JUDAISM The Jewish tradition teaches that Abraham, the father of the Jewish people, made an agreement promising to worship God and spread his word. One legend says that God offered the bible and the ten commandments to other nations before he offered it to Israel. The others refused because they thought that God was asking to much of them. In the religion of Judaism, there are many feasts, fasts, and holidays to remember past events in the history of Judaism. Some of these include Rosh Hashanah, Tzom Gedaliah, Yom Kippur, Hanukkah and Passover. Rosh Hashanah comes around in September or October. This day celebrates the Jewish New Year. Tzom Gedaliah also comes around in September or October. On this day the Jewish followers fast to remember the assassination of the Jewish ruler Gedaliah. In September or October Yom Kipper occurs. This day is a day of Atonement and is the holiest day in the Jewish year. On this day people fast. and the months of either December or January comes Hanukkah. This day is the feast of dedication to honor the defeat over the Syrians and the rededication of the temple in 165 B.C. In the months of either march or April comes Passover. This is a festival of freedom to remember the exodus from Egypt. On a Jew's thirteenth birthday, a male has a barmitzvah and the female has a Bosmitzvah to celebrate them becoming an adult. One consists of a ceremony in the morning followed by a celebration in the evening. Judaism is divided into three categories, Orthodox Judaism, Conservative Judaism, and Reform Judaism. Orthodox Jews strictly observe Jewish laws and traditions. They rely on laws stated in the book of codes, Shulan Aruk, and on the decisions of recognized, learned, orthodox rabbis. Men and Boys wear yarmulkas, skull caps, or hats at all times as a sign of respect to God. The Orthodox keep the Sabbath as a complete day of rest, prayer, and devotion and they strictly observe all dietary rules. Conservative Jews are expected to observe the dietary laws and keep the Sabbath and festivals. Conservatives recognize the authority of Jewish law and tradition as divine. Reform Jews believe that each generation has the right to accept, reject, or modify the traditions it has received. Men often wear no hats or prayer shawls in their praying sessions. X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X Another file downloaded from: NIRVANAnet(tm) & the Temple of the Screaming Electron Jeff Hunter 510-935-5845 The Salted Slug Strange 408-454-9368 Burn This Flag Zardoz 408-363-9766 realitycheck Poindexter Fortran 510-527-1662 Lies Unlimited Mick Freen 415-583-4102 Tomorrow's 0rder of Magnitude Finger_Man 415-961-9315 My Dog Bit Jesus Suzanne D'Fault 510-658-8078 New Dork Sublime Demented Pimiento 415-566-0126 Specializing in conversations, obscure information, high explosives, arcane knowledge, political extremism, diverse sexuality, insane speculation, and wild rumours. ALL-TEXT BBS SYSTEMS. Full access for first-time callers. We don't want to know who you are, where you live, or what your phone number is. We are not Big Brother. "Raw Data for Raw Nerves" X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X