No Orthodox Shuls within 100 miles, what should I do?

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

Good News, the Synagogue in Destin is Orthodox. It's also Sephardic and mainly people from Israel

21 miles from me so bit of a drive, no good for Sabbath but I can try to relocate there I suppose. Destins a bit pricey though the area I live (Gulf Breeze) isn't much cheaper.

Great news!  For the time being, definitely stay home and pray by yourself rather than travel there on Shabbath, but you should inquire about the members there if anyone is looking to host a Shabbath guest, and maybe you could drive over there before Shabbath and stay over as a guest and have meals with one of the families there or a young couple for the whole Shabbath...
I'm sure there will be people looking to host you.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

I think you are getting hung up on the semantics, stuck on the word "Conservative" you must be confusing "Conservative" American Jews, with Conservative Sepharadic Jews, the distinction must definitely be different, my family are Sephardic Jews, the way they worship is probably MORE biblically traditional than the Ashkenazim as there's been no European influence at all, and there's nothing "reformed" about it.

There is no such thing as "conservative movement" among Sephardic Jews.   By calling yourself "conservative" you are associating yourself with the ashkenazi-based "conservative movement" which was a heretical movement that came to replace real Judaism and claim for itself the title of Judaism when it wasn't really Judaism.   It was less reformed than reform, but it was a phony imposter nonetheless.   So unless your Sephardi kehilla is the rare historical anomaly of modern-day Sephardic Jews who mimicked the conservative movement and made a Sephardi-replica version of it that is affiliated with it or adopted their ideas, you shouldn't call your kehilla by that term.  Perhaps you'd be better off using the term "traditional."   Historically speaking, there was Never a Sephardi break-away sect within rabbinical Judaism.   All Sephardim agreed with consensus on what authentic Judaism was, they just had different levels of observing it ,and largely the communities were tolerant of different types within it.   Maybe you mean to say traditional.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

I think you are getting hung up on the semantics, stuck on the word "Conservative" you must be confusing "Conservative" American Jews, with Conservative Sepharadic Jews, the distinction must definitely be different, my family are Sephardic Jews, the way they worship is probably MORE biblically traditional than the Ashkenazim as there's been no European influence at all, and there's nothing "reformed" about it.

And since you're being so arrogant about things, I'll throw some arrogance your way, we're more authentic in our practices because we are not Europeanized, that's why we don't wear funny black Fedoras and coats, the requirement for that wasn't mentioned anywhere in the Torah last we checked, and we don't think any of the Jews that left Egypt during the great Exodus were wearing them but you never know, maybe an archeologist will dig up an relief carving of a Jew in a black coat and Fedora hat on old Egyptian column one of these days.  

We keep kosher, worship in Hebrew, and follow the law. And most of them are more sincerely Jewish and righteous than a lot of the hypocrites I see out there wearing a Fedora but lying cheating and stealing Monday through Friday, but think they are saints because they go to Shul and keep Kosher? And watch who you call "idol" worshiper, you know a hell of a lot less than you think you do.

From what you describe, it seems you made a mistake by calling it conservative.  Perhaps it is "orthodox" but not haredi, and that is the distinction from the black hat culture, but still within the Orthodox tradition's fold. 

[New Yorker]

I think you are getting hung up on the semantics, stuck on the word "Conservative" you must be confusing "Conservative" American Jews, with Conservative Sepharadic Jews, the distinction must definitely be different, my family are Sephardic Jews, the way they worship is probably MORE biblically traditional than the Ashkenazim as there's been no European influence at all, and there's nothing "reformed" about it.

And since you're being so arrogant about things, I'll throw some arrogance your way, we're more authentic in our practices because we are not Europeanized, that's why we don't wear funny black Fedoras and coats, the requirement for that wasn't mentioned anywhere in the Torah last we checked, and we don't think any of the Jews that left Egypt during the great Exodus were wearing them but you never know, maybe an archeologist will dig up an relief carving of a Jew in a black coat and Fedora hat on old Egyptian column one of these days.  

We keep kosher, worship in Hebrew, and follow the law. And most of them are more sincerely Jewish and righteous than a lot of the hypocrites I see out there wearing a Fedora but lying cheating and stealing Monday through Friday, but think they are saints because they go to Shul and keep Kosher? And watch who you call "idol" worshiper, you know a hell of a lot less than you think you do.

From what you describe, it seems you made a mistake by calling it conservative.  Perhaps it is "orthodox" but not haredi, and that is the distinction from the black hat culture, but still within the Orthodox tradition's fold. 

Maybe that is the case, english was not my family's first language, they originally spoke primarily French, some speak French & Hebrew, and some, get ready to fall off your seat, arabic, Moroccan arabic anyway (plus those other languages). It's wording that's the problem here Conservative - Traditional, it is semantics. Because there's no tolerance of non-kosher or driving on the sabbath etc, in my family or the Sepharidic Jews we know.

Here's the funny part, I'm fair skinned, and have blue eyes, hardly a Mediterranean look, go figure.

