Part 1

Chapter one: Lifecycle Events

We are Having a Baby!
Picking a Jewish Name for Your Baby
How Do You Pick a Jewish Name for Your Baby?
Naming a Girl
Bris/Circumcision
Pidyan Ha-Ben/ Redeeming Your Oldest Son
Upsherin/ The First Haircut
Bar/Bat Mitzvah
Ways to Make the Bar/Bat Mitzvah More Meaningful
What to Expect at a Jewish Wedding
The Ceremony
The Ketubah
The Chuppah
The Bride Circles the Groom
The Ring
The Blessings
Jerusalem of Glass
Does Judaism Permit Divorce?
A Time to Live, a Time to Die;
Some Basic Jewish Beliefs about Death
What to Expect at a Jewish Funeral
What is “Sitting Shiva” & Who Sits Shiva?
How to “Sit Shiva”
How to Make a “Shiva Call”
What is “Kaddish”?
The “Unveiling”
Yartzeit/ Anniversary of the Date of Passing
Yizkor

Chapter two: Shabbat

Shabbat: All or Nothing?
How to Turn Friday Night Into Shabbat
The Shabbat Checklist
How to Light Shabbat Candles
Understanding Candle Lighting
Shalom Alaychem
Ayshet Chayil
Blessing the Children
Understanding “Blessing the Children”
Kiddush
How to Say Kiddush
How to Wash for Challah (or Bread)
Hamotzee: The Blessing on Challah
Fresh Hot Challah!
The Festive Shabbat Meal
Zmeerot: Singing at the Shabbat Table
The D’var Torah; Sharing Words of Torah
“Grace after Meals”, Birkat Hamazon
Shabbat Morning
Havdalah: Shabbat’s Closing Ceremony
Making the Shabbat Holy

Chapter three: Major Holidays

Passover
The Passover Story
The Fast of The Firstborn
How to Make a Seder
Things You Will Need in Advance
Items Needed For the Seder Plate
Understanding the Seder Plate
‘Taking’ the Afikomen
The Seder
Rosh Hashanah
How to ‘Do’ Rosh Hashanah
Yom Kippur
How to ‘Do’ Yom Kippur
Sukkot
Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
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Chanukah
How to Light
When to Light
Where to Light
How to Play Dreidel
Purim
Shavuot
Tisha B’av

Chapter four: Minor Holidays, Fast Days, and Days of Remembrance

Tu B’shvat
Lag B’Omer
The Fast of Gedalyah
The Fast of The Tenth Of Tevet
The Fast of Esther
The Fast of the 17th of Tammuz
Yom Hashoah / Holocaust Memorial Day
Yom Ha’atzmaut / Israel Independence Day
Yom Yerushalayim / Jerusalem Day

Chapter five: Kosher

What is the Reason for Keeping Kosher?
How Do You “Keep Kosher”?
Why Did My ‘Kosher’ Friend Look So Uncomfortable?
How Can I Tell Which Products Are Kosher?

Chapter six: Jewish Ritual Items

Kippa
Star of David
Torah Scroll
Prayer Books: The Siddur & Machzor
Talit
Tzitzit
Talit Katan
Tefilin
Mezuzah

Chapter seven: The Three Pillars

The Three Pillars on Which the World Stands
What is “Torah”?
How to Study Torah
Avodah / Prayer
How to Pray
Kindness
How to Give Tzedaka / Charity
God’s Special Promise
Charity Saves from Death
Acts of Kindness
Visiting the Sick
Comforting the Mourners & Burying the Dead
The Greatest Kindness
Rescuing Captives
Kindness & Righteousness
Honoring Your Parents
The Ten Commandments
Love Your Neighbor
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Revenge: A Dish Best Not Served
Don’t Cheat!
Gossip

Chapter eight: Fact or Fiction?

Part 2

Chapter nine: Ready-To-Use Resources

Resource i – Blessings on Ritual Items & Shemah Yisrael
Shemah Yisrael- The Daily Declaration of Faith
Talit
Tzitzit or Talit Katan
Tefilin
Mezuzah
Resource ii – “The Sheva Brachot”, Wedding Blessings
Resource iii – The Mourner`s Kaddish
Resource iv – Shabbat Blessings and Prayers
Shabbat Checklist
Shabbat & Holiday Candle Lighting
The Friday Night Blessings, Including Kiddush
Grace After Meals / Birkat Hamazon / Bentching
Morning Kiddush For Shabbat & Holidays
Havdalah
Resource v – Holiday Blessings and Prayers
Kiddush On Rosh Hashanah
Kiddush On Sukkot and Shavuot
Blessings on The Lulav
Resource vi – Chanukah
Blessings When Lighting the Menorah
Rock of Ages
Resource vii – Ceremonies Involving Babies
Naming a Daughter
The Bris / Circumcision
The Pidyan Ha- Ben / Redemption of the Firstborn Son
Resource viii – Recipes
Recipe for Challah
Recipe for Chicken Soup
Recipe for Chulent
Links to Other Classic ‘Quick And Kosher’ Recipes & Videos
Recommended Sources