Your People Shall Be My People:

Research/Interview Assignment

Choose ONE of the assignments listed below (you  can do both for extra credit)

Due Date: Monday, February 27th

I. Interview a friend, relative, or member of the congregation who is a Jew-by-Choice about his/her decision to become Jewish (if you don’t have someone in mind, I’ll be more than happy to help find someone comfortable being interviewed). Please tell the person you interview that I will be the only person reading his/her responses. Only written assignments will be accepted. Ask the person you interview the following questions:

a. What motivated you to become Jewish?
b. How did you choose the rabbi/community that assisted in the conversion process?
c. What was the conversion process like? How long did it take?
d. What did you find most challenging about becoming Jewish? What did you find most rewarding?
e. Did you find the Jewish community supportive during the process? (Please share a few examples from the experience.)
f. Did you feel different after conversion? In what ways?
g. What do you find most meaningful about Judaism? What do you like most about being Jewish?

II. Throughout Jewish history there have been many converts to Judaism. Pick one of the individuals listed below and try to find out anything you can about his/her conversion to Judaism. Extra credit will be assigned to those personalities marked with an asterisk – they represent individuals who have a place in Jewish history and/or require more research because there is considerably more information about their conversions to Judaism. Your research assignment should be approximately 3 pages typed, double-spaced, 12 Times New Roman font.

a. Onkelos, translator of the TaNaKh into Aramaic *

b. Obadiah the Proselyte*

c. Julius Lester, Author & Professor *

d. Count Abraham Potacki, Polish aristocrat*

e. Kate Capshaw, actress

f. Yisrael Campbell, comedian

g. Marilyn Monroe, actress

h. Dr. Laura Schlesinger, radio personality

i. Sammy Davis Jr., actor/singer

j. Connie Chung, TV Journalist

k. The Abayudaya Tribe of Uganda*

l. Elliot Maddox, Major League Ballplayer

m. Jamaica Kinkaid, author

n. Jim Croce, songwriter/performer

o. Anthony Lake, advisor to President Bill Clinton

In researching the above, make sure to answer the following:

• What motivated this individual to become Jewish?
• Describe the conversion process – how much study was involved, what Jewish observances/practices did s/he embrace, describe the involvement of the individual in Jewish life (belong to/attend a synagogue, travel to Israel, learn Hebrew etc.).
• Did the person maintain a long-term/permanent relationship with the Jewish community?
• What challenges/obstacles did the person encounter in the process of conversion?
• Can you identify at least several ways that becoming Jewish impacted upon his/her life or career?

Here’s some information about the Book of Ruth from a great website, myjewishlearning.com. Follow this link to learn more about the book we are about to begin! http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/Bible/Writings/Ruth.shtml?TSBI

1. Please remember to review material for tomorrow’s Jonah exam. We will be spending the entire class on taking the test and reviewing your answers.

2. There will be dinner and a movie at my house for 8th graders next Sunday evening, January 29 @ 6 PM. We’ll be watching the Veggie Tales version of Jonah! Please let me know whether or not you’ll be joining us and if you’re a vegetarian. You can RSVP to my e-mail address: jonathan.lubliner@jaxjewishcenter.com, or via blog reply, or by calling my office at extension 115.

8th Grade TaNaKh
Review for Jonah Exam
Rabbi Lubliner

I. Structure of TaNakh

1. Terms to Know: Torah/Nevi’im/Ketuvim; Nevi’im Rishonim, Nevi’im Ahronim; Trei Asar; Hamesh Megillot (and what they are).

2. Be able to identify to what part of TaNaKh each biblical book belongs, e.g., Daniel belongs in Ketuvim, Jeremiah is part of Nevi’im etc.

