From: faigin@aero.org (Daniel P. Faigin)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish
Subject: S.C.J Survey -- Accompanying Notes since Fri Jan 15 1993
Date: 22 Jan 1993 17:00:18 GMT
Organization: The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA
Distribution: soc
NNTP-Posting-Host: soldan.aero.org

( 43)  I seriously considered sending you a response, but decided not to, for
     exactly the reason that you mentioned: the responses will only come from
     the small fraction of readers who are motivated to be included in the
     survey.  It seems to me that the results will not be indicative of scj
     readership, contributorship, or othership, except for surveyship.  But,
     in case you're making a survey of people who don't want to be included in
     the survey, I'm a shomer shabbos conservative/conservadox product of less
     -observant Jewish parents and reconstructionist "education".

( 44)  "dues paying member" of Hillel, not of any synagogue "active in
     synagogue" active in Hillel, not in a synagogue "attend regularly" attend
     Shabbat services and dinner at Hillel when Hillel is having these, but
     during semester breaks do not attend services at nearby synagogue which I
     could if I were truly committed to this. "at-home" I usually try to make
     Shabbat restful and not deal with the and "outside"      more mundane
     aspects of work from when I leave Fri evening to sometime Saturday
     evening, though I'm not shomrei shabbas by any standard  Re: Affiliation:
     Philosophically I am probably closest to Reform, but I dislike most
     Reform services: I particularly dislike the organ and choir at many R
     temples and I often feel like the Amidah is too broken up and that the
     service doesn't feel complete, so I generally go to C services. At seders
     I have hosted, I have used traditional haggadot with extra readings I
     have inserted, some from the Tikkun haggadah supplement, others from
     stuff I got from my Reform temple when growing up, and I uses these as
     jumping off points for discussion rather than as something simply read.

( 45)  Q4: Somewhat. Q6: Shabbat. Q8: Yes, but not to O definitions

( 46)  1) Although I'm more observant than my parents formally (not driving on
     Shabbat,etc), I do not consider myself more observant than them in more
     general sense, nor I consider number of visits to shul as a proper
     measure of observance in mamy nowdays situations.    2) It would be
     intersting to have later more broad survey being done ( geographical,
     political, opinions on important questions). Probably it can be done with
     the people, who will answer this survey, Then result will be more
     meaningful.

( 47) Orthodox grandparents.  Actively Jewish since two years ago.

( 48)  All questions answered "A" above would be answered "Y" for
     corresponding Christian practice (i.e. church attendance, personal
     devotions at home, personal devotions with groups of friends).

( 49)  JCT Conservative (Conservadox) JTU Traditional (Spinoff of Conserv.)
     What's the difference between these two categories? Also, as a University
     Student with an excellent Hillel, I am considering my dues to Hillel as
     Synagogue dues.

( 50)  I attend services periodically, meaning daily minyan perhaps 5 to 10
     times a month, and Shabbat services maybe once a month or once every two
     months. I was a dues paying member until I moved from the area of that
     synagogue, and have not yet found a suitable replacement given what I
     want in a synagogue.

( 51)  Definitely NO moderation of scj!!!  It will kill the group.

( 52) The Jewish Community in this part of the world is a far flung group with
     132 active families spread between Pocatello, Idaho, through Idaho Falls,
     Idaho, and on into Jackson, Wyoming. Services are held twice a month -
     once in Pocatello and once in Idaho Falls.  Because of severe winter
     weather, normal for this climate and location (112W, 44N), Jewish life is
     more often carried out in the home than in services.  The center of
     Jewish live in the region has been in Pocatello since the 1930s.  A lay
     rabbi conducts the service. Torah portions read during services are
     discussed vigorously after each service.  Members of the congregation
     take turns presenting and offering their ideas. We have some texts in
     private libraries.  There is no publically accessible source of Jewish
     scholarship within a day's driving distance. Boise is 300 miles west and
     Salt Lake City is 250 miles south.  Because of our isolation from the
     mainstream of Jewish organizations we rely on publications and electronic
     mail to stay in touch with current events in Israel.  Until recently
     AIPAC sent a field rep through once or twice a year.  No one from ADL has
     been through here since 1991.  A rabbi from New Jersey who inspects Idaho
     potato processing plants for compliance with Kosher dietary laws has been
     visiting us about once every three months. We welcome visitors to our
     community.  Persons posting to SCJ who live in urban areas might consider
     that email is a source of education to us.  There is always an
     opportunity to inform as well as debate. .

