The Orthodoxies of Health

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how, in much of modern American culture, Jews have become accepted as far more mainstream than many other ethnicities and how even Orthodox Jews face fewer barriers than many other ethnics. It looks at how, because of their strong stance against assimilation and conformity, and because of their rather unique ethnoreligious identity, the Orthodox Jewish community is also a prime example of how ethnocultural issues influence the health care they receive. Through interviews with two sisters, one an Orthodox Jew and the other a practicing neopagan, it looks at attitudes towards modern medicine and the influence of heritage and religion on health care issues.

From the Paper:

"Family is supposedly the first priority of all Orthodox Jews, taken as part of their sacred duty towards God. Birth control is strongly discouraged, and a great deal of ritual revolves around women's monthly cycles and the appropriate times to have sex. The many children in a family are expected to obey all the rules and strictures of the religion as do their parents (numerous rules regarding dress, diet, and behavior apply), and to follow an organized course of study in addition to regular school work which prepares them to be members of the community. Orthodox Jewish children, especially the boys, are expected to be very studious and scholarly. Meanwhile, as in the case of Jo and Rebecca's grandmother, the aged and elderly play an important role in the family."

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