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[If you haven’t done so, please read the introductory post to this series: MUST READ: What I Wish My Christian Friends Knew about JUDAISM by Robert Shoen.
I’ve said this before: the Jews do not read the “Old Testament”. The reason is, their sacred scriptures are not “old” nor considered a “testament”. What they do read is their TNK, the Hebrew Scriptures. What is the difference? We have posts explaining that there is a world of difference, please refer to those if you care to know. This is tackled by the author of this book as well.—Admin1]
The Purpose of this Book
I have never met a Christian who was not in some way curious about Judaism, the Jewish people, or some aspect of the Jewish way of life. Even though Christianity evolved from Judaism and Jesus himself was a Jew, during their religious education and upbringing most Christians learn little about Judaism and the Jews. Often what they do learn is based on myth or hearsay and serves only to increase their curiosity (or multiply their misconceptions) about why Jews do what they do and believe what they believe.
I have also discovered that the more a Christian knows about his or her religion, the more curious that person tends to be about Judaism.
Christians have good reason to be curious. After all, Judaism and Christianity come from the same roots. Our religions share many of the same biblical stories, taken from the Hebrew Scriptures (commonly referred to as the Old Testament). Thus, both Christians and Jews feel comfortable telling the age-old stories of Adam and Eve, David and Goliath, Sodom and Gomorrah, Daniel, Noah, Moses, and Joseph. Both Christians and Jews are steeped in this shared heritage. We can rejoice together in the marvelous stories, lessons to be learned, and wit and wisdom. We also can learn important lessons from those early accounts of tragedies, wars, and other situations that revealed the ultimate power of God.
Many Christians wonder why Jews do not believe in Jesus, and why Jewish children and adults do not study the teachings and stories of the New Testament. When a person is growing up Jewish in America, these questions can be very puzzling and difficult to answer.
Through the years, I have wondered about how best to answer questions that my Christian friends asked. Sometimes, I have given simple explanations about how Christian teachings are not part of the Jewish belief system. I’ve said that Jews have nothing against Jesus, the New Testament, Catholics, Protestants, or any other Christian denomination or sect—or any non-Jewish religion, for that matter. Questions beget more questions, though, and answers are rarely simple.
Many Christians don’t realize that Jews, as a group, are unfamiliar with the New Testament and the teachings of Christianity. Why is this? The New Testament is not part of our heritage, not included in our worship services, and not included in our many religious books. Certainly there are Jewish scholars who study Christian texts and writings. In addition, rabbis and Jewish educators learn about Christianity and other religions as part of their formal training.
However, the average Jewish person has not read the New Testament. I am pleased to say that I have. Not long ago, as part of a university course called “The Bible for Students of Literature,” I read the New Testament for the first time. How surprised and pleased I was to find the source of so many common sayings, words of wisdom, and stories. I had no idea! Both the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament surely provide the “greatest stories ever told.”
Being one of the only Jews taking that course, however, also invited a new series of questions from my classmates. These were questions I had heard through the years about why Jewish people believe certain things, why they perform the rituals they do, what is the significance of the Jewish calendar, and what are the origins of many customs and practices.
I can say this: I believe that in the heart of the Jewish people there exists a deep-seated desire to be permitted to pray in our own way, to observe God the way we wish, and to live a life of peace. I would guess that this desire is similar to that of non-Jews as well. You could call this a basic desire for religious tolerance, and Christians certainly understand this, since virtually every religious group in history has sought religious tolerance and the freedom to worship in its own way. In its time, each group has experienced terrible ordeals, but I am most familiar with the history of the Jewish people, a nation that has been enslaved, expelled from numerous countries, and suffered at the hands of those who wished to exterminate it completely, and a nation that continues to endure persecution in its many subtle and overt forms. The story of Judaism and the Jewish way of life is a complicated one.
Besides normal curiosity, many Christians and other non-Jews desire a basic understanding about the Jewish people and their holidays, customs, and history. This desire often arises as a result of marriage and family relationships, friendships at work, social situations, or church activities.
For example, Christians who have married members of my family have questions about the holidays that they now help celebrate even while maintaining their own religious beliefs. To cite another example, my wife and I have participated in interfaith meetings in an attempt to coordinate efforts and rally political support to help improve social and educational services in our city. In addition, while it is common to have Christmas parties in the workplace or in schools, often Jewish holidays such as Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) and Hanukkah are also celebrated, raising the curiosity of non-Jews present at the occasions.
I am a layman, and I write from the perspective of someone who considers himself an “average Jewish American.” Whether you have a Jewish friend, spouse, employer, employee, or coworker, knowledgeable about the issues of what it means to be a Jew, what the basic tenets and philosophy of Judaism are, and what probably contemporary American Jews face in today’s society.
So, I have written this book to satisfy curiosity, answer questions, and offer a resource for inquisitive people.
Next: A Range of Jewish Lifestyles, Beliefs, and Behaviours
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