Perfection

Perfection

“I believe with perfect faith in the coming of the Messiah…” Maimonides 13 Principles of Faith Belief in the eventual coming of the Messiah and perfection of the world under his reign is a basic and fundamental part of traditional Judaism. The concept is not mentioned explicitly in the Torah (Five Books of Moses), but many hints are given through exegetical teaching of several passages. The Hebrew term “Moshiach” literally means the “Anointed one” and specifically refers to the ancient practice
book of moses messiah
Zalman Kravitz

Zalman Kravitz
A Wedding in Conflict

A Wedding in Conflict

Issue of the week #6 Note: The following letter was sent to us by a visitor to our site. We invite others to share their viewpoints with us. Dear Two Roads, My (Jewish) cousin is going to marry a Catholic man and this has divided our family. My folks will attend the reception but not the ceremony (after speaking with one of their Rabbis), but my aunt (an aunt of the engaged cousin) is refusing to have anything to do with her niece. I disagree with that approach entirely for so many reasons an
family jewish
Zalman Kravitz

Zalman Kravitz
A Twisted Thing: An Interfaith Story

A Twisted Thing: An Interfaith Story

Issue of the week #5 Note: The following letter was sent to us by a visitor to our site in response to an earlier "issue". We invite others to share their viewpoints with us. The pasuk (verse) says: A twisted thing cannot be straightened, and that which is missing cannot be numbered. (Koheles 1:15). My story is a different sort of an interfaith story. It does not include struggling with the December dilemma or deciding whether the children should go to church or temple, or Christmas trees and
christian interfaith
Zalman Kravitz

Zalman Kravitz
December Dilemma

December Dilemma

Issue of the week #4 "A couple has agreed upon marriage to raise the children according to one faith (for argument sake, let's say Judaism). The non-Jewish spouse is trying to "get with the program" and is contemplating conversion - but hasn't quite reconciled all the issues. The end of the year is upon them and the old "December Dilemma" has reared its face. George, the non-Jewish spouse wants a Christmas tree, and Deborah wants nothing of it. If they approached you, how would you advise them?
christmas conversion
Zalman Kravitz

Zalman Kravitz
Theological Tug of War

Theological Tug of War

Issue of the week #3 Theological Tug of War with Kids Divorced parents of different faiths can be prohibited from teaching their religious beliefs to their children if it would harm them, the Massachusetts state Supreme Judicial Court has ruled. The father, Jeffrey P. Kendall, is a member of the fundamentalist Boston Church of Christ. The mother, Barbara Kendall, is an Orthodox Jew. The children, aged 4, 6 and 9, are being raised by the mother as Orthodox Jews and she argued they would be force
divorced parents jesus christ
Zalman Kravitz

Zalman Kravitz
When Faith and Relationships are at Odds

When Faith and Relationships are at Odds

Issue of the week #2 When Faith and Relationships are at Odds "I was so strong in my faith. I was certain that when we got married that my husband would 'see the light' and join me. I really loved God and I really loved Sam. It is true that we agreed to 'live and let live' when it came to religion, but I still had my dreams. I even got my parents to acquiesce to the marriage. My pastor was not thrilled. He was concerned that marrying an unbeliever would draw me away from my relationship with J
faith interfaith relationships
Zalman Kravitz

Zalman Kravitz
The Conversion Dilemma

The Conversion Dilemma

Issue of the week #1 The Conversion Dilemma “The Jewish partner connecting to his/her roots, especially if he/she is starting to take on mitzvos, can cause a lot of stress in a marriage that was not there before. Even before any commitment to observance, just the thought of the situation arising may be seen as a barrier. Our guess is that you've encountered a person who converted to Judaism and left a Jewish-from-birth spouse in the dust, so to speak, in the whirlwind of observance that conver
born-again interfaith marriage
Zalman Kravitz

Zalman Kravitz
Respect

Respect

Dear Rebbe, I have a story for you. The following letter was sent to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson ZT'L Exactly ten years ago, I met my soulmate. Without going into great detail about our religious backgrounds, I will simply tell you that I was raised a Protestant and later joined Catholicism, and that my partner in life was raised agnostic but was born Jewish. Each of us had undergone great trials in our personal lives and had each sought God in our own way. For two year
jews judaism
Zalman Kravitz

Zalman Kravitz