JaredKatz

Ms.Lucarelli
ComparativeCivilizations
3November2015

Q:Whatkeptyousofaithfulinyourreligion?
A:Wehaveover5000yearsofhistory.Itsyear5777andwecantraceourfamilyhistoryback5
generations.Ican'tleavethishistory.Thebiblebroughthumanitytotheworld.Thetorah
teachesyouhowtobeabetterperson,respectpeople.ThatisavalueandIcan'tgiveitup.
Q:Haveyoueverbeendiscriminatedbecauseofyourreligion?Howdidyourespondtoit?
A:Yes,Irespondedtoit.Differentwaysindifferenttimes.SometimesIignoredit.Inevertried
togetintoanyfightsbecauseofit.Itriedtoavoidconfrontation.Iwaspushed,andIwalked
away.EventuallyIrespondedverbally.
Q:Whatdoesbeingreligiousmeantoyou?
A:Imnotthemostreligiousjewishperson.ButImlivingthelifethatmyparentsand
grandparentslived.It'sagoodlife,acaringlife.Itmeansyouhavetotakecareofalldifferent
people.It'snotaselfishlife
Q:Whatdoyoulikemostaboutyourreligion?
A:TheHolidaysandthefood.No,thecaringnessyouhavetohaveforsociety.
Q:Haveyoueverquestionedyourfaith?
A:EverydayIquestionmyfaith.IgetupandIpray.IaskwhyIamdoingthis.Irealizeitmakes
meabetterperson.

Q:Wheredoyouseeyourreligiousgroupin100years?
A:Thesameplacethatwearenow.Wesurvived5777years,wecansurvive100more.Maybea
couplemoretempleswillberestored.
Q:Whatdoyoufeelyourreligionofferstotheworldforpeopleinit?
A:Itoffersahumanetypeoflife.Youdon'tkillpeoplerandomly.Youhavetotakecareofthe
sick,poor,underprivileged,getaneducation.Dobetterforyourselfandhumanity.
Q:Howdoyouthinkyourreligionhaschangedthroughoutyourlifetime?
A:Well,thingshavechanged.Weareamanufacturingsociety,sonowsomeoftheagricultural
ruleshavechangedfromtheTorah.Wearenownotsodeeplyorthodox.Manyofouroldrules
havechangedthatareverystrict.Itusedtobemyjobtowalktotempleforexample.Now,we
drive.
Q:Haveyoueverstudiedotherreligions?
A:Allthetime,weliveinamultireligioussociety.WeallknowwhenChristmasandEasteris.
ThereareMuslimsandHindusandConfucianslivingaroundus.Therearenobadreligions.Just
badpeopleincertainreligions.Religiongivesyouapathtodothethingsneededinthisworld
anddifferentreligionsjustgivedifferentpathwaystodothesamegoals.
Q:Doyouthinkthatreligionandsciencecancoexist?
A:Ihaveadoctorateinchemistry.Iworkedinpharmaceuticalsatsomepoint.Ialsosold
productsforpharmacysatsomepoint.Manishere,sohowdidmangethere?Gdcreatedman,
butthisisevolution.Therefore,sciencemustexist.Everythinghappensbecauseofareason.God
isaguidingfactor.Ifhedidn'twantscience,thenhewouldn'tmakescience.

JaredKatz
Mrs.Lucarelli
ComparativeCivilizations
8November2015

DuringmyinterviewwithJewishreligiousleaderHerbertGary,Ilearnedmanythings
abouthimpersonally,aswellasreligiouslythanalreadybefore.Tostart,Ilearnedmoreabout
theworldandJudaism'splaceinitprobablymorethananythingelse.ByMr.Garysanswers,I
realizedthattheworlddidnotacceptJudaismthesamewayeven60yearsagothenitdoesnow.
HerbertmanagedtostayfaithfulinJudaismevenwhilebeingpersecutedmanytimesbecauseof
it.Hesaysthatasachildintohisadultyearshewaspersecutedbecauseofhisreligiousbeliefs.
Hewaspushedmanyoftimes,butstillneverpushedback.Why?HefeelsthatJudaismnotonly
callsforancienttraditions,butalsoremainingapeacefulgroupeveninahecticmoderntime.His
favoritethingaboutJudaisminfactisthatitrequiresbeingcaringforeverything.Thesick,poor,
eventheenvironment.HelikesJudaismbecauseitforcesyoutochallengeyourselftobethebest
personpossible.Eventhoughmanyofhisfundamentalidealsarerootedintoreligion,hestill
managestoliveinmoderntimes.HeacknolagesthatJudaismhaschangedthroughoutthelife
time.Insteadofwalking,likeJewishlawrequests,peoplemustdriveforconvienenceindaily
life.Healsounderstandsthatdifferentreligionsareallaoundus.Heacceptsalldifferent
religions,andfeelsthattheyareallsimilar.Religiongivesyouapathtodothethingsneededin
thisworldanddifferentreligionsjustgivedifferentpathwaystodothesamegoalsMr.Gary
said,whichIbelievesummarizeshisthoughtsonotherreligions.However,hedoesquestionhis

religion.Mr.Garyproclaimsthatwhenprayingeveryday,hequestionshimself.Hewonderswhy
heisdoingwhatheis,andquicklyanswerstohimselfItmakesmeabetterperson.Even
throughallofhisfaithanddevotiontoreligion,Mr.Garystillisunsureofthefutureofthe
religion.Hethinksforthemostpartthatthereligionwillbesimilar,althoughsomeoldtemples
mayberestored.Inconclusion,interviewingHerbertGarywasapleasure,andthroughitI
learnedhisspecificbeliefs,aswellasinsightintoJudaismasawhole.