Where can I get the Islamic equivalent of Jewish Literacy? [more inside]
posted by parkbench on Jul 30, 2008 - 8 answers

JewishFilter: how do Jewish people wear a kippah (aka yarmulke) without it falling off every ten seconds? We're just talking about this at work, Google fails us, and we can't figure it out, it seems like it would fall off whenever you moved.
posted by paperclip on May 13, 2008 - 21 answers

Technological loopholes to religious law? [more inside]
posted by SBMike on Mar 7, 2008 - 23 answers

What pop songs can you think of that express a theme of one of the Ten Commandments? [more inside]
posted by AngerBoy on Oct 17, 2007 - 26 answers

How can a non-practicing (ever) Jew start practicing? [more inside]
posted by Meifa on Feb 28, 2007 - 22 answers

Two Hasidim just came into my office, looking for Jews to pray with. What's going on? [Question contains lots of Jewish terminology.] [more inside]
posted by Faint of Butt on May 5, 2006 - 38 answers

What is the deal with the Jews and Jesus? If Jesus was a jew, why are the Jewish not Christians, and seem so touchy about that issue? Christmas vs. Hanuka. Jesus on the cross, etc. Don't they acknowledge him the way Christians do? Or am I wrong? Always seems to invoke an eye rolling when I see Jesus mentioned to a Jewish person on TV...why? [more inside]
posted by SparkyPine on Dec 17, 2005 - 102 answers

Thanks for all your help with the engagement ring question. I swear, on my MeFi account, it's not me...I'm just the reluctant best friend. Right...so I need some more ammo.

My friend is agnostic, his fiance is athiest...yet her family wants her to have a Jewish wedding...so much so, that they're again applying the pressure, and since she "feels" Jewish, even though she doesn't believe, she's going along with it. See, her parents won't go to a civil or catholic ceremony, and if they don't have a Jewish ceremony, there's going to be hell to pay. But, my friend's parents are staunch catholics, and while they would go to a Jewish wedding, they won't wear yarmulkes, and some of his family won't even attend.

My advice? Either insist on a dual ceremony, or just let her parents have their way, considering they're going to shell out the money. But on top of that engagement ring debacle, I'm afraid he's set too many precedents.

What the hell can my friend say to her parents to get them to lay off? If he puts his foot down, what can he expect from them? From her? Anybody marry into a domineering family? Anybody intermarry Catholics/Jewish?

We all know this is a downward spiral, and if he doesn't put his foot down, next it's going to be Hebrew school for the kids, etc. (oh yeah, they're also doing the "you're going to raise the kids Jewish, aren't you?" thing).

Oy Vey! If the parents just weren't involved, this entire engagement/wedding thing would be simple. [more inside]
posted by taumeson on May 26, 2004 - 86 answers

Does anybody know of any good and easy to read introductory texts on Jewish jurisprudence/derivation of law from original sources (ie religious law)? Any interesting texts to follow that up ie application in the current day and age? Any reasonably active Jewish forums to ask any queries on? [more inside]
posted by Mossy on Jan 31, 2004 - 7 answers

Can anyone enlighten me as to Hannukah rituals? I've googled about, but only find the technicalities of ceremony. I need to know the things that people take for granted - whether presents get wrapped, if they get increasingly expensive across the days, what sort of things are usual to give and do. Everything.
posted by bonaldi on Dec 19, 2003 - 14 answers