Contents Details

1. Introductions     
Personal Introductions
Purpose of the Book
A Word About Using this Book
Why It’s So Important to Understand Each Other

2. Judaism:  The Basics     
On The Nature Of Judaism:  Religion and People
The Three Pillars of Judaism:  God, Torah and Israel        

3  Judaism:  Much More Than the Religion of the Hebrew Bible    
The Hebrew Bible: The Root of and Route to Two Traditions
Jewish History from the Time of Jesus to the Completion of the Talmud
Jewish Sacred Literature Beyond the Bible
Torah and Halacha:  A Much Broader Concept Than Law

4  It’s More About What Is the Messiah Than Who Is the Messiah  
Significance of the Messiah in Judaism and Christianity
Why Don’t Jews Accept Jesus as Messiah?

5  Judaism and Christianity – The Important Similarities & Critical
Differences     
The Similarities
On the Nature of God
Our Common Scripture
Our Common Ethics
Our Common Hope for a Redeemed World
Prayer
The Differences
Faith vs. Works
Meaning of Sin
Original Sin and the Nature of Evil
Repentance & Forgiveness
Redemption & Salvation
The Afterlife
Spirituality & Materialism

6  Antisemitism    
Understanding Antisemitism
The History of Antisemitism: Ancient, Christian, Muslim, Enlightenment/Leftist, and
Nazi
Jewish Mistrust of Christianity

7  Jewish Practice in Lots of Nutshells     
The Cycle of Life
Circumcision & Baby Naming
Bar & Bat Mitzvah
Confirmation
Marriage
Death & Funerals
Holidays and the Jewish Calendar
Shabbat
Rosh Hashanah
Yom Kippur
Sukkot and Simchat Torah
Chanukkah
Purim
Passover
Shavuot
The Jewish Calendar
Worship and Prayer
Movements:  Orthodox, Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist
The Synagogue
Jewish Services, Liturgy & the Siddur
Torah
Garments
Clergy: Rabbi, Cantor
Jewish Home & Jewish Living
Mitzvot: 613 Commandments
Halacha
Kosher Foods
Blessings
Mezuzah
Jewish Star
Torah Study
Odds & Ends
Tikkun Olam – Repair of the World
Conversion and Who is a Jew
Intermarriage
Languages – Hebrew
Languages – Yiddish and Ladino
Mysticism & Kabbalah
Superstition, Stereotypes and Myths
Jewish Humor

8  Your Guide to Attending Jewish Events
Religious Service
Bar or Bat Mitzvah
Visiting Someone’s Home on Shabbat Evening
Visiting Someone’s Home for a Passover Seder
Circumcision (Bris, or Brit Milah) and/or Baby Naming
Chanukah Party
Wedding
Funeral and Condolence Calls
Bottom Lines About Attending Jewish Events

Appendix 1:  “Dabru Emet:  A Jewish Statement on Christians and
Christianity”

Appendix 2:  “A Sacred Obligation: Rethinking Christian Faith in Relation to
Judaism and the Jewish People.”  A Statement by the Christian Scholars
Group on Christian-Jewish Relations

Suggested Reading

Glossary

Index