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Overview of Judaism In its most simple definition, Judaism is a way of life for the Jewish people. To many in the English-speaking Western world, “Judaism” is often considered a “religion.” However, the Jewish tradition is much broader than this. As a way of life, it includes the social, cultural, and religious history of a widespread and diverse community, including people who do and do not think of themselves as “religious.” While the foundations of Judaism emphasize the intricate and simultaneous religious and cultural development of the Jewish people, the origins of the religion can be traced back more than 3,000 years1. The faith system formed its roots as a structured religion in the Middle East during the Bronze Age, and is currently regarded by scholars as one of the oldest monotheistic religions. The ancient origins of Judaism span over several hundred years, specifically from about 1000 BC to 500 BC, and include the founding of the religion, the migration to the Holy Land, and the enslavement of Jews in Egypt. As Jewish scripture states, Abraham is hailed as the first Hebrew and the father of the Jewish people. As a reward for his act of faith in one God, Abraham was promised that Isaac, his second son, would inherit the Land of Israel (then called Canaan). Later, the descendants of Isaac's son Jacob were enslaved in Egypt, and God commanded Moses to lead the Exodus from Egypt. At Mount Sinai they received the Torah (the five books of Moses)2.
Hanukoglu, Israel. "Brief History of Israel and the Jewish People." Israel Science and Technology. Accessed May 4, 2015. http://www.science.co.il/Israel-history.php. 2 Satlow, Michael L. "Creating Judaism." In Creating Judaism: History, Family, Community. New York, NY: Columbia University Press, 2006. 1
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Practitioners of Judaism share some principles, but there is no established set of principles of faith that are recognized by all observant Jews. Throughout history, Jewish scholars have proposed numerous formulations of Judaism's core tenets, all of which have been met with criticism. The most popular formulation is Maimonides' thirteen principles of faith, written in the 12th century. According to these principles, Judaism is based on a strict monotheism and a belief in one single and indivisible God. Additionally, the principles state that Jews believe that God is the creator of the universe3. In conjunction with the 11 other principles, this list establishes the primary set of beliefs for the Jewish faith. One particularly noteworthy practice of the Jewish faith is the acknowledgement of Shabbat as the most important of holy days. Shabbat, otherwise known as “the Sabbath,” is the Jewish day of rest and seventh day of the week, on which religious Jews remember the Biblical creation of the heavens and the earth in six days and the Exodus of the Hebrews. Shabbat observance entails refraining from work activities and engaging in restful activities to honor the day. Shabbat, as well as all other Jewish holy days, begins at sundown the day prior, and ends at sundown the day of. In the case of Shabbat, Friday at sundown marks its commencement, and Saturday at sundown marks its conclusion4. Other significant Jewish practices include keeping kosher and going through the coming of age rituals known as Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah.
Hanukoglu, "Brief History of Israel and the Jewish People.” Baerer, Benjamin, Rabbi Or Rose, and April Winebrenner-Palo. "God, Torah, and Israel." Americas Many Religions. March 9, 2013. Accessed April 30, 2015. http://www.pluralism.org/religion/judaism. 3 4
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Today, the main denominations of Judaism are Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform. Orthodox Judaism holds that the Torah was divinely revealed to Moses, and that the laws within it are binding and unchanging5. Conservative Judaism is characterized by a commitment to traditional Jewish laws and customs, including the observance of Shabbat and kashrut (the practice of keeping kosher), and a positive attitude and acceptance toward both traditional Jewish teachings and modern culture6. Reform Judaism, defines Judaism as a religion rather than as a race or culture, rejects most of the ritual and ceremonial laws of the Torah, but emphasizes the observing of moral laws outlined in the Torah7. While each denomination differ from one another based on defining characteristics, all are equally a part of the Jewish community. Currently, the Jewish community only consists of a small fraction in the overall world population. The world's core Jewish population in early 2013 was estimated at 13.9 million people, only accounting for about 0.2% of the world population. While dozens of countries host at least a small Jewish population, the community is primarily concentrated in two countries; Israel and the United States account for 82% of the Jewish population8.  
