Friends religions-Yes I know!

Okay, just thought you guys might like to know that the question answered in the Friends Newsletter was about the religions. they said that only Ross and Monica are Half-Jewish. Not Rachel. So there's your answer about those two.

but did anyone ever notice the jewish star that Rachel wears sometimes?

"Rachie528" wrote in message news:[email]...

Yes--I noticed it in one episode (can't remember which it was--maybe TOW Phoebe's Uterus), and a friend of mine mentioned that she'd seen it other times, too.

I don't know of anything in the show itself indicating Ross and Monica are "half-Jewish"; I seem to remember vaguely that one or more of the creators thought of them as being so, but without having specified as much in the show. FWIW, Jewish tradition holds that if your mother is Jewish, you're Jewish. If she's not, neither are you, unless you convert. However, I think Reform Judaism does things a little differently--if you have a Jewish father and a non-Jewish mother, and wish to practice Judaism, I think they recognize you as Jewish.

Mardi

I'm not sure about the Jewish religion but in "TOW the box" (I think it was that one its off the top of my head) Ross picked Monica as his secret Santa but then wants to trade with Chandler because he was already getting her something for Hanukkah. Its all an assumption after that Steve

"Mardi" wrote in message news:BCFb7.223347$[email]...

Jewish

And the ham at Judy's mother's funeral implies its only half......

Lauren

"Steven Morse" wrote in message news:Jvcc7.235887$[email]...

was

Santa

sometimes?

other

are

creators

you're

they

"Lauren" wrote in message news:9kruj0$u7n$[email]...

Many Jews do not keep kosher--especially Reform Jews.

Mardi

"Mardi" wrote in message news:Ftic7.252099$[email]...

Theres a difference between sneaking a Banon n' Egg McMuffin and serving ham to great-aunt Fanny !!

Lauren

"Lauren" wrote in message news:9kun8g$nkn$[email]...

ham

Not keeping kosher is not keeping kosher. Serving ham is no more non-kosher than serving meat on plates that have had dairy foods on them, serving beef from a cow that was not slaughtered according to Jewish law. If the Geller clan is Reform or non-observant, they might well serve ham, or lobster, or cheese in the presence of meat.

Mardi

I am not sure about this, but I am almost sure that Ross and Monica are half Jewish. And Rachel is either half Jewish or supposed to be Jewish (I think it is half as well because of stories she has told). I assume Joey is Catholic, as far as Phoebe and Chandler... Dunno. One would think Chandler is Christain of some kind. Phoebe is just special :)

No it's just Ross and Monica who are half Jewish. Rachel seems to be a Christian of some sort, Chandler, who knows? Joey is Catholic and Phoebe has to be a witch don't you think? I'm sure about Ross and Monica cause it was in the last Friends Newsletter from the official site. One of the writers answered the question.

"Seran Perry" wrote in message news:[email]...

But again, where are we getting the "half"?

Mardi

I'm guessiong Jack

"Seran Perry" wrote in message news:[email]...

That's not what I mean--what has happened in the show to make us think "half." We know the Gellers celebrate Chanukah. This is a clue in favor of "Jewish." Some people have mentioned ham at the reception after Nana's funeral, but as I mentioned, not all Jews keep kosher. Others elsewhere have mentioned the the fact that there is never an open coffin at a Jewish funeral. But no one ever said Nana's coffin would be open--only that it would not be, so there's no conflict there.

Mardi

Oh right. I would usually go with the Ham idea at the funeral. but isn't it also that at Jewish funerals the mirrors are covered up? I didn't see any mirrors covered

"Seran Perry" wrote in message news:[email]...

of

Jewish

it

That also depends on how observant the family is. My family is Jewish (not half) and we don't cover our mirrors.

Mardi

(not

But you wouldn't serve ham at the funeral !!!! ;o)

Lauren

"Lauren" wrote in message news:9kun6r$g4o$[email]...

How do you know? We don't keep kosher. I'm pretty sure my mother served dairy and meat at my grandparents' funeral reception. She might well have served shrimp, which is not kosher. She didn't serve ham, but that's because she doesn't like it.

Mardi

"Mardi" wrote in message news:ZHBc7.246946$[email]...

But surely in deference for the funeral 'guests' from older generations - who would come to Nana's funeral - they wouldn't have a ham !

