Judaism - Healthy Pages Forum

Pause for Thought

Principled — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 16:19:53 +0000

This prayer for peace, read out by Rabbi Pete Tobias was so moving, I wanted to share it. It's only just over 2 mins long. Selah. (Pause - and reflect) http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p023vrz9 Love and peace, Judy

L'shana tovah

Shaya — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 11:32:14 +0000

Happy New Year everyone...hope it's a sweet one! xxx

this made the hairs on my arms stand up

tigress — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 09:40:30 +0000

I read this in a newsletter this morning and it made the hairs on my arms stand up...so here it is!!! In her book, Not By the Sword, Kathryn Watterson tells the story of Michael Weisser, a Jewish cantor, and his wife Julie. They had just moved to their new home in Lincoln, Nebraska in June 1991, when their unpacking was interrupted by a threatening phone call. Shortly after, they received a package of racist flyers with a card announcing, "The KKK is watching you, scum." The Weissers called the police, who told them it looked like the work of one Larry Trapp, a self-described Nazi and Grand Dragon of the local Ku Klux Klan. Trapp, in fact, had been linked to fire bombings of African-American homes in the area and a center for Vietnamese refugees. Trapp was wheelchair bound and suffering from diabetes, yet was a leader of the white supremacist movement in the area. At the time, he was making plans to bomb B'nai Jeshuran, the synagogue where Weisser was cantor. Julie Weisser was frightened and infuriated by the hate mail, but also felt a spark of compassion for the man in the wheel chair who lived by himself in a one-room apartment. She decided to send Trapp a letter every day with passages from the Proverbs. When Michael saw that Trapp had launched a TV series spewing hatred on the local cable network, he called the Klan hotline and kept leaving messages: "Larry, why do you hate me? You don't even know me." At one point, Trapp actually answered the phone and Michael, after identifying himself asked him if he needed a hand in doing his shopping. Trapp refused politely but a process of rethinking began to stir in him. For a while he was two people -one still spewing hateful invective on TV, the other talking with Michael Weisser on the phone saying, "I can't help it. I've been talking like that all my life." One night, Michael Weisser asked his congregation to pray for someone who is "sick from the illness of bigotry and hatred." That night, Trapp did something he'd never done before. The swastika rings he wore o began to itch, so he took them off. The next day he called the Weissers and said, "I want to get out, but I don't know how." Michael suggested that he and Julie drive to Trapp's apartment so they could "break bread together." Trapp hesitated, then agreed. At the apartment, Trapp broke into tears and handed the Weissers his swastika rings. In November, 1991 he resigned from the Klan, and later wrote apologies to those groups he had wronged. On New Year's Eve, Larry Trapp found out he had less than a year to live and that night, the Weissers invited him to move in with them. Their living room became his bedroom and he told them, "You are doing for me what my parents should have done for me." Bedridden, Trapp began to read about Gandhi and Martin Luther King, and learn about Judaism. On June 5, 1992 he converted to Judaism -- at the very synagogue he had once planned to blow up. Julie quit her job to care for him in his last days, and when Larry Trapp died on September 6th of that year, it was with Michael and Julie holding his hands. Well.. how are the hairs on your arms? tigress

Fasting on Yom Kippur

oakapple — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 13:38:43 +0000

I.m Fasting for one day....starting this evening ( Friday ), as this is the last day of Rosh Hashanah.....leading on to Yom Kippur ( Saturday ).Although I.m not of the Jewish faith I personally think this an admirable way of repentance and asking for spiritual forgiveness...This is also the time of the Autumn Equinox and the final harvest of the year...So I.ll show a little restraint and self disipline.Just one day. One day of atonement. Traditionally, it is now that we should forgive and make-up with people we have fallen out with.....So. go on....make that call, and ' Make Up '. Oakapple xx

Jewish Mysticism ( Kabbalah )

oakapple — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 16:26:21 +0000

Hi Wondered if anyone can help? On Sunday I attended a Kabbalah workshop and was introduced to Jacob's Ladder......A map of the Universe and of the human soul. The ladder, mystics must climb to reach God.....so I am told........is it really as complicated as it looks....... I thought the workshop went well, with loads of meditation and stories from various books.....a little of the history.....and chanting....of course Could anyone add a little more personal info as I intend to try and learn more. Oakapple xx

Israel

Divine Love — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 10:42:00 +0000

The meaning of the word Israel is = 'struggle with God' which helps one to understand the conflict that has continued in this region. Words are so powerful and more potent then most people realise. Words have many meanings in Hebrew and another meaning of Israel is 'being straight with God'. So i thought it would make for an interesting discussion of how people understand these words 'being straight with God'. What does 'Being straight with God' mean to you? Divine Love

conversion to judaism

feathers — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 10:54:00 +0000

my friend is dating a jewish guy, and he has told her that the relationship can not get serious because she is not jewish. she has been reading about judaism quite a lot and said that it seems to resonate with her and she would be interested in looking into converting after some time. everywhere she has looked states that the conversion takes a year, yet when she asked her boyfriend he has said it takes 8 years. the 1 year is like a "drive through" and really is not good enough. 8 years is the proper way and all he or his family would accept. she has asked me to see if i can find anything out about this as she has no internet acces, and i thought i would ask on here and see what people had to say about it. if anyone could point me in the right direction or give me some advice i would appreciate it greatly. thank u feathers xxx

Were the Jews Black from Africa?

Sacredstar — Sat, 17 Dec 2005 15:07:00 +0000

I was looking for an unrelated link and fell upon this and thought it might be an interesting topic. African Lemba tribesmen In southern Africa, a people known as the Lemba heed the call of the shofar. They have believed for generations that they are Jews, direct descendants of the biblical patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. However unlikely the Lemba's claims may seem, modern science is finding a way to test them. The ever-growing understanding of human genetics is revealing connections between peoples that have never been seen before. http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/forensics.shtml being love kim xx

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

Shoney — Sun, 30 Oct 2005 22:44:00 +0000

Hi All HappyRosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, to all jewish members for the 3rd of Oct. L'Shannah Tovah

Hi Jewish Members

aromaboy — Sat, 18 Jun 2005 11:21:00 +0000

Just like to say Shalom to all Jewish members. aromaboy