Dorff, Elliot N., and David Shatz. "Jewish Ethical Theories in the Orthodox Movement." In The Oxford Handbook of Jewish Ethics and Morality. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013. 6 Dorff, Elliot N., and Shai Cherry. "Jewish Ethical Theories in the Conservative Movement." In The Oxford Handbook of Jewish Ethics and Morality. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013. 7 Dorff, Elliot N., and Michael Marmur. "Jewish Ethical Theories in the Reform Movement." In The Oxford Handbook of Jewish Ethics and Morality. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013. 8 Dashefsky, Arnold. "Jewish Population in the United States, 2013." In American Jewish Year Book 2013, 201-277. 1st ed. Vol. 113. New York, NY: Springer International Publishing, 2014. 5
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Synagogue Overview The history of the Jews in the United States has been a part of the American national fabric since the Colonial Era. Until the 1830s the Jewish community of Charleston, South Carolina, was the largest in North America. German Jews arrived in the middle of the 19th century, and were known to establish clothing stores in towns across the country. Additionally, Jews became very active in the New York banking industry9. The role of the Jewish community varies between regions of the country. For example, the impact of the population has proven to be more noticeable in the northeastern United States, specifically the New York City metropolitan area. In recent decades, the general image of the American Jew has become associated with this region of the country10. Separately, the southeastern United States is generally known for its deep roots with the Christian faith, and is often not associated with the Jewish community. Nonetheless, there is a surprisingly active Jewish community in states such as Virginia, Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. While the regional population statistics of Jews may not suggest that the faith and community play an influential role in the region, involvement of the Jews has led to the unnoticed regional growth of the Jewish community11. Specifically, North Carolina has a historically significant relationship with
Diner, Hasia R. "American Jewish Origins: 1654–1776." In The Jews of the United States, 1654 to 2000. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2006. 10 Diner, Hasia R. "At Home and Beyond: 1924–1948" In The Jews of the United States, 1654 to 2000. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2006. 11 Diner, Hasia R. "Introduction" In The Jews of the United States, 1654 to 2000. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2006. 9
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Judaism. In fact, North Carolina was home to the first Jewish settler in a North American British colony. Joachim Ganz, a native of Prague, arrived in 1585 on Raleigh's second expedition to Roanoke Island, well before the 1654 settlement in New Amsterdam12. Since then, the North Carolina Jewish community has grown alongside regional population growth. Due to this, the number of Jewish congregations and fellowships in North Carolina has grown to more than 40. In Greensboro, the third largest city in North Carolina (in terms of population)13, the Jewish presence only began in the years leading into the 20th century. Originally, when Jews arrived in the city during the tumultuous industrial age, their presence was marked by smokestacks, twelve hour work days, and rumbling factories. But from these economic roots sprung art, philanthropy, education and a vibrant spiritual existence that continues to define Greensboro’s Jewish community today14. Today, two Jewish congregations exist in Greensboro, serving about 1000 households. Beth David Synagogue was founded just before the end of the Second World War in 1944. During this time, Greensboro’s growing maturity as a Jewish community led to the creation of two separate Jewish congregations. The first, then known as the Greensboro Hebrew Congregation, was organized as a Reform movement affiliate in 1907. In 1944 a group broke off from the Greensboro Hebrew Congregation to found
"Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities - Greensboro, North Carolina." Goldring-Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life. 2014. Accessed May 4, 2015. http://www.isjl.org/north-carolinagreensboro-encyclopedia.html. 13 "Greensboro (city), North Carolina." United States Census Bureau: State & County QuickFacts. February 11, 2011. Accessed May 4, 2015. 14 "Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities - Greensboro, North Carolina,” 2014. 12
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Above: A panoramic view of the exterior of Beth David Synagogue.
