Jews On the Camino

[ricksca]

I asked a friend of mine to join me on my planned pilgrimage in May. His reply after some study was that, while he is very attracted to the idea of pilgrimage, The Camino isn't his pilgrimage. He said that even though he would love the walk and the company, the essential Christian nature of it would require him to be constantly "reframing" everything. By that, I infer that he means translating all the iconography and liturgy into more universal terms that he would find less exclusive. I infer that, because it is exactly the process I have found myself engaged in since I decided to do the walk. I know that it has been designated a CULTURAL Itinerary by the Council of Europe, but its Christian heritage is undeniably strong.

So, what I'm looking for here isn't help reframing. I get that there are tons of people who walk this for all sorts of reasons with disparate backgrounds and beliefs. What I'm really curious about is what experiences non-Christians (especially Jews) have had actually walking the Camino.

I should mention that the religion of Judaism means very little to me. I'm not fond of any organized religion. Spiritual, but not religious, I guess you might say. But I still feel a little queasy when I find myself surrounded by too much Christianity.

I guess I should also mention before I draw too much negativity in my direction that i'm actually quite fond of Christ. It's just the church that I find somewhat off-putting. (Synagogues too, for that matter).

 

[Peter Robins]

Perhaps your friend would be more interested in the history of the Jewish communities in Spain, who predated the Christians - according to some, even predated the Romans. In the early years of the pilgrimage to Santiago, Jews, like the 'Francos', were encouraged to settle in the sparsely populated areas of Castile and elsewhere. Most of the larger medieval cities in Spain had a sizable Juderia, and even if they have long disappeared, there are still plenty of echos around, such as the Puerta de la Juderia in Burgos. There's a good history of the Sephardim on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of ... s_in_Spain though I'm afraid a lot of it isn't very edifying, and certainly doesn't present the Spanish Church in a very good light.

 

[vitaminporter]

Where to begin? Happy holiday! I was at a family seder last night with my best friend, who grew up in an orthodox household. A little more background: he was a teacher (NOT a rabi!) for many years and his first job in this state was at a Catholic school where he ended up teaching catechism. As for myself, I am not Jewish but would be very hard pressed to call myself a Christian becasue of all the baggage that label carries. My entire life I have been profoundly impressed with the story of Jesus and equally mystified by the Old Testament. My friend and I love to discuss (and at times poke fun at) obtuse and acute points of both our birth religions. The point here is, he supports me fully in my Camino and would do it with me if he could get the time off (he has a business and a family). Better still, he has agreed to come with me on an Easter pilgrimage here that is very traditional, very Catholic, very lacking in what you might call 'cultural identity' beyond its presence in Northern New Mexico. Maybe he should write you as to why he wants to join me; I couldnt tell you what his reasons are beyond supporting me (and the quid pro quo of me attending his seder!). Since you explicitly said you want Jewish stories of the Camino experience, maybe I should just erase all this and forget it. I am not a Jew and I havent done the Camino. Instead, forgive me for thanking you for sharing your questions and your doubts. Its very brave. Buen camino, VP.

 

[WolverineDG]

May I suggest the book "Strong as Death" by Sharan Newman? It takes place along the Camino, and gives a really good insight on Christian/Jewish relationships in the Middle Ages.

Also the DVD "Within the Way Without" includes a pilgrim from Japan, who is Buddhist.

dg

 

[oursonpolaire]

I had the opportunity to speak at length with 3 Jews I met on the Camino, one of whom had stumbled upon it (almost literally) by accident and found the foreign-ness of it quite interesting. Another was more new-ager in inclination (she called her self a Jew-Bhuddist); and a third, a pyschologist from New York, was entranced by the imagery of churches and attended pilgrims' Masses at most stops. As I have a degree of knowledge of mediaeval & counter-Reformation stuff, she quizzed me mercilessly on various saints and symbols and I spent a wine-soaked dinner in Astorga interpreting between her and a French priest. I'm not certain if I was helpful, but we all had a good time.

As people keep on saying, everyone has their own Camino. The Camino is notorious for taking us out of our comfort zones-- it can be as secular, non-specific religious, or as Christian as you can take it.

If your friend is interested in learning a bit more of Jewish Spain (and can read Spanish), they might find http://www.redjuderias.org/red/index.php an interesting site to review.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi ricksca.

I have a good, non-religious, Sephardic friend, with whom I've been speaking about doing a Camino de Santiago for some time. He’s a carbon copy of what you wrote about your friend, zero exceptions.

He’s told me that he would feel uncomfortable walking under the stars that spoused the suffering and banning of his people for so long.

So this is going to be more about me.

