Frequently Asked Questions
Have some questions? You are not alone. See if you can find the answers you are looking for in this FAQ section.
About the Jewish Journey Project and Shabbat Table Talks...
1. It's been great learning a little bit about the weekly Torah portions and the Jewish holidays on this website. How else can I explore Judaism with the Jewish Journey Project?
2. I just began with Shabbat Table Talks. Some weekly Torah portions and Jewish holiday have different options. Where do I start?
3. Is this something I should do alone or with my parents?
1. It's been great learning a little bit about the weekly Torah portions and the Jewish holidays on this website. How else can I explore Judaism with the Jewish Journey Project?
- The Jewish Journey Project (JJP) is a revolutionary educational initiative for children in grades 3-7. JJP is a collaborative, innovative, and flexible model that engages participants in experiential learning based on their individual interests, schedule, and learning style. We broaden Jewish learning and deepen Jewish living by providing experiences that include the individual, the family, the synagogue, JCC Manhattan, and the larger New York Jewish community.
Find out about some of the exciting programs that the Jewish Journey Project offers on our website.
2. I just began with Shabbat Table Talks. Some weekly Torah portions and Jewish holiday have different options. Where do I start?
- The first option listed is intended for beginners. Start there. If you are up to a challenge or are particularly interested in one of the Torah portions, you can move on to the other options. For instance, let's say this week's Torah portion is Parshat Noach. Start with the Parshat Noach page. Then, move to Great Debates or Being Righteous or Tower of Babel Rap. You can do as many of the options as you'd like, but you need to complete at least one to get credit for that Torah portion.
3. Is this something I should do alone or with my parents?
- This program is designed to get families talking. Do your weekly work with your parents and other family members.
About the weekly Torah portions...
1. What is the Torah?
1. What is the Torah?
- The Torah is the first part of the Hebrew Bible. Sometimes, it is called the Five Books of Moses. Just like the name suggests, the Torah has five books. Each book has a name in Hebrew and one in English. They are: Bereishit/Genesis, Sh'mot/Exodus, Vayikra/Leviticus, BaMidbar/Numbers, and D'varim/Deuteronomy. The Torah tells many stories about the beginning of the world and the Jewish people. These stories include the creation of the world, Abraham becoming the first person to believe in one God, the Israelites being enslaved in Egypt, Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt to the wildnerness, the Israelites wandering for 40 years before arriving at the Promised Land and many more. The Torah also gives us lots of laws. It teaches us about keeping kosher and observing shabbat. It tells us how to be good people to one another.
- The Hebrew Bible has three sections: Torah (The Five Books of Moses that we discussed above), N'vi'im (The Prophets), K'tuvim (The Writings). N'vi'im (The Prophets) includes books like Isaiah, Amos, Joshua, and Samuel to name a few. If you have been to a Saturday morning Shabbat service, the Haftarah portion often comes from this section. K'tuvim (The Writings) Includes books like Psalms, The Book of Esther, The Book of Ruth, and Song of Songs among others. We often read from these books on Jewish holidays.
- The Torah is split up into 54 portions. The Hebrew word for portion is parshah. Every Shabbat, the Jewish community reads a different Torah portion. That means that over the course of the year we read the entire Torah. We even have a special holiday to celebrate the completion of reading the Torah and starting from the beginning: Simchat Torah. Learn more about it here.
- We have listed the dates for each of the Torah portions this year. You can see them on these pages Bereshit (Genesis) בראשית, Sh'mot (Exodus) שמות, and Vayikra (Leviticus)
- You can find summaries for each of the portions on these pages: Bereshit (Genesis) בראשית, Sh'mot (Exodus) שמות, and Vayikra (Leviticus)
About the Jewish Holidays...
1. Why do the Jewish Holidays happen on different days every year?
1. Why do the Jewish Holidays happen on different days every year?
- Jewish Holidays are set according to the Jewish calendar which is based on the cycles of the moon. Our secular calendar is based on the cycles of the sun. That's why some years we celebrate Chanukah on Thanksgiving and some years we celebrate it at the end of December.
Didn't find your answer here? Email Rabbi Jessica Lenza at [email protected]