Would you like a consultation with Rabbi Schwarzman before you begin the course? It can be helpful to get your questions answered as you begin your Jewish learning.
Here's a taste of what you'll learn in the Introduction to Judaism class at Judaism Online:
We'll study Torah (that's the Bible's books of Genesis through Deuteronomy) with traditional commentaries, other books of the Hebrew Bible with commentaries, Mishnah and Gemarah (which together make up the Talmud), and Midrash (rabbinic interpretations of the Hebrew Bible). We'll also learn from the Siddur, the Jewish prayer book.
All texts will be in both Hebrew and English, so no worries if you don't yet know Hebrew.
We'll learn the Hebrew alef-bet and basic Hebrew reading, Halakhah (Jewish law), and Jewish beliefs.
And we'll learn the basics of Jewish history in antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the modern era, including the Holocaust and the rebirth of Israel.
Along with learning the whats and the whys, we'll also learn the hows of being Jewish, putting those Jewish beliefs and thoughts into practice.
We'll learn how to observe Shabbat and Jewish holidays, Kashrut (how to keep kosher), and we'll go through the Jewish lifecycle, from birth to death (and beyond).
Welcome to the course!