Finding Inner Jewish Identity (FIJI)

These texts are for students taking a class for those considering becoming Jewish at Temple Beth El. The texts support active discussions about Jewish identity, creating a Jewish home, celebrating Jewish holidays, and more. The class is taught by clergy and special guest speakers.  There are several points of entry into F.I.J.I., and registration is required. This class is held year-round (except for certain holiday weekends.)

Some helpful FIJI resources:
Blessings for food and more - From Kol Haneshamah: Songs, Blessings and Rituals For the Home, pp. 108-­‐117
Shabbat Blessings, Recordings and more from the URJ - Shabbat Stuff

More information about conversion with Temple Beth El can be found here.

The conversion process around the mikvah can be found here.

Unit Tet – “ט” – Jewish Texts – the Ancient Contains the Modern

 – 4 class sessions (June 2013)

June 1, 2013 – Prophets & Haftarah
What we read: The Hebrew Bible – Prophets & Haftarah
Reading:
 Marc Zvi Brettler, How to Read the Jewish Bible, 
pp. 137-147 – 15: Introduction to Prophecy
How we read it – the connection between Torah Readings and Haftarah Readings:
Reading:
 Michael Fishbane, “Haftarah”, pp. 1486-1490 in Etz Hayim

June 8, 2013 – Writings & Megillot
What we read: The Hebrew Bible – Writings & Megillot
Reading:

Marc Zvi Brettler, How to Read the Jewish Bible, 

pp. 219-230 – 22: Prayer of Many Hearts: Reading Psalms

pp. 231-242 – 23: “Acquire Wisdom”: Reading Proverbs and Ecclesiastes

pp. 267-272 – 26: “Why Are You So Kind…When I Am a Foreigner?: Reading Ruth vs. Esther

June 15, 2013 – Rabbinic Literature
What we read: Rabbinic Literature – Midrash and post-Biblical Society
Reading:

David Wolpe, “Midrash”, pp. 1490-1494 in Etz Hayim

Jacob Neusner, There We Sat Down: Talmudic Judaism in the Making,

pp. 19-25: Introduction: Society and Scripture

June 22, 2013 – Talmud, Medieval Commentators, and Review
What we read: Rabbinic Literature – Talmud, Parshanim & Review
Reading:
Michael Chernick, “Introduction”, pp. 3-23 in Essential Papers on the Talmud

Michael Carasik, The Commentators’ Bible: The JPS Miqra’ot Gedolot, Exodus,

pp. xi-xii: “Frequently Asked Questions”

pp. xiv-xvi: “What’s on the page?”

Attend Tanach Learning – Saturday, June 29, 2013

Unit Chet – “ח” – Shavuot, Torah, Covenant, Peoplehood

– 3 class sessions (April-May 2013)

April 27, 2013 – Shavuot – celebrations and customs
What we do & how we do it – Shavuot
Reading: 
- Strassfeld, A Book of Life, pp. 253-255 – Shavuot

[- Optional reading, Strassfeld, A Book of Life, pp. 244-252 – The Omer]
- The Ten Utterances/Commandments, Exodus, Chapter 20

- The Book of Ruth

May 4, 2013 – Law & Being a Mentsch
What we obey: Law
Reading:
- Marc Zvi Brettler, How to Read the Jewish Bible, 
pp. 61-72 – Biblical Law
How to be a Mentch
Reading: 
- Strassfeld, A Book of Life, pp. 353-356 – Exodus/Shemot: On Being a Mentsch

May 11, 2013, 9am
 – Workshop with Rabbi Mort Kaplan: “The Religious Genius of the Pharisees”

May 18, 2013 – The Hebrew Bible
What is Bible and how do we read it?
Reading:
- Marc Zvi Brettler, How to Read the Jewish Bible, 
pp. 1-12 – 1: Reading as a Jew and a Scholar; 2: What is the Bible Anyway?
What do we do with it? Torah Service
Reading:
 The Torah Service and Blessings from Mishkan T’fillah

Please attend our Temple Beth El events and celebrations:

May 5, 2pm @ Temple Beth El – New Member Cinquo de Mayo Reception
May 14-15, Shavuot @ Temple Beth El
7pm – Erev Shavuot Service & Confirmation Service
10pm – Tikkun Leil Shavuot – Late night learning to repair the world
11am – Morning Shavuot Service
May 17, 7pm @ Temple Beth El – 70th Birthday Shabbat Celebrating Caring
May 19, 9am @ Temple Beth El – Mitzvah Day – a day of changing the world through Social Action.

Unit Zayin – “ז” – Contemporary Israel and Israeli Holidays

– 2 class sessions and a workshop (April 2013)

April 6, 2013 – Kashrut and the Beginnings of Israel
What we do and we do it: Eating in a Jewish way
Reading:
- Strassfeld, A Book of Life, pp. 66-93 – Eating and Food
Who we are – Israel’s 20th Century Beginnings:
Reading:
- From The Jew in the Modern World, pp. 629-633

April 13, 2013, 9am – Israel Workshop with Rabbi Jonathan on the President’s Speeches, their locations and their texts.

April 20, 2013 – Israel Civic Holidays
What we do: Yom Ha-Shoah, Yom Ha-Zikaron, Yom Ha-Atzma-ut
– Holocaust Memorial Day, Israeli Memorial Day, and Israeli Independence Day
Reading Donniel Hartman, The New High Holy Days of Israel
How we do it: Journal assignment – please reflect on our two themes for the month – Eating in a Jewish way, and Israel and Israeli Holidays.

Please attend our community celebrations for:

Yom Ha-Shoah, Sunday, April 7, 4-5:30pm, Details here

Yom Ha-Zikaron, Monday, April 15, 6pm, Lerner Hall at the Charlotte JCC

Yom Ha-Atzma-ut, Sunday, April 21, 5pm, Symphony Park at South Park, Details here

Unit Vav – Pesach

 – 3 class sessions (March 2013)

March 2, 2013 – Passover – history, story, meaning
Reading:
Strassfeld, A Book of Life, pp. 231-243 – Pesach/Passover

March 9, 2013 – Please attend the Pesach Workshop at 9am

March 16, 2013 – Keeping Passover
What we do: Restricting Freedom to Celebrate Freedom – What we give up and what we gain.
How we do it: Kosher for Passover and Special Liturgies
Reading:
Hallel and Festival Kiddush from Mishkan T’filah, pp. 558-559, 386-387
A Hallel Tune - B'tzeit Yisraeil
Selections from A Night of Questions – A Passover Haggadah, pp. 22-23

March 23, 2013 – The Passover Seder
What we do:  A symbolic meal, special foods, eating as story telling
How we do it: Everything in order
Reading:
Selections from A Night of Questions – A Passover Haggadah, pp. 5, 16, 18, 27
A Passover Seder – 5769 – a “light” seder with most of the components
Seder Tunes: Four Questions, Dayeinu,

Pesach Workshop – Saturday, March 9, 9am
2nd Night Seder – Tuesday, March 26