... paradox, communication with god, and iconography ...

"We can of course say that we mean something different by communication with God. But then, what do we mean? And can we, without stumbling over the paradox, say that we do not mean what we say knowing that others will not know what we mean when we say that we do not mean what we say?"


-Niklas Luhmann (Society, Meaning, Religion -- Based on Self-Reference)

Transgender Jews

Lilith Magazine offers visitors to their website (www.lilith.org also seen on our links page) an archive of interesting, "landmark" articles. Two issues, one from 2002 and the other from 2007, deal with concerns of changing views on gender and sexuality within a Jewish context. Transgender Jews, gender ambiguity and many other topics are explored in this very interesting archive.

Read the articles here... http://www.lilith.org/pdfs/Lilith%20Trans%20Sp02.pdf

I AM A JEW!

I AM A JEW

The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding has recently announced the launch of a campaign aimed at fighting anti-semitism. Titled “I am a Jew,” it is being spearheaded by Rabbi Marc Schneier and hip hop mogul Russell Simmons. Said Simmons about the campaign:

Anti-Semitism is growing so quickly around the world… I want to do everything I can to fight it … People forget how quickly the world can change. I mean, it was only yesterday that [Jewish] people were being put in ovens.

Indeed. Simmons plans on recruiting A-List celebrities. Leonardo DiCaprio, Beyonce Knowles and possibly Samuel L. Jackson, Denzel Washington, Richard Gere and more will be involved. Simmons has been honored by the UJA-Federation of New York, has worked with the Israeli Consulate in New York and has consulted for AIPAC. Simmons is all about rapprochement and in that respect has also had ties with Minister Louis Farrakhan of the Nation of Islam. In 2001 he arranged a meeting between Rabbi Marc Schneier and Minister Farrakhan. Obviously the intent was to begin a dialogue between the vociferously anti-Israel and anti-Semitic Minister Farrakhan and the Rabbi in the hopes of creating better understanding. Russell Simmons can hardly be said to be an ardent supporter of Minister Farrakhan.

But that’s not good enough for the highly paid Abraham Foxman of the Anti Defamation League. The ADL recently released a statement where they insisted Simmons immediately and publicly distance himself from Farrakhan. Good move Abe. Way to alienate a good friend.

The ADL’s actions in this case have been described as bizarre, and it has been noted that the “I am a Jew” campaign is similiar to the ADL’s 2004 “Anti-Semitism is me” campaign. Responding in the past to his association with Farrakhan, Simmons said “I have actively encouraged a dialogue between all of the leaders of the African-American and Jewish communities in hopes of improving relations.” Can’t we just leave it at that? Or do we really need Foxman to go apeshit every single time even a whiff of anti-semitism rears its ugly head. Shouldn’t we encourage the ADL to pick its battles a little better?

* Well Photoshopped photo of Leonardo courtesy of The Wandering Jew.

*from me** This campaign was reported about in 2005 but I recently came across the press releases and was taken aback by the campaign, its intention, direction, and those involved.

TETH WEBSITE is UP!

The new TETH website is now publicly accessible. You can take a look at tethweb.org - suggestions are always greatly appreciated.

TETH website

I'm getting closer to finishing the site. I plan to have it up during the next week.

Brave New Website revisited

The former "JSS" is being reworked and should be up and running within the week. I would appreciate any and all suggestions about what should be on the site. What resources would you like to find? What topics do you feel are important? Is there something you just love and want to share? Whatever, whatever. Post it or send it my way.

Name Change

I decided that the name should be changed. It seemed to me that the name "Jewish Secular Society" was both exclusionary and misleading.

I opted for the word "teth," the ninth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. "In the Qabbalah, used as a symbolic device for the cosmic intelligent electric force, in theosophy called fohat, "whose symbol is the serpent which played such a prominent part in the Mysteries.""

Additionally, it was the name of the ice cream parlor my mother owned with her brother back in Chicago.

Women of the Wall

"Women of the Wall, or in its more familiar abbreviation, WOW, is a group of mostly religiously observant women who believe that women should be allowed to pray as a group at the Kotel, read from a Torah scroll and wear tallit. Currently, Israeli law does not permit women to perform these acts at the Kotel, and those who do so anyway are subject to a fine and up to six months in jail. Once a month on Rosh Hodesh, WOW members come together to form a minyan and pray at the Kotel. They complete the shacharit service and Hallel in front of the Wall and then move to a nearby archaeological area in order to read Torah and conclude the service."

- Sarah Szymkowicz, Jewish Virtual Library

Changing 'faiths'

As a Jewish woman who does not adhere to the religious beliefs that traditionally have defined "Jews" I wonder about how others who were not Jewish and have joined the religion embrace the term "Jewish". Do such individuals encounter the same (or similar) difficulties with the term not being of Jewish descent but having chosen to adopt the faith?

This need not be answered within the frame of Judaism, I just tend toward that reference point to frame questions... Would, for example, a practicioner of Hinduism feel excluded from the native Hindu population (meaning those born in regions where Hinduism is the dominate religious presence)?

Transcendence

Rather than excluding the possibility of God (although no one should present ideas that cannot be called into question here) I thought it might be interesting to try and understand what forms the "Divine" and/or the "Transcendent" might take.

how to begin?

I have been thinking about what the first post should be. I did not want to do an explanation of what I hope to do with this blog because I have no concrete intention. I do, however, hope this will be an honest inquiry into Jewish thought and its relevance to *non-religious* Jews or non-Jews. I emphasize "non-religious" it is a term I hope to understand more about before I am comfortable with its use. I ought to have many of the terms present offset by asterisks for lack of understanding, i.e. *Jews* *secular* *society* *dogma* *deity* *intention* *thought* and so on. Perhaps it is easier to apply the notion of negative philosophy to defining (by not defining) this project. Saying what it isn't because I can't possibly know at this point what it is. That in mind, this project/blog is not a place for dogmatic, unquestioned ideology.