Pages: 118 Chapters: 10 Completed: Adar, 5764 (March, 2004) Subtitle: Connecting to Jewish History, Israel and Torah Target Audience: Jewish high school and college students (Hillel), young Jewish professionals (Gesher City + UJC), Jews of all backgrounds, anyone interested in Jewish history
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Chapters:
1 A Warm Welcome 2 Brief Ancient History of the Jews 3 Brief History of the Jews Part II 4 Judaism in America 5 Eretz Yisrael: The Jewish Homeland 6 Go to Israel: UJC Missions & Birthright Israel 7 The Shoah 8 Jew-Haters & Anti-Semitism 9 Living Judaism 10 A Word about Torah & the Jewish Calendar
About the Author
The author commenced researching and writing this guide in America upon return from his first trip to Israel in the summer of 2000 (5760) with the United Jewish Community Summer Missions programs. What started as as a casual research project about Jewish history and the Jewish people soon developed into a profound passion and intimate personal connection.
In the course of writing, the author returned to Israel in February of 2001(5761) for four and a half months to learn Hebrew, connect with the Jewish people from all over the world in Eretz Israel, see more of the Promised Land and show solidarity with the Jewish people during the present Intifada terrorism aimed at distancing Diaspora Jews from the Jewish homeland and demoralizing the State of Israel.
In December of 2002 (the month of Tevet, 5763), the author returned to Israel for to learn Torah in various yeshivoat throughout the country in Tsefat, Jerusalem, Arad and Efrat. This experience deepened his understanding of the many facets of Jewish life and helped him see the current conflict and struggle through a new light. Chapter 10: A Word about Torah and the Jewish Calendar was added two years after the rest of the guide was completed.
From the Preface:
"Who am I to write a book about Judaism? I am not a Rabbi, scholar, historian nor academic, and I have spent more than half of my twenty-nine years being only partially interested in the culture, religion, and history of Judaism. No, I'm just a regular American Jew who is in the process right now of becoming much more connected with the Jewish people and the Jewish homeland and wanted to pass along some of the neat things that I've discovered so far. I realized that there are a lot of people out there in my shoes who would like to know more about Judaism and take steps to get more involved, but do not exactly know the best place to start. Sure, one can go to Shabbat services, stop by the Jewish Community Center, or read a book, but it's hard to know if these are the best options or the ones right for us. That's the purpose of this concise guide, to let you know about your options while having fun and learning a little bit along the way.
This guide is not just for young Jewish adults like myself, but rather for those who are young at heart and feel that it is never too late to begin one of life's greatest journeys. Even though Judaism's journey spans 4,000 years, five continents, the world's greatest fallen empires and world's current rising ones, Judaism lives day by day in the actions, hearts and spirits of people like you and me. "
