INTRODUCTION TO JUDAISM RELI UT TYLER SPRING SEMESTER 2016 Instructor Rabbi Neal Katz

REVIEW

The Chosen (not on Netflix) (H) The Believer The Frisco Kid A Price Above Rubies (N) Crimes and Misdemeanors Keeping The Faith History of the World, Part 1 The Jazz Singer (Neil Diamond version) Paper Clips Keeping Up With the Steins (N) Ushpizin Yentl Walk on Water School Ties Driving Miss Daisy O Jerusalem Avalon (not on Netflix) Munich Defiance Everything is Illuminated Praying With Lior The Hebrew Hammer Zohan Arranged (N)

HEBREW BIBLE TEXTS PROPHETS Joshua Judges Samuel (I & II) Kings (I & II) Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi TORAH Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy WRITINGS Psalms Proverbs Job Song of Songs Ruth Lamentations Ecclesiastes Esther Daniel Ezra Nehemiah Chronicles (I & II)

SECOND TEMPLE

Rabbinic Judaism

MISHNA + GEMARA (COMMENTARY) = TALMUD

MIDRASH= BIBLICAL STORIES/LESSONS

MESSIAH

RESPONSA

YEHUDA HALEVI POET THE KUZARI

MAIMONIDES

SPANISH INQUISITION

CRUSADES

ASHKENAZI SEPHARDI

JEWISH CALENDAR & HOLIDAYS

TISHREI - ROSH HASHANAH, YOM KIPPUR, SUKKOT, SIMCHAT TORAH CHESHVAN KISLEV – CHANUKAH TEVET SHEVAT - TU B’SHEVAT ADAR - PURIM NISAN - PASSOVER IYAR – HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE, MEMORIAL DAY, ISRAEL IND. DAY SIVAN - SHAVUOT TAMMUZ AV - TISHA B’AV ELUL

SHABBAT

JEWISH BELIEFS

613 MITZVOT / COMMANDMENTS BEWTEEN GOD AND BETWEEN PEOPLE

NOAHIDE LAWS

RAMBAM’S LADDER

B’TZELEM ELOHIM / IN GOD’S IMAGE

TIKKUN OLAM

TZEDEK TZEDEK TIRDOF/ JUSTICE SHALL YOU PURSUE

EYE FOR AN EYE

FOR YOU WERE STRANGERS IN THE LAND OF EGYPT

KIDDISH HA-SHEM / SANCTIFICATION OF GOD’S NAME

LASHON HARA/ AGAINST GOSSIP

WHOEVER SAVES A SINGLE LIFE…..

PIKUACH NEFESH / SAVING A LIFE

REDEEMING THE CAPTIVES

JEWISH DENOMINATIONS

ORTHODOX JUDAISM

SEES ITSELF AS THE CONTINUATION OF THE BELIEFS AND PRACTICES OF NORMATIVE JUDAISM, AS ACCEPTED BY THE JEWISH NATION AT MT. SINAI AND CODIFIED IN SUCCESSIVE GENERATIONS IN AN ONGOING PROCESS THAT CONTINUES TO THIS DAY. WRITTEN AND ORAL TORAH ARE OF DIVINE ORIGIN AS PRACTICAL QUESTIONS ARISE, ORTHODOX AUTHORITIES APPLY THE HALACHIC PROCESS (THE SYSTEM OF LEGAL REASONING AND INTERPRETATION DESCRIBED IN THE ORAL TORAH) USING THE TORAH (BOTH ORAL AND WRITTEN) TO DETERMINE HOW BEST TO LIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH G-D'S WILL. ONE OF THE HALLMARKS OF ORTHODOX JEWS IS AN OPENNESS (AND ENCOURAGEMENT) TO QUESTION WHAT IT IS THAT G-D REQUIRES OF US, AND THEN TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS WITHIN THE SYSTEM THAT G-D GAVE US. AMONG THE MAJOR MOVEMENTS, ONLY ORTHODOXY HAS PRESERVED THE “MYSTICAL” FOUNDATIONS OF JEWISH THEOLOGY

