Cultural faux-pas, and question of the day:

[erinlefey]

[Public]

Last night I was at a party, and was introduced to a gentleman with a beard and cool hat. Typically when I'm introduced to someone, I hug them, and brother, when a economy-size woman hugs you, you know it. I could sense some unease though, and just offered to shake hands. The lovely woman who was introducing us explained that he was an Orthodox Jew, and Orthodox Jewish men cannot touch a woman with whom they are not married. Whups.

Did not know that, and it's nifty to learn, and glad I learned it before I violated a cultural more of his. My question to My Dear Readers is this: Are there any similar cultural differences you've run into socially? What are they and how do you deal with it?

Comments

[purplerifka.livejournal.com]

and how would you feel if someone was that disrespectful of you?

[liddle-oldman.livejournal.com]

If I were telling them that they were not fully human because voices in my head told me they weren't?

I'd hope they would have the gumption to smack me upside my magic-thinking head.

Love your neighbor as yourself. From this comes all the laws and all the prophets.

That being said, yes, it is pretty disrespectful. I just don't see any reason to respect that belief -- in the same way I don't see any reason to respect the Klan beleif that black people are subhuman, either.

[erinlefey.livejournal.com]

I can see how you come about this view. I'm not sure I share it. I don't think that the Orthodox men think women are not fully human. I'm not even convinced they see women as LESS. I think it's based in a worldview where men and women inhabit very different spheres. I can see the reluctance to touch women as being very protective and respectful of women.

I don't know if that's the case, as zahav, lj user="purplerifka">, and comodulate are my Judaism experts, rather than me. But I can see it.

[purplerifka.livejournal.com]

if you read my post to zahav and the actual article in widipedia and do any research at all- nowhere does orthodox judaism say women are sub-human and in fact it is just the opposite.

their way may not be your way but that doesn't mean you can't respect it.

as erin said, in orthodoxy men and women do usually operate in different spheres of life outside the home, but one is not more than the other.

as i understand it, and she will tell me if i am wrong, erin is very spiritual a person.
would you tell her that her beliefs are from voices in her head?