“Maimonides ”

Jewish Dietary Laws (Kashrut): Rabbinic Teachings on Vegetarianism

Many Jews think that vegetarianism and animal rights issues are not part of basic Judaism. To counter this belief the following quotations of important rabbis are presented... read article

Orthodox Judaism: Yeshiva

History and description of the yeshiva, an institute of talmudic learning... read article

Glossary: "G"

Gabbai (Heb/Aram. Attendant/tax collector) Title of the person in charge of organizing synagogue services. A gabbai's other roles include calling individuals up to the Torah for an aliyah and standing beside the reader to monitor for mistakes... read article

God

An article discussing the Jewish concept of God... read article

Russian Literature

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Decalogue

DECALOGUE (The Ten Commandments). The statements of God quoted by Moses in Deuteronomy 5:6–18 are entitled "the ten words, or utterances" (Heb. עֲשֶׂרֶתהַדְּבָרִים aseret ha-devarim; LXX δέκα ῥήματα [Deut. 4:13], δέκα λόγοι [10:4])... read article

Oath

IN THE BIBLE Definition and Form The truth or inviolability of one's words was commonly attested in ancient Israel by oath – a self-curse made in conditional form that went into effect if the condition was fulfilled; e.g., "May harm befall me if I do so and so" (cf. Eng. "I'll be damned if I will!"). The full form, including the curse, is only rarely found, as, e.g., in the adjuration of the suspected adulteress: "'If no man has lain with you … be immune to harm from this water of bitterness that induces the spell... read article

Jewish Concepts: Demons & Demonology

A demon is an evil spirit, or devil, in the ordinary English usage of the term. This definition is, however, only approximate. In polytheistic religions the line between gods and demons is a shifting one: there are both good demons and gods who do evil. In monotheistic systems, evil spirits may be accepted as servants of the one God, so that demonology is bound up with angelology and theology proper, or they may be elevated to the rank of opponents of God, in which case their status as diabolic powers differs from that of the demons in polytheism... read article

Issues in Jewish Ethics: Stem-Cell Research

Stem cell research is among the most promising and controversial technological breakthroughs of our time... read article

Apologetics

Apologetics in Judaism is that literature which endeavors to defend Jews, their religion, and their culture in reply to adverse criticism... read article

Hebrew Manuscripts

MANUSCRIPTS, HEBREW, term which includes religious and secular books, as well as letters and documents written on papyrus, parchment, hides, and paper in Hebrew characters, sometimes using them for the writing of languages other than Hebrew, e.g., Aramaic, Yiddish, Ladino, etc. Hebrew manuscripts have been preserved in archives and public and private libraries... read article

Yemen

YEMEN, country in S.W. corner of the Arabian Peninsula; capital, Sanʿa. The Land and the People The southern part of the Arabian Peninsula is called al-Yaman (the south), after which the country is named in the West. In pre-Islamic times there were five separate political entities in this area, the history of which is known only in epigraphic sources from the tenth century B.C.E.: Ma'īn (with the capital Qarnāw), Ḥimyar (ʿAfar), Sabā (Mārib), Katabān (Tamnā), and Ḥaḍramawt (Shabwah). The country was politically united under the Ḥimyari kingdom from the fourth century C.E... read article

China Virtual Jewish History Tour

A history of the Jewish community in China... read article

New York City

1654–1870DUTCH COLONIAL PERIOD The arrival of some 23 *Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jews on the French privateer St. Catherine early in September 1654 marked the end of a tortuous journey that began earlier in the year when they left Recife, Brazil, after helping in the unsuccessful defense of the Dutch possession from Portuguese attack, rather than stay and face the Inquisition... read article

Jewish Modern and Contemporary Periods Timeline (1700-1917)

Return to Timeline of Jewish History: Table of Contents  1700-1760 Israel Baal Shem Tov (founder of Jewish Hasidism). 1700 Jewish population in America numbers approximately 250. 1703-1758 Jonathan Edwards (American Christian preacher)... read article

Chile Virtual Jewish History Tour

The history of the Jewish community in Chile and the country's relations with Israel... read article

Glossary: "M"

Ma'aleh Adumim Northeastern neighborhood of Jerusalem established in 1975 and located in the West Bank. Although approved by the Knesset, the neighborhood has received much criticism as it is also the largest settlement in the West Bank... read article

Reports on Religious Freedom: Israel and the OPT

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Nazi Medical Experimentation: The Ethics Of Using Medical Data From Nazi Experiments

A discussion of the medical ethics of using data from Nazi medical experiments... read article

Judaism: The 613 Mitzvot (Commandments)

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