Basic Guide to Judaism

Brief History of Judaism
During the third millennium BC, a monotheistic religion was developed by Near Eastern Hebrews. This religion, Judaism, is practiced by modern Jews and is one of the oldest religions still practiced today. Traditionally, Judaism is said to have been founded by Abraham. It is said that Abraham was selected by God to be given special treatment in exchange for worship and obedience. After Abraham relocated to Canaan, his descendants migrated to Egypt and became slaves. God made it where the Hebrew's could escape from Egypt and reinstated the covenant with Moses, the Hebrew leader. The Hebrew people were given a set of very strict laws from God. These laws came to be the Torah, the basis of Jewish scripture. All variations of Judaism are still firmly rooted in a multitude of religious principles. However, Judaism today is separated into four major groups: Orthodox, Reform, Conservative and Liberal. ("Judaism", 1998)

The Synagogue
A synagogue is the place where worship takes place. The synagogue is typically comprised of several rooms, one large sanctuary for prayer and several smaller rooms including studies, social halls and offices. Each separate group of Jews has slightly different setups of synagogues. ("Synagogue", 2007)

Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism is practiced by a majority of the Jews in the world. Orthodox Jews state the authority of the Torah and stick closely to the traditions upheld in their community such as the separation of men and women in the synagogue. ("Judaism", 1998) Orthodox synagogues typically contain a representative ark, a bimah (raised platform where readings take place), the ner tamid (an ever burning lamp that reminds the Jews of the menorah of Jerusalem that stayed lit by miracle), a ceremonial candelabrum, and a pulpit (where the rabbit stands to face the congregation.) The artwork within the synagogue must be kept parallel to the Orthodox tradition with no 3D human images. There are typically twelve windows are put in around the sanctuary. Each window represents each of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. ("Synagogue", 2007)

Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism is more liberal than Orthodox Judaism. Reform Jews deny the claim that they are God's chosen people and are also more open-minded in the interpretation of the Torah and certain Jewish laws. ("Judaism", 1998) In the early 1800's, there were many alterations to the look of the traditional synagogue as a direct result of the German Reform movement. In fact, the first Reform synagogue was designed to look more like a church. The rabbi spoke from the front of the congregation and the bar mitzvah traditions were changed. The renaming of the synagogue (to temple) signified that the people did not look forward to the rebuilding the Temple in the Holy Land any longer. ("Synagogue", 2007)

Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism is a combination of Orthodox Judaism and Reform Judaism. Conservative Jews uphold many Orthodox traditions but choose to be more liberal in the interpretation of the Torah, as are the Reformed Jews. ("Judaism", 1998) Conservative synagogues are split. Some behave like Reform temples and some are like Orthodox synagogues. In the 1800's, The Conservative movement did not discarded Orthodoxy for being so outdated and Reform for being too liberal. ("Synagogue", 2007)

Liberal Judaism
Liberal Judaism is a more extreme form of Reform Judaism also known as Reconstructionism. Liberal Jews choose to adapt Judaism to the needs of society. ("Judaism", 1998)

The Rabbi
A rabbi is the person who plays the role of spiritual leader and also provides pastoral care to the Jewish community. From a Christian point of view, the rabbi could be seen as a priest who has the authority to perform sacred rituals. However, this is not the case. The rabbi is simply a teacher who has the knowledge of the Jewish law and traditions that he can pass along to the community. The title rabbi does not entitle the man to any special privileges, just the knowledge received throughout their educational path. Rabbis have no more right to perform rituals than any other man in the Jewish community. To become a rabbi, a man must complete some educational coursework. Upon completion of this education, he is given a semikhah, a written document that grants him decision making powers as a rabbi. Nowadays, rabbis are taking over the role as a spiritual leader within the community. The responsibilities of the rabbi have expanded to minister to the people, leading community spiritual services and dealing with many of the synagogues executive matters. ("Rabbi", 2007)

Sample list of Jewish Holidays/Festivals

• Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year and is observed over yoma arichta, two days sometimes observed as one long day. On the first day, the act of Tashlikh (the throwing of stones or breadcrumbs into the water) is performed.

• Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement and is considered to be the most holy day in Jewish beliefs. During this time, eating, drinking, bathing and marital relations are not allowed. At sundown, all must begin fasting. Fasting ends after sundown of the next day. The religious services of Yom Kippur begin with a ritual recital of a prayer called the Kol Nidrei that must be said prior to sunset. The Ne'ilah service of Yom Kippur (signifies the end of Yom Kippur) is the only evening service in which the Tallit (prayer shawl) is worn. The blowing of the shofar indicates the end of the fast.
• Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights that commemorates conquering of the Seleucid Empire. Each of the eight days is represented by lighting one candle on the menorah for each day.
• Shabbat (the Sabbath) is practiced once a week. It is a day of rest for the Jews. Shabbat begins on Friday at sunset and isn't finished until Saturday's night fall. It is Jewish Law that makes Shabbat the most important day of the Jewish calendar. ("Jewish holiday", 2007)

Summary of Visit: Temple Beth Shalom, Vero Beach, Florida
My boyfriend and I attended a Shabbat service at Temple Beth Shalom in my home town of Vero Beach, Florida. The architecture of the synagogue was completely different from any other house of worship I ever visited. Before entering the sanctuary, a member of the congregation had us sign a guest book. After entering the sanctuary, I observed that the front of the sanctuary included a pulpit where a majority of the service was led, a small table in the center where the Shabbat candles sat and another, larger table where the reading of the Torah would take place. I recognized the ner tamid hanging over a set of smaller double doors where the replica of the Ark of the Covenant was kept. The congregation was small, with approximately 55 people including myself. Upon our arrival, we chose a seat in the back. I picked up a book called "Gates of Prayer for Shabbat and Weekdays". This prayer book was written in English and Hebrew and was published in a backwards fashion.

