Thank you for sharing your technological challenges over the holiday services. I literally watched Temple Israel of Boca instead of Michigan and didn’t notice for almost 15 minutes, I just thought they had new rabbi’s. I absolutely love that quote at the top, perfect for us that practice on the holidays. To be honest since the end (control of Covid) I have found a new appreciation of going to services, twice a year, in person. I see what is happening in our world and this sappy man loved attending services this fall with my adult children,
The same (sad), 26 as well and 30 year lives in California. Funny, I never thought I would desire going to temple, not I pray for my family to be with me.
I'm not Jewish but I keep the Sabbath and the holidays Moses kept. I have no Sabbath-keeping place of worship in my sleepy suburban town either so one has to pierce the increasingly hostile urban veil to collectively witness the face of God (or at least presumably godly people) when a holy day rolls around. Like your Seattlelites, no one in New Haven Connecticut knows how to drive in the rain--or snow, or on a sunny day in May either. Neither do they know how to leave the automobiles of other people alone, so the question of returning home in your intact vehicle is always a concern.
When God called us out of Egypt, and away from the company of the Amorites and Amalakites, I suspect he was already preparing us for the lesson of the decaying American metropolis, where rights of property are no longer widely understood and a camel unattended is some Hittite's beast of burden come sundown.
As I no longer have a church job that ties me to a physical location (I used to do all the audio-visual stuff till COVID hit and the anti-vaxxers were shown the door), I too stream God and hope for a better connection. My internet is fine but the flesh remains weak.
Such a fascinating post - I learned so much! And happy new year!
That's so interesting about Rome's churches. Places of worship are closing their doors around here, too - our local church was already sharing a minister with another, but that minister is now spread even more thinly between THREE churches.
I don't even know where to begin...you had me laughing out loud at 6:30 in the morning with my sleepy dachshund giving me the side-eye! I would attend any synagogue you developed as long as you included all the amenities!
Happy New Year. I found it fascinating to hear about your faith traditions.
If I could improve one thing about myself currently, I would become comfortable calling myself a writer. Period. And not following it up with “at least, I think so.” 😃
Happy new year! On improvement, I wish I were less inclined to stress in silence and more inclined to reach out to friends sooner, and also I wish I would just relax about certain pet peeves. Lots new, looking forward to autumn unfolding and venturing onward into another year!
Fasting - yikes. I had to fast today for a blood draw. This merely meant delaying breakfast by a couple hours, but it's the reason I put it off for almost a year!
This was nice CK. It was fun as you juxtaposed to what you saw in Rome. I think you hit on a few truisms about the challenges for religions of all ilks. When I was a kid after tearing open presents on Christmas Eve we might turn on Mass from the Vatican. No Ram's Horn but an absurd number of celebrants and no shortage of extra equipment getting in on the action. I think streaming Yom Kippur or a Megachurch at an old superstore are all attempts to sneak in some modernity. One of my brothers lived for a number of years in Germany. Their family would go to Church services and always just reported the Churches are really just museums now. It seems to me that Judaism has tried to adapt to the modern world and that is a good thing. It invariably leads to schisms.
My sense is we are hard-pressed to imagine something more tied in time past than these practices. Whenever I encounter people who think everything is falling apart, the answer is always "the good old days" -- that never were IMO. As a sports fan, the games that do best are those that adapt to the times and not stick with "tried-and-true". Let's play horseshoes, we haven't adapted the rules in many centuries. No frowns it is amazing fun and great on TV.
I wonder if a religion had emerged that, from the beginning, as a core mantra just embraced the idea of changing beliefs over time would be better equipped for a fast-changing world.
Questions:
1. I am not but am familiar enough
2. Just try to continue to spend more time in new circles
Thank you for this thoughtful comment. Interesting that German churches are essentially museums now. We went to Santa Maria maggiiore in Rome where there were tourists as well as nuns, priests offering confession and monks praying. The place was not only stunning but there was an energy that almost brought us to our knees. Jeff prayed next to a monk and I meditated.
