Challenges facing Jews

Kashrut

This refers to the laws of purity that a Jew will follow. These are thoguht to be binding, particularly by the Orthodox community because they were given by God. Food laws in particular come under the category of chukim.

There are multiple reasons for them:

• Discplining towards holiness

• Expressing their side of the covenant relationship

• Demonstrating commitment to God

• Distinguishing the Jews from others and setting them apart.

• To make humans purer and closer to God 'For you are a people consecrated to the Lord your God' (Deuteronomy 14:21)

Laws about fish, birds and animals are found in Leviticus 11 and Deuternomy 14. The ones that are forbidden are called treifah. For something to be kosher, it must have a split hoof and chew the cud. Anything that has a completely split hoof is not allowed.

As well as this, kosher food must be food that does nto have dairy and meat mixed together. This is from the verse that says 'you shall not boil and kid in its mother's milk'. For this reason, often a Jewish kitchen will have 2 sinks. You have to also allow for time to elapse when having a meat dish before having dairy.

Kosher food mus be prepeared in the right way. This process is called shechitah which means that the animal must be cut across the throat with a sharp knife. It must nto have any defects nor any blood still in the meat.

When food is kosher, it will have a hechser to show that it has been approved by the Kashrut Division of the London Bet Din. This means that the laws of kashrut can be kept.

However, the problem is that often many Jews do not live in an area where they can get kosher food. They cannot eat out.

To try to address this problem, a shomer is often employed to ensure that food is kosher. They can be employed for special occasions.

The practice of ensuring food is kosher can often mean that Jews are segregated from society. Despite this though, it can be said that the Jews want to make sure of the reminder of distinctiveness.

However, Reofrm Jews do not see kashrut as a problem. They do not follow them, or do not follow some laws because they believe that they no longer have a moral basis. This is seen in the Pittsburgh Platform of 1885. Many Reform Jews may keep the kosher rules in the home but be perfectly fine eating out. They could argue that it is important to assimilate into the secular society and the laws of kashrut prevents this.

Dress

For Hasidic Jews in particular, there is the problem of dress. They have a discintive style featuring long beard and side burns. the women dress modestly, often with a wig. They may even wear a fur hat called a shtreimel on Shabbat. However they are often the source of anti-Semitic action and ridicule because of this. As well as this, assmiliation is imposible for Hasidic Jews because they believe that only by total seperation can they follow the mitzvot.

Practice

Being a Jew in today's society is hard because Judaism in particular is seen as a minority religion.

Often British culture does not cater to Jews. The focus is more on Sunday as a day of rest as opposed to the Saturday.

Religious observance can be hard for children in particular to fit in.

It may also be difficult for a Jewish family to go to the synagogue because they might not live near to it. They cannot drive as that is considered work.

Shabbat practices often mark Jews out as different because their colleagues could view them as being given favouritism by being allowed to leave early on a Friday evening.

Often if a autopsy is required, this comes into conflict with the idea that the body must be buried as soon as possible.

However, Reform Jews would say that even though Shabbat is important, there is not a need to be back as soon as the sun sets. They do not observe all the melachot, or the laws that define what is forbidden on Shabbat. They can drive to the synagogue.

Education

Education is important because it says in the Book of Proverbs 'Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it'.

They are many different Jewish schools for children for all denominations. They are governed by the United Synagogues. However, the JCOSS is not affiliated with any denomination. Jewish education is compulsory from key stages 3 and 4 but world faiths are also taught. Kosher food is served and the school closes early on Friday due to Shabbat.

However, many Jewish parents do not send their children to Jewish schools. Instead their children get their Jewish education from the synagogue.

Education can be difficult because it is where 'Jewish children are fully exposed to the ideas, attitudes and values of the wider secular society in which they live'.

Advantages:

Children are protected from any difficulties they may face from being a Jew in a non-faith school

• They are able to have kosher facilities.

• There is less chance of being bullied.

• The cultural needs can be catered for fully.

• Less chance of a lose of faith.

Disadvantages

Often there may be a sense of alienation from the child.

It can encourage segregation.

The Jewish Leadership Council

It is reponsible for bringing together representatives to support and ensure that needs are catered to.

It touches on synagogues, education, politics, young people etc. It has different external affrais managers in Scotland, Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham to advocate and network.

It has helped in educaiton. For example, it has said that the growth of Jewish schools has been the single largest change in the UK Jewish community. It provides support for Jewish schools whilst also letting them to deveop their own characteristics.

It has also launched the Yesh va' Yesh Wohl Hebrew Programme to encourage the speakign of Hebrew as well as the Chumash Curriculum which allows pupils to study the Torah in depth.