Do not be daunted
by the enormity of the world's grief.
Do justice, now.
Love mercy now.
Walk humbly, now.
You are not obligated to complete the work,
but neither are you free to abandon it.


-The Talmud via a friend on fb /(Talmud 303/commentary mash-up}/Rabbi Rami Shapiro translation?

I'm so sad about Rose Mallinger, 97, survivor of the Holocaust, murdered in Pittsburgh.

Also I need to respond to a number of media statements: Jewish identity is not just about faith, but a cultural/ethnic/religious identity mash-up that is not monolithic.

Not all Jews are white. There are many Jews of color. Being Jewish and growing up in a mostly Christian white town in which I was Othered instilled a liminal identity in me in relation to whiteness. I've got lots of thoughts on the construction of whiteness in shifting relations to cultural, ethnic, and national identities that I won't get into here.

I'm Jewish and agnostic with mystic/witchy leanings. I'm more familiar with the Old Testament than the New because I studied it in college in relation to other ancient middle eastern religions and cultures with a particular interest in my Jewish identity. My family did not belong to or attend synagogue, but they instilled a strong Jewish identity in me and I had Jewish community through relatives and my parent's friends, though as a child I longed for more. But I studied Latin in high school, sang in Christian masses with choirs in churches, and favored the Catholics in the Protestant/Catholic divide in my town because Catholic cathedrals and robes had more glitz, gorgeous architecture, and stained glass, and I've always been a worshipper of beauty and craft.

When listening to Tom Lehrer's song National Brotherhood Week, my whole family would joyfully chime in to sing, "And everybody hates the Jews!" because that's how Jewish humor rolls, and why most of us aren't surprised by the level of antisemitism we're seeing now with the U.S. bully pulpit's encouragement, just sad and more worried, as are all of you. I'm still going to put my electric menorah in my front window in the new house.

Love and healing to the survivors in the hate shootings in Pittsburgh and Kentucky.
febobe: (I'm Fine)

From: [personal profile] febobe


I'm in Kentucky, and I've not even heard yet. I'm scared to look. Reformation Sunday. Martin Luther early on had a heart for the Jews, but later made some horrible statements during his difficult older years, not that it was any excuse. That's why every major Lutheran body, including my denom, has put out statements disavowing any agreement with those anti-Semitic writings of Luther and expressing their love for the Jewish people, whatever color they may look like.

*hugs* Love you, sweetpea. Hang in there.
febobe: (FroRB1)

From: [personal profile] febobe


Ah, somehow I forgot that Wed was that close. I don't know why. I actually have a FB friend who was getting ready to walk into that Kroger when it happened. Horrifying.

And yeah, I understand...I must confess, I probably would have been one of those creepy little Christian kids, though I was never particularly good at proselytizing, and still am not, frankly. I want to share what I have that's good with everyone, sure, but I really struggle with discussing something as personal as beliefs with someone unless they're expressing an interest, in which case I'm happy to have at it and wax expressive about how much my faith means to me. But that is a cute story about Manel. :)

The denomination I came from (AoG) is definitely creepily fannish about Jews. Whole programs and ministries devoted to the Jews and...well, you can probably imagine enough. The LCMS is rather more reserved and less apt to single the Jews out from any other non-Christian population, beyond saying they are special as God's chosen people and of course wanting them to have what we have, though to be fair you don't see the ministries devoted to "restoring Israel," etc. in the LCMS that you see in the AoG.

Your icon is the cutest thing ever was. <3

*lots and lots of hugs*
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