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Hello, and thank you for your interest in the Judaism newsletter. This free newsletter is delivered bi-weekly and will include articles that relate to Jewish life.

Judaism is a wonderfully vast topic. As a person who made a conscious choice to be Jewish, I learn new things nearly daily and eagerly look forward to expanding my knowledge. Topics covered in this newsletter will be:

Community - Jewish organizations and publications Jewish philanthropy or “Tzedakah” is known thorough many organizations. The Forward was started in 1897 as a Yiddish language publication. It was instrumental in helping survivors of the Holocaust to find family members.

Beliefs and Values – A most important belief in Judaism is Tikkun Olam, which means “to repair the world”. This basic tenet of Judaism can be applied in so many ways from philanthropy to volunteering one’s time and talents in a useful manner.

History – The time of pre WWII European Jewry was interrupted by the horrors of the Holocaust. Survivors of the Shoah as it is also known, forged ahead by starting new lives in many countries.

Holidays- The three main holidays on the Jewish calendar are Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur and Pesach, but there are more. Many customs and rituals associated with holidays have interesting origins.

Life cycle events - From a bris for a newborn male child to the passage into adulthood marked by a Bar-Bat Mitzvah, followed by rituals of marriage, death, funerals and mourning, Jewish life is filled with tradition.

Jewish authors - Victor Frankl, Eli Wiesel, Shalom Aleichem and Rabbi Zalman Schacter-Shalomi are only a few of the many authors that have made a lasting impact .

Language - Yiddish is a nearly lost language of Jewish people that has both soulful and delightful qualities. Hebrew is the language of Israel.

Intermarriage and Conversion – Intermarriage is often the impetus for conversion. There are many opinions about these choices.

Branches of Judaism – Which one fits your beliefs and lifestyle?

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Linda Carmi, Judaism Editor
http://Judaism.bellaonline.com

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