Prior to the service, the rabbi took the time to speak to most of his congregants with at least a brief greeting. The service began with singing in Hebrew. Unfortunately, I was not able to understand a majority of the traditional songs and blessings because of the language barrier. Rabbi Birnholz continued the Shabbat service by reiterating what Shabbat is all about, a time to rest, reflect and recharge. For the lighting of the Shabbat candles, he welcomed a family to the bimah also to celebrate their father's 80^th birthday. After the candles were lit, there was more singing and a Shabbat hug and kiss, where you turn to your love ones and give them a kiss and/or hug.

The remainder of the service included a lot of reading, singing, and reciting, most of which came straight from the book. A majority of the readings were alternated between the rabbi and the congregants. Towards the end of the service, the rabbi welcomed the children in the congregation to the front to reveal the Ark of the Covenant. It was quite beautiful, unlike any other thing I've seen. There was a time to pray for those who need it and also a time to remember those who passed on. The rabbi also took a moment to welcome and acknowledge the guests who signed the book.

At the end of the service, the rabbi recited Kiddush, a prayer to sanctify the Sabbath over wine and offered challah bread and a hearty "Shabbat Shalom" to each of the congregants as they left the sanctuary. Following the Shabbat service, it is tradition to return home to eat dinner. Prior to departure from the synagogue, we were invited to join them in another part of their campus for a gathering of the congregants to eat, drink and be merry.

Summary of Interview with Rabbi Michael Birnholz
With an approximate population of 125,000, Indian River County, Florida has a very small Jewish community or about 1,000. Michael Birnholz is the only rabbi in the county and one of two employees of Temple Beth Shalom in Vero Beach.

Rabbi Birnholz comes from a long line of Jews on both his father's and mother's sides of the family. He grew up in Jackson, Mississippi where his father was a rabbi. When he was a child, his father told him that he would make a great rabbi. Michael, however, thought his father was crazy. While growing up, he attended Jewish summer camp and eventually became a Jewish camp counselor. In high school, Michael proclaimed that after graduation, he wished to be a professional Jewish camp counselor. His father made the point that a summer camp counselor would only have income for just a few months out of the year and was still convinced that a rabbi would be the best sort of Jewish teacher to become.

At the University of Florida, Michael acquired a bachelor's degree in Sociology with a minor in education. It was after graduation when he applied to rabbinical school. He attended Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion. The first year schooling was held in Israel where he previously visited on a week long tour at age 12. He spent five years in Cincinnati, Ohio where he completed rabbinical school.

In 2002, Rabbi Michael Birnholz was ordained and he then became the worship leader of Temple Beth Shalom. At the temple, he serves as a teacher and facilitator where he helps others in the Jewish community make the most of holy moments and get in touch with the divine for holidays, festivals and high holy days. Within Judaism, Rabbi Birnholz finds that the most meaningful part of Judaism is the practice of all the rituals, from changing of the seasons to the changes of life and finds balancing his family and his congregation to be the biggest struggle of being a rabbi. His life has been forever shaped by Judaism because as a rabbi, he doesn't have the option of living the life however he wants, he has to live it to the fullest because it is his life as well as his profession.

One part of being a minority is being subject to prejudice and harassment. Even before the Holocaust, Jews, among many other minorities were being ridiculed. Rabbi Birnholz expressed that he too has been subject to anti-Semitism. He witnessed other occurrences of anti-Semitism and said that Florida was worse than Mississippi in terms of prejudice. (M. Birnholz, personal communication, March 6, 2007)

Compare and Contrast: Judaism vs. Southern Baptist
When comparing Judaism to the Southern Baptist churches of my area, it is noticed that the two are similar, yet very much different. Even though the services may be held in a different fashion, or a different language, the message of worshipping the higher power is still the same. The two vary is the way that the service is conducted. The types of worship, (singing, reading, and praying) are essentially the same; however, they are conducted in different manners. Baptist churches that I have visited have a live band that play during praise and worship whereas the Jewish singing is accompanied by a piano. In Baptist churches, the service is done by a preacher reading from the bible and interpreting it to his/her congregation and in the Jewish synagogue, the rabbi reads from the prayer book with no interpretation required. Either religion worships God in their way. Although different, each of their ways serves their purpose. Conclusion

In the religious experience of my life, I can say that taking an in depth look at Judaism has opened my eyes to different religions of the world. From what I've learned, I can say that I am more open and accepting to those who hold beliefs different from my own, regardless of what they are. When I started, I knew very little about Judaism. After visiting the synagogue and talking with the rabbi, my knowledge of the religion has increased and I am very thankful for what I have learned and for expanding my horizons.