Or is America even more pagan than we think !!!

Here, at a Jewish funeral, even if Liberal and as wishy-washy as you can get, even if the family don't keep kosher, even if there is ham in their fridge - they wouldn't serve a huge, pink, glistening ham !!

Lauren

"Lauren" wrote in message news:9l350i$l3c$[email]...

Jewish

served

have

My aunt and uncle belong to a Reform synagogue. When my cousin had his Bar Mitzvah there a few years back, the synagogue allowed them to hire any caterer they wanted for the reception afterwards. They served non-kosher dishes such as non-vegetarian lasagne and pepperoni pizza. This was no less shocking to Orthodox and Conservative guests than a big, glistening ham would have been.

For some reason, ham is a big "non-kosher" symbol to non-Jews. Do you know why pigs are not kosher? They do not chew their cud. The rule is that in order to be kosher, the animal must have cloven hooves and chew its cud. Cows? Kosher. Pigs? Not kosher. Deer? Kosher. Horses? Not kosher. The rule for seafood is it must have fins and scales. Trout, salmon, flounder, etc. etc.? Kosher. Lobster, shrimp, crabs, oysters, mussels? Not kosher. I don't remember the rules about poultry. Then there are the rules about milk and meat (don't mix them even by eating cheese on a plate that's ever had meat on it, or by having ice cream too soon after having steak). Then there are the rules on how to slaughter the animals--by cutting the jugular vein. So a chicken with its head cut off is not kosher.

There's nothing magical about ham. Non-kosher food to people who keep kosher is all equally out-of-bounds. And unless the family is willing to get rid of all their dishes, buy two sets of new ones, and really follow the rules, the older, more traditional relatives will be unhappy no matter what.

Mardi

Oh okay... Well in that case then I haven't got the fgaintest idea which half. :)

"Seran Perry" wrote in message news:[email]...

favor

Nana's

elsewhere

it

isn't

any

(not

half.

We haven't the faintest idea that it *is* half. Unless something happens in the show telling us that Jack or Judy is not Jewish, I'll assume Ross and Monica are Jewish.

Mardi

Actually they could be Jewish eh, cause the answer on the newsletter didn't really specify half or full...

"Seran Perry" wrote in message news:[email]...

think

that

see

which

in

didn't

Right--we don't have much to go on. They're all a pretty secular bunch anyway. :)

Mardi

In article , "Mardi" wrote:

Ross *definitely* is Jewish, because he told Ben he's part Jewish.

That's exactly what I thought but the guy from friends said it was only ross and Monica...

In article , [email] (Seran Perry) wrote:

Who was this?

Tennant

errr, give us a sec. Oh! They usually say who answers but they don't any more it seems. I don't know who answered. Isn't it usually Todd Stevens...?

In article , [email] (Seran Perry) wrote:

Ah yes. Strictly speaking, only events in the show are canon.

Tennant

Is that all? What about the people that work there?

In article , [email] (Seran Perry) wrote:

If someone on the show tells you something, let's say Monica's middle name is Enid, then that might have some authority. But if later on a writer comes up with a story where her middle name is Esther, they'll check to see if it's canon, and so far only the initial E is. This is why there are so many intriguing holes in their backgrounds, such as their religions, since once revealed on the show it becomes canon, and then they're stuck.

Tennant

oh right, yeah I get you! makes sense I guess. So we just have to wait for the writers to say things then.

In article , [email] (Seran Perry) wrote:

Yes.

Tennant

Well they celebrate Christmas. You could say it's social only but the person who answered the question in the Friends newsletter said Ross & Monica were half jewish.

============= <A HREF="http://bigcats.care2.com/i?p=664033599">Join Care2.com's Race for the Big Cats</A>

This space for rent

"Phyll" wrote in message news:[email]...

in

person

were

There are secular Jews who celebrate Christmas as a secular holiday. A friend of mine who used to live out on Long Island told me that this is hardly unusual "out on the island," where Ross and Monica are from.

Did the newsletter guy cite anything that happened in the show itself that pointed to "half-Jewish," or are we supposed to view this as an off-screen executive decision?

