Traditional Jews Essay Example for Free

Traditional Jews Essay Religion is a vast and distinct area of study. Many different cultures and groups have different practices, and within those cultures there are many sub-groups that are different than the majority. The Haredim are a Jewish sect that is basically a sub-group of traditional Jews that demonstrate many differences from the majority. Haredim have a different approach to death and the actual funeral procession of loved ones. Many other cultures will honor their dead by having a eulogy or some other type of ceremony. The Haredim like to invoke a different sense of devotion to passing ancestors. For instance, it is acceptable, among Haredim, for the Sephardi to sing the songs of his father and grandfather, to utilize the prayer rhythm of his youth. 1 This is essentially singing prayer songs to the father, if passed, and the grandfather, if passed during a funeral procession. These songs are supposed to honor the dead and at the same time elevate the dead to a type of saint-like status. After the deceased have had songs sung, it is time for a type of ceremony called the â€Å"Communion of Saints. † Here the Haredim invoke the â€Å"Communion of Saints† upon hearing of the death of an elder and attempt to have the Saints bless the body spiritually. The blessing is done to elevate his familiar saints and holy men, entering [his relative] in the pantheon of the believer, even to add a modest twist or two of traditional clothing to the standard garb. 1 The Haredim are known for their revering of elders upon death and their attempt at ascending those elders into a higher spiritual space. This is firmly established, according to their faith, by invoking the elder and finally invoking the â€Å"Communion of Saints† to assist in the transfer to the spirit world. Another aspect of death in Haredim society is the actual burial. The Haredim employ the hevra kaddisha, the Communal Fraternal Burial Society in Israel, is responsible for the reverential disposal of the dead in accordance with Jewish law for all Jewish citizens. 2 Once the arrangements are established by the hevra kaddisha, the burial must take place. A problem arises in the burial because it must occur as soon as possible. As the Jewish text suggests, The dead must be buried as soon as possible, as much out of respect for their corporeal integrity as out of concern that they should not pollute their environment. Texts devoted to establishing and commenting on the impurity of human remains are abundant, and the laws relating to this subject are very strict: people and utensils that have been in contact with a cadaver might become impure, as does the place where they have lain, thus being in the presence of a dead body can cause ritual uncleanness. 3 It is clear that the Haredim employed different rituals from other groups, but also maintained a bastion of traditional beliefs that secular Jews also follow. Haredim are a very distinct culture as compared to other sects of Judaism. One of the more shocking revelations about their culture is they actually do not support the established state of Israel. One of the first evidences of this non-support is how the Haredim view the chief rabbis in Israel. They do not recognize the Chief Rabbinate and have their own Rabbinic authorities. 4 This presents a problem in the Israeli Jewish community in particular. The Israelis are attempting to create a united front against other groups that oppose them in the region. Because of the lack of support, and since there is no doctrinal significance to the office of Chief Rabbi, voices are raised from time to time to abolish the whole institution of two Chief Rabbis, irreverently called by Israelis the Heavenly Twins. 5 Another way they reject the Israeli state is they look upon Israel as too secular. All the Haredim have in common a â€Å"total dedication to the Torah in its traditional form and believe that the secular world is best kept at arms length. 6 They have a stark rejection of Israel and do not actually need a Jewish state. They are fine the way they are and reject the secularism of the Jewish faith in general. The politicians in Israel have no impressed the Haredim throughout the years. They believe they are without structure and without promise for any group of people. One example is from the 1981 campaign [where] the two parties [created] satirical television commercials, which featured well-known Israeli comedians. Such commercials, according to the Haredim, were an expression of spiritual emptiness. 7 The Haredim stand firm behind their beliefs even against their own government. A final examination of the Haredim reveals some peculiar traits as compared to other cultures. One of the ways they are different from other Jewish sects is their devotion to a culture long gone. For instance, they continued to be known by the Yiddish names of their rebes towns — Satmar, Belz, Ger — places that existed no more. 8 Another distinct difference is in the attire that the Haredim men usually wear. One eyewitness recounted, the men wore the clothing of eighteenth-century Hasidim. 7 One of the remarkable characteristics of the religion is the offspring that are produced within the families. Some of the families have many children as compared to other groups. It actually makes sense why this occurs because, they produced large families — six, eight, even ten children — to begin to try to make up for the millions of murdered Jews. 9 The Haredim do portray some peculiar traits that may seem strange to other religions, but actually they are effectively helping their way of life live on in the future. The Haredim are a fascinating group of people with a very different religious perspective. They live their life true to their moral codes and should be respected as any other religion. Works Cited Cromer, Gerald. The Voice of Jacob and the Hands of Esau: Verbal and Physical Violence in Israeli Politics, 1977–1984. Jews and Violence: Images, Ideologies, Realities. Ed. Peter Y. Medding. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. 149-164. Jacobs, Louis. The Jewish Religion: A Companion. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995. Sobel, Zvi. A Small Place in Galilee: Religion and Social Conflict in an Israeli Village. New York: Holmes Meier, 1993.