The Protestant Reformation swept almost all of Europe and weakened the Catholic Church's hold I think. When our Bookclub read "The Pope & Mussolini" it was an EYE-OPENER. The power of the Catholic Church prevented unification of Italian City States for centuries and kept the state and individuals weak and the Church relevant. It is amazing but Italy really didn't become a modern state in Europe until the 20th Century. The Church remained a very important entity much longer than everywhere else in Europe. Even with the the rise of Fascism in Italy in WWII, the Church did not shade toward individual rights and democracy. At some level the Church became collaborators with Mussolini -- law and order, Italy for Italians, etc. In Poland, post WWII it was quite different. The people had experienced the horrific impact of totalitarianism and the Church became the resistance to imposed Communism. For me, having a 1/2 Polish background, Italy and Poland are remarkably different responses to fascism and totalitarianism. It is the strangest of circumstances in the US to feel like Churches are picking sides in politics like never before. We even have important institutions that say it is okay. Italy is a cool place. Democracy is very fragile. The Church as an institution is a big part of everyday life to this day.
That book sounds fascinating. We learned a bit about why Mussolini was so popular starting in 1929 and that Hitler actually used the Mussolini playbook as his blueprint for Germany. Mussolini's nationalistic reform was positive in the area of excavation and preservation of Italy's ancient history. The Jews were safe while Mussolini was in power. Once he was ousted, Germany invaded and Italian Jews were sent away to camps. It was near the end of the War. We visited the Jewish Ghetto in Rome and saw the homes of Jews who were deported and murdered. There are brass plaques at the thresholds with the names of the families who once lived there.
I think the author wrote a series of books about the Popes who had to give up controlling Italy starting in the 1870s. Not a smooth transition. I'll share a link to the book. It was good
The author was granted some access to both Vatican n Fascist Archives. The Pope when Mussolini n Hitler come to power was Pius XI. One of the higher ups in the Vatican served as a spy for Mussolini n Hitler. He became Pope Pius XII. I think whenever we investigate and expand history is when we really learn. I think a friend is planning to nominate Kertzer's book about Pius XI. I will email a link to the book.
Venice marked the thresholds of deported Jewish families with brass plaques as well. It was within spitting distance of small church, and it made me want to weep.
Happy New Year. It's certainly interesting to hear about your faith traditions and I agree with Donna, I'd be happy to hear more.
Improving myself? I don't even know where to start. But your thoughts about community struck me, and the point that you fared well in the pandemic because you were used to being alone. I had zero problems with lockdown and when there was a lot of media focus on how hard it was for people being lonely and isolated there was a little cynical voice in the back of my mind going "welcome to my world". So if I have something I should be focusing on, it's about connecting better with people.
Thanks Carissa, it's so interesting to learn about the customs and holidays of your faith tradition. I was curious, not confused, and I'd love a post like this every time they come up. The more we can learn about the traditions of others the easier it is to see the fundamental sameness, the connection and spirit.
What would I like to improve about myself? Quite a few things! I'll start with organization. My current style of organized chaos (mild chaos🤣) works in my house and office because I know where everything is but it's much less effective in the digital space. It seems I'm pretty good at taking the time to sort out different aspects of living until it comes to my computer. That's what I would really like to improve. I think I need an assistant, haha.
Happy New Year Friend❤ May you and your family have a lovely year, chock full of blessings.
Thank you for sharing your technological challenges over the holiday services. I literally watched Temple Israel of Boca instead of Michigan and didn’t notice for almost 15 minutes, I just thought they had new rabbi’s. I absolutely love that quote at the top, perfect for us that practice on the holidays. To be honest since the end (control of Covid) I have found a new appreciation of going to services, twice a year, in person. I see what is happening in our world and this sappy man loved attending services this fall with my adult children,
My mom is in Boca. Hehe. Worth the watch?
My dream is to attend services with my kids again. They are 26 and no interest… yet.
Thx for reading!
The same (sad), 26 as well and 30 year lives in California. Funny, I never thought I would desire going to temple, not I pray for my family to be with me.