Like you, I describe myself as a non-believer, and "spiritual." I dunno why whenever I say that am not a believer, or religious, I always feel the need to qualify it by adding, "but I am spiritual." And really what does that mean? I know people that describe themselves as "spiritual" who are not very nice. On the other hand, I know many that don't talk about the term either way and are about the most decent people around.

No matter, again, yes, I regard myself as "spiritual".

In any case.

The Caminos' Christian origins and overall religious history and reality, specifically Catholic, cannot and should not be denied even if it could. It's all over the Roads, in the religious sites, related architecture, art, cities that sprang as a result of the pilgrimages like Burgos, and so much more that attests to that. Yet, I don't have any problems in experiencing it when am walking the Paths, as a non-believer, taking it all in. As a matter of fact I really apreciate things like the litugy, for example, as well as listening to Gregorian chants, mass in diff languages, cantos llanos, and staying in monasterios, like at Venta de Baños, and Sobrado, breathing in the peace and silence one invariably finds there.

I may not believe in the institution and its religious pantheon and beliefs, anymore, but I am from that tradition, I was raised in it. Therefore, I relate to to it because it is a part of my identity, upbringing, system of values, attitudes, and world-views. It's a diff story with my Sephardic friend.

(Comes to mind another good friend who describes herself as a "red diaper baby." She no longer believes in the political philosophy she was raised in, but still feels that she has opinions that stemmed from it, because, after all, it was part of her process of social inculturation).

On the other hand I've walked with pilgrims that turned out to be friends to this day who avoided: churches, religious ceremonies, religious art, etc., as they encountered them along the Caminos. They had no problems in walking the Roads and enjoying them to the max, for reasons like the solitude, scenery, the fellowship with fellow-pilgrims, the physical exercise, and yes, the ubiquotuous "spirituality." But, they were Spaniards, and the whole Jacobean "tradition" or "myth," however one may want to call it, is imbued in their history. (See: http://muweb.millersville.edu/~columbus ... RENAS1.SPK).

I would love to make pilgrimages to religious sites in diff parts of the globe. “Spirituality” would be a driving force, as well as the desire to know other people and their cultures. Yet, I can imagine that at times I may be exposed to varied traditions and values that I would have objections to. So, prior to embarking on such voyages, I better be clear that they would not affect my pilgrimages adversely. I remember a retreat I made at a Bhuddist monastery in Kumming, China, years ago. Even though I was not knowledgeable about Bhuddism, I profited much from it and experienced no conflicts. At all. On the contrary, it enhanced my life a thousandfold.

But I believe that one has to be open to the experience, give yourself to it.

To me undertaking a pilgrimage is a response to something that tells you, “hey, I’ve got to do this.” Otherwise, I can’t see how one can go through the hardships that it entails.

My Sephardic friend has told me that he hasn’t heard “anyone/anything calling him,” except my encouragement.

I have let it go (well, for now).

We who have experienced the Camino and know of its agony/ecstasy, want to share it with everyone we know. I believe people need to hear that in a world with so much violence and negativity there are precious spiritual "adventures" to embark upon. Yes, "adventures", another important component in what our pilgrimages, are. Yet, in the years that have passed since I walked my first Camino and the many people I’ve talked about them with, not one that I know of has undertaken the journey as a result of our talks.

Experiencing the Caminos de Santiago, or any other pilgrimages, is totally a very personal decision.

Buen Camino :arrow:

xm 8)

 

[Anonymous]

Pilgrimage and the Jews

Pilgrimage and the Jews

Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Praeger Publishers (December 30, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0275987639
ISBN-13: 978-0275987633
Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 6.9 x 1.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,445,968 in Books (See Top Sellers in Books)
(Publishers and authors: improve your sales)

“Gitlitz and Davidson examine pilgrimage in Judaism from biblical times to the present. Along with the biblical pilgrimage festivals and pilgrimage following the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, they cover pilgrimage within Hasidic culture, Sephardic pilgrimage to the tombs of holy men, and the practice and function of pilgrimage among contemporary Jews. In the latter category are discussions of "The Shrines of the Holocaust," "The Shrines of Nationhood," and "Israel as a Shrine for the Diaspora."...[a]n engaging and evocative survey of the experience of Jews who, in diverse settings and for a variety of reasons, have sought the spiritual fulfillment that comes from visits to places that represent their heritage. It is a perceptive compendium on Jews' travels to sites sanctified by Jewish history and experience. Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates through researchers/faculty; general readers.”–Choice

“The authors trace the history and explore the varieties of Jewish pilgrimage in this fascinating book filled with maps, photographs (many from the authors' own collections), other illustrations, and copious notes....Recommended for Judaica collections.”–Library Journal

