Jewish Orthodox mum AMA

[jewishorthomum]

I'm a 29 yr old Jewish Orthodox religious mum of 2 little boys. Is there anything you'd like to ask about Orthodox Jewish life?
Kill my time whilst I'm waiting to be called in for an appointment.
(When I get called in for my app I'll have to run but will try respond later if there are questions.)

@JeweyJew apart from the masjid ul aqsa issue which I won't talk about now as i don't want to derail this interesting thread I have found from yours and others answers that there are many similarities between Islam and Judaism when it comes to modesty mixing with the opposite gender etc

@nocoolnamesleft the Simon Schama series helps explains this https://www.google.com/url?q=m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3Du7gnTaMEF9k&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwjalLmU2sj-AhX3VKQEHZyUD68QtwJ6BAgMEAE&usg=AOvVaw19G9AVGS0-FEqxBDpmYdgT

The short answer is that Jews have been a convenient scapegoat throughout history as they're a minority everywhere but Israel - rulers need ready cash or someone to blame and Jews get victimised.

Jews were also often restricted in what trades they could practise, pushing them into money lending and banking that Christians saw as usually and against their faith. So Christians would be indebted to Jews, and from time to time they'd be pushed out or persecuted to wipe out all those debts.

The link to the crucifixion plus a load of nasty lies about witchcraft etc was also used as justification for poor treatment and aggression.

I was raised in Catholic school too and didn't meet any one from another faith until I went to university. My only model for Judaism was Fagan from Oliver Twist!

It was originally the site of the Jewish Temple, which stood for over 800 years (2 x 400+ years, with a 70 year disruption in the middle).

After the Holy Temple was destroyed almost 2000 years ago, the place stood empty for centuries.

Islam only came about about 1400 years ago, so when they built the mosque there, it was over the ruins of the Jewish Temple.

I'm not sure how colonising and building over the site of another religion's temple makes it your own.

@JeweyJew we have the same concept in regards to guarding the gaze but it is for men and women
The first unintentional gaze is forgiven but after that it is considered a sin to look with desire
And to prevent this from happening we are told to lower out gaze

Gosh no, never black peppercorns! You want ground white pepper.

My mother never sat me down and showed me how to make chicken soup, but I always paid attention. I started making it from memories of watching her after she died and it tastes exactly the same as hers.

I place a large peeled onion and carrots in a pan with a whole chicken. Be sure to remove its giblets. Dissolve a telma chicken stock cube in a little hot water and add along with enough water and fill the pan to an inch or two from the brim. As it comes to the boil, I skim the scum off the top. Once this has been down, I turn down to a simmer and let cook for at least three hours, skimming from time to time. Be careful not to skim the fat off.

After three hours, remove the chicken. I love boiled chicken so eat it by itself or with some picked cucumber and mayonnaise. Some also add the cooked chicken to the soup when serving but my mother didn't, so I don't. Although she also made lokshen or matzoh balls, I prefer to eat just the soup with the carrots.

The onion isn't wasted either. I like to fry with turmeric and some Indian spices, then add eggs to make an omelette. Delicious!

Thanks so much for this thread op, it's distracting me from what might be COVID! 😍

Well of course. We were there first and Islam is based on our religion. So is Christianity but they conveniently had a single person who 'perfectly kept the laws', thus absolving everyone else.

We believe we are rewarded for our good deeds and punished for our bad deeds. Correct me if I'm wrong but the difference between Christianity and Judaism here is that we don't stress too much on the reward/punishment and heaven /hell. We focus on our relationship with God and living by the bible because that is the best way to live. God created man, he gave us the Torah (bible) to guide and the purpose that Jews are here is to live by the torah, do good deeds and build a relationship with God.

Interesting.

Do women learn and study the torah by male scholars or are the classes kept separate where women learn from female scholars only?

Have you ever accidently eaten pork/shellfish etc?
Never. Pork doesn't tempt me. but shellfish I wouldn't mind to try. But I don't feel I'm missing out to much. Am I? Is seafood that good?

You are missing nothing about seafood as far as I am concerned.

Pork

Sometimes I look back and realise I'm quite glad I went to a school in multicultural place with lots of different religions including Jews, Muslims, Hindus, etc. Although the people I knew who were Jewish weren't orthodox.

But where we live now (next city along) I've never met anyone who's Jewish. There's no synagogue in our city.

I was taught by males in my ultra orthodox high school. I went to a Jewish seminary/college where I also had male teachers and Rabbis teach us Jewish studies. Some ultra orthodox schools don't have male teachers in female schools and vice versa

I do! I have 2 aunts and uncles living there.

The purpose of Jewish dating is only for marriage. So you date and chat to get to know each other. Once you feel that you're compatible an engagement is announced.
We did dates out. So we went to mini golf, bowling, we went on walks around lakes and parks, hotel lobbies, but would never drink on a date, so fruit juices and coke it was. My husband was my first date. I was his third date.

What are orthodox Jewish views on the final messiah? Who is he and when will he come? What will be his purpose of being sent to this world?

Thank you for such a fascinating thread. I am Muslim and from your responses there are a lot of similarities there seems to be a lot of similarities between the 2 religions. I have the following questions:

1. Are men and women segregated at the synagogue? Is any free mixing allowed?

1. What profession are you and your husband in and are your employees understanding of your faith?

1. Do your children have separate classes to learn about Judaism or do they learn everything they need to know at school?

1. If your children married outside of the faith how would you feel? Would their partners be expected to convert?

@jewishorthomum This is a shallow question but I've had that Jewish women wear wigs as a head covering. I was wondering where you all get such convincing wigs, as it's not obvious that they're wigs?

I find it quite hard to find decent ones. Is there a way to do so on a budget?

What a lovely thread OP. I have always been curious about the orthodox Jewish community and it’s kind of you to take time to share this with us. And I have so much respect for you. I wanted to ask is there a reason why you don’t see orthodox Jewish people outside the neighbourhoods much, i assumed it may be because you feel safer within your own communities due to anti semitism or maybe because you have everything you need within but thought I would ask! also could you be friends with a non Jewish person? I remember an orthodox Jewish lady approached me for directions whilst with her children - I am visibly muslim so it felt nice that she was able to approach me.

*heard

Again, I would ask if you know anyone in Monsey. And also, are you aware that the Orthodox Jewish community is killing off some of the highest rated NY/NJ school districts by claiming their home is a religious house and thus cleared of taxes? Leaving public school parents suddenly left with a bill of $25 to 35k plus a year.

Are orthodox Jews allowed to have botox or any other sort of invasive surgery just for cosmetic purposes?

Also what are the rulings in regards to having an abortion?

Sorry, now I just saw you replied to that!

Even without knowing if it's true or the ins and outs, that is at the very least a gross mischaracterization. Orthodox Jews educate their children privately, so they don't cost the state anything. If Jewish schools would close, that would see a huge increase in public school demand.

This reminds me, is there a plan on what to do when labour gets into power and introduces vat for all private schools. This would add 20% to the fees and while Jewish school fees are nowhere as high as regular private schools, this would be a burden for the parents esp since they have multiple children at the schools. At least for regular private schools, the parents tend to be high income and they would only have 1/2 children at the school at any one time. Would this trigger an exodus to the Jewish state schools like Hasmo and Sinai? Or would the community try to cope by asking for charitable donations to help the parents who can't afford the 20% uplift..