My Cultural Experience At Temple Beth El Of Fort Myers

When I visited my first Jewish synagogue, I expected it to be very different. My previous experience with religious ceremonies was limited to a few visits to Baptist churches. The most surprising thing for me at this one was, oddly enough, its similarity to Christian services and rituals. I went into the religious visit expecting an enormous difference in the customs and perhaps even in the attitudes of the people attending the service. What I found instead was a religious ceremony very reminiscent of the Christian ones I’ve been to before.

My finance and I attended a Friday night Shabbat service. Shabbat is the Jewish Sabbath day; their day of rest. It begins on Friday and concludes Saturday evening. Shabbat allows time for members to focus on what it is important and that is: worshiping, reflecting on the week, and growing together. Depending on the day (Friday or Saturday) and week (1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th), the service may vary including the content of worship, it’s timing and style. The Shabbat service we attend took place on the second Friday of the month; it involved music, prayer and a sermon. As we entered Shir Takvih, we felt very welcomed; everyone was polite and answered any questions we had. After we received a copy of their translated prayer book (machzorim) we were directed to the designated place, where we were told that we could sit anywhere we like. The white painted room which was surrounded by big round windows had several roles of wooden fold up chairs. Not wanting to be a disturbance we sat in the back row. At the front of the room there was a bimah with an assortment of musical instruments on one side and a podium

The people there were very welcoming and kind. The shook every single person hand and greeted them genially when they walked in. As I sat down, there was a countdown till when it begins. There were seats all around and in the center they had a stage, where there were people preparing to sing. They began their ceremony exactly at 8:30 with singing 3 songs. When we sang, everyone stood up for respect. Followed by that, the pastor recited a prayer with everyone to make this week better than the last. He welcomed everyone, including the people who are new, and told them more about what they do at Kennedy Road Tabernacle Church. The priest then talked about the Provision of Vision from the bible. There was a sheet that was handed out so as you listen you fill in the blanks. ( I attached the sheet I completed) I thought this was very convenient because it makes you pay attention and have something to do other than sitting down. He was reading about the Provision of the Vision and relating it to financial difficulties and how God is always there for you. After, I talked to one priest to get a better background of Christianity. I related what he said to the reading of ‘Christianity’ we did earlier in September. When he spoke to me, he said that they believe in one god, but that includes the father, son, holy spirit, He said Jesus died for us on a cross for the sins of the

Sunday was often the only day that enslaved blacks did not have to work. The Sabbath became a full day of preaching, community building and socializing. The African American church still maintains this practice of an extended worship day with longer services and sermons than most other religious. The average time for blacks’ churches services is about ninety minutes, with the sermons lasting more than thirty minutes long. This is the etiquette article of African American churches. The Methodist church, however, rules governs differently. Their etiquette is designed specifically and honorably to God. The honoring of the sanctuary in reference to the pulpit, communion table, maintain silence before God, church bibles and hymnals, treatment of the pews. Languages that honors God, enter and exit as directed appropriately. Honoring the Lord’s Supper which includes, kneeling at the communion rail, receiving the bread, receiving the cup, and remaining in church after receiving the Lord’s Supper and honoring the church building, that is, cleanliness is next to Godliness, eat only where it is allowed, keep the outside of the church building neat and clean and treat Christian symbols with respect. AME church, simple put etiquette is respecting the place you worship and embracing your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Etiquette is also an opportunity for teenager or youth church. Youth should also know the sacredness of God’s house. Their attire, language and behavior should

