Introduction to Judaism, 2023

Session One: Judaism in Three Words

Rabbi Joshua Hammerman of Temple Beth El in Stamford, CT teaches the basics of Judaism in ten sessions, in early 2023. This first session discusses how Judaism can be best understood by way of three Hebrew names for the Jewish people: Yisrael, Yehudi and Ivri. Links for this session:

YouTube Session Link

Ten Days Project, 2004 - Congregants share what being Jewish means for them

Jewish Values Study Packet

2004 High Holidays Sermons: "I Am Jewish."

Audio of lecture below:

Session Two: The Bible and Ancient Israel

Rabbi Joshua Hammerman of Temple Beth El in Stamford, CT teaches the basics of Judaism in ten sessions, in early 2023. This second session discusses what is the Hebrew Bible, when was it written and who wrote it.

             

Tanach Primer

Chronological Chart of Jewish History

Timeline of Jewish History, Plus Bible Maps

Documentary Hypothesis

Key Terms

Historical Time Periods in the Land of Israel

Traditional Commentators

Click on chart to enlarge 

Click to enlarge.  Source: The Economist

Source

Session Three: The Talmud and Late Antiquity

Rabbi Joshua Hammerman of Temple Beth El in Stamford, CT teaches the basics of Judaism in ten sessions, in early 2023. This third session discusses what is the Talmud and how the Judaism(s) of the rabbis marked a clean break from the ancient Israelite traditions that preceded it.

Source Packet for Talmud session

Talmud words and phrases

Session Four: Passover and the Jewish Calendar

Rabbi Joshua Hammerman of Temple Beth El in Stamford, CT teaches the basics of Judaism in ten sessions, in early 2023. This fourth session covers Passover and the dynamics of the Jewish calendar and living on "Jewish Time." At 45 minutes in, special feature on the Maxwell House Haggadah with Michael Feldstein.

Video:

Audio only:

Jewish Calendar:

Passover Links:

Passover: A Guide for the Perplexed (Joshua Hammerman)

Haggadot.com - Variety of Online Haggadot

• A Different Night" Haggadah and special readings for Interfaith Seder
• Seder Supplement: Theme of Forgiveness and Remembrance
• Seder Supplement: Theme of "From Darkness to Light"
• Seder Supplement: Theme of "With Open Arms" (Immigration focus)
• Velveteen Rabbi's Haggadah
• Pesach 101.
• 6 Tips for Hosting a Solo Passover Seder
• How to Host a Virtual Seder
• These Five Tips Will Make Passover Cleaning Easier
• Tips for Celebrating Passover on a Budget
• Must-Know Passover Terms (MJL)

Click on photos below to enlarge: 

Session Five: Shabbat

Shabbat Info Packet 1

Shabbat Info Packet 2

A focus on the rituals of Friday night

Session Six: Holocaust and Israel

Holocaust info packet

"Embracing Auschwitz" Book Talk by Rabbi Joshua Hammerman

Israel #1

Israel #2

Israel Reading List

Session Seven: Kashrut and Jewish Food Values

Jewish Values and Food Sources, Part 1

Jewish Values and Food Sources, Part 2

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Session Eight: Prayer and the Geography of the Synagogue

Prayer Packet 1

Prayer Packet 2

Glossary of Synagogue and Prayer Terms

Minyan Mastery

Shabbat Morning Service Guide

Shabbat Service Guide Supplement

Session Nine: God and Messianism

Packet on God

Packet on Messiah and Messianism

Session Ten: Ethics and Being a Mensch

Jewish Values Study Packet

Forty Eight Middot (Qualities) of Embodying Torah

Making Mensches - A Periodic Table

Mensch-Marks for the New Year

Hammerman on Ethics: Should I Attend My Worst Enemy's Shiva?

Medical Ethics Sources and Dilemmas

Medical Ethics: Rabbinical Assembly Responsa

What do you say when dancing before a couple at their wedding (Ketubot 17a)?

Bonus Material

Environmentalism and Animal Rights Packet

Jewish Lifecycle Text Study

The Intro to Judaism Class has concluded

So here is your FINAL EXAM!

Pass any five of these quizzes (which means getting at least 75 percent correct)

and you are a certified MAVEN. Click on a given topic to begin. All the class lectures and study materials can be located at the ITJ Homepage.

Quizzes from My Jewish Learning:

 

-      Israeli Food Quiz

-      Bible Quiz

-      Shabbat Quiz

-      Magic and the Supernatural Quiz

-      Ancient and Medieval History Quiz

-      LGBTQ Jewish History Quiz

-      Which Yiddish Word Are You?

-      What Ritual Object Goes with Which Holiday?

-      Who Is a Jew Quiz?

-      Sephardic Judaism Quiz

-      Ceremonies for Newborns

-      Jewish Sports Quiz

-      Bible Characters Quiz

-      Thinkers and Thought Quiz

-      Kashrut Quiz

-      Conversion Quiz

-      Tzedakkah Quiz

-      Halacha Quiz

-      Jewish Ethics Quiz

-      Rosh Hashanah Quiz

-      Caring for Others Quiz

-      Sex and Sexuality Quiz

-      God Quiz

-      Kabbalah and Mysticism Quiz

-      B/Mitzvah Quiz

-      Weddings Quiz

-      Jewish Literature Quiz

-      Jewish Languages Quiz

-      Talmud Quiz

 

Quizzes From the URJ:

 

-      Quiz: Test Your Shavuot Knowledge

-      Quiz: Test Your Passover Knowledge

-      Quiz: Is This Kosher for Passover?

-      Quiz: How Well Do You Know Jewish-American Trivia?

-      Quiz: What Do You Know...about Synagogues?

-      Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Hanukkah Music?

-      Quiz: Which Purim Character are You?

-      Quiz: How Well Do You Know Israel?

-      Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Hanukkah?

Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Jewish Weddings?

-      Quiz: How Much Do You Know About the High Holidays?

-      Cracking the Code: What Torah Trope Are You?