R2710

JUDAISM FOR NON-JEWS

Friday 2 July to Sunday 4 July Residential: £185, Non-residential: £123

Please arrive by 6pm on Friday. Course ends with lunch on Sunday.

In these days, when Judaism is regarded as the elder sister of Christianity, many people who are not Jewish would like to learn more about the Jewish religion. With this in mind this weekend course is designed as a good introductory ‘taste of Judaism’ for non-Jews.

On Friday evening and throughout Saturday we will follow the traditional path of the Jewish Sabbath, which will be described, demonstrated and explained, from the lighting of candles as evening arrives on Friday night to the Havadalah ritual on Saturday night which divides the Sabbath from the rest of the week.

We shall look at some of the important ceremonies and prayers and discuss the central act of the Reading of the Law during the Saturday morning service, putting it in its historical context, as well as describing what happens in the synagogue. We will continue in the afternoon by showing how Jewish people celebrate festivals and life cycle events. As the Sabbath ends, it is customary to hold a party. So on Saturday evening there will be music and foods typical of Jewish communities the world over. We might even learn one or two traditional dances - if we feel energetic enough!

Sunday will bring an opportunity to discuss the various ways in which Judaism is practised in the UK and elsewhere – there are at least as many divisions within Jewish beliefs and practice as there are between Christian churches. There will also be a session on the original relationship between the Jews of Jerusalem and the nascent Christian Church and we will discuss how the latter eventually split away from the former. Finally there will be a question and answer session. Everyone is invited to bring the questions they have always wanted to ask but had no one to answer!

Roberta Harris Eckstein www.lbc.ac.uk is a teacher and writer who has spent much of her life in adult education, lecturing on a wide range of subjects around the central theme of the Bible and archaeology. As a lay reader she regularly leads services for Progressive Jewish communities around the country. Having an especial interest in inter-faith work, she has led or participated in such meetings for most of her career.

R2710

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