A question for Jewish people: do you believe in an afterlife?

[Anonymous]

Here's another one: https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/afterlife-in-judaism

Olam ha­Ba (afterlife) is rarely discussed in Jewish life, be it among Reform, Conservative, or Orthodox Jews.

Jewish teachings on the subject of afterlife are sparse: The Torah, the most important Jewish text, has no clear reference to afterlife at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of non religious Jews here.

I'm an orthodox Jew. Of course we believe in an afterlife. And in reward and punishment.

Umm, Reform and Conservative Jews aren't non-religious.

Get out of here with your intolerance.

If you don't believe in the basics how are you religious?? The basics are God created the world, gave the Jews the Torah, and that reward and punishment exist for all people.

That's how we know there's a world to come. Because this is the world of choice, and perfect reward and punishment will come later, in the next world.

This belief might bring you great comfort, but many Jews don't share it.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:PP, I can’t stand Trump or the Kushners, but your question is inane and offensive. There is no “word on the street” as to what Jews think of them. Because Jews are, you know, people. With a diverse range of perspectives.

Yes, but that's why in this country we have the Jewish vote, white vote, ....

Just curious. Are you saying most Jews don't identify as white?

I think most white Jews do (Black, Latino/a and Asian Jews also exist). White Jews recognize that we enjoy White privilege in the US, but we remember that we're not always considered white by everybody. My rabbi in college who was from Germany remembered seeing the boots of the Nazis who came to arrest his dad from where he (rabbi) was hiding under the bed. I've never experienced much anti-Semitism, but I've experienced it a few times totally out of the blue -- like at a big work dinner when a guy senior to me suddenly started loudly ranting about Jews being greedy and clannish, and a bunch of people seemed to agree with him. Or the parent of a high school friend who didn't think it was right that I "dated white women." Of course, this is NOTHING compared to what many POC experience on a daily basis.

This is a really tough subject. I'm 50% Ashkenazi and a smattering of other things (mostly Asian).

It's my firm opinion that Ashekanzi Jews (which comprise about 10 million of the 14 million Jews in the world) are white passing. Why? Well, because we aren't part of European Christendom. When you really think about what people talk about when they discuss "white people," they really mean those of European Christian background. Of course, Sephardic Jews are often not even white passing, and then you have Jews of other backgrounds (African Jews, Asian Jews, etc.).

Now, since we are white passing, we have privilege based on that. However, like the PP said above, we also suffer a ton of discrimination. It's just more complicated than simply saying "Jews are white people."

This is interesting. Thanks for posting this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP, I can’t stand Trump or the Kushners, but your question is inane and offensive. There is no “word on the street” as to what Jews think of them. Because Jews are, you know, people. With a diverse range of perspectives.

Yes, but that's why in this country we have the Jewish vote, white vote, ....

Just curious. Are you saying most Jews don't identify as white?

I think most white Jews do (Black, Latino/a and Asian Jews also exist). White Jews recognize that we enjoy White privilege in the US, but we remember that we're not always considered white by everybody. My rabbi in college who was from Germany remembered seeing the boots of the Nazis who came to arrest his dad from where he (rabbi) was hiding under the bed. I've never experienced much anti-Semitism, but I've experienced it a few times totally out of the blue -- like at a big work dinner when a guy senior to me suddenly started loudly ranting about Jews being greedy and clannish, and a bunch of people seemed to agree with him. Or the parent of a high school friend who didn't think it was right tshat I "dated white women." Of course, this is NOTHING compared to what many POC experience on a daily basis.

I've heard countless antisemitic anecdotes, too. I don't know why people assume I would agree with them. I find antisemitism really disgusting.

Just curious, in what contexts have you heard these?

- Jewish person who is really troubled by rising anti-semitism in the US & Europe

Just random comments about rent going up (landlord must be a Jew), Jews are good in business. Jews must have owned slaves because they're good with money, Jews killed Jesus (this really bugs me because it's such a passionately held belief for such a completely ignorant and incorrect "fact"). Just random things through the years, not anything that represents rising antisemitism. I think comments like these come from people who consider themselves benign, not anti-semitic at all. They think their assumptions are correct and don't know any better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought Jewish belief was that with the coming of the messiah, all dead people will rise up to heaven. I thought that's why it's not okay to get cremated or get an autopsy.

