Here is the list of 50 fun, complex and controversial questions about Jews and Judaism that we will address in the upcoming course:
Do you have other questions not included here? Please email me your questions to [email protected] and I will try to address them during the course or privately.
- Why ask "Why?"? Isn't Judaism a belief system?
- Why are there no miracles today of biblical proportions?
- Why do we pray? Doesn't G‑d know what He is doing? Can we really affect His will?
- Why is there so much fragmentation in Jewish practice?
- Why have the Jews survived millennia while so many other civilizations have vanished?
- Why don't Jews accept the Christian messiah?
- Why do we kindle yahrtzeit candles to commemorate the dead?
- Why is the Star of David a Jewish symbol?
- Why does a mikveh "purify"?
- Why do people require "purification"?
- Why are there so many dos and don'ts in Judaism?
- Why do many Jews sway when they pray?
- Why do traditional synagogues have separate seating for men and women?
- Why is Israel important to the Jews?
- Why does the Bible call for animal sacrifices?
- Why are there so many Jews in Hollywood?
- Why do we believe that Jews cannot convert out of Judaism?
- Why did our ancestors continue to identify as Jews despite being victims of so much suffering through the ages?
- Why does a mourner recite Kaddish?
- Why do Jews place pebbles on headstones?
- Why is it not customary to leave flowers at the grave?
- Why does Jewish law exempt women from certain ritual obligations that are obligatory for men?
- Why are ten men required for a minyan?
- Why doesn't G‑d respond to my requests?
- Why does G‑d give us negative, even harmful inclinations?
- Why doesn't Judaism seek converts?
- Why does the Torah say that the Jews are the "chosen people"? Isn't that racist?
- Why do we believe that we have free choice if G‑d always knew how we would choose?
- Why does the Torah permit slavery?
- Why does Jewish law obsess over details?
- Why is it permitted to have sexual relations on Shabbat?
- Why does the Bible refer to sexual relations as "knowing"?
- Why aren't vegan foods and restaurants Kosher by default?
- Why do we say lechayim as a drinking salutation?
- Why are the Jewish holidays always "late" or "early"?
- Why do we say Mazal Tov?
- Why do Jews eat gefilte fish on Shabbat?
- Why do Jews eat cholent on Shabbat?
- Why is a G‑d-fearing person praiseworthy? Isn't fear a negative emotion? Why isn't love enough?
- Why does Jewish law recognize matrilineal descent as the deciding factor for Jewish identity?
- Why do some Jews wear old-fashioned clothes?
- Why would the Torah state, "Do not cook a kid in its mother's milk" if the intention-according to the Talmud-is a broader prohibition?
- Why are eggs pareve, though the birds that lay the eggs are fleishig?
- Why have the Jews been singled out for persecution and hate throughout history?
- Why does Jewish adulthood begin at age twelve for girls and thirteen for boys?
- Why do we pour a cup of wine for Elijah at the Passover seder?
- Why is it not forbidden to submit petitions of prayer to a righteous person? Isn't it true that Judaism forbids using intermediaries to access G‑d?
- Why do Chasidim think it is necessary to have a rebbe? Isn't it true that Jews do not require intermediaries to access G‑d?
- Why is Moses' name absent from the Haggadah?
- Why does Judaism associate so many of its celebrations with food?