The path
From the shapes of the letters to reading aloud in shul — one step at a time.
1. Letters & Sounds
The shapes of the alef-bet and the vowel marks.
1The letters in “Sh'ma”Recognize the ten letters of the Shema's first line. · ~6 min›2The vowelsRecognize the common vowel marks and the sounds they make. · ~6 min›2. The Shema
Decode and read Judaism's central declaration — and the V'ahavta that follows, where love becomes tefillin and the mezuzah.
1Sound out the wordsBlend letters and vowels into the six words of the first line.›2Read the lineRead and understand the first line of the Shema, and keep its words. · ~8 min›3The V'ahavtaRead the V'ahavta, the paragraph after the Shema's first line. · ~8 min›3. Everyday Blessings
Modeh Ani on waking, and the blessing formula behind the blessings over hand-washing and bread.
1Your first words of the dayRead Modeh Ani, the thank-you said on waking. · ~6 min›2The blessing formulaDecode the six-word opening shared by almost every blessing. · ~7 min›3Blessings at the tableRead the blessings over washing the hands and over bread. · ~7 min›4. A Jewish Morning
From bed to bread — waking, washing, and the blessing over bread, walked as one morning, with the everyday Hebrew of a household.
1A Jewish morningOpen a Jewish morning in Hebrew: Modeh Ani, washing the hands, and HaMotzi. · ~12 min›2Good morningSay good morning and ask how someone slept. · ~6 min›5. Core Hebrew of Jewish Life
The words underneath it all, domain by domain — people, home, time, the sacred, the verbs, and the small joining words — then the point where the path branches toward Ruth or toward living Hebrew.
1The people you're joiningMeet the people of the family and community you're joining — in their biblical and everyday faces. · ~9 min›2A place at the tableName the things of the Shabbat table you're welcomed to — and a few words of the street. · ~9 min›3Learning Jewish timeLearn the rhythm of Jewish time — the week toward Shabbat, and when a day begins. · ~8 min›4Following the serviceCarry the words the siddur turns on — by following a service as part of the congregation. · ~11 min›5Ruth's own wordsCarry the core verbs by reading Ruth's story — the biblical “and-then” form against today's present. · ~12 min›6Choosing your peopleCarry the small words that hold every sentence together — and say, in Hebrew, why you're here. · ~13 min›7The words underneath it allSee the shared core of Jewish Hebrew, and choose where to go deeper. · ~8 min›6. The Book of Ruth
Read the convert's own book in biblical Hebrew — from the famine and the parting, through the declaration and the field, to the threshing floor, the redemption at the gate, and the line of King David.
1How the story beginsRead the first verse of Ruth and recognize the biblical “and-then” form. · ~9 min›2The family, and the lossesRead Ruth 1:2–5 and follow the family from naming to loss. · ~8 min›3The partingRead how Orpah turns back and Ruth clings — the moment before the declaration. · ~10 min›4Ruth's wordsRead Ruth's declaration to Naomi in biblical Hebrew. · ~9 min›5Ruth goes to gleanRead Ruth 2:2–3 and meet חֶסֶד, the word the book turns on. · ~9 min›6Kindness in the fieldRead Boaz's kindness to Ruth, and the blessing of refuge under God's wings. · ~11 min›7At the threshing floorRead Ruth's request that Boaz redeem her — and his answer. · ~11 min›8Redemption at the gateRead how Boaz redeems Ruth publicly, and how the town blesses her. · ~11 min›9A son is bornRead the close of Ruth and follow the line to King David. · ~9 min›7. Friday Night
Lighting the candles, welcoming the angels, and Kiddush over wine — so you can join in at the Shabbat table.
1Welcoming ShabbatMove through the Friday-night sequence: candles, Shalom Aleichem, and Kiddush. · ~12 min›2Bringing in ShabbatRead the blessing over the Shabbat candles. · ~7 min›3Welcoming the angelsRead Shalom Aleichem, the song that welcomes the Shabbat angels. · ~8 min›4Sanctifying the dayRead Kiddush — the first-Shabbat words and the blessing over wine. · ~8 min›5Keeping ShabbatRead V'shamru, the Shabbat covenant verses. · ~7 min›8. Following Along
The shape of the service: the call to prayer, the opening of the Amidah, and the closing Aleinu — read in real time.
