Judaism 101

Learn the basics and gain confidence about Jewish holidays and traditions.

What is the Shema?

By Rabbi Lizzi Heydemann

The Shema is the most important prayer in Judaism and is recited often multiple times a day, reaffirming the Jewish people to Judaism. Learn the meaning behind the most important Jewish prayer in this video featuring Rabbi Lizzi Heydemann, the rabbi and founder of Mishkan Chicago.

This video was created at the Chicago RabLab, a program where 10 rabbis wrote “Introduction to Tefillah” videos in chevruta as a group. This series breaks down and explains major Jewish prayers so you can feel more knowledgeable and comfortable while attending a Jewish service.

Learn the Shema

Learn the Shema with this karaoke style video made by kindergartners and first graders with BimBam at Temple Sinai of Oakland.

The words they are singing are:

“שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יהוה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יהוה אֶחָד”
Sh’ma Yisra’el Adoni Eloheinu Adoni Eḥad.
“Hear, O Israel! Adonai is our God! Adonai is One!”

Va’etchanan

By Yuri Lane and Rachel Havrelock

This week’s parsha is a sea of reeds, literally! Take the Shema and beatbox it through a harmonica…that’s how Yuri Lane kicks off Parshat Va’etchanan, which teaches us how to love God with all our hearts and all our souls.

His harmonica is a groovy background to Rachel Havrelock’s telling of the whole story of how Moses, or Moshe, passes along some serious information to Joshua, who’s gonna pick up the torch, er, staff, when Moses dies.