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In U.S., some write their own Mezuza prayer, others turn to Torah-yoga By Shmuel Rosner Tags: U.S., American Jewry, trends  The new trends of U.S. Jewry enable young people to engage in the cultural aspect of Judaism. VIRGINIA - The original plan was to go see the mezuzah, but Professor Vanessa Ochs explained that the mezuzah was removed from the doorpost long ago. It's probably thrown on a shelf somewhere, gathering dust. And anyway, what's there to see? Nothing but a brown envelope. Better sit around instead and drink beer. It was an odd November evening on bustling University Avenue, from which one has full view of the University of Virginia campus founded by Thomas Jefferson. Clad in gym shorts, students took advantage of the unexpected sun and went on a pre-winter jog. Prof. Ochs, sitting in a dimly lit bistro, recalled the story of the mezuzah, on which she elaborated in the preface of her recently published book, Inventing Jewish Ritual: New American Traditions. Advertisement Home-made mezuzah When she and her husband Peter moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, they wanted to have a mezuzah-hanging ceremony that would also mean something to their non-Jewish friends. This is how the Ochs' "interactive mezuzah" came about. Basic interactive mezuzah instructions: Hang a traditional mezuzah, ask the participants of the ceremony to write down wishes or greetings on a piece of paper, roll the paper and insert it into an envelope that would be posted on the door beneath the traditional one. Annie Bess sits in the balcony of her peaceful New Haven home, a kippah on her head and a book in hand. She is a serious-looking girl who tries to avoid defining who or what she considers herself to be - a privilege that is likely due to her young age. Still, if pressed, she would say that Judaism is very important for her, and for her family, too. She is an opinionated girl with a strong sense of judgment. More specifically, she passes judgment on people who cover their heads in synagogue, but not on the street. For her, they're missing the whole point. Does her mother know? "She's right here," Bess says. Her mother is indeed there, her head uncovered. One can read more about her life, and understand how she became such an avid religious observer, in Mark Oppenheimer's book " Thirteen and a Day: The Bar and Bat Mitzvah Across America." Annie Bess is one of the book's protagonists, as is her next-door neighbor. "There aren't many 12 year olds who can talk about their Bar Mitzvah as she can," Oppenheimer recounts. "There are a lot of teens who find their Bar Mitzvah meaningful, but only few know how to fully articulate its significance." Girl with a kippah Annie Bess' Judaism is constantly evolving, she says. For example, she had a small crisis with her tzizit (the fringes on the end of the Jewish prayer shawl). First she wore it, then grew uncomfortable and took it off. "I'm used to wearing a kippah," she explains, "but with the tzitzit I felt like I needed support." Not only support, but also skilful labor since the only tzitizt she could find was designed for boys and "didn't suit a feminine figure." Therefore, when she decided to resume wearing the tzitzit, she found herself laboring under the design - measuring, cutting, sowing and tying the four fringes together. Hand-made shawls (talitot) for women, writes Ochs in her book, is yet another innovation instilled into the practice of Judaism by contemporary Jewish women. The Judaica industry quickly caught on and started manufacturing commercial shawls for women. But the hand-made prayer shawl did not disappear completely, as many male rabbis also tend to wear custom-made talitot of their own. Among women who make their own prayer shawls, a new ceremony has started to gain ground upon completion of the task. Some have made this ceremony part of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Here's how it goes: The birthday boy/girl convenes family relatives, covers them in the prayer shawl before it's been used and receives a blessing. This personal initiation of the talit therefore becomes a familial event. Torah-yoga Women, who are responsible for most of these innovations, have revolutionized the talit market. Ochs, a Religious Studies professor, points to feminism as the most forceful source of change in the nature of Jewish ceremonies. A recent study of young adults in contemporary U.S. has established that "for many students Judaism is more of a cultural issue than a question of religious identity." The growing numbers of progressive Jewish ceremonies have enabled them to integrate Jewish elements in their daily lives. "A generation described as errant, self-centered, and disinterested is in fact looking for a meaningful sense of community and involvement, only it is in informal and unconventional ways," says Rabbi Sharon Brous, the leader of the vibrant California Ikar congregation. Some new rituals aim at a personal, rather than collective, experience. Torah-yoga, for example ? combining reading verses with movement ? rose to prominence as far back as the 1970s, when oriental philosophies penetrated the West, and is still alive and kicking in the 21st century. Back then, it was an innovative, somewhat eccentric, activity, and today it is right at the heart of the consensus, continuing to gain