Judaism For Dummies

From Judaism For Dummies by Ted Falcon, David Blatner

Understanding Judaism begins with looking at significant historical events that shaped the Jewish culture and learning the Hebrew alphabet, Jewish blessings, and Jewish words and phrases.

A Timeline of Jewish History

Understanding Judaism begins by checking out the historical events that have shaped the Jewish culture. Here’s a brief time-line of major events in Jewish history:

Date	Event
c. 1800 B.C.E.	Abraham and Sarah begin the Journey to Judaism
c. 1250 B.C.E.	Moses leads Hebrews out of Egyptian bondage
c. 1000 B.C.E.	King David unites and grows the Kingdom
c. 950 B.C.E.	King Solomon builds First Temple in Jerusalem
722 B.C.E.	Assyrians destroy Northern Israelite Kingdom, disperse ten tribes
586 B.C.E.	Babylonians overthrow Southern Kingdom, destroy first Temple, take Judeans to Babylonia
428 B.C.E.	Second Temple dedicated by Ezra and Nehemiah
164 B.C.E.	Hasmonean revolt against Greek rule (celebrated by Chanukkah)
70	Second Temple destroyed by Romans
135	Bar Kochba rebellion
c. 200	Mishnah codified
c. 500	Babylonian Talmud codified
1492	Jews expelled from Spain
1880	Mass emigrations to America begin
1938	Kristallnacht begins Holocaust
1948	State of Israel declared
1972	First woman rabbi ordained

Helpful Jewish Words and Phrases

Learning and using these common Jewish words and phrases will help you through situations like meals and toast, wishing people well, greetings, and casual conversation:

Chutzpah. Brazen arrogance, guts, presumption, or gall. Usually a positive trait.
Kippah. That little hat that Jewish men (and sometimes women) wear on their heads. Also called a yarmulke.
Kosher. Correct, proper, or okay. Usually refers to food that conforms to the kashrut laws. Opposite is trayf.
L’chayim. Literally “To life!” Said like “Cheers!” when toasting drinks.
Mazel Tov. Good luck! Usually said at the end of a wedding or when responding to good news.
Shalom. Hello, goodbye, or peace.
Tikkun olam. The healing of the world; a central theme in Jewish teachings. Can refer to world peace, social justice, or the mystical repair of the universe.
Torah. The first five books of the Hebrew Bible, hand-written on a scroll of parchment. Also refers to the Jewish Way, including laws and customs from written and oral law.

Basic Jewish Blessings

Jewish blessings are reminders to appreciate and celebrate the goodness in the ordinary, and special, moments in life. Here are some basic Jewish blessings to know:

Celebrating being present for something new

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheynu Melech ha-olam, sheh-heh-chi-yanu v’key’manu v’hee-gee-anu laz’man ha-zeh.
Blessed are You, Eternal One our God, Universal Presence, Who keeps us in Life always, Who supports the unfolding of our uniqueness, and Who brings us to this very moment for blessing.

Blessing over wine or grape juice

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheynu Melech ha-olam, boray p’ree ha-gafen.
Blessed are You, Eternal One our God, Universal Presence, Who creates the fruit of the vine.

Blessing over bread (beginning a meal)

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheynu Melech ha-olam, ha-motzee lechem min ha-aretz.
Blessed are You, Eternal One our God, Universal Presence, Who brings forth bread from the earth.

When lighting candles for a holiday

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheynu Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Shabbat (or shel yom tov).
Blessed are You, Eternal One our God, Universal Presence, Who sanctifies us with mitzvot [paths of holiness] and gives us the mitzvah of kindling Shabbat (or Festival) lights.

The Hebrew Alphabet

Getting a grasp on recognizing and pronouncing Hebrew words begins with the alphabet. Get to know the Hebrew alphabet — the names of the letters and how to say them.