I went to a luncheon today for Jewish social work students, and now I want to be a Mormon-Jew.
There were 8 of us who ate bagels and locks around the conference table while young, smart Rabbi Jacob led us in a discussion on coping in difficult and uncertain times. We read a Yiddish text written by a woman a few hundred years ago who pled, "How long, O God of Israel, will You hold out the rod of punishment toward those who are but dust and clay?"
We discussed the Jewish tradition of "holy audacity" in which people can call God out to make sure that He's keeping His promises. I really liked their bold approach to covenants.
I think that the Rabbi and I might have been the only ones in the group who actually believe in God, but I felt so comfortable and welcomed there. There was a strong feeling of unity around the shared Jewish culture, history and texts.
It made me want to work harder to create a Mormon community in which believers and non-believers, hard-liners and questioners, practicing members and inactives, doubters and non-traditionalists can all feel equally welcomed and embraced.
They invited me to join their JHarvest CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) which means that I will get a box of fresh organic fruits and vegetables every Thursday in June through October. Hooray! In addition to being part of the "new Jewish food movement," I'll get creative veggie recipes and chances to go work on the farm.
Let it be known that if I didn't want to marry a Mormon, I'd marry a Jew in a heartbeat.
3 comments:
The farm thing is so awesome. And i completely agree, it would be nice to have a more inclusive "mormon group."
i used to have a crush on a boy that all my jewish friends referred to as "the mormo-jew" because he had a way more jewish sounding name than anyone they'd ever heard of.
georgina and i did a csa last summer and loved it so much we're doing it again. locally grown everything is pretty much the best.
also, when i was 13 i wanted to be jewish. i think it was a similar pull towards tradition and acceptance. appealing in adolescence, appealing now.
i <3 you.
Wow, holy audacity! Mormons could really use some of that. If all LDS people were like you, I'd go back to church for sure.
Although my Jewish experience, strictly speaking, is limited to dating a Jew freshman year and going to synagogue with her one time, I love Jews too. Although modern Judaism, as you imply, often seems like more of a tradition than a faith, the great thing about Jews is that they have a combination of conscience and intellect, which is hard to find these days. So many Christians (and conservatives, and other adherents of orthodoxies) are happy to give up their responsibility to think if someone gives them all the answers, but Jews know how to question things. Maybe that has something to do with their wondering why God allowed six million of their people to be murdered in cold blood.
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