Until the 2nd century C.E., the Oral Torah was passed down in verbal form alone. In the years following the destruction of the Second Temple

The Torah is a sacred book of stories, history and law. It is the word of God, given with love and for all eternity. Torah

Israel is home to a widely diverse population from many ethnic, religious, cultural and social backgrounds. Some 6.6 million people live there today, including approximately

This Jewish prayer, like many others, is known by its opening words, ‘Shema Yisrael’ or, more simply, as the ‘Shema’. The prayer in fact consists

GRANDMOTHER RIVKA FROM THE OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM Savta (Grandmother) Rivka lives in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem.  Her house is

This story provides background about Rabbi Akiva, perhaps the greatest of the early rabbis, and in particular tells about his early life before he became

What is Jewish Prayer? Jewish people call prayer ‘the service of the heart’. The Hebrew word for prayer is ‘tefillah’ (prayers = ‘tefillot’). In Yiddish

WHAT IS SHAVUOT AND WHEN DO WE CELEBRATE IT? Shavuot is the second of the three Pilgrim Festivals. It is celebrated for 2 days outside Israel

WHAT IS LAG B’OMER AND WHEN DO WE CELEBRATE IT? Every Jewish letter has a number value depending on its position in the Hebrew alphabet.

WHAT IS THE OMER PERIOD AND WHY DO WE COUNT IT? In Bible times, the Jews used to take a measure of barley, called an

  WHAT IS PESACH AND WHEN DO WE CELEBRATE IT? Passover or Pesach פסח, as it is called in Hebrew, is the festival that reminds us

INFORMATION ABOUT PURIM BJE: Purim (Introduction) The Scroll of Esther – Megillat Esther Food on Purim Links to Purim Books, Stories & Songs Akhlah: Purim