Life Course Development Paper

Section 1 

The Jewish culture has a firm basis. These Jewish people have held on to their culture for a long time. Judaism, for instance, is more about the actions and deeds and not a faith-based religion. Various aspects are entailed in the Jewish culture, such as religion, media, architecture, and how the people view the world's concepts. The other concepts include gender views, marriages, family, social customs, and dressing codes. The Jewish communities have witnessed massive development of their variegated cultural aspects throughout the historical periods (Kaplan, 2019). These cultural phenomena originate from Judaism while the others interact with the host populations. Others originate from the inner social and cultural aspects of the society. As a result, there are numerous variations of the Jewish culture tailored to fit specific abodes. Religion was dominant in the various concepts of the Jewish living styles and culture. Since the rise of secularization, the secular Jewish culture grew massively.

The various subgroups in the Israeli Jews can be reflected in the religious understandings and practices, such as the approach used to observe the Sabbath. For instance, every Haredim indicated that they are not interested in riding in a car or a bus during Sabbath. However, the Hilonim are not interested in such customs. Various Jewish beliefs and practices have various divisions, particularly in secular activities. For example, every Haredim often fast all day but not the Yon Kippur (Pat-Horenczyk & Schiff, 2019). However, few Hilonim people fast during the days. Even though most Hilonim in Israel typically have low levels of following through the Jewish customs and practices, it is established that most of them practice some concepts of Judaism, either for cultural or religious purposes. For instance, most Hilonim attends the Seder last Passover. More than 50% indicate that they light candles before the commencement of the Sabbath in most cases. Similarly, almost 33% of the Hilonim assert that they maintain Kosher in their homes. There are also differences in religious observances with regard to the gender groups. For example, the Israeli women are not more focused on various concepts of the Jewish traditions compared to the men. Most women prefer attending the Sabbath Holistically than men (Pat-Horenczyk & Schiff, 2019). Most women prefer reading through religious texts to men. The same pattern can be observed amongst the Masortim and the Datiim. Jews who speak the Russian language in Israel reportedly do not observe the Jewish beliefs and practices. Many of the Russian speakers claim that they personally handle money on any day, including the Sabbath, and some also affirm their liking for the pork meat.

Section 2 

There are sharp differences among groups based on the significance of the various life cycle changes. In this case, the paper describes the unique aspects of the development of the Jewish people. However, it would be imperative to compare to other cultures as well. In particular, the Jewish families often emphasize the need to transit to manhood, also known as Bar Mitzvah. As a result, these people place a lot of value on intellectual development, unlike other communities or groups that rarely marks it. For instance, the Irish always focus on the wake by viewing death as the most crucial life cycle transition. It alienates human beings from the world's suffering and places them in a better and happier place (Pomson & Schnoor, 2018). Similarly, Blacks also emphasize a lot on funerals because they think or believe that it is the most crucial aspect of one's life cycle. Other nationalities from Italy and Poland emphasize a lot on weddings because they reflect the significance of family continuity for the next generations. Such people go into extreme expenses to cater for their wedding costs and feasts, which takes lengthy periods.

Life cycle events including puberty, birth and death are passages that are determined biologically. However other life cycles are socially invented, including adolescence, divorce, marriage and divorce. With time, the differences can disappear as s social convention gain much precedence over the biological concepts. For instance, the Jewish culture marks the puberty with Bar and Bat Mitzvah but it has since become irrelevant at the moment. However, the attempt to reform and replace the consent age from eighteen to sixteen was not successful. In the Jewish laws the legal mark-off points were fixed to specific age limits without considering the physical maturity of a person. As a result, a girl can reach that majority when she is 12 of when the pubic hairs appear. Therefore, it suggests that there are both sociological and biological concepts of attaining age of responsibility in the Jewish culture.

