, at the embassy, is 1511 K. Street, N.W. #623, Washington, D.C. 20005; The Procurator: CIS 700 000 Uzbekistan, Tashkent ul. Gogol 66 Procurator General of Uzbekistan Mr. Buri Mustafoev As before, please send procurator letters to us for immediate forwarding; please also send copies or originals of your letters to the Ambassador, so that we can know what they are receiving. As before, we appreciate those of you who passed our earlier Koinov appeals to other interested parties and lists, and encourage you to continue to do so. Thank you all.
Date: Thu, 9 Mar 1995 02:13:46 -0800 From: Laura Zimmerman <RCBS111@uvm.haifa.ac.il> Subject: Research on Black-Jewish Relations I am an American student studying at the University of Haifa for the year, and I am doing research for a professor on black-Jewish relations. She plans to create a course on the issue for the American Studies program at the university and is trying to gather many different resources together. If anyone has come across any literature or knows of any additional resources, please let me know. Thanks, Laura Zimmerman. rcbs111@uvm.haifa.ac.il
Date: Wed, 8 Mar 1995 08:22:27 -0800 From: Herman Rubin <hrubin@stat.purdue.edu> Subject: Re: Torah, Spirituality, & Politics The recent postings (in v4n131) by Arthur Wascow and the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life call for a Jewish response to certain situations facing society. Now there are issues where I would be willing to admit the existence of a clear Jewish response, but these are not the topics addressed by either of the posters. Issues such as forcing children to participate in Gentile religious observances or other religious indoctrination is one such. Legal restrictions on business activities because of Gentile religious beliefs is another, as is any other form of religious discrimination. But we should be very careful about making other items matters of Jewish political positions. Not all Jews agree with the extreme positions posted here. Now these posters MAY think that their view of Judaism requires taking those positions, but I for one do not agree with much of it. I am only writing this because of the strong positions posted here. The political agendas are not, in my opinion, particularly Jewish.
Date: Thu, 9 Mar 1995 22:11:20 -0800 From: genesis@j51.com (Project Genesis) Subject: New List: YomTov -- Jewish Holiday Discussions Here's our NEWEST LIST: YOMTOV, for discussion of the Jewish holidays! >From now until Passover, Rabbi YEHUDA PRERO will be discussing the Passover Haggadah on the YOMTOV list. Rabbi Prero received Rabbinic ordination from Mesivta Tifereth Jerusalem in Manhattan, and is in his second year at Cardozo Law School, part of Yeshiva University. He is finishing a book on the Haggadah, and this will provide much of the list material. Please join him, and have a share in helping him finish his work! We welcome Rabbi Prero to Project Genesis, and wish him much success. And please, if you would like to learn Torah, remember our new address: learn@torah.org This list is part of the Project Genesis Global Learning Network. Please inquire about our other lists: Torah-Forum - Open Discussion of Torah Topics DvarTorah - Divrei Torah from around the world - with volunteer contributors Gossip - Or, what _not_ to say - with Ellen Solomon Halacha-Yomi - Jewish Law, Daily - with a roundtable of contributors Maharal - The Sayings of the Fathers with Maharal's commentary Rambam - Maimonide's classic study of the entirety of Jewish Law Ramchal - Rabbi M.C. Luzzato's "Path of the Just" w/ Rabbi Yaakov Menken RavFrand - Rabbi Yissachar Frand's weekly parsha class from Baltimore Tefila - A discussion of Jewish prayer with Rabbi Chaim Szmidt To subscribe to any list, mail to listproc@shamash.nysernet.org Subject: none subscribe <listname> <Your Full Name> replacing <> with the appropriate entries. Project Genesis
Submissions should be mailed to either submit@mljewish.org or mlj@shamash.org. Please clearly mark your submission as a submission, and include either a relevant subject line or a reference to the issue to which you are replying.
If you would like to subscribe to MLJ, please complete the Subscription Request Form, or send a message to the moderator (listmgt@mljewish.org) requesting to be added to the list. Please include your first and last names in your request.
Backissues may be obtained by Email by completing a Backissue by Email Request Form. A specific backissue may be retrieved interactively by completing a Request Form.
Publishing any of the mail.liberal-judaism digests or portions thereof on any other medium including soc.culture.jewish without consulting the moderator and/or the originator of the article represents a breach of trust. Please remember why this list was created and that contributers may not want to discuss the "correctness" of their beliefs from your point of view. Also note that many of the people who write in wish their privacy preserved. Thank you for your cooperation with these restrictions.
"It is not our task as liberal Jews to complain about the Orthodox attitude or to be bullied by it, but rather to choose our legitimate path according to the inner logic and development of liberal Judaism" (Rabbi Walter Jacob)
| Previous Issue: v4n131 | Next Issue: v4n133 | |
MLJ Home Page
|
Return to Retrieval Form |