Comic Book Literature :: Reading Learning Education Essays

Comic Book Literature It's funny how time flies and how the memory seems to go with it. I remember when I was fourteen and decided to write the great American novel. I thought then that I was going to have to like the dreaded of all subjects, English. I gave it a good try. I gave 110% to the writing assignments, read most of what they told us was good, and really tried diligently to care about gerunds. But like it or not, a lot of English was drier than my grandmother's skin. I tried remembering some of the things my classmates and I read in our junior high school English classes and I managed to come up with a few: The Canterbury Tales, Romeo and Juliet, and A Rose for Emily, other than that, I draw a blank. Seems I spent less time reading the textbook than I did the comics I hid inside it. I look back at that time now with affection. The eighties and early nineties were a revolutionary period for comic books. With comic book writers like Grant Morrison, Frank Miller, and Alan Moore, children didn't graduate from reading comic books into reading other things; the comics seemed to mature with us. Of course, our teachers didn't see the literary revolution occurring in coming books – I'd wager most of our teachers hadn't read a comic book since their own youth. But now the comic book readers of the eighties are coming of age, we're entering the workforce, we're slowly taking over the world, and it's time we made a few changes. If I were to ask teachers if they taught or considered incorporating comic books into their lessons, the answer I expect from most would be â€Å"no.† Comic books, while another form of creative writing is not represented in nearly all of today's literature textbooks, even though comics have been around for centuries. According to Will Eisner, comic creator and advocate for comics in the classroom, â€Å"Long before the invention of the alphabet, which depends on readers' ability to memorize its code, sequential pictures were used to record knowledge and communicate man's experiences, either read or imaginary† (75). I think this issue may have started because comic books are not simply a medium based on words as a short story is. Instead, comics are words juxtaposed with art work – art work that often times seems very iconic, almost –dare I say— cartoonish . Comic Book Literature :: Reading Learning Education Essays Comic Book Literature It's funny how time flies and how the memory seems to go with it. I remember when I was fourteen and decided to write the great American novel. I thought then that I was going to have to like the dreaded of all subjects, English. I gave it a good try. I gave 110% to the writing assignments, read most of what they told us was good, and really tried diligently to care about gerunds. But like it or not, a lot of English was drier than my grandmother's skin. I tried remembering some of the things my classmates and I read in our junior high school English classes and I managed to come up with a few: The Canterbury Tales, Romeo and Juliet, and A Rose for Emily, other than that, I draw a blank. Seems I spent less time reading the textbook than I did the comics I hid inside it. I look back at that time now with affection. The eighties and early nineties were a revolutionary period for comic books. With comic book writers like Grant Morrison, Frank Miller, and Alan Moore, children didn't graduate from reading comic books into reading other things; the comics seemed to mature with us. Of course, our teachers didn't see the literary revolution occurring in coming books – I'd wager most of our teachers hadn't read a comic book since their own youth. But now the comic book readers of the eighties are coming of age, we're entering the workforce, we're slowly taking over the world, and it's time we made a few changes. If I were to ask teachers if they taught or considered incorporating comic books into their lessons, the answer I expect from most would be â€Å"no.† Comic books, while another form of creative writing is not represented in nearly all of today's literature textbooks, even though comics have been around for centuries. According to Will Eisner, comic creator and advocate for comics in the classroom, â€Å"Long before the invention of the alphabet, which depends on readers' ability to memorize its code, sequential pictures were used to record knowledge and communicate man's experiences, either read or imaginary† (75). I think this issue may have started because comic books are not simply a medium based on words as a short story is. Instead, comics are words juxtaposed with art work – art work that often times seems very iconic, almost –dare I say— cartoonish .

