Judaism for Dummies, 2nd Edition by Ted Falcon -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Cover Table of Contents Introduction

About This Book Conventions Used in This Book Foolish Assumptions How This Book Is Organized Icons Used in This Book Where to Go from Here

Part 1: What Jews Generally Believe

Chapter 1: That’s Funny, You Don’t Look Jewish: Who’s a Jew and Why

The Jewish Tribe Major Branches of the Tree Guess Who Else Is Jewish

Chapter 2: It’s All One: Judaism and God

Pondering Jewish Beliefs about God Calling One God Many Names Looking behind the Name Embarking on a Quest for Ultimate Reality

Chapter 3: A Never-Ending Torah: The Unfolding of a Tradition

Torah: The Light That Never Dims The TaNaKH: The Hebrew Bible A Hidden Revolution: The Oral Torah The Expanding Torah

Chapter 4: A Path of Blessing: Judaism as a Daily Practice

Connecting With God and Community through Practice: The Mitzvot Connecting With God and Community through Blessings and Prayers Going to Synagogue Following Jewish Dietary Laws: A Brief Guide to Kosher Food Purifying the Spirit: Rites and Rituals Dressing for God: Jewish Garments and Clothing Customs The Jewish Home So Go Now and Live

Chapter 5: Jewish Mysticism

Delving Into Jewish Mysticism Taking a Magical Mystical Tour Going Above and Beyond: Jewish Meditation Following Maps to Understanding: The Images and Symbols

Chapter 6: Ethical Challenges

Getting to the Heart of the Matter Meeting at the Intersection of Righteousness and Charity Unraveling the Problem of the Other Intra- and Interfaith Challenges Embracing Our Sexuality Finding a Way to Peace Respecting Animals and the Environment Striving for tikkun olam

Part 2: From Womb to Tomb: The Life Cycle

Chapter 7: In the Beginning: Birth and Bris

Making the Cut: Ritual Circumcision Thanking God for Little Girls Playing the Name Game Buying Back the First Born

Chapter 8: Coming of Age: The Bar/Bat Mitzvah

Preparing for the Big Day Celebrating the Bar/Bat Mitzvah Confirming Your Beliefs

Chapter 9: Get Me to the Chuppah On Time: Weddings

Looking at the Origins of Jewish Marriage Preparing for the Ceremony Enjoying the Wedding Getting a Get: Divorce

Chapter 10: Stepping Through the Valley: The Shadow of Death

Planning for Death Arranging the Funeral Observing the Mourning Period Saying Kaddish Remembering the Dead

Part 3: An Overview of Jewish History

Chapter 11: Let My People Go: From Abraham to Exodus

The Genesis of a People The Son Also Rises The Enslavement and Exodus Entering the Promised Land

Chapter 12: The Kings of Israel: The First Temple

Finding the Right Guy to Be King Continuing War and Peace Living under the Lion of Judah Telling a Tale of Two Kingdoms The Fall of the First Temple

Chapter 13: Bracketed by Exile: The Second Temple

Finding a Home away from Home It’s All Greek to Me A Parting of Ways All Roads Lead to Rome An Edifice Complex Sects and Violence

Chapter 14: The Exiles Continue: The First Millennium

Beware, the End Is Nigh! Running Out of Rome Jews under Islam Let My People Stay: Prosperity and Persecution The Reign in Spain

Chapter 15: The Greatest Horror, the Greatest Triumph

When Poland Was a Heartland The Dawning of a New Age Going Beyond the Pale Responses to Enlightenment The Rise of Nationalism and Racism Getting Worse and Getting Out The Holocaust Founding a New Jewish State

Chapter 16: Jewish Buddhists and Other Challenges of the New Age

In the Shadow of the Holocaust The Mixed Blessing of America Jews as Spiritual Teachers of Other Traditions The New Jewish Spirituality Jew versus Jew versus Jew Considering the Future of Judaism

Chapter 17: The Problem of Anti-Semitism

Recounting the Incomprehensible Fearing an Unknown Quantity: The Origins of Hate Exploding Dangerous and False Beliefs From Religion to Race: Anti-Semitism in Modern Times Toward Healing

Part 4: Celebrations and Holy Days

Chapter 18: A Taste of Paradise: Shabbat

Understanding Shabbat Shabbat: Restriction or Relief? Welcoming the Sabbath Bidding Farewell to Shabbat The Universal Aspects of Shabbat

Chapter 19: In with the New: Rosh Hashanah

A Day for Making Judgments The 40-Day Plan Celebrating Rosh Hashanah The Ten Days of Awe Real Beginnings Mean Real Changes

Chapter 20: Getting Serious: Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur Means Always Having to Say You’re Sorry Celebrating Yom Kippur Honoring the Light of Yom Kippur

Chapter 21: The Great Outdoors: Sukkot

A Jewish Thanksgiving How to Sukkot Sh’mini Atzeret Simkhat Torah

Chapter 22: Seeking Light in Dark Times: Chanukkah

Shining a Light on the Darkest Night The Good Fight: What Chanukkah Celebrates Embracing Chanukkah Customs Receiving the Real Gift of Chanukkah: Personal Renewal

Chapter 23: Celebrating Renewal: Tu B’Shvat

Tithing Fruits of Land and Spirit A Seder of Fruit and Wine Try This at Home Enlightened Gardeners An Ever-Living Tree

Chapter 24: A Jewish Carnival: Purim

Purim: Based on a True Story (Sort Of) Why Purim Survived Bang a Gong: Celebrating Purim Bringing Darkness to Light

Chapter 25: From Groan to Glee: Passover

Looking at the Reasons behind Passover Edible Do’s and Don’ts First Things First: Preparing for Passover The Seder: As Easy as 1, 2, 3 … A Time to Think about Freedom It’s Not Over till It’s Omer The Universal Themes in Passover

Chapter 26: Spring Is Busting Out All Over: Shavuot

The Ideas Behind Shavuot Searching for New Rituals Rewakening

Chapter 27: A Day of Mourning: Tisha B’Av

Fasting, Reading, and Reflecting Today’s Tisha B’Av Tu B’Av: Releasing into Joy

Part 5: The Part of Tens

Chapter 28: Ten People Who Helped Shape Judaism

Hillel Rashi Maimonides Joseph Caro Isaac Luria Ba’al Shem Tov Henrietta Szold Abraham Isaac Kook Martin Buber Abraham Joshua Heschel

Chapter 29: Answers to Ten Common Questions about Judaism

Why Don’t Jews Believe in Jesus? What Does It Mean to Be the “Chosen” People? Why Is Israel So Important to the Jews? Why Are So Many Doctors, Lawyers, and Entertainers Jewish? What Is the Role of Women in Judaism? What Is “Jewish Humor”? What Role Does Music Play in Jewish Culture? Who’s In Charge of Judaism? Can You Convert to Judaism? What’s the Relationship Between Judaism and Islam?

Part 6: Appendixes

Appendix A: Oy Vey! and Other Words You Should Know

A Primer of Basic Words Yiddish, Yinglish, Oy!

Appendix B: A Sampler of Jewish Prayers and Blessings

The Central Focus: Sh’ma and V’ahavta First Thing in the Morning Last Thing at Night Various, Sundry, and Otherwise Useful Blessings

Appendix C: Go Now and Learn

Books for The People of the Book On the Newsstand Some Jewish Organizations Judaism on the Web

Index About the Authors Advertisement Page Connect with Dummies End User License Agreement

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