One interesting concept that I learned was to stand the book straight up on the next available chair, instead of faced down or in any other position to accentuate the importance of the scriptures and prayers that the books consist of. The service started promptly at 9:00 pm in which the members of the Jewish Synagogue were already wearing a tallit, which is a prayer shawl that represents the six hundred and thirteen commandments, and silently prayer with a swaying motion incorporated. After asking the congregate that was aiding the observers throughout the service, he explained that Jews usually sway, rock, or shake because it is stated that the physical act is a way of connecting spiritually to God while praying along with other justifications within the Torah. My initial feelings regarding the acceptance of me as a visitor was kind of unsettling because I was the center of attention along with the two other observers. Some congregates would greet us warmly offering any help, while some others often discretely talked among their other fellow congregates about our attendance with some people staring for portions of the service. Besides, the interaction of the congregates to the clergy was very divided in the aspect of gender roles due to the fact that the table that two intricate cased Torahs were brought out on could only be seen by the men and recite by men only. As far as the division of roles, I found it interesting that some of the women explained to us that it was not a form of disrespect or act of degrading because they play their specialized role in the congregation, which is often misunderstood and in their perspective more liberating than most portray it to me. It was also explained to me that women are seen as separate but equal when stated throughput Jewish

The Mormon service I visited, had a few similarities but also a few distinct differences from the Catholic service that I am used to. Before this particular Sunday, I had never attended a Mormon service, nor had I spoken to anyone who believed in Mormonism or the “Latter Day Saints.” With that being said, I was welcomed much more openly than I had originally thought. Before entering, I was approached by two members of the church; two young women (sisters) between the ages of roughly 19 to 22. I arrived about an hour before service, that way I could ask a few people some questions, but the two girls beat me to the punch. They initially asked me if I had visited before and I responded saying that it was my first time, and I was attending as a student observer, with no intention of converting, but would love to learn about the faith. They nodded and proceeded to explain to me the reasons as to why they believed so strongly, and also a bit of background information on the faith. One of the girls, explained to me that there has been a lot of skepticism about Mormonism due in part to the fact that Joseph Smith Jr, was so young and how his explanation of “Moroni” (An angel no one had ever heard of), and his entire religion and the scripture used, “Book of Mormon,” could have just been a part of his imagination. The other girl told me how she was beginning to lose faith a couple years back, but she then regained it, after she experienced her own tests, and was able to get passed her

At 10:00 on April 30th, I visited Temple Israel for the Shabbat service. It is a Jewish Synagogue in Canton, Ohio. The Shabbat service included praising God and honoring it as a day of rest for people and for God. Before I walked into the actual room of worship there was a table of Kappa’s. They are the little white hats you wear on the back of your head. I learned that it’s custom in Judaism to cover your head before going into the sanctuary as a sign of respect. There were also programs of information what’s going on in the synagogue. There’s also a rack of Tallit’s, Jewish adults wear these and before they put it on they say a prayer. In the actual sanctuary, there were pews, a Bimah which is the stage, an ark which faces Jerusalem where the Torah is held, and a light called Ter Namid which is an eternal light that is always on to represent God’s eternal watchfulness over his followers. In front of the pews there were Siddurs which is a Jewish prayer book. It contains daily and Shabbat prayers. They are in Hebrew and in English and since I am a non-Jew, I followed along in the English side that is printed alongside the Hebrew side. The Rabbi calls out what page they are on during the service in this book. This is similar to what priests do at church. There is also a Chumash which is what includes the five books and I learned that it is commonly the same book as the Torah. Out of a sign of respect, I had to stand whenever the Ark was opened or whenever the Torah was

There were two striking aspects of the service that stood out in my mind. The first was the amount of standing. I had heard that traditionally Orthodox services do not permit sitting at all. Only some of the

I visited the Beth Samuel Jewish Center, in Ambridge Pa. While I was there I meet up with Barbara Wilson, who is a Congregational Administrator at the synagogue. Before taking the tour she let me know some of the background information about the synagogue. First she explained to me that the Beth Samuel Jewish Center was the only synagogue on Beaver County, where it is located. She then went on the explain that they have families from all over the county coming to their religious services. I then asked if the synagogue was more conservative or reformed. This is when Barb explained that since Beth Samuel is the last synagogue left in the area they have to cater to both sides of the spectrum. Barb explained, “On different days of the week we have

