Bat Mizvah

[Willow]

I'm going to a Bat Mizvah today. I'm curious and interested in the Jewish expression of faith. I helped the child who is being honored create her video. I am very impressed with the family and their religious diversity. I attended church last sunday with the mother who is unitarian.

This is the first I've shared in awhile of my personal journey. I'm working through things the best way I know how. I'm exploring outside the christian expression of faith and enjoying being open to learning other people's faiths.

So... this is where I'm at... and I'm allowed to say it. Thanks for the permission to share... whew. I feel like a weight is lifted off me to be able to share my real stuff here again.

[mary]

Hey, Amy, I'm glad you're going to the bat mitzvah! :) Those are fun and there's always a "good spread" of food at them! It's a happy occasion for a little Jewish girl (I've been to two bar mitzvahs) and you can count on having a great time. It's wonderful that you were able to help her create a video... Is that going to be something like a Power Point slideshow during the bat mitzvah, or are we talking something of a bigger production? (Just curious... :) )

Let us know how you liked it, okay? One thing for sure: you'll hear a lot of "mazel tovs" today!

Mazel tov (means sort of "congratulations and with best wishes") to you, too!

mary

[Willow]

Let us know how you liked it, okay? One thing for sure: you'll hear a lot of "mazel tovs" today!

Mazel tov (means sort of "congratulations and with best wishes") to you, too!

mary

Oh darn... I wish I would have known mazel tov before i went! oh well.
It was a beautiful service and the young lady had the freedom to laugh on the platform and wink and mouth things to her friends. I was impressed that she didn't feel hemmed in by the ceremony. She had studied hard and only made one mistake. Her voice was beautiful as she did the chants. Boy was it a proud occasion for she and her family. I picked up one of the commentaries at the back of the synagogue and thought I should read more of them sometime. They had different angles on interpretations of OT stories and jewish laws. I went through the entire service without one trigger. Even the reading and responses did not bother me. It was different enough not to trigger me, but similar enough to what I've experienced before that I could relate to the messages. The messages could very well have come from a church pulpit... they were that similar. Only difference is that they didn't come from a minister in a pulpit. They were all in the songs and readings. I met a photographer from the unitarian church and had a nice chat with her. The mother of the bat mizvah girl is a unitarian, but she was right in the middle of the jewish rituals and had memorized all the lines. Each parent and a few others gave speeches as did Sarah... the bat mizvah girl. I felt connected, cared about, and valuable there. It's definitely not my spiritual home... but it was a great experience.

Thanks for letting me stick my neck out here and talk about it. I seem to be making a range of friends locally who have a range of spiritualities. It's been good for me to get to know them and accept them as "god people" and to throw away the label of christian.

Oh... the video was just a slide show of her pictures and video clips set to music. I did it in iMovie.

[jimsmuse]

:)I am so happy to know you felt so comfortable in the synagogue. My husband and I have sung in the choir for High Holy Days for 7 years and I am always telling my Christian friends how familiar everything is and how comfortable you would be at Temple.We do follow the Jewish Messiah and He is all over the scripture readings and the rituals! I love to listen to the Hebrew knowing that He also, stood at the Bema and read from the Torah. Every time the Rabbi reads the Hebrew for salvation he says Yeshua. which was Jesus' name. We had to miss this year and it was sad.

[mary]

Amy, I'm glad you liked the bat mitzvah so much... (Hmmm... "iMovie." A new one on me, but then I'm not very proficient or knowledgeable in that area. I'm sure the little girl really appreciated what you did for her!)

And I also appreciate your candor here. Wow! We may have different beliefs, but I'm not anyone's judge, and, well, I'm glad you're still with us and all! :) :) :) We all love you!

Marcy, we can sing together, baruch b'shem Yeshua HaMashiach! (Blessed is the name of Jesus the Messiah!)

Love to both of you and to all,

mary