MODERN ORTHODOX AND ULTRA ORTHODOX

CHASIDIC & CHABAD

CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM

CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM HOLDS THAT THE LAWS OF THE TORAH AND TALMUD ARE OF DIVINE ORIGIN, AND THUS MANDATES THE FOLLOWING OF HALACHA (JEWISH LAW). AT THE SAME TIME, THE CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT RECOGNIZES THE HUMAN ELEMENT IN THE TORAH AND TALMUD, AND ACCEPTS MODERN SCHOLARSHIP THAT SHOWS THAT JEWISH WRITINGS ALSO SHOW THE INFLUENCE OF OTHER CULTURES, AND IN GENERAL CAN BE TREATED AS HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS. CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM AFFIRMS THE LEGITIMACY OF SCIENTIFIC BIBLICAL CRITICISM. THE MOVEMENT BELIEVES THAT GOD IS REAL AND THAT GOD'S WILL IS MADE KNOWN TO HUMANITY THROUGH REVELATION. THE REVELATION AT SINAI WAS THE CLEAREST AND MOST PUBLIC OF SUCH DIVINE REVELATIONS, BUT REVELATION ALSO TOOK PLACE WITH OTHER PEOPLE — CALLED PROPHETS — AND, ACCORDING TO SOME, IN A MORE SUBTLE FORM CAN HAPPEN EVEN TODAY. MANY PEOPLE MISINTERPRET CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM AS BEING LIKE REFORM JUDAISM EXCEPT WITH MORE HEBREW IN ITS SERVICES; THEY BELIEVE THAT IF ONE SIMPLY GOES TO A CONSERVATIVE SYNAGOGUE, THEN ONE IS A CONSERVATIVE JEW. THIS, OF COURSE, IS NOT TRUE, AND THE MOVEMENT'S LEADERSHIP IS STRONGLY CONCERNED WITH WHETHER OR NOT THE NEXT GENERATION OF CONSERVATIVE JEWS WILL HAVE THE COMMITMENT TO LEAD AN AUTHENTIC JEWISH LIFESTYLE.

REFORM JUDAISM

PLATFORMS PITTSBURGH COLUMBUS CENTENARY 1999 – PITTSBURGH II

RECONSTRUCTIONIST JUDAISM

MORDECAI KAPLAN

CHOSEN PEOPLE PAST HAS A VOTE, NOTE A VETO RELIGIOUS NATURALISM FOLKWAYS/SANCTA

HUMANISITIC JUDAISM

 What is this idea called Humanistic Judaism?  Humanistic Judaism or Secular Humanistic Judaism is one of the six major branches of Judaism, along with Orthodox, Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist and Jewish Renewal. Humanistic Judaism is human centered, and fundamentally stresses the ability of people to shape their own lives independent of a supernatural. Humanistic Judaism has developed a human-focused liturgy for holiday and life cycle celebrations that allows Humanistic Jews to say what we mean and mean what we say. Humanistic Judaism is celebrated in inclusive, welcoming communities.  There are underlying principles with which most Humanistic Jews identify:  the use of reason and scientific inquiry for the pursuit of knowledge  the importance of human needs and dignity for all people,  respect for ourselves and others  accountability for and acceptance of the consequences of our actions  responsibility for the health of our planet  universalism  heavy dose of skepticism and innovation  Since Humanistic Judaism developed out of the evolving religion of Judaism, it is open to new ideas, beliefs and practices. Humanistic Judaism seeks to provide ideas and practices for modern Jews that have meaning and integrity and provide a foundation for future generations of Jews. Its followers identify themselves with a variety of names including Humanistic Jews, secular Jews, cultural Jews, philosophical Jews or “just Jewish.” Humanistic Jews come from all sides of the political, racial, ethnic and economic continuum.

RENEWAL JUDAISM

You're at a Jewish wedding... how can you tell if it's Orthodox, Conservative, Reform or Reconstructionist? In an Orthodox wedding, the bride's mother is pregnant. In a Conservative wedding, the bride is pregnant. In a Reform wedding the Rabbi is pregnant, and in a Reconstructionist wedding, both brides are pregnant!

Q. How many Hassidic Rebbes does it take to change a light Bulb? A. What is a light bulb? Q. How many orthodox Rabbis does it take to change a light bulb? A. Change? Q. How many conservative Rabbis does it take to change a light bulb? A. Call a committee meeting. Q. How many Reform Rabbis does it take to change a light bulb? A. None, anyone can change it whenever they want. Q. How many Jewish Renewal Rabbis does it take to change a light bulb? A. One if its an eco-kosher bulb that isn't going to be lit from electricity using nuclear power OR Two as long as a man and a woman rabbi have equal turns putting in the bulb OR Three, one to change it, one to do a Buddhist mindfulness practice during the change, and one to document the paradigm shift in a best-selling book called "The Jew in the Light bulb." OR Four, same as above plus an additional rabbi to study the psycho- halachic implications of such a change and then lead a retreat weekend on the experience. Q. How many Lubavitchers does it to change a light bulb? A. None, it never died. Q. How many congregants does it take to change a light bulb? A. CHANGE! You want to we should CHANGE the light bulb? My grandmother donated that light bulb!!!