What is the Jewish Passion for God?

For centuries the Jewish people have remained true to their dream, their hope, and most of all, their passion for God.

Faced with persecutions, pogroms, antisemitism and even holocausts, we have not abandoned our identity, nor our special relationship with our Creator.

Passion does not need to be shouted from rooftops. Passion does not require that the whole world understand the relationship -- nor share in it. Passion is a bond of the heart of one to another. An eternal embrace which even death cannot sever.

A Jew's soul is bound with its Creator. To damage our connection with God is to damage ourselves. To betray our loyalty to the One by following idols, false gods or men who would deify themselves, is to destroy the light within our own souls.

A Jew's passion for God is born in the recognition that we are eternally bound to Him, by the covenant of Torah, by the bond of our souls, by His promise to us.

The Jewish dream is a world of peace. The Jewish ideal is a world that knows holiness.

The Jewish Passion is for God.

Seeing the Jewish Passion for God

Awakening our Passion for G-d -- Varda Bronfman writes that Whatever happens is meant to teach us something....
Prayer --Master of the Universe, grant me the ability to be alone...
Even if He takes your soul : When the Romans took Rabbi Akiva to be executed ... [more]
To Die for Kiddush haShem: As the commander of the Plaszow concentration camp took a number of young Gerrer Chassidim to be put to death ...
Rejoicing in God --"I have joy and delight from the fact that I am worthy of perceiving the pleasantness of God and delighting in His worship." [more]
Devoted to God: Each of us can see with our own eyes that we stand in paradise, in the palpable presence of God. ..
The Way to Love God --We should love Him with an overwhelming and unlimited love, until our soul becomes permanently bound in the love of God" [more]
Dancing before God: During Europe's "Black Plague" (1348-1349), Jews were offered the choice of either conversion to Christianity or death. Thousands of Jews who refused to convert were brutally murdered ... [more]

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Basics

(Note: some articles are still being prepared and will be available very soon)

The Fundamentals of Jewish Belief - the "13 Principles"
How is Judaism different than Christianity?

What about the Jews?

Read what some famous non-Jews have to say

Links to related Information:

Judaism 101 ( Good introduction to many Jewish concepts --Introductory)
SimpleToRemember.com - What was this fire that burned in the hearts of our ancestors? Why are the Jews once again the focus of the world? If my kids asked me, "why should I stay Jewish"? What would I answer? Great resources, text and audio.
DovidGottlieb.com - a wonderful collection of audio classes on Jewish thought and philosophy.
Classic Jewish Texts -- from Sephardicsages.com, excerpts and complete texts in translation. --Advanced.
Aish.com : Especially the sections on Spirituality - and Philosophy
OU.ORG -- Section on Jewish beliefs and philosophy and also a very good Judaism 101 section. A number of other good Resources.

What is the Jewish Passion for God?

Seeing the Jewish Passion for God

FURTHER STUDY

Basics

What about the Jews?

Links to related Information:

Recommended Reading

The Jewish Insider:

Encouraging Jewish Passion in our synagogues, our Jewish communities and ourselves.

Jews for Judaism

Articles

Links for Learning and Inspiration