1The call to prayerRead Barchu, the call and response that opens the service. · ~6 min›2The standing prayerRead the opening lines of the Amidah, the central standing prayer. · ~7 min›3Closing the serviceRead the opening of Aleinu, the prayer that closes the service. · ~7 min›9. The Heart of the Service
Deeper into the service: the Kedushah's “holy, holy, holy,” the daily Ashrei, the blessing at the Torah, the Kaddish, and the closing hymn Adon Olam.
1Holy, holy, holyRead the Kedushah's core line and the congregation's response. · ~7 min›2Happy are thoseRead the opening verses of Ashrei, the most-repeated psalm in the service. · ~8 min›3Called up to the TorahRead the Torah blessing said before and after an aliyah. · ~8 min›4The words everyone says togetherRead the opening of the Kaddish and the congregation's response. · ~7 min›5Master of the worldRead the first verses of Adon Olam, the closing hymn. · ~6 min›10. The Amidah
The central standing prayer, blessing by blessing: the Shield of Abraham, God's power, the thanksgiving of Modim, and the peace of Oseh Shalom.
1The Amidah: Shield of AbrahamRead the close of the Amidah's first blessing, Avot. · ~7 min›2The Amidah: God's powerRead the Amidah's second blessing, Gevurot. · ~6 min›3The Amidah: giving thanksRead the opening of Modim, the Amidah's blessing of thanks. · ~5 min›4Maker of peaceRead Oseh Shalom, the closing prayer for peace. · ~6 min›11. The Weekday Amidah
Between the Amidah's praises and its thanks, a weekday adds requests — for wisdom, for healing, and to be heard.
1The Amidah asks: for wisdomRead Chonen HaDa'at, the Amidah's request for wisdom. · ~6 min›2The Amidah asks: for healingRead the Amidah's request for healing. · ~6 min›3The Amidah asks: hear our voiceRead Shema Koleinu, the Amidah's catch-all request. · ~6 min›12. The Jewish Year
Walk the festival year, holiday by holiday — the shofar of Rosh Hashanah, the confession of Yom Kippur, the sukkah and lulav, the lights of Hanukkah, the Megillah of Purim, and the seder of Pesach.
1Rosh Hashanah — the new yearRead the shofar blessing and the Rosh Hashanah greeting. · ~11 min›2Yom Kippur — the day of returnRead the Vidui's opening and the climax of Ne'ilah. · ~11 min›3Sukkot — booths and branchesRead the two signature blessings of Sukkot. · ~11 min›4Hanukkah — the festival of lightsRead both Hanukkah candle blessings. · ~10 min›5Purim — the hidden miracleRead the Megillah blessing and the start of Al HaNissim. · ~10 min›6Pesach — telling the ExodusRead Mah Nishtanah and Avadim Hayinu. · ~12 min›13. Grace After Meals
The blessing after eating — commanded by a verse of Torah, opening with thanks to the One who feeds all.
1Grace after mealsRead the source verse and opening of grace after meals. · ~8 min›14. Keeping Shabbat
What Shabbat is, when it begins and ends, the idea behind the 39 melachot, the Shabbat table, muktzeh, and navigating modern life — practical and plain.
1What Shabbat isUnderstand what Shabbat is and the two ideas at its heart. · ~7 min›2When Shabbat begins and endsKnow how Shabbat's start and end times are set, and where to find yours. · ~7 min›3The 39 melachotUnderstand the principle behind the 39 forbidden categories of work. · ~8 min›4The Shabbat tableKnow the home rituals that frame Shabbat, start to finish. · ~7 min›5MuktzehUnderstand muktzeh as a protective fence, not a melacha. · ~6 min›6Shabbat and modern lifeUnderstand how Shabbat is kept amid modern technology. · ~7 min›15. Keeping Kosher
What makes food kosher, separating meat and milk, reading a hechsher, the kosher kitchen, and eating out — the everyday practice of kashrut.
1What makes food kosherKnow the basic categories of kosher and non-kosher food. · ~7 min›2Meat and milkUnderstand the separation of meat and dairy in practice. · ~7 min›3Reading a hechsherKnow how to check whether a packaged product is kosher. · ~6 min›4The kosher kitchenUnderstand how a kosher kitchen is organised. · ~6 min›5Eating out and shoppingNavigate kashrut outside your own kitchen. · ~6 min›