1. Jewish Beliefs and Practices

2. Basic Jewish Beliefs
Maimonides’ 13 Principles of Faith are widely accepted by Jews as summarizing the basic beliefs of Judaism
They are:
God exists
God is one and unique
God is incorporeal
God is eternal
Prayer is to be directed to God alone
The words of the Prophets are true

3. These are accepted by most Jews as the minimum one must believe
Moses was the greatest of the Prophets
The written Torah (the first five books of the Tanakh) and the Oral Torah (teachings contained in the Talmud) were given to Moses by God
There will be no other Torah
God knows the thoughts and deeds of men
God will reward the good and punish the wicked
The Messiah will come
The dead will be resurrected
These are accepted by most Jews as the minimum one must believe

4. Prayer

5. Several times a day – when waking, before and after meals, before bed and any other time you wish during the day
Major Prayers:
Shema
Amidah – 19 blessings, thanks and petitions (said at synagogue)
Aleinu – affirms that there is one God
Kaddish – prayer of praise. Always said in Aramaic. The Mourners Kaddish is associated with praying for the dead.

6. The Synagogue

7. Jewish place of prayer and worship
Dates back to time of Babylonian Exile
Services daily
Requires a minyan = ten adults
Usually led by rabbi; can be led by any adult
Main services held on the Sabbath (Shabbat) – either Friday evening or Saturday morning

8. Interior

9. All Synagogues contain . . .
Aron Kodesh – also called the Ark. Holds Torah scrolls.
Ner Tamid – “eternal light”. Near the Ark; symbolizes the presence of God.
Bimah – the lectern from which the Torah is read

13. Rabbi holding a Torah scroll – the scrolls are written in Hebrew by hand on parchment

14. Orthodox synagogues separate men and women at worship
Orthodox synagogues separate men and women at worship. They have a divider called a mechitzah between the two sections of the synagogue.

15. Rabbi
He (or she in Reform and some Conservative communities) leads services, educates, and officiates at events like bar mitzvahs, weddings and funerals
It usually takes five years of postgraduate study to become a rabbi.

17. Synagogue Service There are communal prayers in the synagogue daily
Main service is on Shabbat (the Sabbath)
Service is led by the Rabbi and perhaps a cantor
Service is often a mixture of Hebrew and English
Lasts between 30 and 90 minutes

18. The Service: Chanting of the Shema and Amidah Scripture readings
Writings
Psalms
Prophets
Torah
Sermon
Blessings

19. Kashrut
(Kosher Food Laws)

20. Kosher Food laws concern:
What foods can be eaten
How foods must be prepared
The laws are found in the Torah

21. Trayf – food that is not kosher and cannot be consumed
Pareve – food that can be eaten at any time, with any other food

22. General information . . .
Kosher animals chew their cud and have cloven hoofs (cattle, sheep, goats, deer)
Animals must be humanely slaughtered under the supervision of a trained shochef
Seafood must have scales and fins
Domesticated fowl can be eaten; birds of prey cannot

23. Reptiles, amphibians and insects are trayf
Blood cannot be consumed
Meat and milk cannot be consumed at the same meal
Rules for Passover are stricter

24. Different branches of Judaism have different attitudes towards these laws:
Orthodox – follow strictly
Conservative – some follow strictly; many follow a modified version
Reform – following is up to the individual; many follow partially

25. Clothing worn during worship:
tallit
kippah
teffilin

26. Life Cycle Rituals

27. Brit Milah “The Covenant of Circumcision” 8 days after birth
Performed at home or at the synagogue
Mohel – performs the ceremony
The child is officially given his name

28. Brit Ha-bat The naming ceremony for a daughter
A modern celebration done mostly in Reform synagogues

29. Bar Mitzvah Bat Mitzvah
Son or Daughter of Commandment – the child officially becomes an adult in the Jewish community
Takes place at the synagogue
The child reads (in Hebrew!) and comments on the Torah portion for the day
The Bat Mitzvah ceremony is modern and is not done in Orthodox communities

30. Bar Mitzvah
A Bar Mitzvah at the Wailing Wall, Jerusalem

31. Bat Mitzvah

32. In Reform Judaism teens are often confirmed as well as bar or bat mitzvahed. Confirmation takes place when they are older and is a personal commitment to Judaism.

33. Weddings Takes place under a chuppah = canopy Ancient custom
May be raised indoors or out
Symbolizes both the new home established by the couple and the tents Jews lived in during the Exodus

34. The wedding ceremony includes:
Blessing and sharing wine
Exchange of rings
Signing the Ketubah
Marriage contract
Protects the rights of the wife
Often in Aramaic

35. The Seven Blessings
Breaking a glass
Mazel Tov!

36. Judaism does not encourage marriage outside the faith Most Jewish rabbis will not officiate at inter-faith weddings

37. Funerals Jewish beliefs about life after death: Orthodox Jews
Heaven and hell
A bodily resurrection when the Messiah comes
Conservative Jews
Resurrection – either bodily or spiritual – when the Messiah comes

38. Reform Jews:
No bodily resurrection; the soul returns to God
Not all Jews believe in life after death. Some believe that we live on through our good works and our descendants

39. Preparation of the body:
Washed and dressed by members of a funeral society
Placed in a plain wood casket surrounded by a linen shroud
Never embalmed
Never cremated
Visitation:
In the home (body not present)
In the synagogue before the funeral
Never open casket

40. The Funeral Service: Internment: Prayers and blessings
One or more eulogies
Internment:
In a Jewish cemetery
Ceremony presided over by the Rabbi and attended by only closest friends and relatives
No flowers

41. Shivah (Mourning) 7 days after death of a family member
Remain at home except for going to synagogue
Wear black or black ribbon with a symbolic slash (cut) in it
No work
Men don’t shave
People visit

42. Extended Mourning Yahrzeit 30 days for a close family member
Return to work or school but not other activities
For a parent, spouse or child mourning continues for a year (no parties, celebrations)
Yahrzeit
1 year anniversary
Special synagogue service
Unveiling of the tombstone

43. Why do Jews leave a rock at the gravesite?
Jews do not place flowers on graves.
Often, they leave a small rock on the headstone
Reasons:
Historical – ancient Jews covered graves with rocks to protect them. It is a hold over from that
Contemporary– it shows that someone has visited the grave