Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe find a religion to follow that doesn't cost so much or require too much time ... Something that suits your lifestyle. Think outside the box.

Really now. Was this necessary?

OP, my son's not going to be a Bar Mitzvah. At least not the traditional way in the traditional timeframe. Know why? I was a single broke mom who couldn't afford Hebrew school or dues or even REDUCED dues and tuition, not only didn't have help from the father, but actual OPPOSITION, and he's 12. Oh well.

Are we still Jews? You bet your sweet heiny hairs we are.

So sad that income level impacts the ability to participate in a religious community and education.

It doesn't. There are many ships and rabbis that will work with you for free, including chabad.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe find a religion to follow that doesn't cost so much or require too much time ... Something that suits your lifestyle. Think outside the box.

Really now. Was this necessary?

OP, my son's not going to be a Bar Mitzvah. At least not the traditional way in the traditional timeframe. Know why? I was a single broke mom who couldn't afford Hebrew school or dues or even REDUCED dues and tuition, not only didn't have help from the father, but actual OPPOSITION, and he's 12. Oh well.

Are we still Jews? You bet your sweet heiny hairs we are.

Rabbi Shamash on youtube can teach him everything he needs to know to have the aliyah. Find a community that will do what he needs. He just needs an ordinary saturday with you standing there knelling while he is called up and does an aliyah. Contact a rabbi at a small congregation and work out to do.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe find a religion to follow that doesn't cost so much or require too much time ... Something that suits your lifestyle. Think outside the box.

Really now. Was this necessary?

OP, my son's not going to be a Bar Mitzvah. At least not the traditional way in the traditional timeframe. Know why? I was a single broke mom who couldn't afford Hebrew school or dues or even REDUCED dues and tuition, not only didn't have help from the father, but actual OPPOSITION, and he's 12. Oh well.

Are we still Jews? You bet your sweet heiny hairs we are.

So sad that income level impacts the ability to participate in a religious community and education.

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]SOME MO thinkers have suggested Chabad is in fact a heresy, due to its attitude (well hidden by most shlichim) toward the messianic status of R' Schneerson. [/quote]

Yes, what's up with the Schneerson situation? The idea makes me uncomfortable.[/quote]

a big group of chabadniks openly consider him the messiah - they are mostly in Brooklyn and in Israel. The rest, including the entire shaliach organization disagree - at most he is "the person in his generation most worthy to be the messiah" There are accusations that that is a cover - that the shlichim (the chabad representatives who run the chabad houses and such) DO consider him the messiah, but keep that under wraps. There are also a few folks on the messianic (chabad messianic, not christians) side who have written things hinting that he had a status beyond the messiah - that he partook of some degree of divinity.

Even aside from the messiah business, the degree of focus on the rebbe is considerable. although to some degree that would be true of any chassidic group - but at least no one thinks the other chassidic rebbes are messiah worthy.

Failed Messiah, a blog by an ex-chabad guy who stopped being religious at all, used to have a lot about that. I dont read FM anymore - he was way too cranky for my tastes.

Anonymous wrote:Op, I know several people who do this program. It is in Maryland but it is on Sundays so it may work with your schedule.

http://www.msfje.org/outside_home.asp

You aren't the only one who is finding your community outside of a synagogue. This is the reason that many synagogues are facing declining membership. I don't know what the answer is.

Not op but I am considering this school can you tell me a little more about it ?

[quote=Anonymous]SOME MO thinkers have suggested Chabad is in fact a heresy, due to its attitude (well hidden by most shlichim) toward the messianic status of R' Schneerson. [/quote]

Yes, what's up with the Schneerson situation? The idea makes me uncomfortable.

Op, I know several people who do this program. It is in Maryland but it is on Sundays so it may work with your schedule.

http://www.msfje.org/outside_home.asp

You aren't the only one who is finding your community outside of a synagogue. This is the reason that many synagogues are facing declining membership. I don't know what the answer is.

