# Cafeteria Christianity - Jewish equivalent



## rolmich

This is an excerpt from _The Year of Living Biblically _from A.J.Jacobs :
Quote<
"There's a phrase called "Cafeteria Christianity". It's a derisive term used by fundamentalist Christians to describe moderate Christians. The idea is that the moderates pick and chose the parts of the Bible they want to follow. They take a nice helping of mercy and compassion. But the ban on homosexuality ? They leave that on the countertop".
Unquote>
I wonder if their is an equivalent (not translation) used by our haredim to describe us, the moderate jews ?
Thank you for your comments.
RK


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## mediterraneo24

I think reforms, reformers, or reformists
In hebrew יהודי רפורמי means a denomination in judaism that have different customs, and a slightly different interpretation of the halacha, usually those differences are derived from modern values like democracy.
For example, 13 year old girl have Bar-Mitzvah, girls wear yamacas, etc.


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## rolmich

mediterraneo24 said:


> I think reforms, reformers, or reformists
> In hebrew יהודי רפורמי means a denomination in judaism that have different customs, and a slightly different interpretation of the halacha, usually those differences are derived from modern values like democracy.
> For example, 13 year old girl have Bar-Mitzvah, girls wear yamacas, etc.


 
Thank you, but I am rather looking for a mocking/derisive term (if there is such a term), describing these jews (the majority in Israel) following the bible partially only to their own convenience.


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## mediterraneo24

I am not familiar with such term


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## Maayan

Perhaps the closest thing would be דתי מחמד or דוס מחמד ("religious pet" or "pet orthodox" - not sure about the translation though). It could be used to mock a moderate religious person.


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## rolmich

Thanks G, I nearly gave up after such a silence !
These are good ideas Maayan especially when you think about the abhorence of the haredi public for pets !
I thought myself about :_ Yom Kippour jew _(for the ones visiting a synagogue once a year) or also _The Supermarket jews _(for the ones picking up only the goods they fancy like in a Supermarket).


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## origumi

Not many ultra orthodox Jews take this subject with humor... I heard יהודי של שבת, based on גוי של שבת and as an intentional antonym to the more standard use of this expression for one who takes super extra care for the שבת.


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## Noam X

For reform and conservative Jews who are at least moderately religious?  Haredim would probably call them heretics.  For Jews with no religious upbringing or affiliation at all?   The Talmudic term is "tinok shenishba" or "infant that was captured", referencing the Orthodox belief that the secular Jew's irreligion is no fault of his own, but that of circumstance and his birth to non-Orthodox parents.   The Haredim treat the moderates and reformers with much more scorn than they do the entirely non-religious Jews.


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## rosemarino

I've heard that haredim refer to secular Israelis as "worker bees," to refer to the fact that they work and pay taxes and serve in the army and otherwise support the haredim.  I don't know if this is true or how you would say it in Hebrew, 

דבורות פועלות?

also,what about the term אפיקורוס?  I've come across that term in Israeli literature.  Is it still used?  It's pretty derogatory, isn't it?


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