AboutRabbi Barry Dov Lerner Expertise Write to me with questions about Jewish customs and law, history,
philosophy and tradition for answers from a Conservative perspective or conversion. I am a graduate of The Jewish Theological Seminary and a member of the Conservative Rabbinical Assembly. Having served in congregational pulpits since 1970, I now am President of the Foundation For Family Education, Inc. a non-profit educational endeavor. I established it to create new formats of hands-on programs and provide free educational downloads at www.jewishfreeware.org. In addition to general informational questions I welcome your questions about programs for social action, outreach to dual-faith families, inter-faith clergy projects, healing services, education for conversion, adult education for the congregation and the community. If you have questions about Informal and Formal Education I am ready to share my extensive experience with Youth Activities, Camping and Religious School/Hebrew High School on a congregational, community and national/international level.
Experience I have served on the National Youth Commission for more than 25 years and serve on the Boards of the Conservative Zionist movement MERCAZ and the World Council of Synagogues. I have always dual-families and taught candidates for conversion with a great sense of fulfillment. I am very proud of 25 years on the Jewish camping staff of Camps Ramah. My greatest source of pride is my family! Ask me about them, please!:-)
I was raised Catholic, but have always had Jewish friends, so I am a little bit familiar with Jewish law and custom, but when I ask my friends "does Judaism believe in the survival of the soul, survival after death of the person, is there an afterlife or "Heaven" in the Jewish view", no one seems to give me a consistent answer. Some say no, some yes...does Judaism believe that the person survives death? Who? The person I am right now, let's say, if I died right now, would "I" survive with the same "me" conciousness? I'm confused, but want to understand.
Thanks very much,
Michael Cairn
Los Angeles, Ca.
Answer Dear Michael,
Thanks for writing.
Yes, this is a complex question if only because we don't always use the same terms to mean the same thing.
I would hope that as a Catholic you would initially speak with your priest or teacher from the Church regarding Catholic understanding of your terms and questions.
First of all, some major references that cover some Jewish thinking in all movements of Judaism:
1. What Happens After I Die?: Jewish Views of Life After Death by Rifat Sonsino; Daniel B. Syme (Paperback - Jul 1, 1990)
2. Doing Jewish Theology: God, Torah & Israel in Modern Judaism by Neil Gillman (Hardcover - Sep 2008)
3. Judaism in Late Antiquity: Death, Life-After-Death, Resurrection and the World-To-Come in the Judaisms of Antiquity (Handbook of Oriental Studies/Handbuch Der Orientalistik) (v. 4) by Alan J. Avery-Peck and Jacob Neusner
4. Tough Questions Jews Ask: A Young Adult's Guide to Building a Jewish Life by Edward Feinstein (Paperback - Feb 2003)
5. Meanings of Death in Rabbinic Judaism by David Kraemer (Paperback - Nov 12, 1999)
6. The Jewish Way in Death and Mourning (Revised and Expanded Edition) by Maurice Lamm (Paperback - Oct 2000)
If I had to choose only one book, my choice would be that of my teacher: "The Death of Death: Resurrection and Immortality in Jewish Thought" by Neil Gillman (Paperback - April 2000)
Secondly, your question is a challenge that has "vertical" and "horizontal" dimensions. Vertical refers to the span of time, and horizontal refers to the breadth of geography in which Jews have lived - for a short period of time or centuries, of exposure to other cultures and faiths.
Are you asking about Judaism as it was practiced by the Children of Israel in the First Temple period 3000 years ago, by Babylonian Jewry after 586 BCE, during the Second Temple period under Greek and Roman influence, medieval European under Christian and Muslim influence, in the far East under Asian spiritual influence?
Are you asking about a soul - what is it, from where does it come, of what is it composed, how can it be both spirit and body, etc.
What then is death - and of what - and why is it feared?
How then and why did various communities and time frames change, rethink, evolve, etc. their view about death and life-after-death? Again, I recommend Professor Gillman's work: "The Death of Death: Resurrection and Immortality in Jewish Thought"
Thirdly: in my opinion the answer to what do Jews believe about life and death and life-after-death, and do we have beliefs about heaven, hell, punishment, reward, resurrection, etc. is: yes, no, maybe, sometimes, perhaps, never, and always. No sarcasm or disrespect intended! It's just that complicated and varied.
Good luck and best wishes for a meaningful life in a world at peace.
