CORE YEAR 1

Purposes of Jewish Living 

This course explores both ancient and modern responses to many of the major issues of Jewish thought and theology. Why do Jews believe as they do? What are the big questions of life and how do Jewish thinkers answer these questions? This course explores both ancient and modern responses to many of the major issues of Jewish thought and theology.

This course is taught in conjunction with Rhythms of Jewish Living. (See below)

Table of Contents

Lesson 1 – What is Jewish Learning?

Lesson 2 – Yetziat Mitzrayim (The Exodus from Egypt)

Lesson 3 – Creation

Lesson 4 – Humankind: Male and Female

Lesson 5 – God

Lesson 6 – Not in Heaven: What are Jewish Texts?

Lesson 7 – Mitzvot: What are they?

Lesson 8 – Mishkan / Mikdash (The Sanctuary)

Lesson 9 – From Service of the Heart to Synagogue Services

Lesson 10 – Is the Torah the Revealed Word of God? Part I

Lesson 11 – Is the Torah the Revealed Word of God? Part II

Lesson 12 – Theology in Practice: Driving on Shabbat

Lesson 13 – Purposes of Kosher Observance

Lesson 14 – Miracles

Lesson 15 – Prophecy

Lesson 16 – Eretz Yisrael (The Land of Israel)

Lesson 17 – What does it mean to be the “Chosen People”?

Lesson 18 – Gender in Judaism

Lesson 19 – Intermarriage

Lesson 20 – Hashgachah (Divine Providence)

Lesson 21 – Free Will and Sin

Lesson 22 – Why Do People Suffer?

Lesson 23 – What Happens After We Die?

Lesson 24 – Mitzvot: Meaning and Purpose

Lesson 25 – Churban (Destruction) and Galut (Exile)

Lesson 26 – Yemot Hamashiach (The Messianic Era)

Lesson 27 – Seeking Understanding after the Holocaust

Lesson 28 – The Israel-Diaspora Relationship

Lesson 29 – The Purposes of Judaism

Lesson 30 – What Have We Learned?

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Rhythms of Jewish Living 

What’s the point of living Jewishly? What ideas, beliefs, and practices are involved? This course examines a wide variety of Jewish sources to discover the deeper meanings underlying Jewish holidays, lifecycle observances, and Jewish practice.

This course is taught in conjunction with Purposes of Jewish Living.

Table of Contents

Lesson 1 – A Time for Every Purpose under the Heaven: What is “Jewish Time?” .

Lesson 2 – Introducing the Jewish Calendar

Lesson 3 – Rosh HaShannah

Lesson 4 – Yom Kippur

Lesson 5 – Sukkot

Lesson 6 – Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah

Lesson 7 – Jewish Reminders and Symbols

Lesson 8 – Beit HaKnesset (Synagogue)

Lesson 9 – Berakhot (Blessings)

Lesson 10 – Tefillah (Prayer) and Tzedakah (Charity)

Lesson 11 – Shabbat and Its Messages

Lesson 12 – Shabbat and Its Observance

Lesson 13 – Laws and Customs of Kosher Observance

Lesson 14 – Chanukah

Lesson 15 – Purim

Lesson 16 – Tu BiShevat

Lesson 17 – Birth and Berit

Lesson 18 – Bar and Bat Mitzvah

Lesson 19 – Marriage

Lesson 20 – Divorce

Lesson 21 – Mikveh

Lesson 22 – Rituals of Death and Burial

Lesson 23 – Rituals of Mourning

Lesson 24 – Conversion and Adoption

Lesson 25 – Pesach (Passover)

Lesson 26 – The Pesach Seder

Lesson 27 – Yom HaShoah and Tishah B’Av

Lesson 28 – Yom HaZikaron and Yom HaAtzma’ut

Lesson 29 – Shav’uot

Lesson 30 – Reflecting on the Rhythms of Jewish Life

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