Fitting Religion into the Budget?

[diggitydot]

I had no idea about the restriction on money during holy days. I'm not even a little religious, but I find religions fascinating.

[corn poffi]

Shakti, if you want to go to a service, go to a Friday night shabbat service. High Holy Day services are very long and require stamina. A lot of "once a year Jews" are unaware that Shabbat services are relaxed and fun because they only know the formality and tedium of the High Holy Days.

THIS. The high holiday services can be brutal, but regular services can be so much fun!

I actually recommend also going to one of the other 8 million holidays. I loved Simchat Torah at the synagogue I would go to like twice a year in Madison! That's the service when I would take friends who just wanted to check the whole thing out. It's a really fun service, and I feel like it's easier to follow than some others. But I do not attend services often (once or twice a year), so I'm sure there's other fun services that I don't know about.

[Laker]

DW and I are Catholics but we have yet to join a church in our new town. We seem to be holding off until we have kids (soon). The last mass we caught was at St. Peter's at the Vatican. It was pretty awesome. Sometimes I feel guilty for not going every week.

[L.Jane]

THIS. The high holiday services can be brutal, but regular services can be so much fun!

I actually recommend also going to one of the other 8 million holidays. I loved Simchat Torah at the synagogue I would go to like twice a year in Madison! That's the service when I would take friends who just wanted to check the whole thing out. It's a really fun service, and I feel like it's easier to follow than some others. But I do not attend services often (once or twice a year), so I'm sure there's other fun services that I don't know about.

This. Shakti, if I am in town for a decent period of time at a fun holiday, I would love to take you with me to services if you are interested. If you are interested in what regular everyday services are like, I can take you to that, or I can take you to one of our high ruckus holidays too. Your kids would love Purim. Its like Haloween in the way that they get to dress in costume and then instead of being quiet in services they get to yell and stomp whenever the villian's name is read. Like CP, as an adult, Simchat Torah is my favorite with fun dancing and celebration.

I'll take you up on it! I always liked my Cleveland Hts neighborhood at Purim (Orthodox). They'd all build little houses outside and I'd see them marching through the neighborhood. That's the one with the yummy triangle pastries, too, right?

[MrsK]

Yes on the pastries at Purim but the outside houses is Sukkot.

Aha! Mixing up my holidays.

[L.Jane]

Aha! Mixing up my holidays.

kinda love That. Hamentachen (triangle cookies to look like the villian's hat) are delicious. Especially the cheating type I make from cake batter and put chocolate chips in them. Traditionally they have jelly filling in them, but I can't stand jelly. When I was little I LOVED when we would build our Sukkahs. I try to eat outside in one every year. Its more difficult being away from home... And now I have taken my own thread on a detour. Love it. Ooh. And Lag Ba'Omer... Where we roasted potatoes over a bon fire and learned archery. There is a reason behind those activities, I promise. Then there is Tu Bishvat where we have a seder (dinner with an order to it like Passover) for fruit and plant trees. Oh and then there is Passover! My family every other year or so does a Seder second night for non jewish friends, so you could always join for that. I need to stop typing now. Thanks for making me remember I love my religion. I was having a bad week about it.

[ladymoreta]

Those do sound really fun!!!

[corn poffi]

L.Jane, you HAVE to be my twin. I also hate jelly so my aunt makes chocolate hamentachen for me!

[L.Jane]

L.Jane, you HAVE to be my twin. I also hate jelly so my aunt makes chocolate hamentachen for me!

Haha, almost. I actually can't have chocolate, but I make them with chocolate chips and then some with white choc chips, and sometimes even the pb or any fun type chips I find in the chocolate chip aisle.

My family every other year or so does a Seder second night for non jewish friends, so you could always join for that.

If you're ever in town for one, I would absolutely LOVE to go. I've never been to one, even though my cousin married a Jewish guy. I was in their wedding, so got to experience the chuppah and the glass breaking, but I've never been to a seder. (His family is not terribly observant). I've been to a bris as well. I grew up on the west side of Cleveland, and the majority of the Jewish population there is on the east side. As an adult I lived there (the Orthodox neighborhood I mentioned), but the Orthodox were a very tightly knit group and didn't really befriend anyone not a part of it.

Anyway, even though I'm decidedly un-religious, I do love to experience the traditions of various religions. I got to go to my first Iftar dinner this year and it was a neat experience.

[SoonerTexan]

I do love to experience the traditions of various religions.

And I love their weddings!

We do the Italian Catholic weddings, so I've got that covered.
My aunt's Greek wedding was amazing.
I'm hoping to get invited to my cousin's eventual Polish wedding...I've heard they are epic and involve lots of vodka and dancing.
But I've never been to a Jewish wedding...I need to make some Jewish friends!

[oceanchild]

One of my goals in life is to be invited to an Indian wedding. Haha.

I think I've only ever been to pretty generic Christian and Catholic weddings! And one between two non-religious lawyers who used an excerpt from a Supreme Court decision as one of their readings...

One of my goals in life is to be invited to an Indian wedding. Haha.

I think I've only ever been to pretty generic Christian and Catholic weddings! And one between two non-religious lawyers who used an excerpt from a Supreme Court decision as one of their readings...

If our extended family ever has one going on where you are, I'll take you with. It's totally a "bring a friend" kind of gig.