What Judaism is?

(101)
Judaism as a religion: what a Jew believes?
Principios Fe How is Jewish religion practiced?
Mitzvot, ejemplos diarias, weekly, holidays, life
cycle.
Role of the land of Israel
Other components of the Jewish identity: culture.
Ethnicity Ashkenazi and sefaradim
Denominations, examples of differences women,
etch.

Definition
a) Religion (God, Ethical Monotheism, Covenant
of Sinai, Revelation, Torah and
commandments).
b)But: How is a Jew? A) Ethnic Group People
Race B) Conversion. Is faith and observance
necessary?
c) Traditions and Customs. Sefaradim,
Ashkenazik Jews, etc.
d)Land and political autonomy
e) Culture (Ideas, values, etc).
f) Language

 Judaism as a Civilization (all the above +

evolution).
Family

Some principles of faith (discussion, views, no creed,

compilation Maimonides, no )
1)God: Creator, indivisible, incorporeal, no
intermediaries.
2)Prophets and prophecy. Stopped Rabbis
3)Moses greatest prophet
4)Torah is from heaven, voice of God, tradition,
evolution (Oral Law). Eternal, no new Torah.
5)God is omnscient and divide providence (God cares)
6)Punishment and Reward
7)Messiah will come
8)Resurrection of the dead

Elohim, Torah (revelation), Israel

Retention, mitzvah
Denominations,
Role of women
Prayer, Shabbat, kashrut
What Jews believe
Practice What we do (code of law, commandments 613,
more important than faith).
Evolution Rabbinical Judaism

Torah 5 Books of Moses

Talmud 2nd to 5th Century
Codification until today.

Commandment vs Tradition

1) The day of a Jew:

Prayer: 3 times a day, self-judgment, kavana/keva,
Hebrew, minyan
Blessings
Kashrut: Not health (myth) but holiness. Controlling
your impulses, sanctifying the act of eating (mundane).
Shechita, some animals (Mamals (chew their cud,
cloven hoof), birds (list), fish (fins and scales)), not
mixing meat and milk (do not cook a kid in its
mothers milk).
Tzedaka (10-20%, law, doesnt rely on love or feelings).
Talmud Torah
2) The week:
Shabbat Sabbath: Different day, day of rest, not
work (not a personal definition, national project),
thinks to do (Shabbat, candles, synagogue, guests,
Shabbat dinner) and thinks which are prohibited
(writing, manual work, buying, finishing, fire, etc).

3) Year:

 3 holidays from the Pentateuch (Passover Exodus,

Shavuot Pentecost, Sukkot Tabernacles).
High Holidays, RH and YK: 1) RH: New Year, day of
Judgment, Teshuva, Shofar 3) YK: Day of atonement,
reconciliation with God, fast
Later biblical holidays: Purim (Book of Esther)
Hanukkah (Macabees, rebellion, Menorah).
Modern: Holocaust Day, Independence and Memorial
day.

4) Life:
Brith Milah: Covenant of Abraham, fathers
responsibility, Mohel, welcoming and name. DOESNT
MAKE THE CHILD JEWISH.
Conversion: Study, participation and practice.
Bar/Bat Miztzvah: Entering in Jewish adulthood.
Celebration. Boys 13. Girls 12.
Marriage: No intermarriage. Celebration of a Jewish
family. Huppah (canopy).
Divorce: Since the times of the Pentateuch
(Deuteronomy). It happens not ideal, only last
resource.
Death and mourning: Jewish cemeteries, no
embalming, not exhibition of the body. Stages: Aninut
(Isolation No commandments). Shiva: 7 days at
home, visits, commandments consoling the
mourners, busy, no work. 30 days: Work but not
shaving, no haircuts, no celebrations. 1 year: No
celebrations. Program of emotional recovery.
Other hot topics: Organ donation, abortion, assisted
suicide, life after death.

CAI:
Small but active Jewish community, 100 families + 30 Shir Chadash, unaffiliated.
Hebrew School Adult classes Hebrew lessons Summer day camp Retreat Services
Hillel
Religious services
BBYO
Chevrah Kadisha Jewish cemetery
Sisterhood
Bulletin
Bnai Brith
Hadasah
Holocaust committee (Raoul Wallenber, Holocaust memorial).
Shlichim program
Young Adults
Social Justice Committee

1) How education is done here

a) Hebrew school: Teachers, 1 hours x 2:
Teachers and 2 Israeli emissaries.
Hebrew: Reading skills (prayer book), some words. Not enough time.
Traditions and customs
Jewish history
Prayer
Celebrations
b) Adult classes: Different topics.
c) Hebrew lessons: 1 hour a week. Very basic.
d) Sermon: Invitation to think and reflect on.
e) Non-formal activities: Retreats, summer day camp.

2) Are we successful in making good Jews Yes in a short term but not
in a long term (less jewish).
a) Lack of time (competition with many activities).
b) Minority (less value in the general community)
c) Emphasis in transferring content rather than practicing values.
d) Weak supporting community (of practice)

Would like to reflect on what is education??

Preguntar qu es education or teaching?
We tend to think only in the rational education, talking in front of students,
transferring content.
That may work for mathematic of physics, but not for values or practices.
2) How do we teach values? In a classroom? Thats a discussion about values you
cannot learn how to be a good person if you dont copy it. Learning is learning from
a role model. Copying After all adults learn the same as young kids.

How to teach religious values? Hebrew school is not necessarily the best setting.
Informal settings, free time you have a group of people who are showing kids
what is important, and they get it!

Consider the following situation: Parents send their kids to Hebrewschool to learn
Hebrew, but they dont know and dont study Hebrew. What is the message the kid
gets? This is not important. Why I have to do it? Dont know. If they ask their
parents Because I did the same! Result: They dont know very much, they forget!
I like to think on education as a process of participation in a community of
practice. Its a collective process you learn from others and others learn from you.
Sitting in a classroom is not a natural process of learning (consider how babies
learn). Being sited is not normal! Learning with the brain only is not normal!

3) Keys for a successful religious education (or teaching values):

1) Allow as much informal time as possible (not sitting in a classroom) and
make them to practice the values you want to teach.
2) Allow personal autonomy (decisions). Encourage criticism, choices.
3) Create a community of practice (peers, older kids, adults who DO what you
want them to do).
4) Force kids to interact with other
5) Show possibilities of growing in practice. Leadership. Reward them.

Most successful education (values) Summer camps!

4) What is the purpose of a school? Is it to transfer information? For what? Is it just a

preparation for High-School or University? Do schools really prepare kids for being
better human beings?
How can you teach values Practicing them, not just speaking about
them. You will teach the kids to speak about the values but not to do it.

Example on how you teach with practice and not talking. Not being aware of this is
damaging.
Remembrance day: You teach pluralism, but you practice differently.
Conversation with principal: Its just a cross, symbol of a cemetery. Didnt think

about the educational implication of a symbol. The community of the school was
giving importance to one religion more than other, without being aware of that.
Actually this is much more important than what you teach.