grounds. Ochs's daughter, Elizabeth, brought it to Charlottesville merely four years ago. In several synagogues around town Torah-yoga is an occasional substitute for the traditional prayer or Torah sermon. Across America, Jews are in the process of adopting hundreds of new rituals and trends. In her book, Ochs lists a few dozens: from ceremonies for birth and burial, festivals and rosh hodesh, honoring one's Christian neighbor, and Holocaust memorial day, to many feminine ceremonies: condolences for miscarriage, celebrating the menstrual cycle, Purim ceremonies focusing on Queen Vashti (who defied her husband King Ahasuerus), and celebrating the act of breastfeeding. Elijah's cup is not alone Miriam's Cup started off as a feminine ceremony, but in many households it has become part and parcel of the Seder dinner on Passover. In some Haggadah books (the order of the Seder), even, it is displayed as a centuries-long custom. But since it is a "recent addition to the Seder, its use is not fixed," Tamara Cohen wrote in Ritualwell.com, a website dedicated to alternative Jewish rituals. Miriam's Cup is placed on the Seder table beside the Cup of Elijah. Miriam's Cup is filled with water. It serves as a symbol of Miriam's Well, which was the source of water for the Israelites in the desert. The blessing that follows is this: "This is the Cup of Miriam, the cup of living waters. Let us remember the Exodus from Egypt." Related articles: Rosner's Guest: Professor Vanessa Ochs Fixing the world, one neighborhood at a time The Jewish boarding school experiment Reaching out to interfaith families Bookmark to del.icio.us   Dear Mr. Olmert An American yeshiva student asks Olmert to heed secular Israelis on J'lem's fate. Work stoppage Olmert totally freezes new building in all West Bank settlements.   1.   Hokey Ochy 23:11  |  Gary Hess 18/01/08   2.   Now you too can be as Jewish as Maddana! 01:10  |  Avi 19/01/08   3.   This is great conseipt and I practice it too 01:49  |  Yaakov Sullivan 19/01/08   4.   Oy vey! 07:00  |  Taszilo 19/01/08   5.   Sarcastic Fools - You Think Judaism stopped 200 yrs ago? 10:56  |  B`Galil 19/01/08   6.   The Orange on the Seder Plate Tradition 11:16  |  B`Galil 19/01/08   7.   Not representative of all American Jewry! 13:21  |  Sorele 19/01/08   8.   Oy vey iz meer...!! 14:20  |  Esther 19/01/08   9.   b`galil 16:05  |  realism 19/01/08   10.   What a load of narcissistivc rubbish 16:31  |  Rowan Berkeley 19/01/08   11.   Yes, Representative of ALL Sorele 16:54  |  b`galil 19/01/08   12.   Thanks B` Galil 18:12  |  Petra 19/01/08   13.   # 9 Realism instead of criticisning why not expalin? 18:15  |  Petra 19/01/08   14.   # 11 B`Galil I`m for anything that helps women in the Jewish 18:19  |  Petra 19/01/08   15.   AS my Mother was raised an orthodox Jewess 18:27  |  Petra 19/01/08   16.   article 20:04  |  Jon 19/01/08   17.   Also in US, Jews are teaching Davidic dance as form of worship 20:11  |  Virginia 19/01/08   18.   Jon - Jews have been doing this for hundreds of years! 20:41  |  B`Galil 19/01/08   19.   "Cultural" aspects of Judaism 20:50  |  Louise Derzansky 19/01/08   20.   Non-halachic = non-Jewish 22:27  |  Jew 19/01/08   21.   petra 11 23:04  |  realism 19/01/08   22.   Bring back the animal sacrifices! 23:18  |  Yadu 19/01/08   23.   ANOTHER HAARETZ ARTICLE WITH SOOO... MUCH CRAP, 00:47  |  Yehuda 20/01/08   24.   #4 There is nothing wrong to eat pork and keep kosher 01:33  |  Yaakov Sullivan 20/01/08   25.   art of the possible 01:43  |  seth 20/01/08   26.   Segregating women on buses is also a "new tradition" 22:03  |  Mirqa 23/01/08   27.   Barak Obama 00:25  |  Jeffrey Young 25/01/08

Today Online High Court of Justice to hold urgent hearing on Gaza blockade Responses: 391 Gaza source: Hamas planned border wall blast for months Responses: 177 Canada to skip UN racism meet due to 'anti-Semitism' Responses: 198 PM completely freezes new construction in W. Bank settlements Responses: 79 Rami Livni: Bi-national state would only perpetuate suffering Responses: 53 Rosner's Domain Ambassador vs. Ambassador: Is Obama good for Israel? McCain's letter on Gaza: Israel has the right to defend itself (WTR) Poll: How important is Israel in the 2008 election? Domain's Guest: "all Jews are responsible for one another" Factor: Clinton and McCain, head to head More Headlines 01:25 Policeman killed, 4 hurt in two W. Bank terror attacks 23:20 Israel boosts security on Egypt border, issues Sinai travel warning 22:45 Olmert, Abbas set to meet in Jerusalem, discuss Gaza crisis Sunday 23:59 Israeli mission in N.Y. displays 4,200 balloons for each Qassam 20:32 Livni: Sanctions can bring an end to Iranian nuclear program 19:35 Yad Vashem launches Arabic Web site to combat Holocaust denial 00:06 Ambassador vs. Ambassador: Is Obama good for Israel? 23:22 Israeli, Palestinian leaders mull peace prospects at Davos 18:51 PM completely freezes new construction in W. Bank settlements 20:50 Olmert: I didn't tell Vice Premier Ramon to praise my decisions 16:46 Arab League chief: Israeli policy is destroying peace process 15:41 Egypt rejects idea of Israel waiving responsibility for Gaza 18:28 Gaza overlooked by U.S. voters; economy dominates race Previous Editions Select Day 24 jan 23 jan 22 jan 21 jan 20 jan 18 jan 17 jan 16 jan 15 jan 14 jan 13 jan 11 jan

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