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Maintaining kosher
(ritually clean) dietary regulations, wearing symbolic clothing (head covering and a special under garment with fringes), and prayer two or three times every day are part of the daily life of the Orthodox Jew. Conservative and Reform Jews may be more or less lax regarding such activities (dictated by God in Torah) but all forms of Judaism observe the weekly Sabbath, annual holy day festivals, and key life cycle celebrations from birth to death.
DIETARY REGULATIONS and maintenance of a kosher kitchen is important for all but the most liberal of Reform Jews. It is the woman of the household who has learned from her mother and teaches to her daughter how to maintain the required Kosher diet: how and where to shop for Kosher food, how to prepare a Kosher meal, how to maintain proper cleanliness of the kitchen through use of different sets of dishes and pots. Dietary regulations involve not just the separation of meat and dairy products but also the total avoidance of certain foods as dictated in Torah: no shellfish, no pork products, no predatory animals, no animals that have died a natural death nor creatures (such as vultures) that eat such carrion. In addition, the meat that is permitted (animals that both chew the cud and have cloven hooves) must be butchered according to Talmudic guidelines to be considered Kosher (a humane quick slice of the Jugular with an extremely sharp knife). And blood must also be fully drained from the meat (thus many Jewish meat dishes, such as pot roast, are well cooked).
THE SABBATH is a day of rest on the seventh day of the week (Saturday) - after six days of creation God rested and declared this seventh day holy and a day of rest. The Jewish Sabbath begins at home with blessings over candle lighting (recited by the woman of the house), blessings over and sharing of wine and Challah bread followed by a family meal. Then it is off to synagogue, as a family, for Friday evening prayers to welcome the Shabbat (Hebrew for Sabbath). On Saturday morning observant Jews will, once again, attend synagogue for prayer and reading and discussion of the designated Torah portion for that week. Then, at home, there is another family meal and an afternoon of relaxing talk and fun for the youngsters. Some of the most observant Jews will gather once more for a brief closing ceremony in the late afternoon.
The SYNAGOGUE is the Jewish place of worship, study and socializing. It is the Jewish equivalent of a church. In fact, the original Greek names for both places of worship mean "place of assembly." The synagogue is distinct from the more ancient Temple. There was only one Temple as the center of ancient Jewish rituals (mainly animal sacrifices performed by the ancient Jewish priests).
In today's synagogues, Rabbis officiate as prayer leaders and teachers of Torah and various aspects of Jewish life. Just like churches, synagogues contain several kinds of spaces: classrooms for children's and adult study, a library, a kitchen and banquet hall and/or auditorium. But the most important space would be the sanctuary, where worship services are conducted. The sanctuary is oriented so that the congregation faces toward Jerusalem and the remaining western or "wailing" wall of the ancient Temple. At the front of every worship space is an "ark" - a cabinet that holds the Torah scrolls. Above the ark is the ner tamid - the "eternal light" - that is always burning to symbolize the eternal nature of God.
A traditional synagogue contains a large reading platform toward the middle of the space with pews or other such seating surrounding this platform on three sides. This is the platform on which the Torah scroll is unrolled for reading. The central location means that everyone present may have a view of the letters on the scroll as it is read. Many Reform and some Conservative synagogues take on a layout more like that in churches: they have moved the reading platform to the raised area up front, near the ark (the Rabbi will offer his sermon from this podium). Reform synagogues have also introduced the use of organ and other instruments to accompany singing from Choir and congregation. Traditional synagogues do not use such instrumentals. Hebrew is the language of prayer and Orthodox worship is almost entirely in Hebrew. In contrast, Reform worship is mostly in the vernacular with certain traditional prayers recited in Hebrew and then translated into the vernacular language. A Cantor (chanter) often leads the singing of psalms and hymns and the chanting of traditional Hebrew prayers.
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