intro class syllabus
Introduction To Judaism
From time to time someone might ask a question that we did not have time to discuss in class. I post materials about these questions here. This is not an academic course. Some of the texts mentioned may be out of print. Some of the links may have rotted. The dates refer to the last time the course was taught (2006).
| Session |
Date |
Jewish Date |
Topic |
Preparation / Follow-up Assignment |
| 1. |
9⁄10 |
17 Elul |
Welcome
to a New Experience |
|
| 2. |
9⁄17 |
24 Elul |
Shabbat |
- Read: Resource Sheet 76–78, 80, 84
- Read: A Shabbat Manual pp. 5–6, 70–80
- Read: The Jewish Home, pages 2–8
- Before next Shabbat, Complete: Resource Sheet 86
(“Chart of Possibilities and Beginnings”)
- Look over: Resource Sheet 87
- On Shabbat: Try the two things you’ve chosen
- Journal Entry
|
| 3. |
10⁄8 |
16 Tishre |
Rosh haShannah
(Erev Rosh haShannah
7/22/06) |
|
| 4. |
10⁄15 |
23 Tishre |
Yom Kippur
(Kol Nidre
10/01/06) |
|
| 5. |
10⁄22 |
30 Tishre |
Sukkot
& Simchat Torah
(Erev Sukkot
10/06/06) |
|
| 6. |
11⁄5 (10:00 — 12:00) |
14 Ḥeshvan |
Birth |
- Read: Resource Sheet 6
- Read: The Jewish Home, pages 56–69
- How to arrange for a Brit Milah
|
| 7. |
11⁄5 (12:00 — 2:00) |
14 Ḥeshvan |
Jewish Education |
- Journal Entries
- Read: Resource Sheets 37–39
- Read: The Jewish Home, pages 69–74
- For additional reading see
A Midrash on the Fire
- Rabbi Amy R. Scheinerman has prepared a Virtual Tour of a Synagogue. In addition to collecting photos of synagogues all over the world, her site explains terms and activities of the syangogue.
|
| 8. |
11⁄12 (10:00 — 12:00) |
21 Ḥeshvan |
Marriage |
|
| 9. |
11⁄12 (12:00 — 2:00) |
21 Ḥeshvan |
Chanukkah
(1st Candle — 12/24/05) |
|
| 10. |
1⁄7 (10:00 — 12:00) |
17 Tevet |
Death |
|
| 11. |
1⁄7 (12:00 — 2:00) |
17 Tevet |
Purim
(Read Megillah in the evening 3/4/07) |
- Read: The Book of Esther
- Read: The Jewish Home, pages 23–27
- Read: Resource Sheet 63, 64
- Look over: Resource Sheet 66
- Journal Entry
|
| 12. |
1⁄28 |
9 Shevat |
Pesach
(1st Seder 4/2/07) |
- Read: Resource Sheet 57 & 59
- Read: The Jewish Home, pages 9–18
- Look Over: Resource Sheet 61
- For additional reading see
A Growing Haggadah
|
| 13. |
2⁄4 |
16 Shevat |
American Jewish Community |
|
| 14. |
2⁄11 |
23 Shevat |
Erev Yom haShoa
(4÷15÷07) |
|
| 15. |
3⁄4 |
14 Adar (Purim) |
Erev Yom haAtzmaut
(4÷23÷07) |
- Read: Resource Sheets: 115–119
- For additional reading see
Tour Israel Read: Resource Sheets: 120, 122
|
| 16. |
3⁄11 |
21 Adar |
Conversion |
|
| 17. |
3⁄18 |
28 Adar |
Shavuot
Erev Shavuot
(5÷22÷07) |
- Read: Resource Sheets 94
- Read: The Jewish Home, pages 43–45
- Read: Resource Sheets 91
|
| 18. |
3⁄25 |
6 Nisan |
Review
|
|
The Final Take-Home Exam
Union for Reform Judaism
Pacific Southwest Council
First posted circa: September, 1997
Last updated September 10, 2006
Web 2.0 version prepared October 12, 2010
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In the year 5779… May we strengthen our covenantal relationships
as we reflect and reinforce
the love of a caring universe. 
Mishneh Torah, Blessings 10:16;
based on Genesis 9:11
To see the full size image and those of previous years click the graphic above. I began creating a Web site in my head as early as August 1995 when I drafted the following
For a project I’m pursuing regarding Jewish involvement on the internet and the World Wide Web in particular, I’m interested in learning about any sites about which you may know. For example, do any rabbis have Home pages? Which synagogues or synagogue organizations have Web sites? Does Marge Piercy have a site at which you can read portions of "He She and It"? Does Howard Rheingold have a site where you can learn more about creating a Virtual [Jewish] Community? Is there a Web Camera at the Kotel? In the Wilderness of Zin?
More
¡warning! This site remains under considerable reconstruction.
Most pages should still be available in their original location. However, I will be moving the vast majority of the old site (static html pages) into the Web 2.0 (blog) site. If you experience any "link rot", please let me know.
When I initially created this site I organized the material into what seemed to be meaningful categories (in the days before "tags"). But the time came when, it was hard to figure out which link to click if you wanted to know about Sammy Levinger's ("who"?) death ("what"?) while fighting during the Spanish Civil War ("when"?), though we had visited Belchite the site ("where?") of the battle where he sustained his mortal wounds. The new tools should make this process easier.
`//rite on!
,\\ark Hurvitz Producing content on the Web since 1995.
some sayings of ר‘משבצונה“ל
For many years I have worked hard, and struggled with mastering virtuous. Now, in addition, I’m working on becoming more virtual.
This is an expression of that effort.
* * * * * * *
השיבנו ה‘ אליך ונשובה חדש ימינו
כעוד לא היו
* * * * * * *
ומביא גאלה…
לצאצאיהם All photographs are by Mark Hurvitz unless they are obviously not (or credit otherwise is given).
The photos in the banner at the top (only a shallow sliver of a much larger photo) are either from our home or our travels and are offered for their beauty alone (though a brain-teaser for me: "Where was that?").
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