CPRL 100: Judaism in America week 9

Purim

- a festival holiday when children dress up in costumes -commemoration of the exodus from Egypt -recounts the story of Queen Esther and her cousin Mordechai

Holiday foods

-Hanukkah: donuts, potato pancakes, or latkes (oily foods) - Shavuot: dairy foods -Passover: Matzah (remember the haste with which the Hebrew slaves left Egypt; they did not have time for their bread rise.), matzah ball soup Yom Kippur: fasting (no food) -Rosh hashanah: apples and honey (symbolizes the sweetness of the new year)

Hanukkah

-Jews light candles eight nights in a row - commemorates the recapture of the Temple in Jerusalem in 167BCE

Sukkot

-celebrated in the sukkah, a temporary structure. - recalls the 40 years spent wandering in the desert - families eat outside to remind themselves of the time when Jews did not have a permanent home

passover

-celebrated with a meal including ritual food items

What is a tallit?

A prayer shawl worn by traditional Jewish men (and recently, by some Jewish women while praying.

What is a "shofar"?

A rams horn trumpet.

What is a "kippah" (also called a "yarmulke" in Yiddish)?

A skullcap worn by Jewish men ( and more recently, by some Jewish women) as a ritual head covering.

What is a "mezuzah"?

A small rectangular box that observant Jews affix to their doorways. Inside is a parchment scroll with the sh'ma prayer inscribed on it.

What is a sukkah?

A temporary three-sided, open-roofed structure built in observance of a holiday which celebrates the harvest.

Tik

A wooden case to hold Torah scrolls, typically found in Sephardic Jewish congregations

List some of the American ideals that have been part of the Jewish tradition.

America was built on the Bible the idea of freedom, equality, human dignity. Coming to this land, fighting for freedom, fighting for its basic civil rights, winning those rights, developing into a fine, beautiful community spread out through the entire country. Jewish community contributes to the American community in politics, science, and literature

What is the name of the festive winter holiday?

An early spring festival in Judaism commemorating the deliverance of Persian Jews from extermination through the brave actions of Queen Esther and her cousin Mordechair. Purim is celebrated with the reading of this story from the Book of Esther.

What is the view of Orthodox Jews toward tradition?

Follows Jewish tradition as closely as possible and particularly to the Jewish law as laid down in the Torah and Talmud.

What are some of the Jewish practices he does not keep?

He does not wear a yarmulke, keep kosher, or attend services daily or even every week.

As a Jew, what is Matthew Dennis concerned about most?

He is concerned about life on earth, personally and for humanity, particularly in an historical moment that finds our world broken, beset by injustice, misery, war, and the greatest human-induced environmental crisis in history.

What are some of the Jewish practices he does keep?

He observes the Jewish holidays, fast on Yom Kippur, study and sometimes pray among fellow Jews, and feel deeply connected with his rabbis. He tries to live his Jewishness through active engagement with Judaism's wisdom, laws, and civilization in the context of our contemporary world.

In addition to regular academic courses, what else did he study at the religious day school?

He studied the Torah and Talmud.

What did Gill Diamond do to his family's refrigerator, and why?

He would unscrew the light bulbs in the refrigerator on Friday afternoons (to make sure that there was no "work" being done on the Sabbath.

The Language of the Torah

Hebrew

From a Jewish perspective, what is "intermarriage"?

It has become increasingly common for American Jews to meet and marry non-Jews.

Shabbat Table

It is Friday. The appropriate ritual object that are set on the table are: Wine, 2 candles, braided bread

What is the purpose of a shofar?

It is used as an announcing tool, to wake people up. it in the bible is was used to proclaim news.

What does Shavuot commemorate?

Jewish Festival of Weeks beginning seven weeks after Passover, commemorating the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai and celebrating the harvest of grains.

Yom Hashoah

Jewish holiday, for remembering the Holocaust and mourning its victims.

What are some characteristics of Jewish prayer?

Jewish prayer is well scripted: prayers that have been committed to writing for many centuries are now recited, chanted, or sung at specific times.

What happens during the first right of passage for an infant girl?

Jews often have baby naming services for daughters

For thousands of years, Judaism has been dominated by ..

Judaism has been a male-dominated religion

To what degree did the founder of Reconstructionist Judaism consider Judaism to be a religion?

Kaplan viewed Judaism as "a civilization"; as a culture more than as a religion.

What is the name given to the set of dietary rules?

Kashrut

To what branch of Judaism does Matthew Dennis belong?

Reconstructionist

What is the Reform view of intermarriage?

Reform Jews go farthest in accepting non-Jews into their midst, welcoming any children whose parents wish them to be Jews into their congregations whether or not their mothers are Jewish.

What is the position of Reform Jews on allowing women to be rabbis?

Reform Jews were the first Jews to ordain women as rabbis.

Today, what is the most popular branch of Judaism in America?

Reform Judaism

What is the view of Reform Jews toward tradition?

