“USER-FRIENDLY” JUDAISM
An Introductory Course
Rabbi Jonathan Kligler
October, 2009 / Tishrei, 5770
I What is Judaism?
-What is a Jew? What is Judaism? What does it mean to be a Jew?
II Biblical Judaism
-What are the historical origins of the Jews and Judaism?
-What is the Torah?
Reading: What Do Jews Believe? pp. 134-158
Book of Exodus, Chapters 1-20
Recommended: Heritage: Civilization and The Jews pp. 1-58
III Rabbinic Judaism
-What is the “Oral Law”?
-How did the Rabbis transform Judaism, and what historical events precipitated this
transformation?
-What are the Talmud, and the Midrash?
Reading: Selected Rabbinic texts, to be distributed in class
Recommended: Heritage: Civilization and The Jews pp. 60-122
IV Life in Diaspora
-The sweep of Jewish cultures, literature, and experience during 19 centuries of exile.
Recommended: Heritage: Civilization and The Jews pp. 125-257
V The Synagogue
-History
-Jewish objects and symbols
Reading: Living a Jewish Life pp. 15-25, 97-110
The First Jewish Catalogue pp.12-17, 37-63
VI Shabbat
Reading: Living a Jewish Life pp.26-60
Recommended: The First Jewish Catalogue pp.103-115
The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern Man
VII The Holidays
-Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Hannukah, Tu B’shvat, Purim,
Passover, Yom Hashoah, Yom Haatzmaut, Lag B’omer, Shavuot, Tisha B’av.
Reading: Living a Jewish Life pp. 139-210
Recommended: The Jewish Holidays or
Seasons of Our Joy
VIII Prayer and the Prayerbook
-The structure and intent of Jewish worship
-Blessings
Reading: What Do Jews Believe? pp.186-210
Recommended: Service of The Heart; The Path of Blessing
IX A Brief History of God
-Jewish theology, and the many metaphors Jews have utilized to attempt to describe
the
Holy One.
Reading: What Do Jews Believe? pp.11-49
X Covenant and Commandment
-What is a mitzvah? What are the mitzvot?
-What does it mean to be in covenant with God? To be a “chosen people”?
-”Ritual” and “ethical” mitzvot
-Liberal Jews and the mitzvot
-Keeping Kosher
Reading: What Do Jews Believe pp.159-185
XI Rites of Passage
-Jewish and Hebrew names
-Birth, Adoption, Brit Milah, Brit Habat
-Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah
-Conversion
-Marriage and divorce
-Death
Reading: Living a Jewish Life pp. 210-267
XII Antisemitism and internalized Jewish oppression
-What is “Antisemitism”?
-How have we been psychologically affected, individually and communally, by this
oppression, and what can we do about it?
ADDITIONAL TOPICS:
XIII The Contemporary American Jewish Landscape: A survey of Who’s Who
Reading: Living a Jewish Life pp.131-162
Recommended: Heritage: Civilization and The Jews pp. 259-282
XIV What is “Jewish Spirituality”, and how do we make it manifest in our lives?
Recommended: The First Jewish Catalogue pp. 296-317
Honey From The Rock
Hasidism and Modern Man, especially pp. 118-170
XV Judaism in the 21st Century
-What will Judaism look like in this unprecedented era of global consciousness?
-How does the Jewish People’s return to the Land of Israel affect our conception of
ourselves and of Judaism?
-Feminism and Judaism
BOOK LIST
Try to acquire:
-Anita Diamant and Howard Cooper, Living a Jewish Life (Revised Edition) HarperCollins, NY
2007
-David S. Ariel, What Do Jews Believe? Schocken, NY 1995
-Richard Siegel, Michael Strassfeld, and Sharon Strassfeld, eds., The First Jewish Catalogue
Jewish Publication Society, Phila. 1973
-A translation of the Hebrew Bible. I suggest The Tanakh (Jewish Publication Society)
-A history of the Jews, such as Abba Eban’s Heritage: Civilization and The Jews Summit
Books, NY 1984 (It’s not too long and has lots of pictures, and you can watch the documentary
on DVD!)
-A prayer book. I suggest Kol Haneshamah: Shabbat and Festivals The Reconstructionist
Press, Wyncote PA 1994
Highly recommended:
Arthur Waskow, Seasons of our Joy, OR Michael Strassfeld, The Jewish Holidays
Martin Buber, Hasidism and Modern Man
Lawrence Kushner, Honey From the Rock
Evelyn Garfiel, Service of The Heart