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When I was in high school I had a friend that was a practicing Jew. I am not sure if he was in the reform or the conservative branch of Judaism. I do know that he wore a Kippah to school for Jewish holidays. He even let me wear one of them at school. I am not close with him anymore as we kind of had a falling out about 3 years ago after high school. Anyway I remember we went to a concert once and his dad ordered BBQ pork ribs for us. In the unorthodox branches of Judaism is the eating of pork allowed? I was looking up information about this and I came across something about booming pig slaughter houses in Israel started up by Jews coming from Slavic/former communist Eastern European countries. I was raised in a Catholic family with Polish/Jewish background on my fathers side. The eating of pork is common place in my family as Catholics only have to read the Torah and not follow it other than the ten commandments. I am looking to start a family in the Modern Orthodox branch of Judaism once I graduate from college and become a fire fighter/paramedic. The book of Leviticus also states that the children of Israel shall not eat shellfish. Yet I must confess that I love shrimp. How serious should I take the prohibition on such foods if I intend on practicing Modern Orthodox Judaism?
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First of all selling it and consuming it are two different things. for example in Arab countries alcohol is sold and served by Muslims yet they do not consume it. From what you are describing (and career), the better direction for you will be Conservative. Go through the 613 Mitzvot and see how they fit you. There are many gray areas, but eating shellfish is not one of them. I consider myself Conservadox due to some gray areas related to my job, but keeping kosher is not one of them.
Another Conservative here. Pork and shellfish are out and always will be. If you mentioned eating them to any of my friends, they'd unfortunately look at you like you were from Mars. None of us does it (to my knowledge, anyway).
I still remember the taste of pepperoni pizza. It was so good. It's not going to happen, though.
Keeping kosher is one of the tenets of Conservative Judaism, but more than 70% of Conservative Jews do not keep kosher. Obviously there's a big disconnect between what should be and what is.
Obviously there's a big disconnect between what should be and what is.
Orthodoxy accounts for about 10% of jews. Conservatism accounts for about 33%.
The rather large balance (57%+/-) pls of course the less than fully observant among
the others leaves plenty of room for some crabcake and bacon eating by all.
Hmmmm......why go through a conversion process which takes years of hard work if you aren't going to even bother giving up pork when you're done, much less observe the extensive laws of kashrut and all of the other laws we are required to follow? I'm not sure that makes sense to me.
I'm not trying to be rude, but not eating pork is only the tip of the iceberg as to what you are commanded to do when you're Jewish. You're doing yourself and a community a disservice if you convert, then start picking and choosing what you're willing to do.
Hmmmm......why go through a conversion process which takes years of hard work if you aren't going to even bother giving up pork when you're done, much less observe the extensive laws of kashrut and all of the other laws we are required to follow? I'm not sure that makes sense to me.
I'm not trying to be rude, but not eating pork is only the tip of the iceberg as to what you are commanded to do when you're Jewish. You're doing yourself and a community a disservice if you convert, then start picking and choosing what you're willing to do.
That was a courageous thing to say Chana. And you're also 100% correct.
Hmmmm......why go through a conversion process which takes years of hard work if you aren't going to even bother giving up pork when you're done, much less observe the extensive laws of kashrut and all of the other laws we are required to follow? I'm not sure that makes sense to me.
I'm not trying to be rude, but not eating pork is only the tip of the iceberg as to what you are commanded to do when you're Jewish. You're doing yourself and a community a disservice if you convert, then start picking and choosing what you're willing to do.
I was thinking about this post last night. You know, there's a really big difference between saying "By converting to Judaism, I accept all the halacha as valid, but I'm just not on a madrega (spiritual level) where I think I'm capable of keepping all the halacha," vs. saying "OK, I've converted, but that whole thing about not driving on Shabbos, and not eating shrimp, and having limitations on when I can and cannot touch my wife - well that's just old-time Judiasm. Only those folks with the funny curls and black hats do that nonsense. I can be totally Jewish and not do those things."
The truth, is that many Jews still accept people who convert demonstrating my latter example as valid. But the Torah does not, and Torah is truth.
I could claim to the whole world that I'm an astronaut, but if I never put on an astronaut suit and do not associate myself with astrophysics and the necessary training and employment, etc, then no matter how many times I accuse people of being mean by saying I'm not an astronaut - well, it doesn't make it true. I'm not.
I was thinking about this post last night. You know, there's a really big difference between saying "By converting to Judaism, I accept all the halacha as valid, but I'm just not on a madrega (spiritual level) where I think I'm capable of keepping all the halacha," vs. saying "OK, I've converted, but that whole thing about not driving on Shabbos, and not eating shrimp, and having limitations on when I can and cannot touch my wife - well that's just old-time Judiasm. Only those folks with the funny curls and black hats do that nonsense. I can be totally Jewish and not do those things."
Actually, in today's Orthodox community, there is NO difference between these two types of would-be converts. Mainstream Orthodox rabbis will not convert somebody until they are 100% observant. There is only one madrega acceptable for a ger tzedek (righteous convert): the highest rung (yet ironically they have the lowest yichus and shidduch market value). So if you accept the 613 mitzvot as binding, including being the most Torah-observant member of your Conservative or out-of-town Orthodox shul, but your born-Jewish wife doesn't want to practice taharat hamispacha (ritual purity), then an Orthodox rabbi would tell you that you might as well eat a bacon cheeseburger because you like the taste.
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