Last year 2016, the (world) Jewish population was over fourteen million people. If you want to join this statistics on the Jews, keep reading; In the most practical and simple way possible, I show you what you need to know and do to be a Jew. Incredibly, only in these pages you will learn what is necessary.
Why don’t “Jew” and “Judaism” always go hand in hand for some?
It turns out that “Jew” according to the law that directs them, can only be that person who comes from a Jewish mother. If this does not happen, then only the individual can be through an official conversion. It must be officially assisted by a Jewish Court, which will supervise the act of conversion.
Perhaps, for better news, I can tell you that the Jewish reformist currents allow both the mother and the father to grant this identity; that is, through any of them, the person can claim his place as a Jew. Even so, after years of adaptation and reform by this community in their religion, the result is that, currently, and as long as it is “reform Judaism”, the person who simply wishes to be part of this town is accepted. The integration of those who follow their laws or adopt their own customs from their sacred books is allowed, those who “from the heart” feel related to the general word of Judaism.
Who are the Jews?
It is important that you know the following: within Judaism there are three classifications. These are given by the level with which the subjects follow the dogmas and orthodoxy of this religion. We would not say that over time it has “evolved”, but rather that it has adapted somewhat to society, to the outside world; in this way leaving a little of the narrow circle that the orthodox declare to have. This classification strictly follows the disciplines and actions dictated by Jewish law. There are no violations regarding this that count. The highest scriptures for Orthodox Jews are found in the Torah. This scroll contains holy scriptures that are very important to them, and actually to the entire Jewish population as well. They are meaning of the Divine.
In the case of the Reformists, they are the most “open-minded” Jews. Wait, this doesn’t mean they enjoy anarchy! These simply owe their history to the ancient Jews who decided to be part of the environment that surrounded them, without leaving their religion aside; that is, get out of the hole of extremist doctrines. They also owe their creation to the Haskalá; this movement intended to educate about Jewish teachings, trying to take a less exquisite and more malleable course. All this in order to relate their lives with the outside life.
These days, the reformers accept the existence of God, just like the others, they respect the Torah as a gift from God. Moving a bit away from dogmas, they also love and promote unity with the world, the acceptance of all equally, admiration for women and their importance in all issues, without exclusion. Then, the conservatives are the ones that historically appear last. As you can imagine they are a mixture of those mentioned above. They do not stop understanding the Torah as the great foundation of their ideology, but at the same time, distancing themselves from inflexibility, they appreciate both its inviolable religious explanation, as well as that offered by historian analysts and those who direct opinion at more instructive levels.
Ultra orthodoxy- does it exist?
Do not think that, since there are three classifications within religion, that is where the matter has ended in terms of rigor. Ultra-Orthodox Jews are a somewhat unofficial denomination. These truly take the Torah as the number one pillar of their lives, ruling all their actions by these words. In the same way, they do not mix with society, they do not accept its mandates, nor its ideology. Only they have “the truth”, their truth. They have their own health centers and schools. Taking themselves into isolation. The way of dressing is dictated, and minimal variations are not allowed.
What connects all Jews?
Reading in previous paragraphs, you will already know that the Torah is the element that most unites the followers of religion. Even if there are slight changes, or levels of rigidity when following these scriptures, it is undeniable that everyone reveres this embodied teaching. I tell you more about the Torah, because if you want to be a Jew, you cannot miss knowing what it is about and why it should be so important to understand Judaism.
It is a scroll that supports the structure of Jewish law, it is patrimony. It was written by Moses, a prophet chosen by God to carry through the word, revelations and sacred declarations. That is why the entire scroll is seen as proof of divinity. Without exclusion, each phrase has religious significance, even the punctuation marks. This roll cannot be missing in the ceremonies carried out, nor in the cults, nor in the synagogue, which is the place where all these religious meetings are held; in said place it must be well kept and guarded while it is not being used.
Orthodoxy that can be applied to all Jews
Regardless of what the classification is within Judaism, there are laws that are actually taken by many reformers and conservatives. This is because they are quite acceptable and do not come into too much opposition with the outside environment. At the same time, they reaffirm the ideology of the Jew, making him feel much closer to his true roots. In other words, we could be talking about a reformist who, of course, needs and admires contact with the world, but also feeds on certain dogmas that satisfy him for belonging to Judaism.
For example (and speaking of feeding) to consume meat, they must first submit the animals to a procedure called “sanctification”. Only then can they eat it. Black pudding is prohibited because it is made from blood (usually pig), but no matter what animal it comes from, it is said that the spirit is in it, becoming seen as something sacred and untouchable. For this reason, animals that are sanctified and then sacrificed are simply extracted. In addition, we can see the rituals that are made regarding the bread. The way considered “correct” to eat it has a name: challah. A piece of dough must be burned, as a reminder of those sacrificed in Jerusalem.
Holidays you should know
Pesaj (Jewish Passover): It is part of the pilgrimage festivals. Its beginning is in the month of Nisan (Hebrew calendar), day 15. One of the most important rituals is the Seder of Pesaj. It is celebrated on the first night. It is basically a dinner with sacred and significant food, where you cannot miss the matzah, which is unleavened bread. A white tablecloth is used for the entire table and the most elegant crockery is placed, as a symbol of respect.
Shavuot: It takes time on the 6th of the month of Sivan (Hebrew calendar). The importance of this date is due to the fact that it is a commemoration of the revelations given to Moses by God, on Mount Sinai. It is common to eat bread during this holiday. Once again, bread appears as a sacred element, as it is part of the Jewish liturgy.