I hear you. 🙏
I'm not Jewish but I keep the Sabbath and the holidays Moses kept. I have no Sabbath-keeping place of worship in my sleepy suburban town either so one has to pierce the increasingly hostile urban veil to collectively witness the face of God (or at least presumably godly people) when a holy day rolls around. Like your Seattlelites, no one in New Haven Connecticut knows how to drive in the rain--or snow, or on a sunny day in May either. Neither do they know how to leave the automobiles of other people alone, so the question of returning home in your intact vehicle is always a concern.
When God called us out of Egypt, and away from the company of the Amorites and Amalakites, I suspect he was already preparing us for the lesson of the decaying American metropolis, where rights of property are no longer widely understood and a camel unattended is some Hittite's beast of burden come sundown.
As I no longer have a church job that ties me to a physical location (I used to do all the audio-visual stuff till COVID hit and the anti-vaxxers were shown the door), I too stream God and hope for a better connection. My internet is fine but the flesh remains weak.
Don’t know how I missed this comment. Thx for commenting. 🙏
Such a fascinating post - I learned so much! And happy new year!
That's so interesting about Rome's churches. Places of worship are closing their doors around here, too - our local church was already sharing a minister with another, but that minister is now spread even more thinly between THREE churches.
Wow. England too.
Thx for reading and commenting!
I don't even know where to begin...you had me laughing out loud at 6:30 in the morning with my sleepy dachshund giving me the side-eye! I would attend any synagogue you developed as long as you included all the amenities!
I wish there was a photo link so I could see your fur baby’s reaction. Hehehe.
So glad I gave you a giggle. I think I’m on to something.
Happy New Year. I found it fascinating to hear about your faith traditions.
If I could improve one thing about myself currently, I would become comfortable calling myself a writer. Period. And not following it up with “at least, I think so.” 😃
There’s your mission. I’ll be first to ask. “Are you a writer?”
Happy new year! On improvement, I wish I were less inclined to stress in silence and more inclined to reach out to friends sooner, and also I wish I would just relax about certain pet peeves. Lots new, looking forward to autumn unfolding and venturing onward into another year!
Thx for reading and commenting! Excited for you and your new project.
Lenny Bruce once said that Gentiles celebrate holidays, Jews observe them. I've been observing from a distance for a long time.
Livestreaming Yom Kippur... hmm
Great quote! Thx for reading and commenting.
Fasting - yikes. I had to fast today for a blood draw. This merely meant delaying breakfast by a couple hours, but it's the reason I put it off for almost a year!
Hope blood work is normal. Thx for reading and commenting.
This was nice CK. It was fun as you juxtaposed to what you saw in Rome. I think you hit on a few truisms about the challenges for religions of all ilks. When I was a kid after tearing open presents on Christmas Eve we might turn on Mass from the Vatican. No Ram's Horn but an absurd number of celebrants and no shortage of extra equipment getting in on the action. I think streaming Yom Kippur or a Megachurch at an old superstore are all attempts to sneak in some modernity. One of my brothers lived for a number of years in Germany. Their family would go to Church services and always just reported the Churches are really just museums now. It seems to me that Judaism has tried to adapt to the modern world and that is a good thing. It invariably leads to schisms.
My sense is we are hard-pressed to imagine something more tied in time past than these practices. Whenever I encounter people who think everything is falling apart, the answer is always "the good old days" -- that never were IMO. As a sports fan, the games that do best are those that adapt to the times and not stick with "tried-and-true". Let's play horseshoes, we haven't adapted the rules in many centuries. No frowns it is amazing fun and great on TV.
I wonder if a religion had emerged that, from the beginning, as a core mantra just embraced the idea of changing beliefs over time would be better equipped for a fast-changing world.
Questions:
1. I am not but am familiar enough
2. Just try to continue to spend more time in new circles
3. Back at you
Thank you for this thoughtful comment. Interesting that German churches are essentially museums now. We went to Santa Maria maggiiore in Rome where there were tourists as well as nuns, priests offering confession and monks praying. The place was not only stunning but there was an energy that almost brought us to our knees. Jeff prayed next to a monk and I meditated.