In theory, every Jew is tasked with celebrating public ritual ceremonies. As a result, the ones who have been single or without a child and hence cannot take part in such ceremonial activities and rituals associated with marriage and parenthood, and for the young individuals, Bar Mitzvah felt that they were treated unfairly while they were pitied by the society. Concisely, since Jews were entitled to take part in such activities, the ones who did not participate felt that they were profoundly deprived. In scenario involving women, lack of rituals regarding marriage and child rearing that makes them wives and mothers made them feel isolated and loss of self-esteem. Until this period, the failure to initiate the coming-of-age ceremony for women and girls like the Bat Mitzvah resulted in a feeling of exclusion. Similarly, mots men who felt that their thirteenth birthdays were not taken seriously felt excluded and lost self-esteem. For this reason, some elderly Jewish men stage lavish Bar Mitzvah practices. The rite of passage in the Jewish culture is more evident and appreciated in the country.

Clothing 

The most apparent and notable form of traditional Jewish dress' code is the Yarmulke or the skull cap. This is the common cloth worn by men from the Jewish ethnicity signifying reverence to the Most-High (God). In particular, orthodox men typically use or put on the Yarmulke every time they are awake. The reform Jews have, however, changed the custom by wearing it only during religious ceremonies and practices (Rabiau, 2019). The other cloth is called the tallit, and it is typically worn during prayers to show that the Jewish are humble before God. There are specific ceremonies for wearing the tallit, the sabbath, and religious activities. Orthodox men can have the small creation or perspective of the tallit within their daily clothing. The tefillin is another cloth that is more common among the Orthodox but less amongst the conservatives and reformists. The cloth is used to pass across a vital passage that is worn by a man during prayers. The cloth is used to signify that the Tora is typically in the heart and the mind. It is a special cloth in the Jewish community.

The Unattached Young Adult 

Ethnicity links the various family aspects to the broader perspective in which it originates. Same as individualization, this stage demands every person agree with the origin of their families. Furthermore, it demands that everyone understand their ethnicity. For instance, if young individuals experience coldness from their parents, it would be challenging to be empathetic.

The most critical aspect of the life cycle for unattached young people is the circumcision of boys. This process is also called the Brit Milah or the Yiddish. The practice is religious because it originates from Abraham's instructions by God, which saw Abraham circumcising himself and his son Isaac. Every boy goes through this process when he is eight days old unless there is a health condition demanding the delay(Shorer-Kaplan, 2018). The boy should be held in the hands of a grandfather to show honour in the whole process. There is no use of medical anaesthetic, but the baby is often given a drop of wine. The next process involves a celebratory meal.

The above process is an initiation period where the child gets into society and grows up believing and trusting in the norms and practices. The Jewish culture values the independence of young adults. Therefore, the whole independence begins with the circumcision ceremony. The Jewish believe that problems could arise when the issues are not accomplished. A young adult may not be independent as expected because of slow development with the disabled child or because there is a need to attend through the entire educational program that makes it ineffective for the young person to be self-sufficient (Rabiau, 2019). This is one of the best periods of a person's growth. For the Jewish families, where the value is placed on family and success, a young individual may be advised to work separately from the entire family to attain their set objectives. However, the family often supports the young person to accomplish his ambitions. The family's input may further grow if the goals are not achieved.

The Young Couple 

This life cycle is associated with primary and major differences. This is the time when sex roles are defined, boundaries set in the family system, and the relationship between spouses, their friends, and the whole community. Even though the couple is a separate entity, it is expected that they should consider merging to form one group and function as a single entity.

The differences in the cultural attitudes regarding sex roles can further be challenging for the intermarried couples at this stage. Women in the Jewish setting are supposed to be strong and submissive to their men and be ready to take up responsibilities in the man’s absence. Males are tasked with being the family heads at they should handle all the aspects of the family. However, the roles are democratic despite the fact that all these patterns can fit the broader culture's patriarchal system. Indeed, couples from different backgrounds may have varying levels of intimacy that are common among spouses, such as the attitude on the sexual association and the independence of activities. In some Jewish groups, the man is supposed to deal with the outside world, and the woman is supposed to take care of the home. The couple can also socialize and relate with the extended family or the nuclear family (Mishol-Shauli, Shacham & Golan, 2019). Friends also form a significant or critical part of the whole process of socialization. However, the family friends should be differentiated from the individual pals of the spouse. Family is a crucial and important aspect for the married couple.

The Transition Period to Adulthood 

With this concept of life cycle transitions, almost every ethnicity or cultural affiliation feels like it is the right and moral way. The rituals that follow through this whole process in the perspective of the Jewish culture are defined, but they vary to some levels between groups. The birth practices in this culture are almost the same across every group.

