Religion & Beliefs
How Jew Are You?
By Laurel Snyder / May 2, 2007
So I took this silly quiz about Judaism, “Do you know your Matzoh from your Moshiach”, and I got a question WRONG! Guess which one? Some of the questions were what I expected (I assume this test was mostly designed so that non-Jews could prove their multicultural chops). Moses. Torah. Blah blah blah…
But some of the questions are pretty odd, and lead me to believe that a Jew was NOT asked to write the quiz. Like this one:
Q12. What do Jews believe will happen when the Messiah comes? 1. All Jews will be redeemed and will gather in Israel to rebuild the Temple. 2. All the righteous will be raptured into heaven. 3. The universe will end. 4. All of humanity will convert to Judaism.
Is that possible, that Beliefnet didn’t bother to ask a Jew to write the Jewish quiz? That they got some pre-Seminary Jewish studies major who happened to be interning in their offices to do it? I mean, what’s up, Beliefnet? Isn’t there some way to think about the world that doesn’t pit Judaism against Christianity? Isn’t there some way to describe/imagine the mystical future of human existence without turning to Christian ideas and juxtaposing Jewish concepts against them? I don’t mean to get all het up about this. I don’t. I really like Beliefnet in general, but something about this bugs me. Because it resembles so much the way Christians tend to see Jews. As non-Christians. Passover is not the Jewish Easter. A bris is not “kinda like a baptism”. Hrm! Why don’t you go take the quiz and tell me what you think. Am I just completely overreacting? And who do you think they had in mind when they wrote this quiz? Who is their target audience?
POST A COMMENT
Thanks Laurel. I meant question 12.
I still think it’s a good question though. There are many Jews who don’t think about what the Messiah means wiithin Judaism, so it’s a good question that makes one stop and think.
You're right about question 12, Laurel. And, anyway, it's a trick question (though the writer didn't realize it) since the Messiah will come only when he's no longer necessary . . . right?
I tink you meant another question. #2 is:
The country with the largest Jewish population is:
xoL http://jewishyirishy.com
The question didn't really bother me, to be honest. I don't think it's pitting one thing against another, it's just trying to trick you up with options that might sound right but aren't. Or at least that's how I read it.
I disagree that there is a problem referring to Moses as a prophet. Perhaps it does make the question a little challenging to someone not familiar with the meaning of Prophet in traditional Judaism. However, Moshe is defintely considered a Navi or Prophet in Judaism. See, for example, the Rambam’s Thirteen Principle of Faith which refers to Moshe as a prophet and that his prophecy was unique.
What is the problem with question 2? That is how I might have phrased it. It actually sounds like it was written by a Jew who is both knowledgeable about Torah Judaism and Christianity. While I am an observant Jew, I am quite familiar with Christian terminolgy from having attended a Christian prep school with a “Bible” class requirement.
A Torah observant Jew cannot carry anything outside for more than about six feet on Shabbos (subject to lots of rules on what is outside, etc).
could someone explain the not being able to carry a tissue? i dont know that one…
Sorry, that should have read RABBEINU
I also take issue with the first question, which asks about the most important prophet in Judaism. Yes, Moses receivd the Torah, but he is not referred to typically as a prophet! The appellation traditionally applied to Moses is “RABNBEINU”–Moses, our rabbi!
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