Testimonies What Does it Mean to be a Jew?
As a twenty-something living in a society whose twists and turns down the path of peace and prosperity are full of missteps and miscalculations, to me being Jewish means Tikkun …
Contributions Made by Jewish People
Our world today is a better place due to contributions that have been made by people in all ethnic, religious, and cultural groups. The Jewish people are one of the …
Reflections on the Torah Yosef and Pharaoh
Some thoughts on the Torah portion Mi-Keytz. The portion begins with the phrase Va-yehi mi-keytz shnosayim yomim u-Far’oh choleym, “And it happened at the end of two years that Pharaoh …
The Laws of Kashrut Explained
The Jewish dietary laws are known as the laws of Kashrut. These originate from the Torah or the five books of Moses, but some have been elucidated in the Talmud. …
Reflections on the Torah
Comic, But Not Funny: The One Comic Portion in the Chumash Comedy? In the Chumash? Somehow, we do not think of comedy when we think of Chumash or of the …
Antisemitism in the US Today
Antisemitism, like any form of prejudice, is alive and ‘well’ in the USA. Being raised Jewish in the 60’s I encountered this disturbing phenomenon first hand. Things have progressed from …
What is Zionism from a Secular Humanism Point of View
“O Jerusalem of gold, of brass and of light, For all your songs I will be your harp.” Traditional Hebrew song “Zionism” is an emotionally loaded word, and like other …
Lost Jews Return to Judaism
They stared after her as she made her way carefully through a crowd of rambunctious children dashing to and fro in the tiny courtyard sandwiched between somewhat shabby apartment buildings. …
The most Important Mitzvah
There has been much debate over what is Judaism’s most central and important Mitzvah (Commandment). There are some very good arguments for any of a dozen different Mitzvoth. The following …
The Laws of Immersion Intervening Substances Systematic Presentation Shulchan
When Is Re-Immersion Required? External Body and Hair In Halakha1 there is a distinction between the external parts and hair of a woman’s body and her internal parts and areas …
The different Branches of Worship Traditions and Beliefs in Contemporary Judaism
Judaism is often misunderstood as a religion. All people born to a Jewish mother are considered Jewish. The central belief is that there is one God, and only one God. …
Converting to Judaism
During my own conversion into the world of Judaism, I realized that very little guidance was available to those hoping to convert. I found myself bewildered by books explaining Jewish …
The Hasidic Movement and its Place in Jewish History
Hasidic Judaism is known in Jewish lore as being the movement that brought joy back to the religion. It was founded by Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer in the 18th century …
Defining the Jewish Diaspora
Sunset tonight begins the 9th day of the month of Av (Tisha B’Av) on the Hebrew calendar. This day is said to be the lowest of all days in the …
Joshua Hero or Villain
Joshua is an unsavory character, and even the old Talmudic scholars tended to gloss over him as if embarrassed by his brutality. There is little of the prophecy, and none …
How American Jews deal with Christmas
The United States is predominantly Christian. 95% of Americans celebrate Christmas, and half of those Americans identify Christmas as a strongly religious holiday. Nearly all Americans who celebrate Christmas engage …
World Religions Judaism
World Religions Report – Judaism The history of Judaism spans centuries of time and has been filled with triumph, pain, and a sense of continuous wandering as people who have …
What is the Succoth Festival
The Festival of Succoth (Sukkot) is also known as the ‘Festival of Booths’, ‘Feast of Tabernacles’, ‘Festival of the Harvest’ or as it is commonly referred to, the Jewish Thanksgiving. …
The Symbols of Passover
The Passover ONCE a year on the Biblical date of Nisan 14, Passover night, Jehovah’s dedicated people gather together in all parts of the earth in harmony with Jesus’ command: …
Judaism in the Middle East
How is Judaism in the Middle East different from Judaism in the rest of the world? It may surprise Americans and Europeans, who have only tangential contact with Judaism. It …
Maimonides Rambam Significance to Judaism
Maimonides, was a Sephardi Jew who lived during the time after the Golden Age of Jewry, when Jews were under persecution from not only the revival of tradition philosophy {this …
Show Respect of the Jewish Deceased
Jewish Belief of Death and Afterlife In the Jewish religion death is not a tragedy. Death is simply part of the process. There is a firm belief in an afterlife …
Happy New Year in Judaism Rosh Hashanah
The Haftoroh-or reading from the Prophets after the Torah reading for the first day of Rosh Ha-Shanah, gave me some inspiration for the Ten Days of Repentance leading up to …
Do all Jews keep Kosher
Like almost every other question about Judaism, the answer to this question depends very much on who you ask, and who is doing the asking.’ Kosher regulations The kosher regulations …
Why Jews Reject Jesus
Almost by definition, Judaism is a rejection of Jesus as anything more than another Jewish man, perhaps a nice one, but not in any way divine. All traditional Jewish sources …
By Searching the Net and looking Hard
Many lessons can be learned from the life and times of King Solomon. His deeds have been chronicled for us in great detail; covering his vast knowledge and riches, how …
An Analysis of Elijahs Cup in Understanding Passover and Judaism
Although I was raised Catholic, I went to a private preparatory school that catered mostly to upper-middle-class and upper-class Jewish families whose parents and grandparents had also attended. I was …
Rosh Hashanahs Meaning and why it is Important
Rosh Hashanah kicks off Tishri, the seventh month of the Jewish calendar. It is more than just the Jewish New Year. Rosh Hashanah takes place over two days, because this …
Quantum Physics and the Kabbalah
Kabbalah & Quantum Physics – Meat & Potatoes Style In the movie Bee Season, Richard Gere tells his daughter (who is a spelling whiz) that words express primal energy and …
A Secular Humanist View of the Torah
Many Jews revere the Torah but don’t know the first thing about it. I wrote a whole book about the Torah, the purpose of which was to de-mythologize and de-mystify …
Guide to Jewish Holidays
Title: The Miracle of Lights, By Billie S. Loper-Berman The Miracle of Lights, Chanukah, is one of the most celebrated of the Jewish Holidays and enjoyed all over the world. …
Decoding Food Symbolism in the Jewish Passover Meal
The Passover Seder The celebration of Passover is designed to recreate the unbearable lifestyle that the enslaved Jews of Egypt were once forced to overcome. The name “Passover” signifies literally …