Child-rearing is a critical or essential part of the Jewish culture, but only for the married couples. This also extends to the aspect of whether children should be seen or presented to the public or if the family has to focus solely on child-rearing. The Jewish often indulged the young children during infancy and then started showing stricter rules, particularly the girls, as they grow. This approach is quite different from other cultures, such as the Black families, which believe that the child should be disciplined at the earliest stage to have the right direction in life (Shorer-Kaplan, 2018). Jewish families do not necessarily show much affection to their children; instead, the families often pay strong focus or attention to the kids' emotional and intellectual growth. The Jewish people take their children for consultations if they show degrading grades or if they are any indication of emotional problem. Clinicians should examine families based on their ethnic foundation and approach child-rearing patterns with much care.

Marriage 

Marriage is one of the most multi-faceted aspects of Judaism because it varies depending on the couple and the relationship between the community and Judaism. However, there is a need to discuss the marriages between a Jewish man and woman for brevity. The Jewish people view non-heterosexual marriages in varied ways, which cannot be summarized herein. The Jewish culture is also against intermarriage between the Jewish people and the non-Jewish ones. There is a pre-wedding ceremony conducted before the actual wedding on Saturday in various communities in the Jewish culture. The groom and bride are honoured and blessed during the ceremony, after which the congregation awards them with candy as an indication of the sweet life.

The wedding couples are forced to sign a marriage contract that indicates the groom's obligations and roles towards the bride. The couple is always proud of the Ketubah (the marriage contract between the bride and the groom obligating them to stay faithful to each other). The wedding ceremony happens in a canopy on the four poles to indicate that the couple is in a new home. There is a recalling of the Holy Book (The Bible) by veiling the bride's face to represent the situation where Laban tricked Jacob to marry Leah instead of Rachel. The groom removes the veil to prevent such situations from happening and to give the bride an opportunity to ascertain that he is marrying the right person. The bride is supposed to rotate around the groom at least three times (Shorer-Kaplan, 2018). A ring is presented to the bride by the groom, and vice versa also happens. The marriage is formalized by reading the seven blessings. A glass is broken during this time to show the congregation or the crowd that even though they hope for a better life, there are always challenges and that everything will not be as rosy as it ought to. A meal and a party are organized to commensurate the wedding. The hora dance is particularly the case to incorporate the bride and the groom in the entire process.

Family and Gender 

A family is a central unit in determining or guiding the Jewish practice in accordance or observance of the Torah and Talmud. The family plays a central role in describing and passing across these tenets. The family is considered an integral unit, where every member is barred from being responsible for others' actions and adherence to the set laws and rules. Rituals and routines among family members are supported because they can enhance robust and healthy family links. Mothers are tasked with handling their children's critical responsibilities, educating them to follow through with the Jewish faith and practices (Selekman & Zavadivker, 2021). When having an interfaith marriage, it is assumed that the children will uphold the mother's faith. Gender roles, and in particular, the functions and responsibilities of women vary significantly in different Jewish faiths. For example, the Jewish Orthodox do not allow worship of both men and women at the same place, and other strict groups prevent women from participating in any worship action or practice.

The reformist group has a high likelihood of expressing feminist actions and typically ordain the female Rabbis. There is a heated discussion among various leaders in the Jewish tradition on the definition of marriage based on Tora and Talmud and the idea of same-sex marriage. In some cases, Torah posits that marriage can balance the opposites, with the wife and the husband was given certain roles. Even though the two roles are perceived to have similar significance, they are regarded to have certain rules or roles tailored to a specific gender. Women act as wives and mothers with the primary role of providing unconditional love and support. Men are the husbands and fathers, and they are tasked with disciplining the children and being responsible to their family members.

Divorce 

Even though divorce is not allowed, Judaism permits such actions if not tenable. There is a document known as Get that authorizes divorce. The husband is supposed to present the wife using the Get at his free time, and conventionally, the woman should accept it. The husband talks about the period he needs the divorce to have happened. The divorce process has always elicited mixed reactions amongst the Jewish communities and has resulted in the formulation of various potential solutions towards such problems. Some cultures have reverted to having a prenuptial agreement, while others have turned to creative and less legal approaches. Death is a rite of passage among the Jewish nationalities.

