Interested in Judaism...books?

[KaylaBeanie]

Since I'm feeling a call toward Judaism, I'm interested in getting some books on the subject before meeting with a Rabbi, just so that I know what I need to know and can decide if it's still for me.

I'd prefer something more interesting/personal than "Judaism for Dummies." I'm absolutely leaning toward Reform, not Orthodox (for the time being). I plan to order from Amazon to save some money, so I'd really rather go off of recommendations, you know?

Thanks ladies

[Learning_Mum]

Hi! I'm in the same boat as you. I've felt a calling to Judaism since I was little and have recently been getting some signs from G-d that I think mean I need to find Him.

Anyway! I found a website last night, that I've found really interesting and helpful so far. It's Judaism 101.

The website is www.jewfaq.org - I started with the Table of Contents and just started at the beginning. It's divided into basic, intermediate etc. It's written from an Orthodox point of view and although I myself would probably go the Reform route, it's still really great reading.

HTH!

[zinemama]

Living a Jewish Life by Anita Diamant is a good nuts and bolts book.

Also, the website My Jewish Learning is a great resource.

http://www.myjewishlearning.com/index.shtml

[smeisnotapirate]

I love, love, love "To Life!"

Check out the rest of my recommendations on the "You have five books...." thread.

ETA: Linky!

[beautyful]

The Jewish Home

Jewish Literacy

[KaylaBeanie]

Wow, I came home from school to all these wonderful suggestions! Thank you so much, I deeply appreciate it more than you know

I've been devouring Judaism 101 for the last few days, I've spent hours and hours on it and I'm utterly fascinated by it.

On some faith-related news, my mom is extremely supportive and has me tell her every little new thing I learn about Judaism. We decided that this year, we'll celebrate Hannukah! Before I sound completely unknowledgeable, I understand that Hannukah (or is it correctly spelled Channukah? I see it both ways and never know) is a relatively unimportant holiday, and has been sort of commercialized and blown up so that Jewish kids don't feel left out by Christmas. However, it'll be a great time for me to kind of ease into things, and my mom is just as excited as I am

[Faliciagayle]

Since Ch/Hanuk/kah is a hebrew word, you can't really misspell it when you transliterate it into English - hence the various spellings, additions of Hs Cs and other letters Ergo, there is no "correct" way to spell it in English.

And while it may not carry the same weight as, say, Yom Kippur, it is a wonderful, relatively easy holiday to get started with. And just because it's "easy" doesn't mean there is no mystical or spiritual significance to the holiday. It falls in the darkest time of year, and each day we light another candle, increasing the light in the world. By easy, I mean the mitzvot (commandments) associated with Chanukah are few and not as complicated as the mitzvot and related halacha (law) of Pesach... for example.

[KaylaBeanie]

Thanks! I need to hunt down a menorah sometime next month. I'll actually be traveling right smack in the middle of Hannukah, so I'll have to bring it with my on my 9 hour bus ride

[KaylaBeanie]

Ok, I bought three off of Amazon to start with!

"To Life: A Celebration of Jewish Being and Thinking" by Harold Kushner

"Living a Jewish Life, Updated and Revised Edition: Jewish Traditions, Customs, and Values for Today's Families" by Anita Diamant

"Choosing a Jewish Life: A Handbook for People Converting to Judaism and for Their Family and Friends" by Anita Diamant

After I read these and feel confident in my knowledge of basics of Judaism, what next? There are three Reform temples in my city's metropolitan area. How do I pick the one? Do I set up a meeting with a Rabbi?

Oh, and on even brighter news, my friend who is a very evangelical Christian announced that she was thrilled for me, she saw how I struggled with Christianity and knows it was not for me. Everyone (other than my athiest cousin who is convinced you're never accepted as a Jewish convert) has been so supportive.

[Magelet]

Look up the temples websites, and see what types of services they have. Even if you don't regularly want to go to shabbat services on friday night or saturday morning, they can be a good way to get a feel for a congregations. (but everywhere has off days so you probably should go more than once. not that I follow that advice in picking a congregation lol.) Judaism is very much a community religion, so both the people and the service is important. Go to a service, talk to a rabbi, either is good.

another good way to go is to ask the rabbi he/she knoews someone/a family who would welcome you to a shabbat dinner (or more than one person). shabbat is a wonderful holiday, full of joy, relaxation, close family and friends and meaningful candlelighting, and other blessings. Its usually fun and full of song. It also comes once a week What's greater than a holiday that comes once a week?

Channukah is a good holiday to start with. It is a time of year that you are used to having a holiday (since it sounds like you come from a christian background). Lighting channukah candles is simple, yet evocative. And it has tasty food associated with it. (Ok, even Jewish fast days have good food associated with them, before and after.) ]


I'm so glad that you have a lot of supportive people in your life as you explore this path.

[smeisnotapirate]

Talk to the rabbis and get a feel for how welcoming the congregations are. Where in Missouri are you? I can ask my rabbi for recommendations. He knows everyone.

[zinemama]

Oh, and even though I'm neither traditional nor Orthodox, I really enjoy Blu Greenberg's How to Run A Traditional Jewish Household, which is an all-around good read and resource.

[KaylaBeanie]

Sme, I'm in the Kansas City metro. All the synagogues are roughly equal distance from me

And sorry for misspelling Hanukkah earlier...only one "n"...I'm embarrassed

[smeisnotapirate]

You didn't misspell it at all - Hebrew into English is all about phoneticization. You're fine.

Kayla, I'll ask my rabbi about the reform congregations in KC.

May you all have an easy fast tonight and tomorrow.

[Mommal]

You might like The Bamboo Cradle by Avraham Schwatzbaum. It's an older book but it is very personal. It's the story of a Jewish couple who were living in China and adopted an abandoned baby girl back in the day when adopting from China was very unusual. Adopting her put them on the path to embracing their heritage.

[KaylaBeanie]

Originally Posted by Mommal

You might like The Bamboo Cradle by Avraham Schwatzbaum. It's an older book but it is very personal. It's the story of a Jewish couple who were living in China and adopted an abandoned baby girl back in the day when adopting from China was very unusual. Adopting her put them on the path to embracing their heritage.

That sounds absolutely fantastic! I know that Amazon is going to get a chunk of my next paycheck, but they typically get a lot of my money anyhow. I was the kid who pulled teeth out for tooth fairy money to spend on books

I got my first book today! "Choosing a Jewish Life" arrived and I cannot wait to snuggle in bed with it later.

[jempd]

Hello! I am right now reading a tome that my husband's family's rabbi recommended as I am just starting on the path to conversion. It's Great Ages and Ideas of the Jewish People, edited by Leo W. Schwarz. Not exactly light reading for the beach. I'm in the middle ages now after having gone through the biblical age, the hellenistic age, the talmudic age, and the Judeo-Islamic age. It is heavy going at times but in general it is absolutely fascinating. I understand so much more about Judaism than I did before I read it. You could make this a life's study, actually, and of course people do. I wish that I had a corresponding class or group to chew things over with as there are so many huge concepts and things to discuss. I had no idea how influential on western thought and society as a whole Judaism was, and what influenced it as well. There are other books in the list he gave me, and there are other books that are more engaging in another way, but I think this is a great foundation. It is a collection of essays and studies by various scholars of Judaism. It is from a scholarly, historical viewpoint and not meant to be religious, so it is to give the reader a history of the Jewish people and of what their religion really is conceptually, how it came to be, how Israel figures into it all (which I only understood vaguely if at all prior to reading this), what shaped it, what was the social/political context in which it arose, and so forth.