Thanks CK -- the topic is very interesting to me.
The Protestant Reformation swept almost all of Europe and weakened the Catholic Church's hold I think. When our Bookclub read "The Pope & Mussolini" it was an EYE-OPENER. The power of the Catholic Church prevented unification of Italian City States for centuries and kept the state and individuals weak and the Church relevant. It is amazing but Italy really didn't become a modern state in Europe until the 20th Century. The Church remained a very important entity much longer than everywhere else in Europe. Even with the the rise of Fascism in Italy in WWII, the Church did not shade toward individual rights and democracy. At some level the Church became collaborators with Mussolini -- law and order, Italy for Italians, etc. In Poland, post WWII it was quite different. The people had experienced the horrific impact of totalitarianism and the Church became the resistance to imposed Communism. For me, having a 1/2 Polish background, Italy and Poland are remarkably different responses to fascism and totalitarianism. It is the strangest of circumstances in the US to feel like Churches are picking sides in politics like never before. We even have important institutions that say it is okay. Italy is a cool place. Democracy is very fragile. The Church as an institution is a big part of everyday life to this day.
BTW does your book group live stream?
That would be great but we do not. I will raise the option again
That book sounds fascinating. We learned a bit about why Mussolini was so popular starting in 1929 and that Hitler actually used the Mussolini playbook as his blueprint for Germany. Mussolini's nationalistic reform was positive in the area of excavation and preservation of Italy's ancient history. The Jews were safe while Mussolini was in power. Once he was ousted, Germany invaded and Italian Jews were sent away to camps. It was near the end of the War. We visited the Jewish Ghetto in Rome and saw the homes of Jews who were deported and murdered. There are brass plaques at the thresholds with the names of the families who once lived there.
I think the author wrote a series of books about the Popes who had to give up controlling Italy starting in the 1870s. Not a smooth transition. I'll share a link to the book. It was good
Let me know. That Vatican is quite a museum. I never knew about the huge Egyptian section.
The author was granted some access to both Vatican n Fascist Archives. The Pope when Mussolini n Hitler come to power was Pius XI. One of the higher ups in the Vatican served as a spy for Mussolini n Hitler. He became Pope Pius XII. I think whenever we investigate and expand history is when we really learn. I think a friend is planning to nominate Kertzer's book about Pius XI. I will email a link to the book.
Venice marked the thresholds of deported Jewish families with brass plaques as well. It was within spitting distance of small church, and it made me want to weep.
Thx for commenting. I saw the Venice ghetto 10 years ago. Forgot they also had the plaques.
Happy New Year. It's certainly interesting to hear about your faith traditions and I agree with Donna, I'd be happy to hear more.
Improving myself? I don't even know where to start. But your thoughts about community struck me, and the point that you fared well in the pandemic because you were used to being alone. I had zero problems with lockdown and when there was a lot of media focus on how hard it was for people being lonely and isolated there was a little cynical voice in the back of my mind going "welcome to my world". So if I have something I should be focusing on, it's about connecting better with people.
Beautiful. Yes. Us writers were a-ok during lockdowns. Glad to be in your world and connected.
Thanks Carissa, it's so interesting to learn about the customs and holidays of your faith tradition. I was curious, not confused, and I'd love a post like this every time they come up. The more we can learn about the traditions of others the easier it is to see the fundamental sameness, the connection and spirit.
What would I like to improve about myself? Quite a few things! I'll start with organization. My current style of organized chaos (mild chaos🤣) works in my house and office because I know where everything is but it's much less effective in the digital space. It seems I'm pretty good at taking the time to sort out different aspects of living until it comes to my computer. That's what I would really like to improve. I think I need an assistant, haha.
Happy New Year Friend❤ May you and your family have a lovely year, chock full of blessings.
Thank you! I will keep in mind your suggestion for future posts. Organized chaos. If it ain’t broke… Why bother if it works?
Thanks for this permission 💕