Judaism: Understanding and Connecting with the Jewish Faith
The communities and resources of the Internet are perfect for learning about Judaism, and bringing members of the Jewish faith closer together. This guide will teach you about the oldest of the Abrahamic religions, including sacred Jewish texts, Jewish law, and Jewish holidays. There are also resources for helping Jews practice their religion, and tools for learning about Hebrew, Yiddish and other Jewish languages. It is often difficult to find kosher food and wine, but this guide will make that task easier. With the Internet, Jewish news, Judaica products, Jewish blogs and dating sites are also at your fingertips.
The oldest of the Abrahamic religions, Judaism is, surprisingly, not well understood. The common ... read more »
Practicing Judaism can be tricky, even for the strictest observers. With a lunar calendar, days ... read more »
Hebrew is the holy language of Judaism, the language of the Torah and of prayer. But for hundreds, ... read more »
The word kosher has crept into the English language retaining most of its original meaning of ... read more »
The Jewish community is a strong one, but with such a small number of Jews spread over the world, for some it can be a distant one. Luckily for those far-flung Jews, or even for those in the thick of it who want more contact with their community, there are sites galore to further bind the Jewish community, locally and worldwide.
- There are a number of national and international Jewish organizations, but community thrives on local interaction. If you can't find what you're looking for online, start your own local group.
- The center of any Jewish community is the synagogue. To find one near your home, office, or vacation spot, read the "Locating a Synagogue" section of this guide.
For Jewish portal sites ...
VirtualJerusalem takes its name seriously with its Kotel Camera, giving you a live view of the Western Wall in Jerusalem-just one of many features on this broad Jewish portal site. Come here to get connected in whatever way you prefer with the greater international Jewish community, including interesting and offbeat articles and blogs. You can even pose questions to a rabbi here and link up to a Jewish dating Web site.
The Frum Community 's region selection feature lets you focus on local offerings among the jobs, real estate, merchandise, and more that are listed on this site. Besides its commercial offerings, you're treated to a collection of articles, news, blogs, and forums focused on the frum community.
To connect and stay connected with the Jewish community ...
PlanitJewish.com organizes local Jewish events and opportunities by city. Find Jewish organizations, religious services, social events, and volunteer opportunities with its calendar and RSVP to activities through the site. You can also browse the activities targeted toward different groups such as families, young adults, singles, and senior citizens. Be warned: the list of cities in its database is not very extensive.
The JCC Association is an organization of Jewish community centers around the country whose purpose is to bring Jewish communities together by offering a wide range of services and resources. As there are more than 350 program centers in the United States, use the "Find a JCC" tool to participate in your local Jewish activities sponsored by the JCC.
OnlySimchas.com is a popular place to announce weddings, births, engagements, aliyah, and other happy events. You can browse through other people's announcements and view their pictures, as well as leave comments and congratulations for them, or you can post your own simcha announcement. The site is busy with ads and not the most well designed, but is heavily trafficked.
To further your Jewish education ...
Partners in Torah offers seven types of free programs, all designed to help you further your Jewish knowledge in only an hour a week. Sign up to connect with a more experienced member of the Jewish community to study Jewish identity and history, the Torah, and Hebrew over the phone, in person, with other busy professionals, in your home, on your college campus, or with other Birthright Israel alumni. If you are already knowledgeable, you can conversely sign up to help a less experienced Jew study. Partners in Torah also runs occasional retreats with speakers and community activities.
For Jewish youth groups ...
The North American Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY) is the premier organization for young Reform Jews. On this robust site you can find out about all the organization has to offer, including social events, youth camps, summer programs doing community work in Israel or the United States, other youth programs, and how you can get involved with them all.
United Synagogue Youth (USY) is the preeminent youth organization for Conservative Judaism. Similar to NFTY in purpose, USY also offers year-long and school year programs with information on how to enroll, along with articles and magazines, information on Judaism, and tips on how to get involved with the group.
The National Conference of Synagogue Youth completes the triad of youth organizations, serving primarily the Orthodox community though open to all Jews. This organization attempts to counter assimilation with a number of programs designed to further youngsters' Jewish education and identity, including trips in North America, Europe, and of course Israel. The site's homepage is littered with a great many banners linking to various features about Jewish life, culture, and religion.
Finding the right synagogue, or any synagogue at all, can be a challenge. It can seem like an ... read more »
This is the section your mother's been wanting you to read. With the proliferation of Jewish dating ... read more »
Jewish culture is not exactly known for its quiet reserve. Whether kvetching, kvelling, or ... read more »
There is a great tradition of Jewish news, and many Jewish publications have served as a vanguard ... read more »
Judaism is not lacking in Jewish products. Now location is no impediment to filling your home with ... read more »
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