A tallit-and-tefillin-wearing woman in a traditional Conservative synagogue?! An unorthodox—and non-orthodox—perspective on Jews and Judaism from a perpetual misfit. This blog, welcoming the entire Jewish community, is dedicated to those who take Judaism seriously, but not necessarily literally.
posted by Shira Salamone at 3:40 PM
Once upon a time, I belonged to a left-wing egalitarian Conservative synagogue, where I was one of a number of women who wore a tallit—and one of the few members who used an Orthodox prayer book (adding the Mothers, of course). Having moved since then, I now belong to a right-wing traditional Conservative synagogue, where I’m almost always the only woman wearing a tallit—and one of the few members who adds the Mothers. I seem destined to be forever . . . on the fringe.
4 Comments:
Things are not quite a clear-cut as you might think. And weren't you a French major -- or did you only study the language? Republican France has a tradition of paternalism, and the burqa ban is nothing if not paternalistic. I think official France truly believes that "liberty, equality & fraternity" stuff, and seeks to impose it by enforced assimilation.
Sadly, our own country seems to be experimenting with its own peculiar brands of paternalism from both the left and the right. As an example of the former, your Mayor's effort to compel socially responsible eating and smoking choices. For the latter, see efforts to impose predominantly christian concepts (American exceptionalism is a christian, new covenant concept) on society.
Yes, I was a French major, and yes, I only studied the language. Our courses did not include French history or aspects of French cultural life other than the literature.
I don't know about the enforced assimilation. When I was a student in France, there were substantial immigrant communities, especially from former French colonies such as Vietnam and some North African countries--many of my classmates were Moroccan. To what extent the permanent residents felt forced to become "more French than the French," I couldn't say.
I wouldn't say that the new and/or proposed restaurant rules impose "socially responsible" eating, but they certainly are attempts to compel *healthy* eating. As for the smoking ban in public buildings, that protects us non-smokers. But I think some proposed private prohibitions, such as co-ops and condos forbidding residents from smoking in their own apartments, might be too intrusive on personal rights.
"American exceptionalism is a christian, new covenant concept"
?
Nu, you never heard of the Chosen People? For better or for worse, we got there first.
Aren't kippot already banned in French schools?
"compel socially responsible eating and smoking choices"
While these are troublesome, they also are not merely meddling in personal choices. The public has seen their eating habits forcibly changed for the worse already by the workings of the food industry. That government should fight back on our behalf is good. Doing so in a non-paternalistic way is very difficult, though.
I don't believe the government should "fight back". The food companies are doing nothing illegal. Knowledgeable consumers need to make appropriate choices, to which the food industry responds.
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