Biblical Principles And Fiscal Policy

Biblical principles that deal with Fiscal and Monetary policy clearly spell out the expectations of a believer: the love of money is the root of all evils’. Give that which belongs to Caesar unto him, and that which belongs to God unto Him. This teaches the principle of equity, avoidance of greed and exercise of dependence on God and not such material possessions in pursuit of human goals. This therefore becomes the guiding principles for designing a viable fiscal and monetary policy.In this situation, all appropriate quarters working for the good of the organization are duly taken care of. Besides, such units need also make themselves accountable to the Audit or similar unit: In this vein, the accountability is sustained for the good of the colony. WORTHY PLAN The plan is also structured in such a way that the less privileged is also catered for: such people include the severely handicapped, orphans, the aged.The influence of Biblical principles, in these situations, ensures the policy promotes unity and harmony in the organization/nation. This way, there is reduced incidence of strife, attack on the rich in the society, embezzlement of public funds. It affords the right opportunity to contribute to the installation and maintenance of social amenities. With the weapon of the policy, taxation is not exempted nor evaded. It also provides for the provision of social amenities for the populace, and dilapidated ones are marked accordingly for repairs.Award of such contracts are heavily based on merit and not of favoritism or nepotism. Contractors for such projects are credible people saddled with the responsibility of carrying out such projects with the right materials, durable and long-lasting. All these are aimed at equitable distribution of resources among competent organizations and individuals. GIVING: LAW OF SOWING AND REAPING A 10% of accruable income is also given as tithe to God, as a means of replenishing his household and promoting missionary acti vities.Biblical principles are clear on the question on when and how to spend money; it emphasizes respect for government and so taxes must be paid at the right time, and all promises must be met. Besides, it also emphasizes the importance of giving a portion of accruable profits to God in the form of tithes and offering; this is one spiritual principle based on the ‘Sowing and reaping’. Sowing implies giving to the work of God; this is how every good Christian sees their gains and is also influenced by such in planning fiscal policies.Even certain entrepreneurs understand this principle so much that they provide certain share of money for socio-cultural and religious activities. Some don’t just give; they sponsor crusades, trips, scholarships, salaries and projects. Why do they do this? They understand its implication. What you sow is what you reap; they sow seeds into these organizations and they reap bountiful returns in kind and cash. This is one tested princ iple that company leaders and investment tycoons can attest to: it works excellently.In essence, the role of Biblical principles is such that it promotes accountability, integrity and equity; wealth is not restricted to a particular group of people; everyone is encouraged to engage in fruitful ventures. This is not far from the equality/justice perspective of a Christian, as he sees monetary policy as an avenue to show love and glorify God. In doing this, he understands the importance of equitable distribution of resources in such a way that the concomitant challenges of inequality and fraud are reduced or eliminated.

The University Of Southern California - 1490 Words

The University of Southern California promotes five pillars for all of its students to embody: faithful, scholarly, skillful, courageous, and ambitious. Of these five traits, a student’s possession of courage will take him or her on the greatest path to success. USC relates the trait â€Å"courageous† to itself by proclaiming that students â€Å"are bold when faced with opportunities to contribute to USC’s continuous efforts to build a greater university for generations to come† (â€Å"Five Traits of a Trojan†). While this is true, this boldness is not necessarily shown immediately or developed overnight. In addition, it is true that USC being courageous will benefit USC for generations to come. Nevertheless, courage will also greatly benefit the†¦show more content†¦How does this definition tie the people in this array to courage? What do they all have in common? Each of these figures was a strong, successful leader. It is not a coincidenc e that this definition of courage coincides with great leadership. There are many other examples and definitions of courage, such as the other definition offered by Oxford: â€Å"strength in the face of pain or grief† (Oxford). Here, we have a broader definition of courage that is less inclusive to negative examples. Yet, this definition also embodies great leadership. Any leader of a minority group that has overcome obstacles to achieve their goals fits into this definition, such as the previously mentioned Nelson Mandela. Mandela protested against racism in the South African government and helped to destroy South Africa’s apartheid system (â€Å"Nelson Mandela†). Mandela contributed to the â€Å"good life,† - embodied by life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness - by offering victims of discrimination opportunities to seek greater liberty and happiness. All inspiring, influential leaders have contributed to the â€Å"good life† for people facing injustice. 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