( 53)  For Q10, I would like scj to remain in its present form, flames and
     all, but it would be good to have an additional, moderated, newsgroup for
     those with less time to spare (maybe something in digest form). Could
     Warren Burstein be persuaded to act as moderator?  He seems to have "the
     right stuff" for the job: openness to all points of view, and a great
     sense of humor.

( 54)  Both my wife and I can from homes which were non-observant. We have
     only become involved with our judaism in the past two years. Two things
     prevent us from being active in a synagogue - neither of us speaks/reads
     hebrew and I am currently a doctoral student - an event which translates
     into an income too low to pay synagogue (or even JCC) dues. It's not so
     much a question of not wanting to be as one of simply not being able to.
     We do send our son to an orthodox day school and are doing everything
     that we can to provide for his education in judaism and hebrew.

( 55)  I found it difficult to choose a STAT-INFO category. I am a Jew by
     anybody's standards. As for my own views, I think Judaism is a
     nationality, much as lots of people would like to claim it's but a
     religion. I am a member of the Jewish people. I was a member of the
     Jewish people even when I was also a member of the Romanian nation. I was
     not an ethnic Romanian, no matter how much I know, love and respect the
     Romanian culture. I am sure I yet know and respect it a lot more than the
     average Romanian, but, in spite of my knowing less about it:-(, Judaism
     comes first.  To make things more complicated, (whoever said first "it's
     hard to be a Jew" knew what he/she was talking about:-)) I call "Judaism"
     the Jewish religion too, and reasonable so, since the religion plays such
     a major role in the Jewish culture. I am an agnostic: I believe that
     humans can't know whether there is a Gd or not. But this has little to do
     with the Jewish religion. No rabbi would think that what I just said is
     reason enough for me not to observe the mitzvot. (On the contrary, I
     would probably be advised to keep them in order to gain faith.) As for
     myself, when I want to find out what the Halacha has to say about a
     specific problem, then I am interested in the Orthodox interpretation.
     So I chose JUU, but I wish there were a better suited category.  As for
     the questions, some are a bit perplexing, too. How can "religiosity" be
     quantified? I may be wrong, but I thought it is not within Judaism to
     measure that. Those who believe there is a Gd, leave that judgement to
     Gd. Those who don't believe in Gd, have no business in "measuring"
     religiosity, either. I think I can safely state *I am not religious*. But
     saying "'I' am more/less religious than 'Y'" or "'X' is more/less
     religious than 'Y'" strikes me as somehow improper.  And I sincerely fail
     to understand how can somebody say either "I keep the Shabath at home,
     but not outside" or the opposite way. I light the candles. The next
     morning I go to take a sunbath on the beach. I do rest on the Shabath,
     but I wouldn't call that "keeping" it.

( 56)  MORE-THAN-PARENTS: Yes, I am more observant than my parents, but
     mainly because my father does not observe much at all.  I am much   more
     similar to my mother in what I observe. DUES-PAYING-MEMBER: Well, I go to
     the Hillel on campus and there are   no dues per se, though I have
     contributed some money to Hillel. AT-HOME: I have not regularly been
     lighting candles etc. for Shabbat,   but since I have (recently) come to
     identify myself as   Reconstructioinist, I have begun to do more of the
     ritual aspects of   observance.  OUTSIDE: I try not to go into my office
     on Shabbat, but I will spend   money, drive a car etc (i.e. technically
     break the sabbath).  I try   to set aside Shabbat as a time to be with my
     husband or friends and   to rest from the week).

( 57)  Am of Jewish ethnic origin family on fathers side has been athiest or
     agnostic since WWI. Am not a zionist but do support existence of state of
     Israel alongside a Palestinian state. Survey would be more objective if
     it also asked if one has become less religious as one grows up or is less
     religious than one's parents. Also no distinction between
     agnostics/atheists of Jewish ethnicity and those not of Jewish
     extraction.

( 58) I looked to the group for information and thought provoking discussion.
     When it deteriorates to name calling and "holier than thou"s, I simply
     unsubscribe (and yes, I do know how to use a kill file). I support either
     moderation by the participants or a moderated group.

( 59)  Although my father wwas raised in an Orthodox home, I feel that I
     observe all the holidays and Shabbat more than him.  We observe Shabbat
     at home by making kiddush on Friday nights.  I do not work on
     Saturdays,but we ride, go shopping, etc.  We do not allow our sons to
     participate in sports activities during the hurs that services are held.

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