II. Jonah’s background in TaNaKh & Midrash

1. Where else is Jonah mentioned in the Hebrew Bible?

a. II Kings 14:25
b. prophesizes restoration of Israel’s territory in the north during reign of King Jeroboam II (late 9th century C.E.)
c. father’s name is Amittai
d. Jonah is from Gath-hepher (ancient town in lower Galilee, Israel’s north)

2. What does midrash teach us about Jonah’s origins?

a. son of the widow Zerephat, having succumbed to a terrible illness, the boy Jonah was believed to be dead – until he was revived by Elijah the prophet (see I Kings 17:17-24). [Source: Jerusalem Talmud, Sukkah 55a]

b. Jonah grows up as a disciple of the prophet Elisha.

III. The Story of Jonah
A. Chapter I (Pshat questions)
1. What does God command Jonah to do?
2. What is so unique about this command?
3. How does Jonah respond?
4. Where is Jonah heading?
5. Where is Tarshish?
6. What does Jonah do onboard the ship?
7. What do the sailors do when the storm hits?
8. What does the captain ask and how does Jonah respond?
9. How do the sailors know that Jonah is responsible for the storm?
10. What does Jonah tell the sailors to do?
11. How do the sailors react?
12 When the storm calms down, what do the sailors do? What is the irony of this part of the story?

B. Chapter I (Midrash questions)
1. Why does Jonah disobey God?
a. Is fearful that if the Ninevites repent and his threat of doom doesn’t come to pass, he’ll be ridiculed as a false prophet (Tanhuma Vayikra

b. Jonah was motivated by a desire to preserve Israel’s honor – he knew that the pagans of Nineveh – unlike Israel – would repent, and didn’t want Israel to look wicked by comparison (Jerusalem Talmud, Sanhedrin 30b)

2. Jonah is so eager to leave that he charters the entire boat (Rashi to Jonah 1:3) – Know how the language of the text allows for this
interpretation.

3. The sailors are very reluctant to cause Jonah’s death. They submerge him in the water several times without letting go – each time he goes in, the waters become calm . . . until they pull him out of the sea. Reluctantly, they come to the conclusion there’s nothing they can to save Jonah.

C. Chapter II (Pshat Questions)
1. What happens to Jonah in the sea?
2. How many days and nights does he remain in the belly of the fish?
3. What kind of fish swallowed Jonah?
4. What does Jonah do after spending a period of time in the great fish?
5. What is strange about Jonah’s prayer, what seems to be missing?
6. What does the fish eventually do?

D. Chapter II (Midrash Questions)
1. How does midrash explain why the masculine word for fish appears in 2:1, and the feminine form of the word in 2:2? What does this midrash seek to teach us?

E. Chapter III (Pshat Questions)
1. How large is Nineveh?
2. What are the words of Jonah’s prophecy?
3. What is the reaction of the Ninevites?
4. What does the king decree?
5. What does the king hope will happen?
6. What element of parody appears in chapter 3?
7. How does God respond to the actions of the Ninevites?

F. Chapter III (Midrash Questions)
1. Who was the king of Nineveh? How does that help us understand his reaction to Jonah’s prophecy?

G. Chapter IV (Pshat Questions)
1. How does Jonah react to the Ninevites’ behavior?
2. What does Jonah say to God?
3. What are the similarities and differences between Exodus 34:6-7 and Jonah 4:2?  (8th graders are not responsible for this question.)

4. What does Jonah ask God to do?
5. How does God respond?
6. What makes Jonah glad and then unhappy?
7. What does God say to Jonah at the end of the book?

IV. Miscellaneous Thought Questions about Jonah

1. Some commentators describe Jonah as a parody of prophecy. Name at least four aspects of the story that run counter to what we might otherwise expect from a book of biblical prophecy.

2. List three major themes of the book. What makes the story of Jonah so relevant to our day and age?

3. When do we read Jonah as a haftorah and why?

4. Name two other reluctant prophets in TaNaKh – What are the similarities and differences between Jonah and these individuals? Why might a person be reluctant to serve as a prophet – shouldn’t it be seen as a great honor?