Dare To Ask Talk And News About Our Differences 
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Synagogues do not pass around a collection plate, either for Sabbath services or for the High Holiday services. Thus, the process of collecting has become more formalized; often, a significant amount of the annual budget for a congregation is collected by buying a seat. I think it’s easy to interpret this practice in a negative way, when contrasted with how churches collect money. But it is not bad, merely different. It is important to view it in light of the practical need for the practice. As the previous respondent pointed out, congregations are often packed to capacity during the High Holidays, and this is one way for synagogues to limit and predict the number of attendees. As to not allowing people to worship if they don’t pay, I have personal experience of having walked into a synagogue for the High Holidays and was welcomed without having paid. So while paying for a seat is the expectation, it is not a barrier to admission. You just have to stand or sit where someone left their seat for a while!
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Name : Daniel, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jewish, Age : 44, City : New York, State : NY, Country : United States, Occupation : consultant, Education level : Over 4 Years of College,It is probably true that there are a disproportionate number of Jews involved in social justice efforts. I also believe there is a religious basis for this, as well as an historically motivated one. Jews believe they are responsible to fulfill three requirements: charity, prayer (or reflection) and deeds. All of this is linked with our purpose to ‘perfect the world’ (it is only when humanity perfects the world that the messiah will come, in contrast with Christian doctrine that says the messiah already came). Thus, seeking and working for social justice is in our fabric. It is a core requirement for all Jews. Interestingly, one interpretation of these requirements would lead a person to conclude that Jews don’t even have to believe in God, and in fact, some do not, yet they still have the value and deeply felt purpose to make the world a better place.
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Name : Daniel, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jewish, Age : 44, City : New York, State : NY, Country : United States, Occupation : consultant, Education level : Over 4 Years of College,The implications and concerns raised by the initial question are clearly illustrated, I believe, by Stacey’s response. Her actual words are: “However, there is only one truth,” which implies that those who do not agree with her are wrong. Her truth, conveniently, happens to be that one truth. As evidence, she relies on the tenents of her belief.
Without debating whether her truth is the truth, the slippery slope that leads to ethnic cleansing begins with such propositions. Therein lies the dilemma: If one believes in Absolute Truth, then others, by necessity, are wrong. Those who believe that one pervasive Religious Truth will blanket the world, I believe, are unfortunately mistaken. The challenge, therefore, is to figure out how to accept the fact that others can believe in very different Absolute Truths. I don’t have an answer for that. I know what works for me, and I also know that what works for me won’t work for others. But I believe that religious tolerance and religious acceptance are important to strive for.
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Name : Daniel, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jewish, Age : 44, City : New York, State : NY, Country : United States, Occupation : consultant, Education level : Over 4 Years of College,
