Because there are different branches of Judaism, some of whom choose not to follow the Torah. They pick and choose what they want to follow and what they don't.
These would be the Reform Jews (the very liberal Jews) and some Conservative Jews (the middle-ground Jews), although the Conservative are coming more and more to be more observant of Torah laws on such things.
The other main branch of Jews are the Orthodox, traditional Jews. These are the ones who follow Torah law and do not eat pork. In the USA and most of the western world, the Orthodox Jews are the minority.
EDIT: TO Tim: Christians could have shaved and eaten lobster back in biblical times too. Torah laws never applied to non-Jews except for the 7 Noahide Laws. http://www.noahide.org/
I for one do not eat pork (i'm Jewish)...and none of my Jewish friends do either! THere is no reason why some Jews eat pork...they just want to for what ever reason!
I keep a kosher home. Send my kids to a school which observes kashrut. My family keeps kosher, my whole extended family keeps kosher, most of my friends and acquaintances keep kosher and even those who don't, still don' eat pork, shellfish, etc. This includes reform jews.
That's a lot of non-pork eating Jews, living in 2008, so we must qualify as 'modern', no?
Because most American Jews aren't terribly religiously observant. Most don't keep kosher, and most don't refrain from work on Saturday.
To those people who find food taboos silly, I ask "When was the last time you had a nice horse steak? or some yummy dog stew?"
In other cultures, horse and dog meat are commonly eaten. Most Americans are appalled by the idea, yet don't understand Jewish and Muslim religious food prohibitions. Odd, isn't it?
I'm Jewish and live in eastern North Carolina. You want me to spend the rest of my life without going to a pig pickin'. Coleslaw, push puppies, french fries, fried okra, (we're not known for strokes for nothin'), potato salad, fresh garden salad, peach cobbler, apple pie, pecan pie and sweet tea (no you don't add the sugar after the tea is made).
Comments
Most Reform Jews are not observant of the commandments. Conservative Jews observe many, but not all. Orthodox Jews are the most observant.
Most American Jews are Reform with Conservative coming in as a close second. Very few American Jews are Orthodox.
.
Because there are different branches of Judaism, some of whom choose not to follow the Torah. They pick and choose what they want to follow and what they don't.
These would be the Reform Jews (the very liberal Jews) and some Conservative Jews (the middle-ground Jews), although the Conservative are coming more and more to be more observant of Torah laws on such things.
The other main branch of Jews are the Orthodox, traditional Jews. These are the ones who follow Torah law and do not eat pork. In the USA and most of the western world, the Orthodox Jews are the minority.
EDIT: TO Tim: Christians could have shaved and eaten lobster back in biblical times too. Torah laws never applied to non-Jews except for the 7 Noahide Laws. http://www.noahide.org/
I have never known Jews that ate pork. Perhaps they exist. I am just not aware of them. However, I am a modern day Christian who does not eat pork!
I for one do not eat pork (i'm Jewish)...and none of my Jewish friends do either! THere is no reason why some Jews eat pork...they just want to for what ever reason!
I don't eat pork.
I keep a kosher home. Send my kids to a school which observes kashrut. My family keeps kosher, my whole extended family keeps kosher, most of my friends and acquaintances keep kosher and even those who don't, still don' eat pork, shellfish, etc. This includes reform jews.
That's a lot of non-pork eating Jews, living in 2008, so we must qualify as 'modern', no?
Because most American Jews aren't terribly religiously observant. Most don't keep kosher, and most don't refrain from work on Saturday.
To those people who find food taboos silly, I ask "When was the last time you had a nice horse steak? or some yummy dog stew?"
In other cultures, horse and dog meat are commonly eaten. Most Americans are appalled by the idea, yet don't understand Jewish and Muslim religious food prohibitions. Odd, isn't it?
.
I'm Jewish and live in eastern North Carolina. You want me to spend the rest of my life without going to a pig pickin'. Coleslaw, push puppies, french fries, fried okra, (we're not known for strokes for nothin'), potato salad, fresh garden salad, peach cobbler, apple pie, pecan pie and sweet tea (no you don't add the sugar after the tea is made).
A Muslim can never eat a pork unless he doesnt know that he is eating that.Pork flesh is haram in Islam.
I have never known a Jewish person to eat pork.
Maybe the ones you know aren't that religious?
I know that some super liberal Jews don't follow the Kosher laws, but I'm not 100% positive,
ॐ नमः शिवाय
That began with Reform Judaism in Europe in the 19th century.
Orthodox and Conservative Jews still observe the dietary laws.