The service itself was very interesting, the priest would speak words that some I wouldn't understand, but some I could. He would say things like thank the lord for this beautiful day and this great opportunity for us all to be together here. He would ask the people to stand then sit and stand again and sit, then stand for a really long time that I actually got tired from standing it was funny, but I didn't sit down just to show signs of respect. As he would speak he would stop and everyone would respond to the priest at the exact same time saying the same words, it was really cool how everyone's words together sounded it created a very powerful voice amongst everyone. Then people would all do that one thing where they make a cross by putting their thumb, to their

The edifice in itself was rather imposing. It was a large construction similar to European cathedrals. From the point of view of the religious feeling, I considered it to be more appropriate than catholic churches that resemble more to museums and are extraordinary in their art. Usually in catholic churches the edifice is impressive in its shape and construction and the first thought is to associate it to a pierce of art rather than a place of prayer. By comparison, this Orthodox Church was not that lavishing in details or artistic nature and the outside paintings set a religious feeling as I entered. A cemetery or a place for holy burials such as the former priests that served at the Church surrounded this church. This is not mandatory to happen but most of the times, Orthodox churches have in the vicinity the cemetery.

“I want to get out of here”, I told myself one day. So I walked downstairs and demanded my dad to give me a massive loan of over $80,000, and he gave it to me. As soon as I got it I ran upstairs and packed my bag and booked a flight to Las Vegas. Two days later I caught a cab straight to the airport and hopped on the plane. It was a 17-hour flight, but it was worth it.

     Another part of the service that I did not get to witness was the actual baptizing part. In the English service they do not have a pool to baptize people in. They only baptize people in the Spanish service so I was not able to see this happen. The rest of the service was all about the preacher preaching. His sermon was not right out of the bible. He talked about real life situations that are related to what the bible talks about so I found it better to relate to what is going on in your life. It got pretty boring though when he kept on talking for around thirty to forty-five minutes. The whole service was around an hour and forty-five minutes to two hours.

For this comparison of building, I will focus on my church after I moved to New Jersey, as there are many similarities between both the religious buildings. What was most interesting to me was the temple had an industrial feel to it, and if it were not for the sign out front, I would have mistaken Temple Israel as a commercial building. When I entered the sanctuary, where the main religious ceremony takes place, the first thing I did was put on a yarmulke, small Jewish hat worn mostly by men but I looked women could wear them if that already are not wearing a hat of some kind. As the religious ritual began, the Rabbi walked up the alter steps, approached the podium, and began the Morning Prayer. This is very different from the Roman Catholic Church where the approach to the alter is more ceremonial, with a hymn being sung while the presit carries the Bible down the aisle, usually accompanied by an altar boy carrying a cross. The readings continue with a practitioner standing behind a large podium, where the Torah would eventually be placed, reading various Psalms from various passages referred to as the Mishna, Minyan, Yarsit Kotage, and Posit Mar. The first reading of the psalms ended with the Prayer for Peace, which asks God for world peace. This is similar to what I was used to attending Church; however, the ritual was far shorter, with the Priest reading from two sections of the Bible, as opposed to multiple passages. Another person walks up to the podium of the Torah, which I learned is also known as the bimah, and precedes to read additional readings, did not hear them being referred to as psalms. This process goes on for approximately twenty minutes, with various people going

Different from the service at Catholic Church where most prayers were led by the pastors, the service at the synagogue engaged people from all age group getting on the stage and read the Torah. It was truly impressive that two boys were able to handle Hebrew and chant the Torah. During the services, more than ten persons had got on the stage and led the prayer or read the Torah, showing the how open and engaging Judaism is. The rabbi invited multiple people to sing and lead the prayer and that is quite different the Catholic Church. Compared to the service at Catholic Church, the service here was less musical. There weren’t any instruments at the synagogue. Moreover, the setting of the synagogue was also different. The hall for the service was smaller as compared to the Saint Peter& Paul Church and the synagogue included a dining hall and exhibition space too. The attire of the people at the synagogue was in a different style. At the Catholic Church, people wore casual clothes, but at the synagogue, most people wore a piece of white cloth with some black strip on it. This was called tallit, according a lady I met there. During the services, we were also provided with Kippahs, a kind of hat to wear during the