Beth David, which affiliated with the Conservative movement. Following the split the Greensboro Jewish Congregation became known as Temple Emanuel, and Beth David grew with the influx of northern-born Jews, a majority of whom were Conservative Jews. In fact, by the early 1960s, it was estimated that 90% of Beth David's membership were northern transplants15. The official congregation of Beth David Synagogue serves 450 households. Nonetheless, services tend to attract many non-members as well. The synagogue complex as we know it was built in 1988, and includes a sanctuary, chapel, kosher kitchen, Judaica library, classrooms, meeting rooms, ritual bath, and a Jewish day school for preschool through 8th grade16. The leadership at the church is very diverse and not as hierarchical as some religious congregations tend to be. Rabbi Eliezer “Elie” Kaunfer Havivi presides over the prayer services, serves as a community leader, and organizes basic programming throughout all facets of the congregation. The Executive Director, Mindy Kutchei,
15 16
"Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities - Greensboro, North Carolina,” 2014. Kutchei, Mindy. Interview by author. April 17, 2015.
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focusses primarily on overseeing the membership operations, as well as the major programming for the congregation. Together they have helped grow a community, and establish a set of traditions that go beyond what is mentioned in the Torah. Kutchei, who spoke candidly about the happenings of the synagogue, admitted that leadership within the congregation must continue to collaborate on trying to encourage more potential members to attend services at Beth David17. Membership recruitment has involved a challenge for the leadership team at Beth David, however, they are aware that this issue is not specific to them.
Experience Beth David is a warm and welcoming place to worship. The congregation offers a variety of different services per week. A daily minyan is held at 5:45 pm, on Thursdays there is a morning minyan at 7:00 am, on Friday night there is an evening service held at 6 pm, and lastly, a Shabbat morning service held at 9:30 am on Saturdays. Out of these many services, all of which vary in length, focus, and overall style, the Friday evening service, and the Shabbat service are the most popular. The Friday evening service lasts between 50-60 minutes, and is held in the main sanctuary. Overall, this service is very casual and attracts families with younger children, as well as those members who tend to be less committed to the faith. Beginning with an opening prayer, Rabbi Havivi spoke primarily in English, and set a distinctive tone for the remainder of the service. Following the opening prayer, Havivi orchestrated the rest of the service with the help of three service assistants, Beth David’s Associate Director and 17
Kutchei, Interview by author.
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two teenage service assistants. As part of his sermon, Havivi led a discussion about understanding the stories in the Old Testament from a modern perspective. This sermon was accompanied by several Hebrew hymns, all of which were generally followed by the
Above: Interior stained glass of main sanctuary. Design of glass represents the high holidays of Judaism.
audience. Those who were following along with the hymn likely understood Hebrew, but were not able to speak the language. Those who had little knowledge of the language were able to utilize the Siddur (i.e. the prayer book), which provided in-text translations and commentary. As the sermon came to an end, some members of the audience sanctuary early. The end of the service called for the rejoicing of a Hebrew exit hymn, and a parting of ways between Havivi and the service audience. Unlike the Friday evening service, the Shabbat was more formal in style, and applied more traditional practices to the structure of the service. For instance, the use of Hebrew was much more prevalent throughout the duration of the service. Additionally, the audience seemed to be more dedicated to the practices of the faith. Each male Page 9
attendee was dressed in a suit and tie, and all the females were dressed in knee length dresses. Some of the senior female attendees walked in with ankle length fur coats and wore cashmere-lined, leather gloves. These characteristics are what set the Shabbat service, the most important of Holy Days, and the rest of the services apart. The structure of the Shabbat service was based primarily around the reading of the Torah, which was done so in a very dawdling fashion. Each line was carefully recited, and in some cases sang by Rabbi Havivi, or a service assistant on the Bimah (i.e. the stage). Throughout the two-hour service, the audience, as well as those conducting the service, were moving quite a lot. Half way through the service, every attendant and those on stage began to bow in the direction of the Aron Kodesh. This feature of the sanctuary holds the sacred Torah scrolls, and is directed in the location of Israel, a key feature that all synagogues have18. Approximately 80 minutes into the service, the tone changed from collaborative, to a focus on the sole role of Rabbi Havivi. As he spoke, the audience began to intently listen more carefully after the conclusion of every sentence. People bowed their heads, closed their eyes, and became visibly emotional as the words of Havivi carried throughout each row of seats in the sanctuary. In the concluding prayer, Havivi was very collected and peaceful. He became more connected with the audience, and embodied the true meaning of a spiritual leader.
Role of Media One of the key objectives of the leadership at Beth David is to increase membership. In terms of financials, the increase in membership would allow for the 18
Satlow, "Creating Judaism,� 2006.
