I honestly have no idea why you don't know this but I guess it's ok.

Yes, Israel is the ONLY Jewish state. There has been a Jewish presence in the region since biblical times - unbroken through thousands of years. There are tons of Christian states and around 30 Arab states and even more Muslim states.

Yes, being Jewish is a religion but it is the only religion to carry such a national and cultural existence along with it. Jews are tied to Israel. Jews pray facing Israel. There are Western Jews who speak Yiddish which combines German and other dialects with Hebrew. There are Jews from Uganda, Ethiopia, China, etc who speak their own languages. There are Jews from Middle Eastern countries and Spain and Latin America. Within certain parts of Europe and America the Anglos and Westerners were foolish enough to label themselves further. All together, less than 1% of the total global population is Jewish. Their foods, culture, art is unique to them and influences their religion even. Jews are a people. It is a religion, first and foremost, with culture and race that has been influenced by history and given birth to Christianity and Islam.

And Chabad is a campus religious organization affiliated with the Lubavitcher movement - a movement of Orthodox Ashkenazim from Russia who dress according to their customs influenced by their history through time (ie black top hats).

-Rudey

That helped me understand much better. Thank you.

Does that mean that absolutchick only meets boys that wear black top hats? I can see that being aproblem for a girl that has started multiple-Jean threads ;)

In terms of race I have been there, done that and got the t-shirt lol. I haven't any qualms about dating out.

Religion-wise I have more reservations. I am a theist, meaning I believe there is a God, but not in an accompanying religion. I get along best with men who are spiritual as opposed to religious. I don't think I could date a man who was very heavily religious, nor would I be comfortable with an atheist, who believed in nothing. The first kinda freaks me out (no bible thumping, adult baptism, crazy rules about diet, a la veganism, celibacy because Jesus told you so or biblical citations about why I am inferior thanks!), and I find the second view incomprehensible (which is not meant as a judgement, merely that I see the existence of God in the world around me and while I can imagine another viewpoint, can't necessarily understand how you could deny that feeling).

I am Solopist . . . make of that what you will but its a tidy belief system.

What's the difference between Chabad and Hillel?

I'm married now, but I never had a problem with either race or religion. My main concern regarding religion was that my children should be raised in some faith.

I was a lapsed Catholic when I met my Jewish husband. At one point when we were dating, he made it clear to me that he wasn't concerned with whether his wife was Jewish, as long as his future children were raised Jewish. I was fine with that. Some time later, we got engaged. I decided that if my husband and kids were going to be Jewish, I should find out more about Judaism... and I wound up converting.

I hasten to clarify that I chose Judaism for my own reasons, not for my husband's or anyone else's sake. I'd had a boyfriend who demanded that I convert to his religion or he was dumping me... yep, 30 seconds later he was my ex-boyfriend. :p

Of our 5 adopted daughters, 4 are Asian and 1 is Hispanic. Those who are old enough to date have only dated white guys...since they've been raised in such a multicultural environment, I have no idea why.

HAHAHA...no most of the people that go to Chabad look just like everyone else! Almost no one (at least here) actually wears the black top-hats, doesnt shave, etc.....except for the Rabbi!!

I have briefly dated men of different faiths and cultures. A few of them told me bluntly that they wanted to date women of their religion. So why did they start dating me? *shrug*


I am Irish Catholic and my boyfriend is half Irish and Catholic. It just worked out that way.

That's happened to me and to a friend of mine. She's Catholic (though not religious), he's Jewish (again, not religious), but told her that he "has to marry a Jewish girl". I went out with a guy who said that to me as well, on, like the second or third date. We only saw each other a few more times after that. My friend, on the other hand, dated the guy her entire 4 years of undergrad.

your friend is a moron:)

I am Catholic and would prefer to marry another catholic (so i can get married in a church) but if I met a wonderful man that is perfect for me that is not catholic we can have an outside weeding (then I can convert him and we cn get our vows blessed, well that is the plan)

I don't care about race. My mom is Irish and my dad is Native America/German. PLus I live in GA, half of the population is not my race. It just makes it easy to keep things broad.


Chris

SERIOUSLY....does she plan on converting to Judaism? If not, that's REALLY WEIRD!!

Chabad is affiliated with a movement and strives to reach out to more Jewish people and bring them back into the religion with their cultural flavor to spice it up. Hillel is a bit more hands-off and also more "diverse" with no attachment to a movement or whatnot.

Chabad.org
Hillel.org

-Rudey