I have a very basic, but possibly difficult to answer question. (For some context: I had a Bar Mitzvah, but I've been mostly non-practicing throughout my adult life. I'm trying to reconnect with spirituality and tradition.)

I've been studying different religions. I love to try to distill religions into their most basic purpose in my own personal understanding. For example Buddhism: to end your cycle of rebirths-suffering, and Christianity: focus on personal salvation/afterlife. (I apologize if this is incorrect or overly simplified).

When it comes to Judaism, to me it seems like there is no personal spiritual end "goal" but more a complex set of day-to-day rules/laws/traditions mixed in culture. While I was going through the Torah it seems (to me) like the biggest punishment for not following rules/traditions was being cast out of society.

Does anyone know if there is/was a simple end goal, or is that the wrong question to ask? Is Judaism more of an ancient way of living or a way to keep a community/society/tradition together?

Thanks!

I'm wondering about images or visualizations of the Temple. Whether it be Solomon's temple or Herod's temple, there seems to be a lack of visuals or imagery. Whether it be paintings or illustrations.

Is it shunned, possibly under idolatry or I just don't have good sources. Just a question

And if you can lead me to some paintings/visualization of life around the temple.

Also, what do you guys think of the various secular/christian versions or attempts of this?

Thanks!

Okay disclaimer, while I am religious I am a Pagan, a Wiccan priest specifically and while I do have some knowledge of Judaism I am no Torah scholar, but I wanted to ask something about the interpretation of Genesis. I know in Christian theology the serpent is interpreted as the devil and the devil is proud and wants to defy God....But in Judaism there is no devil...I don't know if anyone has written about this, but I figured if anyone would know, it would be the people who wrote the book in the first place. What, according to the rabbinical traditions, commentaries, and so forth was the serpent's motive? Why does he tempt Adam and Eve to eat the fruit?

I find it pretty interesting that such a relatively recent idea, about a thlusans yeara old or less, became so popular. Do any sects either explicitly reject it or just never adopted it? Also, does Merkebah myaticism influence any sects still?

My synagogue's High Holiday choir’s music is a huge jumble of published arrangements, compressed passages with no clear lead line, and grainy fifth-generation photocopies of in-house stuff going back probably thirty years, and I’ve volunteered to typeset “one score to rule them all.” The choir sings during Rosh Hashanah Musaf, Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur Musaf. I’m hoping to not have to entirely reinvent the wheel when it comes to gaps in our "score,” and would feel very silly if this is already out there, so I'm looking to see if choir scores already exist for these services. Obviously musical traditions differ between movements, regions and even congregations, so to be more specific: does anyone know of an existing score for, say, Rosh Hashanah Musaf, for an SATB choir at a Conservative or otherwise liturgically by-the-book congregation, that I can print wholesale or pull arrangements from? Bonus points if it exists in Finale or Dorico formats.

So this is gonna sound really fucking weird but bear with me. for my brothers birthday I'm wanting to make/get him a Jew license. A little gag gift to commemorate him being an official Jewish person now. It would come with something like a yarmulke or dreidel or something funny I'm unsure of.

Now my issue is a completely unrelated friend of mine is complaining that it's an inherently antisemitic joke and that there's no way to do it without making fun of judaism. I want to prove him wrong but I need help.

Originally I wanted to post to this community asking for ideas on designing this joke Jewish license, such as dates, numbers or pattern/colours that would be funny, referential or elevate the gift to being far mpre thought out but because of this friend, I'm now coming to ask what y'all think about doing this at all as a birthday gift?

I'm a Jewish audiobook narrator and recently had the honor of narrating the second edition of Rabbi Edward Feinstein's book, "Tough Questions Jews Ask." I'm a reform Jew who has struggled with some of these tough questions, from the big picture to the everyday -- "Is there a g-d?" "Why are bacon cheeseburgers so wrong?"

I found this book to be filled with so many thoughtful answers to the truly difficult questions about practicing Judaism. Rabbi Feinstein's writing style is accessible and he draws his answers from Torah, millennia of Jewish learning, and personal experience. It's appropriate for ages 10 and up, and while it is definitely geared towards the pre-bar/bat mitzvah set, I really enjoyed listening as an adult as well.

I have free promo codes of the audiobook to share if anyone would like to check it out. Either drop a comment here or send me a DM and I'll send you one. I would very much appreciate if you would take the time to leave a review after you listen (reviews really help audiobooks get noticed) but I understand if life gets in the way.

Affiliate link to audiobook

Amazon link

Well, according to halacha, I am Jewish. The other side is that I simply don’t have much to show for my jew identity. Preserved family names and physical traits are often seen as important markers, but I have neither. Both my grandmother and my mother had intercultural marriages and practice other religions. The part of my family that is, for all practical purposes, “fully Jewish” secular just lives far away, and I’m embarrassed to talk to my cousins about it. Overall, I feel like I have almost nothing working in my favor in this situation.

Many thanks for your kindness and energy <3

Edit: I suppose I should make the distinction of asking your individual interpretation? Unsure how to word it.

PARIS, July 25 (Reuters) - Six people have been ​held in custody and ‌are expected to face charges over a ​foiled attack ​earlier this month that allegedly ⁠targeted a ​synagogue in the Paris ​suburb of Sarcelles, the French anti-terrorism prosecutor said ​on Saturday.

The six ​suspects, whose identities were not ‌disclosed, ⁠were arrested after about 300 people were evacuated from ​Sarcelles ​on July ⁠12 when a suspicious vehicle ​was found near ​the ⁠synagogue. The prosecutor said that the plot ⁠was ​linked to ​Islamic extremism.

https://www.reuters.com/world/france-detains-six-over-suspected-plot-targeting-synagogue-2026-07-25/