It's a little late to post on the Day of Atonement, which happened this year from sundown on Friday, September 24, to sundown Saturday, September 25. If you've been reading my blog, you know my excuse.
From a thread over at Head Heeb, I wrote:
I was in the hospital during Yom Kippur. My surgeons and many of the other doctors who treated me are Jewish. They all know me by my extremely Arabic name, and although they've gotten to know me, and know that I have a Jewish husband, they were all still surprised and delighted when I said "Good yontif."Here in San Francisco not that many goyim know enough to use the term.
I also got a chance to lecture several nurses on exactly what Yom Kippur is. Only the ones who wanted to know, mind you! I promise you they really asked. Lord I hope I didn't bore them to tears...
From this Arab Christian's perspective, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the direct predecessor to our own practice of forgiveness in Christianity. The phrase "forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us", from the Lord's Prayer, directly refers to the practice on Yom Kippur.
Attending Yom Kippur services with my husband at a Jewish Renewal congregation in Berkeley was extremely meaningful, on the two occasions I did it. I'm not sure that a mainstream synagogue's services would connect with me so much. (Mainstream Protestant and Catholic services also leave me cold).
Jewish Renewal congregations in the Bay Area have different flavors - Aquarian Minyan, which we attended twice, was very "hippie" and a little New Age; Chochmat Halev, favored by my beloved cousin-in-law Jenny, is focused on Jewish meditation and mysticism, with little interest in discussing political matters.
Kehilla, where I want to go next year, is extremely concerned with social justice, especially in Palestine. My mother attended Kehilla's Israel day this year, celebrating the anniversary of the founding of the state, only to find that Kehilla had renamed it Israel/Palestine Day, and used the opportunity to instruct the congregation's children and parents on why Israel's behavior in Palestine must change. !!! Mom was invited as a representative of a joint Palestinian/Israeli group devoted to resisting the occupation by rebuilding homes destroyed by the IDF. !!!
I am not going to become a Jew because I truly don't feel like a member of the tribe - I'm a cousin, a closely related cousin, but I dont' feel like a member of the tribe. Luckily, because I live in California, I can love my husband, be in his family, accept and participate in his spiritual traditions, and follow my own path. I'm certainly not on the path of my forefathers, either on the Orthodox or Protestant sides! If I HAD to commit, I'd probably choose "Unitarian". We take this for granted in America, but in the Middle East, you must choose a religion and stick to it. You are not allowed to "decline to state" or pick and choose elements you want. You are not allowed to avow agnosticism or atheism, all legitimate choices in my opinion.
Meanwhile, I'm so happy to have so many choices for myself and my family, where we can go to celebrate a part of my children's heritage without denying or denigrating any other part. Just because we are multi-cultural doesn't mean we are spiritual "nothings". We just don't fit in a box, that's all.
Belated Good Yontif to my Jewish readers.
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