Star Wars’ Jewish Themes?

Ask The Rabbi, from aish.com

I recently watched an old Star Wars film and couldn't help but think about the spiritual undertones throughout the movie: the Force, the Dark Side, Jedi Knights and Lightsabers. What's the Jewish perspective on all this?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

While there is no comparison between the fantasy of technicolor and the reality of life, some have suggested a few Jewish ideas reflected metaphorically in the film series:

The Force is the ultimate power of the universe: God. The Jedi Knight strives to perfect his awareness that God is constantly watching and teaching us through the events of life. Walking with God is the highest utilization of the power of the intellect. With Lightsaber in hand, the Jedi never allows his mind to lose focus of the message the Almighty seeks to convey.

Jedi master Yoda teaches a wisdom simple, yet profound. He makes his student unlearn what he had been taught, helping tune him in to the subtle world around him to learn its truths. The Jedi clears away layers of gunk, connecting with his internal compass. This opens the fountains of innate goodness and releases flow from the Light Side.

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Technology in the Synagogue: A Tale of Two Temples

This week we're highlighting how two synagogues are making use of technology, one in its sanctuary and the other in bringing services to the homebound.  Is your congregation making use of technology?  We'd love to hear how you're using it.

Seeing is Believing: Visual T’filot and the Future of Jewish Worship

By Rabbi Lance J. Sussman, Ph.D. for eJewishPhilanthropy

Three years ago, my synagogue agreed to install large retractable screens on either side of the Ark and mounted projectors on the back wall of our 900 seat sanctuary. With almost no resistance, we quickly transitioned from late 15th century technology to early 21th century modalities of communicating.

It was a relatively easy process. In addition to her musical talents, our Cantor discovered she had an inherent talent for developing liturgical power point. What size font, which colors, Hebrew versus transliteration, translation versus epitomes of the text, iconic images versus new art and still life versus video instantly presented themselves as questions we needed to address. One by one, we worked our way through the various technological and philosophical issues.

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 Shattering The Isolation of Homebound Jews

Rabbi Dina Rosenberg, Special To The Jewish Week

 Every individual has the right to access and express his or her Judaism in a personal and meaningful way. This is an expansive and inclusive vision, but mere platitude unless we move to make it reality.

Recently, Bay Ridge Jewish Center (BRJC) took a step forward not only for our synagogue, but for congregations everywhere that want to live the value of inclusivity, community growth and engagement.

Golda Seifer, a 101-year-old member of our synagogue, has been unable to attend services for many years. She is a sharp woman who is still fairly independent but is no longer able to leave her home.

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Charles Krauthammer on Judaism and Jewish Identity

The journalist Charles Krauthammer speaks about his Jewish upbringing, the Talmud, Zionism, secular Judaism, and his own faith. (Interview by William Kristol; video, 22 minutes.)

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The New Site That Lets You Snoop Around an Old Polish Jewish Kitchen

By Sarah Zarrow for Jewniverse

Have you ever wanted to step into the past? Not into a famous battle, or a momentous event, but into someone else’s home, to be able to see how that person lived and worked?

A new project from Indiana University lets you do just that. “In Mrs. Goldberg’s Kitchen“ is a digital panorama that visitors can “walk” through, clicking on objects to learn more about the Goldbergs, a real family who lived in a heavily Jewish district in Lodz, Poland, between the two world wars. (Those families would later be the location of the Lodz Ghetto.) A physical version is on display in Lodz’s Central Museum of Textiles.

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