Misconceptions Within Judaism

By Becky Adelberg
KOACH Fieldworker

How we perceive the world may be completely different than how our friends, family and co-workers view the world.

A month ago, there was confusion over a Hasidic man who was a passenger on an Air Canada Jazz flight from Montreal to New York City and was removed from the flight for praying. People were worried that he may be a terrorist.

Many reported that his praying didn't seem to bother anyone, but a flight attendant approached the man and told him that he was making other passengers nervous. The flight had to make an emergency landing because of this incident.

This is an outsider’s misconception.

What are the misconceptions that we have in regard to our own culture and heritage?

I never realized that Judaism had a connection to the arts, writing, movement, even meditation. It wasn’t until I was studying for my Master’s Degree in Jewish Studies that I discovered these things to be true. Over the past couple of years, this rich side of our heritage has become revealed by musicians such as Matisyahu, who sings about the messiah, to Yuri Lane, a Jewish beat boxer, to rabbis around the country teaching Torah Yoga. Some may call it "new age;" however, our first example of meditation comes from Isaac. Genesis 24:63 states: "Isaac went out to meditate (lasu’ah) in the field toward evening and he lifted his eyes and saw camels approaching". In this passage Isaac is apparently in seclusion, meditating.

Another misconception is the newness of the phenomenon of egalitarianism in Judaism. Women have always played a significant role within the Jewish community and daily religious practices. From 1815-1892 lived the Hasidic Leader, Chana Rochel Werbermacher ("The Maiden of Ludomir"). She observed the commandments of praying in a talit (prayer shawl) and tefillin (phylacteries). She was known as a teacher and healer, attracting many followers to a synagogue that was given to her by the community of Ludomir. Regina Jonas, who lived in Germany from 1902-1944, is considered the first woman rabbi and legend tells us that Rashi’s daughters wore tefillin.

We even have aromatherapy in our tradition, dating back to the Temple with the ketoret (incense). Jewish tradition teaches us that there is holiness in certain smells. Ancient Israelites accessed this holiness through the ritual use of ketoret in the Temple in Jerusalem.

These misconceptions, among others, exist in our communities and can cloud how we interact with and view the world. If we come with an open mind we will find endless discoveries that exist not only in Judaism but in the world at large.

[Posted 10/24/06]