Judaism Reflection Paper
There are many different ways of practicing Judaism that are amongst us today, and many different types of people that practice them. The aspects that I find to be significant and interesting in Judaism are Hanukkah, a Bar Mitzvah, and The Kashrut. There are many more aspects of Judaism that amuse me, and there are many that I might question if I thought about converting; however, these are the aspects that I believe to be some of the most widely known traditions throughout the world. My favorite part of Judaism that I would have no problem indulging in would have to be a young man’s Bar Mitzvah.
A Bar Mitzvah is a rite of passage for a 13 year old boy to become a man. Why is this something to look forward to? Because for a young boys Bar Mitzvah the boy usually gets a large amount of money. Now this money doesn’t come in ones and fives; however, it is known to come in six to seven figures all together. This may be frowned upon if you have an older sister; however, she will get a little bit of reward once she becomes a “woman. ” Another part of Judaism that really fascinated me had to have been the Laws of Kashrut.
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Most commonly known for not being able to mix dairy with meat, but there are other ways to make food Kosher as well. Such as pork and shellfish, these are forbidden foods in the Judaism community. Along with those, all blood must be drained before cooking and eating, for blood is sacred to God. It is amazing that even some even keep separate fridges, sinks, tables, and utensils to avoid the mixing of their meat and dairy products. Even though these ways of life may seem strict and harsh, not all Jews practice them. Most American Jews actually perform The Kashrut in small ways.
For example, they may buy pre-maid kosher food to substitute for going full on Kosher. Most major brands even put marking on their products to let us know if the item is kosher or not. The last major part of Judaism that caught my eye had to be the practice of “Holy Days” in Judaism. Jewish people practice many holy days such as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Hanukkah, Purim, and Pesach (Passover). The most widely recognized holy days in Judaism are Hanukkah and Pesach. Hanukkah has to be the one that amuses me the most due to the fact that it s an eight night event. Hanukkah is a spread over eight-day event made to commemorate the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. An added tradition is that over the eight days of Hanukkah the children get a gift each night of the holiday. Although there are many important and fascinating aspects of Judaism that I left out, and many that I may not agree with. I still find Judaism to be a very interesting religion, and will have to put it on my bucket list to go a Jewish Temple in the future. As they say in Hebrew “Leheim! ”