“Pilgrimages to shrines are most commonly associated with Christians and Moslems. As coauthors of the National Jewish Book Award-winning A Drizzle of Honey: The Lives and Recipes of Spain's Secret Jews, Gitlitz and Davidson explore shrines important to Jews. They treat journeys to graves of holy men and women in Israel and elsewhere important to Sephardic and Hasidic Jews, shrines for recent political leaders, Holocaust sites, and "roots" pilgrimages. The book includes maps, photos, and a chronology surrounding the "shrine wars" between Jews and Arabs in Jerusalem.”–Reference & Research Book News

“Pilgrimage and the Jews serves as an excellent reference work for anyone interested in learning more about Jewish pilgrimages....[a] thorough, well-researched book.”–Jewish Federation of Broome County's The Reporter

“In this interesting book they tell the fascinating and sometimes harrowing story of Jewish pilgrimage from the beginnings of Judaism to the present day. They trace the history of Jewish pilgrimage and show how the repeated cycles of exile and return to Israel serve the Jews as a kind of pilgrimage in reverse. From Jerusalem and the Mt. of Olives, to the tombs of King David, Rachel and Joseph, from Galilee to Curacao, Jewish pilgrims seek out spiritual transcendence, a return to their roots, communion with those who have gone before, and connection to their common heritage, as they visit holy shrines, important synagogues around the world, Nazi death camps, and the graves of leaders, among other holy places.”–JewishMediaReview

“Explores the diverse history of Jewish pilgrimage from ancient times to the present; examples include travels to Jerusalem, to the grave sites of Hasidic rebbes; and to the sites of Nazi death camps.”–The Chronicle of Higher Education

Book Description
The history and breadth of Jewish pilgrimage traditions is rich and varied. Here Gitlitz and Davidson tell the fascinating, and sometimes harrowing, story of Jewish pilgrimage from the beginnings of Judaism to the present time. They trace the history of Jewish pilgrimage and show how the repeated cycles of exile and return to Israel serve the Jews as a kind of pilgrimage in reverse. This lively account is sure to appeal to anyone interested in religious pilgrimage, tourism, and travel. From Jerusalem and the Mt. of Olives, to the tombs of King David, Rachel, and Joseph, from Galilee to Curacao, Jewish pilgrims seek out spiritual transcendence, a return to their roots, communion with those who have gone before, and connection to their common heritage as they visit holy shrines, important synagogues around the world, Nazi death camps, and the graves of leaders, among other holy places. But what makes these places holy? And what purpose do the pilgrimages serve? How has recent unrest in the Middle East contributed to, or detracted from, modern Jewish pilgrimage and its future? These questions and others are answered in these pages.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Several groups of Israelis were logged into guest books along the Camino Aragones. Perhaps it is the popular route. Only 59 Israelis logged in last year at the Tourist Office in Santiago. I have met several American Jews on the pilgrimage, but none was walking for religious reasons they would talk about.

 

[walkingwoman]

Let me once again ask if there are others walking on Passover this year? Would love to have a Camino Seder if at all possible... Ruth

 

[colinPeter]

Also another Gitlitz and Davidson book, The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago - The complete cultural handbook, it covers a wide area including art, architecture, history, folklore. Of course it is strongly centered within the Camino's Christian context, which of course is a bit hard to escape. However, it includes much detail on the Jewish people detailing their successes and not glossing over their persecutions.
Even though you’ll read a lot about the Christian influence, Gitlitz and Davidson have a politely humorous way of dealing with much of the folklore around the Camino. The book also contains a great deal of information about overall Spanish history, which of course is almost impossible to separate from their centuries old Christian heritage. The sections on art and architecture is quite detailed and very interesting.

....but would be very hard pressed to call myself a Christian because of all the baggage that label carries....

However, I have absolutely no problem calling my self a Christian or an Anglo Saxon or a human being. All of these categories have "baggage" as do Muslim, Jew, American, Russian, and German etc. However, I always consider my baggage as that which I pick up and carry when I move on. All that other baggage lying around the "terminal" is not mine, it actually belongs to someone else.
Col
A Christian, carrying his own baggage.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

The camino is bigger than individual personal beliefs. You can be a Jew on the Camino, a Christian on the Camino, a Buddhist on the Camino, etc., it is the Camino that bonds us here. This place may have been in the past a Christian pilgrimage, but it´s constantly evolving as the people walking it bring their beliefs and rituals with them.

We´ve observed Passover and Rosh Hoshanah over the past three years, with Jewish pilgrims and their friends who joined in the feasting or fasting in a gesture of solidarity. To keep off the camino due to outworn traditions and impressions is to rob yourself of a very real opportunity for spiritual growth, no matter your background.

rebekah