Reform Judaism is a liberal Jewish religious movement advocating updated traditions that conform to modern life. It emphasizes Jewish ethics and traditions over Jewish law. Reform Jews rarely value tradition for its own sake, and insist on the importance of change and adaptation for any living religion.

Kashrut

Ritual fitness, that which is suitable (kosher) for use according to Jewish law. It applies to dietary laws concerning which goods can and cannot be eaten, and how to prepare them. A kosher diet primarily restricts animal products. Laws of Kashrut: have all food animals slaughtered by a kosher butcher Do not mix meat and dairy products in the same meal Use separate dishes, utensils, and cooking pots for meat and dairy foods.

What are the Jewish High Holy Days?

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

What are the names of the two most important holidays?

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

Women in the Hebrew Bible

Sarah, Deborah, esther, rebecca, rachel, leah

Laws of Family Purity

Seven days after she had stopped menstruating, an Orthodox Jewish woman may visit the mikvah and resume sexual activity

Religious Obligations of Jewish Women

-lighting the Shabbat candles -setting aside a portion of the challah dough -visiting the mikvah

What are the important transitions in the life of a Jewish individual

1. Brit Milah/baby naming 2. Bar/bat mitzvah 3. wedding 4. sitting shivah 5. saying kaddish 6. yahrzeit

Hannukkah

A Jewish celebration commemorating the rededication of the Temple at Jerusalem in 165 BCE. Chanukah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is observed in November or December

What happens during the first right of passage for an infant boy?

A brit milah, a ceremony of circumcision in Judaism. It occurs on the eighth day after birth as a sign of the covenant of Abraham. In addition to his circumcision, a baby boy is given his Hebrew name at his bris.

What is the position of Conservative Jews on allowing women to be rabbis?

They allow women to be rabbis.

What is the Reconstructionist view of intermarriage?

They are less well disposed towards either intermarriage or conversion than are Reform Jews (and even some Conservative Jews) because they see Judaism as a culture and an ethnicity, and it is difficult to "convert" one's ethnicity.

With regard to parentage, when is a child considered to be Jewish according to Reform Jews?

They now consider any child with one Jewish parent who is raised as a Jew to be Jewish.

What is the meaning of the word "Purim"?

To draw lots.

What was the goal of secular Zionists?

To establish a Jewish homeland.

Where was Reconstructionist Judaism created?

United States

What country is home to the largest number of Jewish people?

United States of America

Matzah

Unleavened bread eaten by Jews during Passover.

What are the explanations that are given for the custom of breaking a glass at a Jewish wedding?

Usually it is said that the broken glass symbolizes the destruction of the Second Temple, or the presence of sadness even in times of joy.

What are some of the obligations not required of women?

Whatever Jewish men are not allowed to do, Jewish women are not allowed to do either. Women are not required to pray or attend synagogue.

After the British left Palestine in 1947, what was the response of the United Nations?

When the British left Palestine, the United Nations stepped in to address the situation. They divided Palestine into two nations: a Jewish one and an Arab one.

What is the traditional Jewish teaching regarding divorce?

Women have a right to sexual satisfaction and to children; if their husbands cannot provide these, divorce is an option. Jewish law does not permit women to initiate divorce. men have the ability to abandon their wives without giving them a divorce, thus making it impossible for their wives to remarry.

Kaddish

a prayer of praise to God that is spoken at regular intervals during synagogue services. One recitation of the kaddish is reserved for mourners who say kaddish on behalf of their deceased relatives for the year following their death.

Challah

braided bread traditionally used in the celebration of the weekly Jewish holiday of Shabbat

major branches of Judaism that now ordain women as rabbis.

conservative, reconstructionist, reform

According to the 1948 law of return, who can become a citizen of Israel?

jews

Positive obligations of Women

lighting the Sabbath candles; setting aside a portion of dough for the Sabbath bread for the priestly class (an ancient practice that survives only symbolically); and observing the laws of niddah, or sexual purity. Jewish law restricts sexual intercourse to only certain times of the month, and it is the woman's obligation to ensure that these laws are followed.

Sh'ma

means "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is One."

What is a Siddur?

prayer book

Why are Jewish weddings performed under a canopy? (the Chuppah)

to symbolize the covering protection of the ancient temple in Jerusalem

Why is a Jewish boy circumcised?

to welcome him into the covenant between God and the Jewish people

What are "tefillin"?

Small boxes containing biblical passages that are worn by Orthodox Jewish men (and occasionally women) on their head and left arm at weekday morning prayers.

What are the Orthodox views toward participation in American culture?

Some Orthodox Jews feel they should play a full role in American society and government, while others want to build separatist communities and only ask that the United States government protect them from harm and leave them free to follow their own path.

What does Haman bribe the king into decreeing?

That the jews can be slaughtered and massacred on the day that he picked by drawing lots.

Today, what edifice sits on the Temple Mount?

The Dome of the Rock, an important Muslim mosque dating back to the seventh century CE.

What is "Yom Kippur"?