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congregation to invest more in facilities and programming. According to Executive Director Mindy Kutchei, this is a primary objective for the current leadership. In going about achieving this lofty goal, Kutchei pledged that external and internal communication about the synagogue is key. In accordance with that pledge, Beth David unveiled its brand new website about one year ago. The website, while fairly standard for most new commercial websites, stands out amongst other houses of worship and religious congregations. The features of this site are simple, and include useful information for visitors. Separate from the advances regarding the website, the role of social media has increased dramatically over the past two years. Beth David currently has an active presence on Facebook, and is garnering attention through their Twitter page as well. There are an average of five new posts each week on Facebook, and an average of three and a half new posts each week on Twitter. Kutchei believes that the increasing attention
Above: Central podium with microphone on the Bimah of the main sanctuary at Beth David Synagogue.
Above: A screenshot of the Beth David Synagogue Facebook page. The page (as of May 4, 2015) has 462 likes.
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on social media will help inspire current members to continue attending services as well as keeping them involved in the community. Attracting new members is something that she also hopes can be achieved by the social media efforts. Kutchei feels that though this challenge cannot be solely solved by focussing on a social media campaign, the overall effort can begin with this first step19. Within the physical synagogue, there is less of a focus on the role that media can play in the advancement of the congregation. Generally, the use of media within the main sanctuary is limited. The only noticeable media feature within the main sanctuary is a simple PA system. On the podiums atop the Bimah there are microphones that connect to speakers located throughout the room. No musical equipment is present, as the use of instruments and a band is not a part of the services. While media equipment may be omnipresent in some houses of worship, notably in Christian mega churches, the Jewish faith does not typically recognize the use of musical instruments in traditional service settings. In fact, many Orthodox services in the Jewish faith do not even utilize a microphone. The role of media may not have a widespread impact within the actual worship space, however media has an impact on the overall communications aspect of the congregation. As was mentioned previously, the use of this media is essential in the overall attainment of goals for the congregation.  
19
Kutchei, Interview by author.
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Works Cited I.
Baerer, Benjamin, Rabbi Or Rose, and April Winebrenner-Palo. "God, Torah, and Israel." Americas Many Religions. March 9, 2013. Accessed April 30, 2015. http:// www.pluralism.org/religion/judaism. II. Dashefsky, Arnold. "Jewish Population in the United States, 2013." In American Jewish Year Book 2013, 201-277. 1st ed. Vol. 113. New York, NY: Springer International Publishing, 2014. III. Diner, Hasia R. "American Jewish Origins: 1654–1776." In The Jews of the United States, 1654 to 2000. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2006. IV. Diner, Hasia R. "At Home and Beyond: 1924–1948" In The Jews of the United States, 1654 to 2000. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2006. V. Diner, Hasia R. "Introduction" In The Jews of the United States, 1654 to 2000. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2006. VI. Dorff, Elliot N., and David Shatz. "Jewish Ethical Theories in the Orthodox Movement." In The Oxford Handbook of Jewish Ethics and Morality. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013. VII.Dorff, Elliot N., and Michael Marmur. "Jewish Ethical Theories in the Reform Movement." In The Oxford Handbook of Jewish Ethics and Morality. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013. VIII.Dorff, Elliot N., and Shai Cherry. "Jewish Ethical Theories in the Conservative Movement." In The Oxford Handbook of Jewish Ethics and Morality. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013. IX. "Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities - Greensboro, North Carolina." Goldring-Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life. 2014. Accessed May 4, 2015. http://www.isjl.org/north-carolina-greensboro-encyclopedia.html. X. "Greensboro (city), North Carolina." United States Census Bureau: State & County QuickFacts. February 11, 2011. Accessed May 4, 2015. XI. Hanukoglu, Israel. "Brief History of Israel and the Jewish People." Israel Science and Technology. Accessed May 4, 2015. http://www.science.co.il/Israel-history.php. XII. Kutchei, Mindy. Interview by author. April 17, 2015. XIII.Satlow, Michael L. "Creating Judaism." In Creating Judaism: History, Family, Community. New York, NY: Columbia University Press, 2006.
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