OP, I grew up surrounded by Jewish people and now live somewhere where there are none. No temples, no decorating for the Jewish holidays, no proper foods in the supermarkets, no temples, no Friday night services. I miss my Jewish culture. I just want to hug you.

Do you, personally, find the mikvah meaningful, restorative, and nurturing? Is it something you would miss if there were some reason you could not do it?

Anonymous wrote:Haven't read the whole thread, so maybe you answered this. For whom are you voting in the presidential election, and why?

I am a democrat, as are my entire family, and we are voting for Obama. Many (but definitely not all) Orthodox Jews vote Republican, in part, bc they think that the Rs are more supportive of Israel. I dont think its matters who is in charge in the US and Israel will do what it want (PLEASE do not start fighting about Israel in this thread) and I vote on other issues.

Haven't read the whole thread, so maybe you answered this. For whom are you voting in the presidential election, and why?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How common are the 'purity' ceremonies for women in the orthodox community?

Do you believe that the orthodox Jewish faith is more or less supportive of women's rights than other orthodox denominations?

I've never heard of a "purity ceremony". Married jewish women are required to immerse in a ritual bath after their periods before they can have sex with their husbands. Almost every orthodox married woman I know does this..

Dontcha think that indicates that there's some kind of.... hangup? Going on there? I mean a religion that actually requires washing your "hoo-hoo" (to borrow a phrase from the political forum) before sex? Because, menstuation, ick!

While a good idea and one I personally engage in, having a religion dictate it? Really?

Ritual baths are not to remove physical impurities, but rather to remove spiritual impurities. Before immersing, one must already be completely clean having soaked in a bath and removed all make-up, dirt, nail polish, etc. The concept stems from the spiritual impurity of death. Since every egg is a potential life, every period is sort of a death, in that it was a loss of potential life. The mikvah (ritual bath) cleanses the spirit, not the body.
Orthodox judaism dictates basically every aspect of my life, this is just one more thing.

Wow. I am a Catholic and I thought we had cornered the market on irrational guilt. But this seems terribly extreme to me.

OP here -

There is absolutely no guilt associated with this process. Judaism doesnt suppose that anyone should have made a life with this egg, its just the reality of the situation. It was a potential life and now its gone. There is no judgment involved.

From what I understand, during Talmudic times, men were obligated to become spiritually pure after an ejaculation outside of sex. For reasons I dont know, this rule no longer applies.

Anonymous wrote:Do you have family who died or were imprisoned during the Holocaust?

OP again. My ancestors all moved to the US by 1920, but DH's grandparents were both hidden children during the Holocaust. His grandfather hid in a monastery in Switzerland and his grandmother was placed with a non-jewish family in Vienna. He is still in touch with the family that saved him.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a married Christian woman attending my first Orthodox Wedding. The inviation stated "Women are kidnly requested to dress modestly in accordance with Jewish Orthodox tradition". I understand the parameters of my outfit, but am curious is I need to cover my hair too?

Since you are a married woman, it would be appropriate, as you step into the temple, to take one of their hair coverings and a bobby pin, and yes, pin it to the top of your hair. (Towards the middle/back)

OP here -

Didnt think this thread would come up again!

Anyways, most orthodox weddings are not in synagogues so covering your hair is not necessary. I dont like getting invitations which dictate how guests should dress but what they mean is that shoulders, knees and cleavage should be covered. So no sleeveless, lot-cut mini-dresses

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How common are the 'purity' ceremonies for women in the orthodox community?

Do you believe that the orthodox Jewish faith is more or less supportive of women's rights than other orthodox denominations?

I've never heard of a "purity ceremony". Married jewish women are required to immerse in a ritual bath after their periods before they can have sex with their husbands. Almost every orthodox married woman I know does this..

Dontcha think that indicates that there's some kind of.... hangup? Going on there? I mean a religion that actually requires washing your "hoo-hoo" (to borrow a phrase from the political forum) before sex? Because, menstuation, ick!

While a good idea and one I personally engage in, having a religion dictate it? Really?

Ritual baths are not to remove physical impurities, but rather to remove spiritual impurities. Before immersing, one must already be completely clean having soaked in a bath and removed all make-up, dirt, nail polish, etc. The concept stems from the spiritual impurity of death. Since every egg is a potential life, every period is sort of a death, in that it was a loss of potential life. The mikvah (ritual bath) cleanses the spirit, not the body.
Orthodox judaism dictates basically every aspect of my life, this is just one more thing.

Wow. I am a Catholic and I thought we had cornered the market on irrational guilt. But this seems terribly extreme to me.

Anonymous wrote:If Mormons can not practice polygamy, then why should Jews (or anyone) be allowed to circumcise their infant sons who can not consent to a body altering procedure? Religious freedom is really cultural, that is what we are comfortable with. Both issues are icky to an outsider, so are you concerned that somehow it could become illegal?

Well, I am a Catholic who circumcised her son for the health benefits, not because of any religious belief. So I am an "outsider" to both Judaism and the Mormon church, and I don't find it "icky."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm the only non-jew in a group of jewish moms. They're all very nice, but sometimes I feel they wish I wasn't around, so they could talk jewish things all the time. I get the impression they have to be circumspect around me, out of niceness. Am I just paranoid?!

You are paranoid. There aren't so many "Jewish" things to talk about.

Well, I've experienced this too at one Jewish friend's gatherings. Perhaps it is because they are a community and they all go to the same synagogue, but I always feel as though we have nothing to talk about and that I am the odd woman out. They're friendly enough, but it's pretty clear I'll never move past proper cordiality to actual friendship with any of them. And I'm okay with that - quite sure they are, too.

Do you have family who died or were imprisoned during the Holocaust?

Anonymous wrote:I am a married Christian woman attending my first Orthodox Wedding. The inviation stated "Women are kidnly requested to dress modestly in accordance with Jewish Orthodox tradition". I understand the parameters of my outfit, but am curious is I need to cover my hair too?

Since you are a married woman, it would be appropriate, as you step into the temple, to take one of their hair coverings and a bobby pin, and yes, pin it to the top of your hair. (Towards the middle/back)

I am a married Christian woman attending my first Orthodox Wedding. The inviation stated "Women are kidnly requested to dress modestly in accordance with Jewish Orthodox tradition". I understand the parameters of my outfit, but am curious is I need to cover my hair too?

Anonymous wrote:Also, not being able to have sex during period (if that is what I am understanding correctly from the previous posts) and going to speak to a rabbi about it--how is it any of his business what a married couple does and how will anyone find out when in the cycle of a woman sex is had?

Its none of the rabbi's business and people dont generally approach a rabbi about this issue unless they have a question. This mitzvah (requirement/commandment/rule) like many others in Judaism is between you and G-d. No one will ever find out, except you and your husband, just as you could easily eat bacon without anyone finding out. But if you believe in G-d and that the laws of the Torah )Bible) are divine, then you observe those laws to the best of your ability - not for fear of getting caught, but bc you want to.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you get through life without bacon or lobster?

I've had beef bacon and lamb bacon and wasnt really impressed with either. Lobsters and shrimp totally freak me out. I would really like to try a cheeseburger and a scallop. I watch all the cooking shows but I'd never be able to even try 99% of the food. Thats the real tragedy.

There's nothing like real bacon, unfortunately.


~ a poster who converted to Islam and dearly misses bacon.

If you get the turkey bacon really crispy it can come close...

I have never seen kosher turkey bacon and I always wonder why not. There is beef and lamb bacon but no turkey