One in a Minyan
So I walked into Kenmore Square today to get some Popeye’s( bad habit I have) and a guy asked me if I was Jewish- I said yes, and he asked me if I wanted to be in a Minyan. Now a Minyan is a group of 10 Jewish men, which is needed to perform religious ceremony. I was hungry but felt it would be a Mitzvah (a good deed) for me to help them… especially as it was the Sabbath. I let the man know that I had NOT had a Bar Mitzvah, nor could I read Hebrew( as I have problems learning languages) BUT I would be willing to ‘put the time in’ and if they were willing to accept me; knowing this, then I was theirs. They wanted to confirm that I was Jewish, which I am and I was brought to the place of worship.
I was then introduced to the rest of the congregation. Or at least I should say the 9 other men, including the Rabbi, as the women and kids were separated by a divider. The guy who ‘recruited’ me told them that I had NOT had a Bar Mitzvah, and didn’t know Hebrew. The Rabbi pointed out that THIS would be my Bar Mitzvah… and I tried to follow along. I was given a book which had Hebrew and English, and read the English.
I thought it was slightly amusing when I tried to look at another member’s prayer book to check my page, and he had a combination Russian/Hebrew book as he was a Russian Jew. Now my ANCESTERY is Russian Jews- but I am a 3rd generation American.
But I digress, so I tried to follow along with the prayers. And when it was MY turn at the Torah- I just repeated the Hebrew that the Rabbi told me to repeat. Then since it was MY Bar Mitzvah- we danced around the Torah and they threw candy at me.
After the Sabbath prayer- the other Jewish males told me about their Bar Mitzvahs- and how they had been Bar Mitzvahed in a PROPER synagogue- where the women sat in the balcony- and thus when THEY had candy thrown at them- people really flung it.
I wanted to leave but they got me to stay for Kiddush, a drink of wine and challah and chatted abit before leaving for my Popeye’s.
I amused during much of the ceremony that I kept thinking about calling my mom and my older brother’s wife (I have 3 sister in laws… or will next month) and telling them the news. My older brother’s wife is Jewish and has said she plans for all 3 of her daughters to have Bat Mitvahs… so I’d thought she’d appreciate my story. She asked me if there were any cute Jewish women there. And had to tell her, I didn’t really notice. See during the ceremony I didn’t see them as they were on the other side of screen and when we sat down for the Kiddush, I was sitting with the men and talking to them and the women sat in a separate section. I think that was one of the reasons I decided to leave- because there were all these RULES that I wasn’t sure of… I had a bit in common with these people but… I wasn’t sure how much.
The other reason I left is because it was a beautiful day outside and I wanted to take a walk- and get Popeye’s.
So I had my Bar Mitzvah today and I ‘am a man’.
I was then introduced to the rest of the congregation. Or at least I should say the 9 other men, including the Rabbi, as the women and kids were separated by a divider. The guy who ‘recruited’ me told them that I had NOT had a Bar Mitzvah, and didn’t know Hebrew. The Rabbi pointed out that THIS would be my Bar Mitzvah… and I tried to follow along. I was given a book which had Hebrew and English, and read the English.
I thought it was slightly amusing when I tried to look at another member’s prayer book to check my page, and he had a combination Russian/Hebrew book as he was a Russian Jew. Now my ANCESTERY is Russian Jews- but I am a 3rd generation American.
But I digress, so I tried to follow along with the prayers. And when it was MY turn at the Torah- I just repeated the Hebrew that the Rabbi told me to repeat. Then since it was MY Bar Mitzvah- we danced around the Torah and they threw candy at me.
After the Sabbath prayer- the other Jewish males told me about their Bar Mitzvahs- and how they had been Bar Mitzvahed in a PROPER synagogue- where the women sat in the balcony- and thus when THEY had candy thrown at them- people really flung it.
I wanted to leave but they got me to stay for Kiddush, a drink of wine and challah and chatted abit before leaving for my Popeye’s.
I amused during much of the ceremony that I kept thinking about calling my mom and my older brother’s wife (I have 3 sister in laws… or will next month) and telling them the news. My older brother’s wife is Jewish and has said she plans for all 3 of her daughters to have Bat Mitvahs… so I’d thought she’d appreciate my story. She asked me if there were any cute Jewish women there. And had to tell her, I didn’t really notice. See during the ceremony I didn’t see them as they were on the other side of screen and when we sat down for the Kiddush, I was sitting with the men and talking to them and the women sat in a separate section. I think that was one of the reasons I decided to leave- because there were all these RULES that I wasn’t sure of… I had a bit in common with these people but… I wasn’t sure how much.
The other reason I left is because it was a beautiful day outside and I wanted to take a walk- and get Popeye’s.
So I had my Bar Mitzvah today and I ‘am a man’.
Labels: Bar Mitzvah
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