There is a specific prescribed culture amongst the Jewish people to aid the family members in handling various deaths. The most profound is burial happening after twenty-four hours of a person's death and seven days of family mourning, also known as shiva. This is the period when the family members and friends visit and come with food. Some prayers are given for a year, and the unveiling period is done for the memorial services. This period happens eleven months after the victims' death, and it is the official end of the mourning period. The conventional Jewish culture believed that living the worst life should be preferred to the best death. These beliefs are quite in contradiction to the Irish people's ones, where death is considered a relief to a suffering person.

The death of a person marks the end of life. The Jewish people do not believe in embalming the body of a dead person. A group is formed to wash the body and then dress it in simple linens and placed in a wooden casket to hasten the rate of body return to the dust where it came from. It is an unfortunate incidence in the Jewish culture. Eulogies can be given, but body viewing is not allowed. Mourners are supposed to recite the psalms in praise of God the creator for a life well-lived. Cremation is not an acceptable action or procedure of burial in Jewish culture. In essence, burial is conducted after a short time of the death occurrence. The burial process or procedure is also marred with various and different aspects such as shovelling of dirt to the grave by the mourners (Hartman, 2017). There is discretion for those people involved in the whole shovelling process. Primarily, the Jewish believes that a person with a tattoo should not be buried in their cemetery. Even though the Jewish do not support body tattooing, it is not true that the body will not be buried because of the tattoos. The dead are treated properly in what is often called the Mitzvah to show good deeds to the deceased who cannot repay or show gratitude.

Problems and their Solutions 

Illness actions is a normative procedure is controlled by cultural rules and guidelines. Humans learn the approved processes or methods of getting ill, and the physician's explanation and procedures, and the patients are tied to a particular culture. Emotional expressiveness may result in issues because the Jewish culture's dominant culture could value such types of expressions lesser than the minority groups (Gross, 2017). Every culture has its characteristic problem, and they are as a result of the cultural functions that conspicuous.

Jewish Views on Homosexuality 

Conservatism in the Jewish perspective is of Christian origin rather than the American socio-political understandings. The Jewish community does not allow the Orthodox to support the liberal social issues in the society. The stand comes from the idea of social justice commitment. For instance, some Jews see no problem with same-sex marriage, despite a concerted belief that homosexuality is against God's desires. Jews believe that homosexuality is a personal problem between the individual and God. They have a robust belief in free will and personal choice that takes over any misunderstanding of homosexuality. Sexuality is a sensitive issue from the perspective of the Jewish culture. Even though the world is changing to accommodate people with different practices and opinions, the Jews and their culture do not support such activities.

The Jews strongly understand that the Torah, in particular, is against the believes and acts of homosexuality. Individuals are advised to refrain from practices of homosexual relationships because it is against God's will and wishes and not because they are unnatural. Concisely, it is imperative to abstain from such practices if one wishes to stay by Torah. Even though the religion strongly condemns homosexual practices, there is a consensus among the Jews that these people should not be excommunicated or shunned away (Bressler & Popp, 2018). There is a massive difference between seeing or observing the act of homosexuality as evil against witnessing the individual committing the act as wrong. Indeed, pre-marital sex has some similarities with homosexual desires. There is no sin in showing interest; however, acting on it is a sin. Homosexuality and the rights of the LGTBQ community is a controversial issue from the Jewish point of view. There is a likelihood that there are other members of the Jewish faith that supports the LGBTQ community than the other religions or cultures.

Conclusion 

In summary, this paper has contributed mainly to understanding the family cycle from the Jewish culture. The paper has worked from a multi-faceted perspective to explore the various life stages such as early or middle childhood, adolescence, and late adulthood. The paper found the various aspects of development and transition makers. Primarily, for the Jewish families, where the value is placed on family and success, a young individual may be advised to work separately from the entire family to attain their set objectives. However, the family often supports the young person to accomplish his ambitions. Various Jewish beliefs and practices have various divisions, particularly in secular activities. For example, every Haredim often fast all day, like the Yon Kippur. However, few Hilonim people fast during the days. This paper has critically analysed the development life cycle of the Jewish culture and practices.

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