A great example of charity.

[ContraMundum]

In the city in which I live, one of the large Reform (called "Progressive" here) Temples sent a team of workers to the nearby Catholic mission to help feed the poor and needy on Christmas day.

In contrast, the local Orthodox Synagogues had the usual day of shiurim- about things like reincarnation, Kabbalah and Jewish identity.

I was really heartened by the Reform. They really have their head on straight in this way. I got a lot of joy out of this because to me, charity is more meaningful than the Zohar. :)

Kudos to them! :thumbsup:

[christinepro]

In the city in which I live, one of the large Reform (called "Progressive" here) Temples sent a team of workers to the nearby Catholic mission to help feed the poor and needy on Christmas day.

In contrast, the local Orthodox Synagogues had the usual day of shiurim- about things like reincarnation, Kabbalah and Jewish identity.

I was really heartened by the Reform. They really have their head on straight in this way. I got a lot of joy out of this because to me, charity is more meaningful than the Zohar. :)

Kudos to them! :thumbsup: Charity's good. I would of helped too!

[Steve Petersen]

This is a great story, but Orthodox are charitable people too.

[ContraMundum]

This is a great story, but Orthodox are charitable people too.

Indeed.

[ChavaK]

In the city in which I live, one of the large Reform (called "Progressive" here) Temples sent a team of workers to the nearby Catholic mission to help feed the poor and needy on Christmas day.

In contrast, the local Orthodox Synagogues had the usual day of shiurim- about things like reincarnation, Kabbalah and Jewish identity.

I was really heartened by the Reform. They really have their head on straight in this way. I got a lot of joy out of this because to me, charity is more meaningful than the Zohar. :)

Kudos to them! :thumbsup:

I think this is quite common-in most cities Jews of all types
volunteer to do charity work on these types of holidays....
some even volunteer to work for Christians on Easter or
Christmas to they can spend the day with their families.

[Ivy]

That's wonderful! :thumbsup:

I've always wanted to spend Christmas that way, doing a soup kitchen or something of that sort. Maybe I'll get organized next year instead of just having good intentions. :)

[ContraMundum]

That's wonderful! :thumbsup:

I've always wanted to spend Christmas that way, doing a soup kitchen or something of that sort. Maybe I'll get organized next year instead of just having good intentions. :)

I'd encourage that! Start organising it now- either with your pastor or with an established charity. Others will be blessed (and although we shouldn't seek it, the blessing often comes back to us).

[Ivy]

I'd encourage that! Start organising it now- either with your pastor or with an established charity. Others will be blessed (and although we shouldn't seek it, the blessing often comes back to us).

I'm going to keep my eyes peeled. :thumbsup:

It's true you often do get a blessing....for example (though this wasn't a poor person), I used a morning helping my friend organize her stuff (it's hard for her cuz she has ADD)........and what do you know, I subsequently received "power from on High" :D to organize my own stuff. Before that, I seemed to have a mental block about it. So I did receive a blessing.:)

Now that my memory is jogged, I think the Reform shul here does something, too.......I think it's food baskets possibly.

[ContraMundum]

Now that my memory is jogged, I think the Reform shul here does something, too.......I think it's food baskets possibly.

You know, the biggest argument I ever had with my family was over this- as a fiesty 12 year old. I commented that the Orthodox shule we attended seemed to give all their charity only to other Jews, whereas all the so called "secular" and "Reform" Jews seemed to spread the love a bit broader. I remember that word got to the Rabbi- and he tried to do damage control by talking to me about Jewish history etc. To this day I remember thinking how irrelevant I thought that was. Anyway- that was just one shule, and I'm sure there's many, many examples of the opposite. I personally can't think of any offhand. Anyone have any cool examples of that?

[visionary]

Charity begins at home.

[Ivy]

he tried to do damage control by talking to me about Jewish history etc. To this day I remember thinking how irrelevant I thought that was.

What in the history was he talking about?

[ContraMundum]

What in the history was he talking about?

I won't go into it here. Just let me say that I didn't respond to guilt trips in my youth. I got dumber as I got older on that point. ;)

[Ivy]

Lol!!!!! :D :D

Now now, there is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus, even if we are getting older & less shrewd than when we were feisty 12 year olds :D

Actually, though, I was a lot more prone to guilt at 12; too bad I didn't know you then, you could have coached me.......on how to get in big arguments with my family :D :D

[ContraMundum]

Now now, there is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus, even if we are getting older & less shrewd than when we were feisty 12 year olds :D

Actually, though, I was a lot more prone to guilt at 12; too bad I didn't know you then, you could have coached me.......on how to get in big arguments with my family :D :D


You probably would not have even got a word out of me at that age- I didn't speak to people outside of close friends and some family until I was 13- it's like the others didn't exist. I was weird. Different. I am the only kid I know who wrote to Leonid Brezhnev to tell him that I thought he was ruining the good work of Nikita Khrushchev by replacing him. I actually think I was the only kid who had even heard of them. I'm the only kid who stood up in Mile High Stadium and told everyone to shut up because I was trying to read. I'm also the only kid I know who ever built a full scale working trebuchet. I'm the only kid I know to tell a Rebbitzin "hey, is that really a wig? It's pretty bad!". I tried to drive at 11. I cut my own hair at 12- perfectly. I wore a Minnesota Vikings jacket when I lived in Denver- and a Broncos jacket when I left. When I got to Australia I stood on the roof of my house and thanked HaShem for giving me a country to rule over as their first true benevolent socialist leader. Yeah....I was weird.

