Basic Judaism &
 Conversion Course #2

 

The second Basic Judaism/Conversion class will begin on November 3rd at 10 a.m. in the synagogue social hall. We will meet every other week for about two hours. The length of the course has not yet been determined but will certainly extend into 2008. The course will address a mixture of beginning and intermediate topics, as it will continue many of the discussions we began in the previous course.

The course is free to B'nai Israel members and $100 for nonmembers. Please contact us to reserve your space in the class by October 27. Please also write Jack with your intent to join because he needs to know how many books to request.

This class is geared towards people who want to explore the basic issues in Judaism including those who might, at some point, consider conversion. Please keep in mind, though, that since neither the student rabbi nor anyone else at the synagogue has the authority to perform conversions, completing the course may make you eligible for conversion for some rabbis but we cannot guarantee it. We hope, instead, that the class serves as a place for mutual discussion, exploration, and growth for interested parties.

For more information, or to express your interest, please contact Jack Weinstein at NDBnaiIsrael@gmail.com.

 

Required Books:
Available soon at the UND Barnes & Noble Customer Service Desk
ask for either Jack Weinstein or B'nai Israel

Essential Judaism: A Complete Guide to Beliefs, Customs and Rituals
by George Robinson

ISBN: 0671034812
Paperback, pp. 672
Pocket Books

Contemporary Jewish Thought: A Reader (Paperback)
by Simon Noveck (Editor)

ISBN-10: 0978998065
Paperback, 400 pp.
Ben Yehuda Press

Reading Schedule for Spring, 2008

 All readings are in Contemporary Jewish Thought, edited by Simon Noveck.

February 23: Topic: God.
Readings: Cohen, “The Unity or Uniqueness of God,” pp. 133 – 146.
Kohler, “The Essence of God” and “God in Relation to the World,” pp. 297 – 307.
Kaplan, “A conception of God,” pp. 337 – 349.

March 8: Topic: Prayer.
Ha-am, “A Spiritual Centre,” pp. 45 – 51.
Kuk, “On Prayer,” pp. 106 – 107.
Baeck, “On Prayer and Holiday,” pp. 188 – 189.
Kohler, “The Nature and Purpose of Prayer,” pp. 308 – 310.  

March 22: Topic: The Law.
Ha-am, “The Law of the Heart,” pp. 20 – 23.
Cohen, “The Nature of Hebrew Prophecy,” pp. 154 – 158.
Baeck, “The Fence around the Law,” pp. 192 – 194.
Rosenzweig, “The Builders: Concerning the Law,” pp. 229 – 233.    

April 5: Topic: Judaism.
Ha-am, “The Question of Jewish Culture,” pp. 24 – 30.
Kuk, “Worldview,” pp. 102 – 105.
Baeck, “The Optimism of Judaism,” pp. 181 – 183.
Rosenzweig, “On Being a Jewish Person,” pp. 217 – 221.
Buber, “Zion and other national concepts,” pp. 266 – 272.
Kohler, “The Mission of Israel,” pp. 315 – 317.
Kaplan, “The Social Structure of American Jewish Life,” pp. 361 – 368.

April 19: Topic: Education.
Gordon, “Education and Labor,” pp. 66 – 68.
Cohen, “Views on Education,” pp. 159 – 160.
Rosenzweig, “On Jewish Learning,” pp. 222 – 225.
Buber, “Education and Training,” pp. 272 – 274.
Kohler, “The Scholar and the Preacher,” pp. 318 – 322.
Kaplan, “Jewish Education,” pp. 351 – 354.

May 3: Something on Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day). To be announced.

Resources

 

A long list of Jewish Study Sites

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