Help...?

[out_there]

I just had the realisation.

Dan?

Is Jewish.

*looks around at your total non-shock*

Now, this realisation is even stupider than it sounds, because I knew this. It's just that I've suddenly had the realisation that I automatically subconsciously code him as non-practicing christian. Which sucks on many levels, but is obviously just drawing on my own (lack of) real life knowledge.

So, what I need to know is about Jewish weddings and funerals. (Because, they're probably not, y'know, Catholic. *rolls eyes at self*) And maybe, if there's any rites, any traditional things you'd do if someone was ill. Which, would probably include praying, so man, I'm going to have to do a little bit of research.

So, any idea where I can turn to for this type of info? Any good sites to recommend? (On the good side, I realised my lack of knowledge before I wrote the scene...)

Comments

[phoebesmum.livejournal.com]

"What we need," I said to myself, "is something like Judaism 101."

So I typed that into Google and got this ...

http://www.jewfaq.org

And yeah. You have to stop every so often and go "Wait a minute, Dan wouldn't say 'Oh, Jesus!' - would he?"

Although doesn't he say "Oh Jeez" when he finds out that, um, he had been to Spain ...?

Now I'm confused. And I spend too much time thinking about Dan. Note to self: he's imaginary, remember ...

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Heh. Thanks for the link! That will be useful.

[scrunchy.livejournal.com]

I say "Oh Jeez" all the time, and I'm also Jewish.

He doesn't seem too too religious, though -- so as long as you don't have him wearing a cross or some such, you'll be all good.

You can email me if specific questions arise during your writing that you can't readily find on the 'net. I've been Jewish for about 23 years -- I've got a decent handle on the thing ;)

Dude, I have the best friends. *g*

[out-there.livejournal.com]

I say "Oh Jeez" all the time, and I'm also Jewish.

*rolls eyes* Well, "Jeez" has slipped into common usage so much it barely has the same religious connotations. If you walked around saying "Jesus Christ!" or "Mary, mother of God!" (which, yes, I have heard other christians say, and have, occasionally said myself, when harsher swear-words were out of the question), I'd be more surprised. *g*

He doesn't seem too too religious, though -- so as long as you don't have him wearing a cross or some such, you'll be all good.

Heh. No, no crosses. I'm just... wondering how a Jewish wedding would differ from a Christian, or non-religious ceremony. Hell, it's not even the ceremony I need to know, just the reception. Off the top of your head, are there any major differences I should be aware of?

You can email me if specific questions arise during your writing that you can't readily find on the 'net. I've been Jewish for about 23 years -- I've got a decent handle on the thing ;)

Thanks! Actually, if possible, could I get you to have a quick look over the fic when it's a bit more done? I'm just trying.. to write flashbacks for Dan, but my knowledge of Judaism is very small. Hence, I have a feeling there may be lots of little things that I wouldn't even realise. The type of things you take for granted, because it's how you've grown up.

[lispeth.livejournal.com]

I'm eighteen years jewish now, and I say 'jesus' and 'sweet mary', although I'm trying to train myself out of it. If you want an unsolicited opinion (and who doesn't?) I think that there are curses we use when we're trying to communicate how we feel to other people, (or insult them, or make them angry) and curse we use by ourselves...eh. I'll go make sense later.

Re:

[out-there.livejournal.com]

*nods* Yeah, I get what you mean. Some things you say because there are people around, and you don't want to be *too* offensive, and other things you say when it's just yourself because you can be offensive, or because you can sound like an idiot and not be mocked. *g*

[elishavah.livejournal.com]

Heh. I'm a life-long Jew and I've sort of figured that Dan's about where I am on the religon spectrum -- the left end of Reform. (And I say "jeez" or "Jesus" all the time. It's just part of American culture.)

So any questions, feel free to ping me. Because that Web site looks pretty good, but as the owner says, it starts from an Orthodox point of view. And there's a difference between Reform, Conservative and Orthodox, just like there is between, say, Catholic, Baptist and Unitarian.

Re:

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Heh. I'm a life-long Jew and I've sort of figured that Dan's about where I am on the religon spectrum -- the left end of Reform.So any questions, feel free to ping me.

Dude, I so will. Thanks!

Because that Web site looks pretty good, but as the owner says, it starts from an Orthodox point of view. And there's a difference between Reform, Conservative and Orthodox, just like there is between, say, Catholic, Baptist and Unitarian.

Hmmm... well, I'm currently relating them as Reform = Born again Christian (ie. same beliefs, far more modern), Conservative = modern Catholic (religious, believes in the old ceremonies, doesn't apply them regardless) and Orthodox = traditional Catholic.

Re:

[elishavah.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's sorta it. I don't want to confuse you too much with the variations within the three areas, but I'll give you a taste by saying that my rabbi said it was okay to not believe in God. *g* And then there's the fact that we have a female rabbi, and so might a more liberal Conservative congregation, but no way, no how would that happen in a fully Conservative group. And an Orthodox temple usually won't even let women pray in the same room.

So, yeah, the examples I threw out on the Christian/Catholic side were just ones I could think of that were reeeally far apart.

Re:

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's sorta it. I don't want to confuse you too much with the variations within the three areas, but I'll give you a taste by saying that my rabbi said it was okay to not believe in God. *g* And then there's the fact that we have a female rabbi, and so might a more liberal Conservative congregation, but no way, no how would that happen in a fully Conservative group. And an Orthodox temple usually won't even let women pray in the same room.

Wow. In other words, *big* differences between the branches, like the big differences between the Christian churches. Sure, their beliefs all come from the Bible, but vastly different way of interpreting them.

So, yeah, the examples I threw out on the Christian/Catholic side were just ones I could think of that were reeeally far apart.

Well, I'm coming to the belief that Toby is Jewish the same way that Jed is Catholic. They *believe*, they understand, they have faith in their religion. Whereas Josh and Dan are Jewish the way that Leo's Catholic. They are nominally of that faith, that is the way that they identify themselves, but it's just as much (or more) a cultural identity, than an actual belief in the traditions and rituals.

Hmmm... thanks for the info. It's great to have an... "insider" opinion.