But I like you now. :D

[Ivy]

You probably would not have even got a word out of me at that age- I didn't speak to people outside of close friends and some family until I was 13- it's like the others didn't exist. I was weird. Different. I am the only kid I know who wrote to Leonid Brezhnev to tell him that I thought he was ruining the good work of Nikita Khrushchev by replacing him. I actually think I was the only kid who had even heard of them. I'm the only kid who stood up in Mile High Stadium and told everyone to shut up because I was trying to read. I'm also the only kid I know who ever built a full scale working trebuchet. I'm the only kid I know to tell a Rebbitzin "hey, is that really a wig? It's pretty bad!". I tried to drive at 11. I cut my own hair at 12- perfectly. I wore a Minnesota Vikings jacket when I lived in Denver- and a Broncos jacket when I left. When I got to Australia I stood on the roof of my house and thanked HaShem for giving me a country to rule over as their first true benevolent socialist leader. Yeah....I was weird.

But I like you now. :D

You know, it's hard for me to type when I'm giggling hysterically.......:D

Trying to make up my mind which episode is my favorite--the standing up asking people to be quiet so you could read or the standing on the roof as high imperial poobah of Australia:D You just needed the proper high imperial poobah hat, that's all....the whole thing would have succeeded if you had had that. :D

Too bad we didn't know each other then. You could have hung out with me and watched me reading the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, or Gone With the Wind (in 3 days) in my four-eyes glasses...or better yet, watched me trying to get the gift of speaking in tongues. We could have been a fun & weird duo. ;)

Only I never could cut hair.....not that I didn't try :sorry: :D

[Ivy]

Hey, what's a trebuchet? A "frozen turkey catapault"? ;) :D

[ContraMundum]

Too bad we didn't know each other then. You could have hung out with me and watched me reading the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, or Gone With the Wind (in 3 days) in my four-eyes glasses...

Well, I did War and Peace in 8 days. :) I just liked the battles. Same when I read LOTR.

or better yet, watched me trying to get the gift of speaking in tongues.

That would have sent me runnin. I would probably have been so put off Christianity I would have sought a smicha and become America's leading anti-missionary. Only to later leave and form a heavy metal band.

:)

[Ivy]

Well, I did War and Peace in 8 days. :) I just liked the battles. Same when I read LOTR.



That would have sent me runnin. I would probably have been so put off Christianity I would have sought a smicha and become America's leading anti-missionary. Only to later leave and form a heavy metal band.

:)

Hewing orc-necks, hurrah! :D

My favorite quote from LOTR: "Evil will often evil undo." I think that's so awesome.

Naw, you wouldn't be runnin'....I never made an utterance, I just sat all by myself thinking real hard & getting a headache & hoping something might come out :D

I thought about asking my mom or dad to pray for me that I would "get it".......but I was way too private of a kid.



War and Peace in 8 days???? Whoa. Did you get a whopping reading hangover?

I know I did after that Gone With the Wind episode.

[Tishri1]

I think this is quite common-in most cities Jews of all types
volunteer to do charity work on these types of holidays....
some even volunteer to work for Christians on Easter or
Christmas to they can spend the day with their families.This is what we do here in our Shul , course we all know this year Miss Tish was buzy with Family Ministry;)

I love that about our Shul though we have more outreaches than I can possibly attend these days

That was very special of the shul by you CC:thumbsup:

[Tishri1]

Only I never could cut hair.....not that I didn't try :sorry: :DI was a bad girl at that age so we wont even go there:P

I did cut a guys hair who was a great musician (rocker) but just needed a makeover to get the attention off his goonie self and he became an over night success:D

His mom probably freaked:eek:

[LadyGarnetRose]

My father and I had a conversation on charity.

Does it matter the religion of the receiver when they are hungry, barefooted and in need?

No, does it matter if an organization only gives to one group of people who are hungry, barefooted and in need?


No.

They are giving. That's all that matters.

[zaksmummy]

In contrast, the local Orthodox Synagogues had the usual day of shiurim- about things like reincarnation, Kabbalah and Jewish identity.

why did they spend the day thinking about reincarnation?

[ContraMundum]

why did they spend the day thinking about reincarnation?

A lot of Orthodox, especially those influenced by the Zohar and Kaballah, spend a lot of time on the topic of reincarnation. Some Rabbis even have little lists of people and stories to prove reincarnation as true.

Example:

This Rabbis is right into it. (http://www.pinenet.com/~rooster/reincarn.html) also His home page. (http://www.pinenet.com/~rooster/index.html)

But it always ends up ridiculous and without warrant of scripture as we see here. (http://judaism.about.com/od/beliefsandlaw1/f/reincarnation.htm)