When Judaism Began will introduce the reader to the often-overlooked books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Key foundational elements of Jewish life and other Scripture-based religions emerge from this period. What are now called “Hebrew letters” become Hebrew letters, replacing the older Paleo-Hebrew script. The public reading of the Torah begins with Ezra reading from the scroll before the community in Jerusalem. The composing and editing of the Torah concludes in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah. In these books readers will meet the first people to think of themselves as Jews. Jewish holidays take shape during the beginning of this period, as does the Jewish calendar. Ezra and Nehemiah are the first biblical books to use the names of the months that are used today, like Elul and Kislev. The prophet Isaiah proclaimed, “For out of Zion shall come forth the Torah” (Isa 2:3). In this book readers will see that Torah began coming forth from Jerusalem in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah.
