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Hebrew Roots Israel Jerusalem
Back to the Faith of our forefathers
Over the centuries, the original faith in the God of Abraham fell into oblivion. The natural relationship with our Father in Heaven, the personal dialogue, His omnipresence in our life slowly disappeared, with the emergence of other religions. Now it is time to return to our roots and become close once again to this God, the God of the Hebrews, and get to know His nature and His commandments.
Elokei Israel, the God of Israel
The God of Israel says (according to Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch): “For God’s sake be pure, for God’s sake be holy, for God’s sake cope with your earthly existence and devote and hallow it until the depths of its most sensuous emotions and utterances.”
Everything emanates from HaShem (the Name) then and today:
I Hashem be thy God, who brought you out of Mizrayim‘s land, out of the house of bondage. (2 Moses 2:20)
Streams of Judaism
The three main streams of Judaism are:
Orthodox, Conservative and Reform. How do these streams differ and what is their common ground? How did they develop? Who were the Eastern Jews, the Hassidim and the Mitnagdim? What part did languages play: from Yiddish to Ladino to modern Hebrew?
What impact did Herzl‘s Zionism have? Who are the outstanding rabbis and scholars who radically influenced the different streams?
The Hebrew Messiah
Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (Maimonides or the Rambam) : “The Christians won’t find anything in their Torah which is in contradiction to our Torah. All these things relating to Jesus of Nazareth served as paving the way for King Messiah and preparing the world for worshipping God with one heart as it is written: ‘For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord and serve him with one accord’ (Zeph 3:9).”
Emulate Abraham‘s Faith
“The Almighty God has spoken it; and His seal – from the beginning to the end of His rule – is truth. Gaze at your fathers and at God who raised them. Abraham was meant to be a people – but it was not before a hundred years until he got the son, the first stone for the people! A land was promised to him – but they possessed no homeland! But they had Emuna – and stayed the course, and their adherence was rewarded with truth.” (Samson Raphael Hirsch, Chorew, p. 35f) .
Shabbat and Festivals
What is the Biblical root of Shabbat and what is its meaning in modern Judaism? Does it make a difference if one keeps Shabbat or any other day of rest? How did the prohibited activities of Shabbat develop? The meaning of the Jewish festivals in the biblical context and the role in the daily lives of religious Jews today. The modern State of Israel adheres to the Biblical order of the festivals and is the only country in the world where the Shabbat is a day of rest. How does this affect everyday life in Israel?
The Hebrew language
The nature of the Hebrew language, the significance of Hebrew letters and their numerical value. Biblical Hebrew: its meaning in daily prayer and in the synagogue service. Is it not sufficient to study the Bible in a translated version? The sources of religious study: the Mishna, Talmud, Midrashim, and Tanakh (Old Testament). The development of modern Hebrew and lifework of Eliezer Ben-Yehuda: from the holy tongue of the Bible to the vibrant national language of modern Israel.