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Being a Jew

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Diversity Role Written Assignment
Being a Jew
Texas State University
COMM 1310: Fundamentals of Human Characteristics
Andrew Biggs

Being a Jew
My name is Adam Baruch; I am 21 year old college student, and I am Jewish. Being a Jew means that I believe in Judaism, which is a monotheistic religion. According to Satlow, M. L. (2006) Judaism is an ancient religion that involves a broad spectrum of theological positions and practices, with the Torah as its foundational text. The Torah is part of the Hebrew Bible, a larger text, also known as the Tanakh. Judaism is not only a religious belief, but it also incorporates the culture of the Jewish community. There are also a few different approaches to Judaism that include: Orthodox, Conservative, or Reform Judaism of which I partake in, (Question 1) A typical day for me might sound a little surprising to most people who know little about Reform Judaism because they assume differences. My day consists of nearly the same activities of most other college students my age, except our religious beliefs may differ. (Question 2) I wake up and get ready for the day. I go to school and socialize with other students. After classes I come back home and do homework. I play video games, hangout with friends, work out at the gym, and get on social media. Every week I attend Shabbat services, which is similar to attending a church service, except there is no mention of Jesus, and sometimes the prayers are said in Hebrew. Other than that my day is not much different than many others.
Sometimes my friends ask me questions about certain traditions of Judaism, and how I celebrate them. (Question 6) During specific holidays and events throughout the year, we celebrate a little differently from other religions or traditions. For example; during Passover, which is around spring time, I must refrain from consuming leavened foods such as

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