[White Israelite]

I think you are getting hung up on the semantics, stuck on the word "Conservative" you must be confusing "Conservative" American Jews, with Conservative Sepharadic Jews, the distinction must definitely be different, my family are Sephardic Jews, the way they worship is probably MORE biblically traditional than the Ashkenazim as there's been no European influence at all, and there's nothing "reformed" about it.

And since you're being so arrogant about things, I'll throw some arrogance your way, we're more authentic in our practices because we are not Europeanized, that's why we don't wear funny black Fedoras and coats, the requirement for that wasn't mentioned anywhere in the Torah last we checked, and we don't think any of the Jews that left Egypt during the great Exodus were wearing them but you never know, maybe an archeologist will dig up an relief carving of a Jew in a black coat and Fedora hat on old Egyptian column one of these days.  

We keep kosher, worship in Hebrew, and follow the law. And most of them are more sincerely Jewish and righteous than a lot of the hypocrites I see out there wearing a Fedora but lying cheating and stealing Monday through Friday, but think they are saints because they go to Shul and keep Kosher? And watch who you call "idol" worshiper, you know a hell of a lot less than you think you do.

From what you describe, it seems you made a mistake by calling it conservative.  Perhaps it is "orthodox" but not haredi, and that is the distinction from the black hat culture, but still within the Orthodox tradition's fold. 

Maybe that is the case, english was not my family's first language, they originally spoke primarily French, some speak French & Hebrew, and some, get ready to fall off your seat, arabic, Moroccan arabic anyway (plus those other languages). It's wording that's the problem here Conservative - Traditional, it is semantics. Because there's no tolerance of non-kosher or driving on the sabbath etc, in my family or the Sepharidic Jews we know.

Here's the funny part, I'm fair skinned, and have blue eyes, hardly a Mediterranean look, go figure.

Some sephardic to look white, check out the Kabyle people of Algeria.

[New Yorker]

Is she single!?  ;  )

[White Israelite]

Is she single!?  ;  )

I don't think she's Jewish but there are about 2000-5000 jewish berbers left in the world, about 2,000 in Israel. There's even less Kabyle Jewish Berbers which are probably in the couple hundred. Kabyle are noted for being much lighter in skin and eyes than other Berbers who look more Mediterranean.

Most Jewish Berbers stick to their own though kind of like Syrian Jews, although Syrian Jews can be quite hostile when it comes to dating anyone outside their community even other Sephardic Jews.

[Dr. Dan]

Call the local chabad

[The One and Only Mo]

Call the local chabad

That, too. It's better to pray at home than to go to conservative.

[IsraelForever]

I have only seen 3 synagogues here, there is one in Fort Walton Beach called Temple Beth-Shalom (Temple indicating it's a reform establishment)

Here's a street view picture of Temple Beth-Shalom.

Isn't the internet amazing?!?!

http://tinyurl.com/yjzwbrv

[Sveta]

Apart from what's been suggested...you could consider calling the nearest Orthodox rabbi and maybe getting hosted (meaning get to stay with them, a family or somewhere else) for shabbos, holidays etc. Especially in the high holidays I know that some Chabad houses reserve spots at a hotel where people can stay, well I don't think that part is free but it's an example.
I have never been to a conservative synagogue because my rabbi told me it's "an abomination".
(No offense to those who do). I would never go to one but I can't say evils about them either. They are after all our brothers and sisters. For reform/reconstructionist places and their confused chrismukah intermarriage (sometimes anti-Israel) ways along with their friday night parties serving lobsters I really would never attend. NEVER!

[Rubystars]

Believe it or not, i've actually seen some of those "UFO's" I kid you not, I walk on the beach at night and sleep there sometimes and my girlfriend and I see all kinds of weird stuff in the sky, some of it could be military testing aircraft since I live near a airforce base.

People would not believe what I've seen. I don't talk about it much because I prefer to be more scientifically oriented. I think the professional skeptics actually do contribute good things as far as promoting a certain level of skepticism, and bologna detection, etc.

However, I can't deny what I've experienced to myself either. If we get a chance later I'd like to tell you a particularly spooky thing that happened to me on AIM. There is definitely a spiritual world out there as well as the physical universe.

[takebackourtemple]

Good News, the Synagogue in Destin is Orthodox. It's also Sephardic and mainly people from Israel

21 miles from me so bit of a drive, no good for Sabbath but I can try to relocate there I suppose. Destins a bit pricey though the area I live (Gulf Breeze) isn't much cheaper.

   21 Miles is within reasonable distance for your area. There's always a debate about whether it is better to drive on Shabbat in order to be there or whether it is better not to go at all. I don't want to get into that debate here because I'm sure people strongly disagree with me, but this is a decision that is yours to make.
   One thing to keep in mind is that the Orthodox are a lot more welcoming than you might perceive. From my experience visiting the typical Orthodox community, people have invited me for meals without even having to ask about 90% of the time. If you call the Rabbi, he will probably be able to arrange a place for you to stay. Given that the area that you are in is small, it might be his house. I would be surprised if he didn't find accommodations for you, but if he can't, he probably has a deal worked out with a nearby hotel for a discounted rate.

[The One and Only Mo]

U can join Jeremiah Wright's on-line church 

Learn to KILL WHITEY!!!