I posted this upthread. So this is incorrect? There is not a part of Judaism that says when the messiah comes, the dead will rise up again? And that you shouldn't be cremated for that reason?

[Anonymous]

I believe Rabbi Akiva pretty squarely held that there was an afterlife.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not really part of Judaism. I do, but that’s because I’m not a very religious Jew. I’m more of a Jew Buddhist.

There is no such thing as a Jew Buddhist. You are Jewish by culture and birth but Buddhist in practice.

How dare you tell them that what they are does not exist.

You are not the almighty ruler of what is allowed. Get over yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought Jewish belief was that with the coming of the messiah, all dead people will rise up to heaven. I thought that's why it's not okay to get cremated or get an autopsy.

I posted this upthread. So this is incorrect? There is not a part of Judaism that says when the messiah comes, the dead will rise up again? And that you shouldn't be cremated for that reason?

This is a very nice historical overview— and I think it’s fair to say (as I think the author says at the end) — that almost every approach has some adherents—

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.haaretz.com/amp/jewish/.premium-what-is-the-jewish-afterlife-like-1.5362876

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I believe Rabbi Akiva pretty squarely held that there was an afterlife.

Ok and ...?

[Anonymous]

OP - the thing is about Judaism is simply that we just don't put a lot of emphasis on this.

We have beliefs and stories out there for people to pick from but the afterlife is not a core part of our belief system or an important part of what life on this planet is about.

So, you will get conflicting answers but the real answer is "some of us do, and some of us don't. we really don't worry about it too much."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't know if this is an appropriate question, but gonna ask anyway. Have heard little from Jewish community about Kushners, well specifically what do they now think of the Kushners re. Jared and how increasingly racist and divisive Trump has become? What is the community saying, are they disgusted, not, don't care, disconnected? What is the word on the street, or in the synagogue?

Jews have three subsections if you will reform, conservative and orthodox.

Reform most liberal hate Kushner, or seriously dislike him.

Conservative would be about 90% hate Kushner, 10% are thinking he will help with Israel and that corner of the world.

Orthodox like Kushner as they are traditionally Republican and are misguided in the Israel aspect like the conservatives. They support Israel over the US. or being Americans.

Kusher is not a help to jews period. He only cares about money.

For a Jew to be supporting Kushner or Trump is short sided at best. Anti semitism is at an all time high. Trump supporters are not fans, this will not end well for Jews if Trump is re elected. I say all of this as a Jew.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought Jewish belief was that with the coming of the messiah, all dead people will rise up to heaven. I thought that's why it's not okay to get cremated or get an autopsy.

I posted this upthread. So this is incorrect? There is not a part of Judaism that says when the messiah comes, the dead will rise up again? And that you shouldn't be cremated for that reason?

Of course there is. Every orthodox Jew like me holds by Maimonides 13 principles. The last 2 are the coming of the messiah and reward and punishment.

Reward and punishment necessitate ressurection of the dead, since it is not possible to do in this world, as clear reward and punishment in this world would remove free choice.

[Anonymous]

The 13 principles can be summed up into 3. One God created the world, the Torah was given to the Jewish people by Moses at Mt Sinai, reward and punishment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:It’s not really part of Judaism. I do, but that’s because I’m not a very religious Jew. I’m more of a Jew Buddhist.

There is no such thing as a Jew Buddhist. You are Jewish by culture and birth but Buddhist in practice.

How dare you tell them that what they are does not exist.

You are not the almighty ruler of what is allowed. Get over yourself.

I’m not the person who posted about being both, but wanted to thank the upstander for this. Beautiful, beautiful. We need more hearts like yours. There is room in the world for all of us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought Jewish belief was that with the coming of the messiah, all dead people will rise up to heaven. I thought that's why it's not okay to get cremated or get an autopsy.

I posted this upthread. So this is incorrect? There is not a part of Judaism that says when the messiah comes, the dead will rise up again? And that you shouldn't be cremated for that reason?

We really aren't like Christians with a strict narrow definition of what to believe about every little thing.

Some think this is fact, some think it is metaphor.

None of us think it affects what it means to be Jewish or how a Jew should behave every day.

So yeah, it is correct, but not something we really focus on. It is a Christian idea to be so taken with the afterlife. It just isn't a priority for us.