The Japanese culture emanates from their spiritual beliefs that connect body mind and spirit thus they are accustomed to health concepts. The Japanese respect the body and see it as holy and sacred. Accordingly, the mind and body have similar characteristics (Eisenmann, 2011). They view illness as a force that is beyond the control of an individual and therefore affecting their risk perception and their ability to prevent illnesses. They also include spirituality in their perception of illness as they believe that evil forces cause illnesses and are also at work in good or bad luck. The Japanese culture has many taboos and traditional practices which can be attributed to their high standards for respectful and proper behavior and religious practices some of their practices includes wearing a mask when one is ill and having sandals that are worn in the house. Similarly, they avoid direct eye contact for long periods (Holroyd & Coates, 2011).
Jews people have a culture that is rich in heritage, tradition, and religion. Even though they originated from Israel, they are found in many parts of the world where they have established small communities with its values and norms even though they are still tied to their roots. Culture is rooted in the Jews where the ancestors include the likes of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. However, modern time Jews have not maintained strong religious ties to their culture but their heritage is defined by the place they live and the people they interact with. Jews identify themselves through the maternal line or adapt to it through active participation in Judaism adoption through active participation in Judaism and getting involved in the community and committing to its values and norms. Jews in America have a wide variation of how they adhere to rituals and other practices and ignore others (Goldstein, 2010).
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Japanese women remain active and continue to work even during pregnancies. They do so as a sign of avoiding laziness and to maintain respect. Similarly, women maintain family honor during childbearing and recognize the benefits of breastfeeding. Respect is also demonstrated in childbirth where women do not express pain. The mother and child must remain together for 27 days. However, a baby is only seen to be part of the community after 31 days. In the Jews Culture, women are considered the mainstay and are highly respected; it is the women who determine the character and atmosphere of the household. According to the culture, each Jewish home should have a Jewish character (Hawkins & Haggerty, 2003).
Both groups have different death practices. Japan, for instance, incorporates a mixture of tradition, religion, culture rituals and geography. The Japanese incorporate Shinto and Buddhism where the later focuses on the funerals and the dead. Most of the funerals in Japanese culture are Buddhist in nature. In this case, the immediate family must keep a night vigil and hold the funeral on the following day. None family members offer money to the bereaved and pray for the soul of the dead after burning incense. The Jews perform many traditions, customs, and rituals. There are various stages that are considered helpful in honoring and commemorating the dead while giving ample time to the bereaved to cope with the loss (Hawkins & Haggerty, 2003).
Jews and Japanese living in the USA have adopted the western culture. They rarely practice their traditional cultures and a close look at them shows that despite westernizing, there are some characteristics live values and beliefs of their respective cultures. It is important for health providers to inquire about the preferences of the patient and any special diet. They should also seek permission before they touch Jews from the opposite sex. Jews also value modesty and therefore it is necessary to protect their privacy. They also place life above everything thus anything can be done to protect life (Hawkins & Haggerty, 2003).
References
Goldstein, Y. (2010). Eastern Jews vs. Western Jews: the Ahad Ha’am–Herzl dispute and its cultural and social implications. Jewish History , 24 (3-4), 355-377. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10835-010-9119-6
Hawkins, J., & Haggerty, L. (2003). Diversity in health care research . New York: Springer Pub.
Holroyd, C., & Coates, K. (2011). Japan in the Age of Globalization . Hoboken: Taylor & Francis.
Stoetzler, M. (2008). The state, the nation, & the Jews . Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