In TOW the Christmas Armadillo . . . Well, I'll leave space for anyone who hasn't yet seen 7.10:

*

*

*

*

*

*

. . . . Ben says he's "half-Jewish." If Ross were "half-Jewish," Ben would be "one-quarter Jewish." Some have pointed out that Ross says "Me, too," but he does this not as himself but as the character he's playing for Ben--the Christmas Armadillo. As a *Christmas* Armadillo, it would make sense for this character to be "half," just like Ben.

Mardi

In article , [email] (Phyll) wrote:

Christmas is really a pagan festival, forest worship.

Tennant

most Christian festivals are on the same day as pagan festivals. something about making people turn away from paganism and come and celebrate the Christian festivals. It's around those lines, and that's also why Jehovah's don't celebrate Christmas. umm showing vast knowledge there aren't I? :)

In article , [email] (Seran Perry) wrote:

That's certainly so. Most cultures have a mid-winter festival, since it was difficult to keep livestock through the winter, so you slaughtered all but your breeding stock, and after that time you only had salted meat. What changed all that was the discovery of root vegetables in the New World.

Indeed so. There is a Christian aspect to Christmas, but you don't see any of the six friends indulging in that, as indeed nor do most British people, even if Americans do.

But what virtually no Christians do is celebrate Hanukkah, play with a dreidel, light a menorah, drape Jewish prayer shawls over their chairs, or wear the Star of David around their necks.

Tennant

It's too commercialised to be celebrated religiously anymore. I mean most Christians do, but no it's just an excuse to give presents and dress up like a fat guy in a red suit.

because it's not commercialised.

Unless they do it for their dear jewish friend Rachel.....LOL !

Lauren

In article , "Lauren" wrote:

Could be, except for the Star of David, which Rachel wears herself. :)

Tennant

In article , [email] (Seran Perry) wrote:

Yah - and those presents are basically sacrifices to the gods, while the fat guy in a red suit is a Coca-Cola advertisement.

Exactly, if it had been, we'd all be joining in, without worrying about the religious side of it. In fact, many British schools celebrate Diwali, the Hindu holiday that just precedes Christmas. A couple of years ago, Birmingham recognised this by putting up Winter Festival banners instead of Happy Christmas, and it caused a huge row accusing the city fathers of being anti-Christian, when all they were doing was celebrating all the mid-winter festivals, including Hanukkah.

Tennant

I knew about the coca-cola, didn't realise about the presents. how are they sacrifices to the Gods and Goddess's?

That's pathetic. What's wrong with celebrating other festivals too? They do it with St Patricks day and St Davids and St Andres all the time! eh!

"Seran Perry" wrote in message news:[email]...

they

Here's an interesting tidbit about the Coca-Cola/Santa Claus thing. To whet your appetite, here's how it begins:

Claim: The modern image of Santa Claus -- a jolly figure in a red-and-white suit -- was created by Coca-Cola.

Status: False.

Here's the URL:

http://www.snopes2.com/cokelore/santa.htm

Mardi

In article , "Mardi" wrote:

I've just checked this out, and it doesn't contradict what I said, nor does it contradict a fuller version which I've posted in the past about the contributions made by the artists Thomas Nast & Haddon Sunblom.

Note that I didn't say that Santa Claus was *created* by Coca-Cola.

Tennant

"Tennant Stuart" wrote in message news:[email]...

I'm sorry--I didn't see you post on this previously, and I thought your comment on St. Nick being a Coca-Cola ad *might* indicate that you thought he was born in the Coke ads. It's a fairly widespread misconception. I didn't intend any offense.

Mardi

In article , "Mardi" wrote:

No worries, sweetie.

Tennant

In article , [email] (Seran Perry) wrote:

Because that's how sacrifices work. You place food or objects of value around an altar, or pin them up on a tree in the forest, and after a suitable interval a mortal removes the items and makes use of them.

Tennant

Oh! I didn't seee that as sacrifices... makes sense I guess :)

"CombatTink" wrote in message news:[email]...

half

think it

But what stories? "My mother's not Jewish, but my father is, and I consider myself half-Jewish" isn't a story I remember her telling.

I assume Joey is Catholic,

Yep.

Christain

Probably.

Phoebe is just special :)

Yup.

Mardi

"Steven Morse" wrote in message news:Jvcc7.235887$[email]...

was

Santa

That and other references suggest the Gellers are Jewish--this doesn't introduce any theories about "half."

Mardi