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What is Judaism 101?
Answering Frequently Asked Questions about Jews and Judaism in plain English for a quarter of a century Judaism 101 or “Jew FAQ” is an online encyclopedia of Judaism, covering Jewish beliefs, people, places, things, language, scripture, holidays, practices and customs.
Why is Jewish genealogy not possible?
Many people believe that Jewish genealogy is not possible because no one in the family knows anything, names were changed at Ellis Island, records were destroyed by Hitler, towns don’t exist anymore, and so forth.
Where can I find information about my Jewish ancestors?
If your ancestors lived in a city with a large Jewish community, the notices may be included in the local Jewish paper, like Philadelphia’s Jewish Exponent (some of which is indexed by JewishGen ), Columbus’s Ohio Jewish Chronicle, Cleveland Jewish News, or Pittsburgh’s Jewish newspapers.
Is genealogy a hobby for Jews or gentiles?
In recent years, however, genealogy has become a popular hobby for both Jews and gentiles, as evidenced by popular television shows like ” Who Do You Think You Are?
What is my goal for writing about Judaism?
My goal is to make freely available a wide variety of basic, general information about Judaism, written from a traditional perspective in plain English. The information in this site is written predominantly from the Orthodox viewpoint, because I believe that is a good starting point for any inquiry into Judaism.
Is Orthodox Judaism the only Judaism?
The information in this site is written predominantly from the Orthodox viewpoint, because I believe that is a good starting point for any inquiry into Judaism. As recently as 300 years ago, this was the only Judaism, and it still is the only Judaism in many parts of the world.
Do most Jews follow all the traditions described here?
Be aware, however, that most Jews do not follow all of the traditions described here, or do not follow them in the precise form described here.