Anonymous wrote:If you join a synagogue that is the right fit, you may find yourself wanting to be part of the community. Another option, if you are interested in your child developing a positive Jewish identity is to send him to a Jewish sleep away camp-- note that a camp that happens to have a lot of Jews is different. You will want educational programming that teaches about Judaism and Israel in a fun way. Camp Ramah, Camp Harlem, there's a reconstructionist camp, there are B'nai Brith camps and Young Judaea camps... And more.

Yes! We are going to Capital Camps next year. Heard that's a great camp. Lots of Jewish identity developed in camp.

Anonymous wrote:Can you home school?

There are people who home school "hebrew school" but as with secular education home schooling, that requires both time and a certain level of knowledge on the part of the parent.

[quote=AnonymousI am modern Orthodox and live in a community that has a Chabad and several MO synagogue within a few blocks of each other and they serve different purposes and different populations. You sound incredibly biased against Chabad and while they are not perfect, they do so much good for Jews everywhere while maintaining a high level of observant Judaism. They are more welcoming and open towards non-observant Jews than you seem to be to them. It is not their beards or black hats that make them authentic, it is their commitment to Torah and Mitzvot.[/quote]

I have been to chabad on many occasions, and am compleletely familiar with it. Yes, they have a rabbi who is observant and SOME congregants who are, and they are tolerant of the non-observance of others who attend. Not so different from a Conservative shul in that regard. And I do not agree that they are more committed to Torah - Torah includes halacha ben adam le chavero - to me a commitment to ethics and social justice is included in that. Chabad, from its attitude to Israeli politics, to non-Jews and especially to african americans in Brooklyn, to labor and animal welfare issues in kosher slaughterhouses under Chabad supervision, has serious issues with ethics and social justice in my opinion.

Does that mean I think Chabad should not exist? No, of course not. I believe in pluralism and tolerance - I am sure Chabad meets the needs of many people. It has the same right to exist as other groups. But I do think that many wealthy secular Jews donate to them out of a misguided belief that they are "authentic" in ways other movements are not, and that beards and black hats (as well as a narrow view of torah and mitzvot) has a great deal to do with that. And yes, I do think that when some Jews go to Chabad, not because Chabad's approach meets their personal needs, but because it's cheaper, thats does not do good for Jews everywhere.

I would also note SOME MO thinkers have suggested Chabad is in fact a heresy, due to its attitude (well hidden by most shlichim) toward the messianic status of R' Schneerson.

Can you home school?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe find a religion to follow that doesn't cost so much or require too much time ... Something that suits your lifestyle. Think outside the box.

Really now. Was this necessary?

OP, my son's not going to be a Bar Mitzvah. At least not the traditional way in the traditional timeframe. Know why? I was a single broke mom who couldn't afford Hebrew school or dues or even REDUCED dues and tuition, not only didn't have help from the father, but actual OPPOSITION, and he's 12. Oh well.

Are we still Jews? You bet your sweet heiny hairs we are.

If you are still interested in your son learning for his bar mitzvah, contact your local Chabad and they will probably offer no-hitter options for learning

Hey guess what? You don't need Hebrew school or a synagogue to become B'nai Mitzvah. It automatically happens!

http://www.beingjewish.com/cycle/barmitzva.html

Anonymous wrote:Maybe find a religion to follow that doesn't cost so much or require too much time ... Something that suits your lifestyle. Think outside the box.

Really now. Was this necessary?

OP, my son's not going to be a Bar Mitzvah. At least not the traditional way in the traditional timeframe. Know why? I was a single broke mom who couldn't afford Hebrew school or dues or even REDUCED dues and tuition, not only didn't have help from the father, but actual OPPOSITION, and he's 12. Oh well.

Are we still Jews? You bet your sweet heiny hairs we are.

Maybe find a religion to follow that doesn't cost so much or require too much time ... Something that suits your lifestyle. Think outside the box.