"Historically the profoundest meaning of Passover is something which sets Judaism apart from other religions. It marks the birth of a nation. Out of a mass of slaves, Moses fashioned a nation and gave them a faith." - Philip S. Bernstein
REMINDERS: We'll plan on taking the
multiple choice portion of the Judaism exam on Monday, November 17th. You can still bring the 75 words of notes in with you if you would like. Your Blog Entry - Judaism is due by the start of class on Monday the 17th as well. The Judaism Short Essay questions will be due by Tuesday, November 25th. (That's the last day before Thanksgiving break.)
These are the articles due for today from the Judaism Readings Packet:
- "In Search of the Skeptical, Hopeful, Mystical
Jew That Could Be Me," The New York Times, April 13, 2008 (First 3 pages of 10 page
article)
- "For a Singer and a Sect: A Rift Amid the Rifts," The New
York Times, December 23, 2007
- "U.S. Study Pinpoints Near-Misses by Allies in
Fathoming the Unfolding Holocaust," The New York Times, July 31, 2005
- "Holocaust Classes Are Seldom Easy on Children,"
The New York Times, February
25, 2008
- "Endless War," The New York Times, May 4, 2008
Jewish Worship- The Symbols
Defining terms: tefillin, tallit, kippah (yarmukle), mezuzah, menorah, Magen David
DO THIS: This website introduces the role various symbols play in Jewish worship and spirituality.
Look into one of them and share your research with a partner or two.
The Kosher Laws: Some of the mitzvot focus around food and its preparation. Although probably not essential to understanding Judaism, taking a look at the kosher laws is interesting and enlightening. Let's try it this way:
DO THIS: Imagine that you are putting on a dinner party for our class. You are going to serve a variety of dishes. Jot down a list of what you intend to serve. (If you are already familiar with the kosher laws, maybe just think of items served recently for lunch at MPA, at a restaurant or fast food chain, or whatever.)
Now, consult this list of the kosher
laws. (Scroll down to "II. Kosher and Non-Kosher Meat, Poultry,
and Fish.") Compare your "menu" and try to determine what qualifies
as kosher. We'll discuss the laws as a group. Additional and more detailed
resources can be accessed through this web site on the
kashrut, or dietary laws.
Modern Israel: This is another topic that could easily cover days or weeks. Of course, you have been introduced to this in Regional Studies and elsewhere. Here, we will focus not on the specific events and dates, but rather on some of the underlying ideas and tensions in the region. I am curious as to your reactions to the following questions.
- How important was religion in the decision to create Israel after World War II? How important should it have been?
- Do the Palestinians have a legitimate claim to land currently occupied by Israel?
- Where does blame lie for the ongoing violence in the Middle East?
- What can be done to lessen religious violence in the Middle East?
- What do you see for the future of the Middle East?
The Search for "Meaning": Huston Smith begins his discussion of Judaism with a basic premise. "What lifted the Jews from obscurity to permanent religious greatness was their passion for meaning." He goes on to discuss this passion in a variety of contexts. We'll attempt to summarize this unit by having threesomes of you explain each of them to the group at our next meeting.
- Meaning in God
- Meaning in Creation
- Meaning in Human Existence
- Meaning in History
- Meaning in Morality
- Meaning in Justice
- Meaning in Suffering
- Meaning in Messianism
Each trio of you should claim one of these "meanings" and be prepared to explain it to the rest of the class at our next meeting.
HOMEWORK for Judaism - Day #7
You'll take the multiple choice portion of the Judaism exam on Monday, November 17th. You can still bring the 75 words of notes in with you if you would like.
Your Blog Entry - Judaism is due by the start of class on Monday the 17th as well.
The Judaism Short Essay questions will be due by Tuesday, November 25th. They are posted.
Your next (fifth) Independent Assignment is due on Tuesday, November 25th as well. (However, I'll consider anything that comes in before the end of Thanksgiving weekend to be on time.)
