Lisa's Judaism Blog

As I walked around Disney World with my family this week, I was amazed at the number of Modern Orthodox Jews I saw mingling with Disney characters from Mickey Mouse to Stitch. Everytime I spotted a kipa or bandana, I would poke my 18-year-old daughter and whisper "tribe members on your left." By the end of the day, she was bruised.

While the liberal branches of Judaism welcome modernity, Orthodox Judaism shuns the modern world in favor of tradition. In between these two approaches to Judaism, Modern Orthodox Jews in America today strive to find a way to live traditionally in the modern world. How have Judaism's Modern Orthodox succeeded simultaneously to embrace modernity and cleave to tradition?

While visiting my sister in Atlanta, I read through Atlanta's local Jewish newspaper. About 70,000 out of Atlanta's 125,000 Jews are unaffiliated according to the newspaper. This made me wonder, “Why be Jewish?” in America today when it is so comfortable to just be American. Why drive to the Jewish Community Center rather than the local Fitness Center, why celebrate Hanukkah when your co-workers are having Christmas parties, and why enroll your kids in Hebrew school when the neighbor's kids are going to soccer practice?

Anti-Semitism, the Holocaust, and Israel used to be effective motivators, but they no longer speak to young, unaffiliated American Jews. Do you think that a “new story” has to be uncovered and marketed to invigorate Jewish life in America today?

The Mourner's Kaddish, one of a few types of Kaddish prayers, expresses the mourner's love of God and acceptance of God's will, even while the mourner is feeling great loss and sorrow over the death of a loved one. Why do you think Judaism wants people Jews to focus on their love of God while they are feeling grief and perhaps even anger?

After death, there is only a spiritual (not a physical) world, according to Judaism. Our bodies turn to dust, but our soul (neshama in Hebrew) is eternal. If we lived a good life, we are rewarded with a spiritual closeness to God in the afterlife. If we sinned in our life, we are punished after death by a spiritual detachment from God. Read more about the Jewish concept of the afterlife.

Dear Rabbi,
I am becoming more religious and turing pro as an athlete. Does Judaism have a prayer that requests success in sports?
Thanks, David

Dear Rabbi,
My family and I are Shomer Shabbat (observe the Jewish Sabbath). However, growing up I did not keep Shabbat, and I played a lot of sports on Saturday. I am concerned that my children will be missing out by not getting to play the competitive team sports like I did now that we observe Sabbath laws. According to Conservative Judaism, is it permissible for my children to play competitive sports on Shabbat?
Thanks, Bill

Like a flower in the desert, I find one of the most endearing traits of Judaism to be its ability to enable a community to thrive in hostile environments. The city of Kaifeng, located southeast of Beijing on the banks of the Yellow River, hosts approximately 500 people today who appear to be of Jewish descent. Learn about the Kaifeng Jews, a community of Jews that flourished for over 700 years in China.

Americans like summer weddings. Orthodox Jews, however, do not get married between the 17th of the Hebrew month of Tammuz and the 9th day of the Hebrew month of Av as it is a Jewish mourning period known as the "Three Weeks." A Reform Jew asks Rabbi Jeffrey Wolfson Goldwasser if Reform rabbis will perform weddings during the "Three Weeks.".

Rabbi Jeffrey Wolfson Goldwasser is asked if Reform Jews observe the three weeks before Tisha B'Av.

• More Answers from Rabbi Goldwasser
• About Reform Judaism

I am not a big Hillary fan, but today I am sort of wishing she was still in the running. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will resign, due to accusations of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, as soon as his Kadima party chooses a new leader in September elections. And right now, Israel’s Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni is the front runner to win these elections. As a Jewish woman with daughters, a scenario in which both the American President and the Israeli Prime Minister were woman would certainly have been exciting to watch!

Who do you think will become Israel's next Prime Minister:

• Tzipi Livni
• Shaul Mofaz

_{Image courtesy of Daniel Berehulak / Getty Images News}