The Jewish Day of Atonement, falling at the end of the High Holy Days that begin with Rosh Hashanah. It is the most solemn day in the Jewish calendar, marked by fasting, prayer, and repentance. On Yom Kippur adult Jews are expected to fast from sundown to sundown, and to attend synagogue services where they collectively apologize to God for all the wrongs they have committed in the course of the year.

Why do the Jewish holidays fall during the same season every year, but rarely on the same date on the Gregorian calendar?

The Jewish calendar is a lunar, that is periodically corrected by the insertion of an additional month to realign it with the solar year

What does Gill Diamond say is the "main thing" in Judaism?

The answer is that you're Jewish if your grandchildren are Jewish. The main thing in Judaism is passing it on.

What is "Rosh Hashanah"?

The celebration of the Jewish New Year, occurring in the seventh lunar month, that begins the High Holy Days which include Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

When does the Sabbath (Shabbat) begin and end?

The centerpiece of Jewish practice is Shabbat, a weekly holiday that lasts from sundown on Friday until sundown on Saturday (Havdalah) , commemorating the seventh day of creation when God rested. Shabbat is a day of rest and worship during which no work should be performed. Orthodox Jews interpret this quite strictly, refraining from cooking, cleaning, writing, and even turning lights on or off.

What is the "Sh'ma"?

The sh'ma is part of most Jewish prayer, and is taken to be the central statement of faith for Jews. It reads: Sh'ma Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad. Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.

What does the story about the struggle between Jacob and "a man" (God) represent for him?

The story represents for me the larger human struggle between ourselves and whatever is "divine" among us.

How many laws are there in the Talmud?

There are 613 laws in the Talmud, which Orthodox Jews regard as commanded by God. Of these 613 laws, 248 are "positive" laws (that is, obligations, things you have to do), while 365 are "negative" laws (that is, prohibitions, things you are forbidden to do).

What is the first basic commandment to the festival of Purim?

First to hear the story, to hear the Megillah.

Yahrzeit

Anniversary of death, usually commemorated by relatives and descendants with lighting of a candle

What is the traditional New Year's food?

Apples, honey, challah, and pomegranate.

Conservative Judaism developed as a middle way between what two extremes?

Between Orthodox and Reform Judaism.

What does Passover (Pesach) commemorate?

Celebrates the coming of spring, as well as the exodus of the Jews from slavery in Egypt.

What is the view of Conservative Jews toward tradition?

Conservative Jews pray in Hebrew and officially proclaim adherence to Jewish law, but they are also willing to change tradition when they feel that this will help keep Jewish practice alive.

What is the Conservative view of intermarriage?

Conservative Jews, like Orthodox Jews, have a strong preference for Jews marrying other Jews, but in cases where the children of intermarriage are raised as Jews, they tend to be accepting of non-Jewish partners who do not convert.

What is a key feature of Synagogue Shabbat services?

Consist of a regular set of prayers, a sermon of some sort given by the rabbi, and, most importantly, the reading of the Torah.

How do children often celebrate the festival of Purim?

Dressing up and ringing all the groggers.

What is a "minyan"?

Means "number". The number refers to the ten adults required to form a quorum for worship in Orthodox Judaism. Traditionally, ten adults males are required, but non-orthodox traditions allows adult women to form the quorum as well.

Why don't many Orthodox Jewish men shake hands with women?

Orthodox Jewish women do not touch their husbands in any way during the time they are ritually impure. Out of concern that a woman might be ritually impure, Orthodox Jewish men do not touch any women other than their wives at any time.

What is the Orthodox view of intermarriage?

Orthodox Jews, who typically see Judaism as both an ethnicity and a religion, would prefer to see Jews marry only other Jews. However, because they adhere to traditional Jewish law, they accept the possibility of conversion and will welcome a non-Jewish partner who converts to Judaism into their community.

What is the "Western Wall"?

The foundation stones of the western wall of the Second Temple in Jerusalem that was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE. Today it is a place to pray and worship and leave messages describing their hopes, dreams, and prayers tucked between its stones.

What is the general name given to the most important holidays of the Jewish year?

The high holy days

What are some ideas that Reform Jews disagree about, even with each other?

The idea of the Tirah being passed around and people reaching out to kiss it and give the prayer book. When the Torah is being read it is read in Hebrew and is not translated.

How did the other kids at the public school make him feel?

The kids made sure he knew he was Jewish, and he was different.

What is the general Reform Jewish position on changes within their religion?

The movement to adopt the principles had met much resistance. Many rabbis and congregants are concerned that defining Reform Judaism would undermine the free choice that's central to the movement.

What is a bar mitzvah?

The rite of passage for boys, at age 13, after which they are regarded as adults in religious terms. Preparation for a bar mitzvah typically includes learning to read and interpret Torah.

What is a bat Mitzvah?

The rite of passage for boys, at age 13, after which they are regarded as adults in religious terms. Preparation for a bat mitzvah typically includes learning to read and interpret Torah.