#halfjew

[jeremyyablan]

#evilelf found the #menschonabench. I think we'll have to separate them. #halfjew #holidaywhore #notantisemetic #elfonashelf (at Simi Valley, California)

[gingersforjustice]

Cashew Ramblings on the Day of Atonement

Yom Kippur is one of the highest holy days in Judaism. It's one of those holidays that even most people who consider themselves cultural Jews or secular Jews still respect.  

The Catholic part of me sees Yom Kippur as super duper Confession. Growing up, it seemed like my Mom was always either going to church to apologize for the things she had done wrong or feeling guilty for not going to church enough to apologize for the things she had a done wrong.

While my father is far less skilled in the art of feeling guilt, it seemed that he saved all of this for Yom Kippur. Instead of weekly or semi-weekly confession, my father waited for the period once a year where he would sit in temple, get really quiet, and make a lot of phone calls.  

As I have grown older and begun the process of trying to see what is family tradition and what Judaism actually calls for during its important holy days, I'm struggling with figuring out how to honor and respect the spirit of Yom Kippur with out performing rituals that don't exactly feel right to me. This is hard, because part of the deal of Yom Kippur is to feel discomfort in some way. 

So instead of fasting today, I am only eating simple foods. No meat, no spices, no sugar. 

Instead of going to temple, I am staying in my home. I will reflect upon the things I have done wrong. I will write them down. And I will then burn them. 

Instead of contacting all of the people who I have wronged, I will write down their names. I will keep them in my journal and in my prayers. 

Instead of abstaining from washing all together I will take one 5 minute shower.   

I will be sure to follow some of the actual rules. I will pray, repent, give to charity, abstain from leather, perfume, and sex. 

Finally, I will spend a lot of time thinking about how the Torah talks about soul, and what my soul and the souls of others means to me.  

I never know what to say to people on Yom Kippur. I suppose I wish everyone a peaceful and reflective next couple days, and a delicious break fast.