Learn about Judaism

Websites

Jewfaq.org: Covers a wide range of topics related to Judaism, including beliefs, practices and rituals.

ReformJudaism.org: Learn more about Reform Judaism’s history and beliefs. 

MyJewishLearning.com: A comprehensive resource with deep dives into many Jewish topics. 

Sefaria.org: An online library comprising hundreds of Jewish texts in Hebrew and translation. 

Forward.com: New York City’s Jewish newspaper of record for more than 125 years. 

Twebrew School: A series of two-minute lessons to help beginners learn to read Hebrew. 

Podcasts

On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah with URJ President Rabbi Rick Jacobs

Ezra Klein Show, Episode from 1/3/23: “Sabbath and the Art of Rest”

Books

Prayer 

• Temple Emanu-El Sabbath Prayer Book (PDF)

Torah 

• JPS: Hebrew English TANAKH (The acronym TANAKH stands for Torah, Nevi’im/Prophets and Ketuvim/Writings, such as Proverbs, Psalms and the Book of Esther)

• Messengers of God: Biblical Portraits and Legends by Elie Wiesel

God

• Finding God: Selected Responses by Rifat Sonsino and Daniel B. Syme

• The Way Into Encountering God in Judaism by Neil Gillman

• Thinking About God: Jewish Views by Rabbi Kari H. Tuling

Shabbat

• The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel

Holidays

• The Jewish Way: Living the Holidays by Rabbi Irving Greenberg
• This is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared: The Days of Awe as a Journey of Transformation by Rabbi Alan Lew

• My Jewish Year: 18 Holidays, One Wondering Jew by Abigail Pogrebin

Jewish Life

• Living a Jewish Life: Jewish Traditions, Customs and Values for Today’s Families by Anita Diamant
• Judaism’s Ten Best Ideas: A Brief Guide for Seekers by Arthur Green 

• To Life! A Celebration of Jewish Being and Thinking by Rabbi Harold S. Kushner

• Jewish with Feeling: A Guide to Meaningful Jewish Practice by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, with Joel Segel

Conversion

• Choosing Judaism by Lydia Kukoff
• Embracing the Covenant:  Converts to Judaism Talk About Why & How by Rabbi Allan Berkowitz and Patti Moskovitz
• Choosing a Jewish Life: A Handbook for People Converting to Judaism and for Their Family and Friends by Anita Diamant

Israel

• Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor by Yossi Klein Halevi

• Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn by Daniel Gordis

• Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth by Noa Tishby

• Can We Talk About Israel? A Guide for the Curious, Confused, and Conflicted by Daniel Sokatch

Shoah (Holocaust)

• Night by Elie Wiesel

• The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

Antisemitism

• How to Fight Anti-Semitism by Bari Weiss

• Antisemitism: Here and Now by Deborah E. Lipstadt

• People Love Dead Jews: Reports from a Haunted Present by Dara Horn

Mysticism

• God Was in this Place & I, I Did Not Know: Finding Self, Spirituality and Ultimate Meaning by Rabbi Lawrence Kushner

• Invisible Lines of Connection: Sacred Stories of the Ordinary by Rabbi Lawrence Kushner 

Memoir

• Here All Along: Finding Meaning, Spirituality, and a Deeper Connection to Life–in Judaism (After Finally Choosing to Look There) by Sarah Hurwitz

• If All the Seas Were Ink by Ilana Kurshan

• The Color of Love: A Story of a Mixed-Race Jewish Girl by Marra B. Gad

• Lovesong: Becoming a Jew by Julius Lester

Hebrew:

• Alef Isn’t Tough: An Introduction to Hebrew for Adults by Linda Motzkin
• Learn to Read Hebrew in 6 Weeks! by Miiko Shaffier

Jewish Fiction Authors

• Allegra Goodman
• Nathan Englander
• Dara Horn
• Amos Oz
• Philip Roth
• Herman Wouk

Jewish Poets

• Yehuda Amichai
• Nathan Alterman
• Hayyim Nahman Bialik
• Rachel Bluwstein
• Navit Barel
• Marcia Falk
• Solomon ibn Gabirol
• Leah Goldberg
• Abba Kovner
• Marge Piercy
• Dahlia Ravikovitch
• Hannah Senesh