We have compiled an extensive list of Jewish learning resources. Unless it says otherwise, these are all free.
Different communities and individuals follow different minhagim (traditions) and versions of halacha (Jewish law), as well as different nusach (prayer and liturgy traditions). We have tried to provide a mix of perspectives, from ultra-orthodox sources like Chabad’s website, to egalitarian denominations’ resources like Anshe Emet synagogue’s nusach Ashkenaz mp3s, to non-denominational learning tools like Duolingo. Sometimes the same text or concept appears multiple times in this list, to allow you to choose which angle, commentary, or language you want. If you’re unsure whether a resource is right for you, take time to learn about the perspective of the writer or organization.
While we take care to check these resources for accuracy, we are not responsible for content of external websites or other resources.
French and Spanish language resources are listed towards the bottom of the page. Portuguese will come soon.
Los recursos en español se enumeran en la parte inferior de la página.
Les ressources en français sont listées vers le bas de la page.
Hebrew
Modern Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew
- eTeacherBiblical, a paid resource accredited by the Israeli Ministry of Education and Hebrew University
- Daily Dose of Hebrew from beginner skills to advanced parsing of verses in audiovisual format
Torah
Parashah study
- Chabad’s weekly parashah articles and summary
- MyJewishLearning’s weekly parashah summary with full year’s listings
- Anshe Emet’s parashah podcast
- Bimbam, a site for digital storytelling on Jewish themes including educational topics like the weekly parashah and key texts
- Rabbi Sachs’ weekly parashah commentary
Full texts
- The full Tanach with optional Rashi commentary
- The full Tanach in JPS (Conservative movement) edition including mp3s of the full Tanach
- Sefaria, a free online source for most key Jewish texts available in the original language and often English translation
Talmud and Rabbinics
- Most classic Rabbinic texts in Hebrew
- Online chevruta (partnership) learning and courses, a paid service (if you are a member of a Kulanu partner community, contact us for scholarship options)
- What is a Jewish text, Jewish textual study traditions, and various articles on diverse texts from MyJewishLearning
- Various articles on Talmud from MyJewishLearning
- Various articles on Rabbinics from Chabad
History and Philosophy
Coming soon!
Jewish Life Cycles
- Various articles on the Jewish lifecycle from Chabad
Jewish Calendar and Holidays
Holidays
- Various articles on Jewish holidays from Chabad
- Various articles from MyJewishLearning.com
- Video and article from MyJewishLearning.com
- Various articles on the Jewish calendar from Chabad
- Make your own Jewish calendar with Shabbat times for any location from HebCal
Kashrut and Food
Keeping kosher
- A basic explanation of which foods are and aren’t kosher from Aish.com
- Up to date guidelines on hechshers, food guidelines for upcoming holidays, and general kashrut guidelines
- A Guide to Shechita (ritual slaughter, a part of kashrut), published by Shechita UK
- Magen Tzedek, an organization advocating for ethical kashrut by awarding an additional hechsher to food products created using ethical procedures
- Reform Judaism’s position on observing kashrut
- Jewish approaches to childhood nutrition
- Brachot
- A website dedicated to the blessing said after meals, birkat hamazon, including various nusach
- Brachot to be said before and after food
- Food as culture
- Recipes and articles from MyJewishLearning
Prayer and Ritual
Siddurim
- Open Siddur project, giving free pdf access to many siddurim
- Round-up of commonly-used siddurim
- Recently released siddurim
Prayer
- Various articles from Chabad
- Various articles from MyJewishLearning
- Mp3s of liturgy, mostly nusach Ashkenaz, from Chabad
- Ritual Well, a Reconstructionist resource that offers modern, progressive reinterpretations of liturgy and prayer
Leading prayer and reading Torah
- Line by line comparison of nusach Ashkenaz, Sephard, Yemen, and Morocco for the parashot (website in Hebrew)
- Sephardic Hazzanut project, with Torah, Haftarah, and prayer audio resources in nusach Sephard
- Anshe Emet Synagogue’s Bar/Bat mitzvah resources with audio in nusach Ashkenaz
- Learn to read the Torah and Haftarah with their blessings, and access Divrei Torah, with Navigating the Bible
- The Reconstructionist Movement’s versions of the blessings for the Torah and Haftarah, and how to read Torah, Haftarah, and special tropes for Holidays
Music
Liturgical music
- Sephardic Hazzanut project, including piyyutim, bakkashot and Holiday music
- Songs and niggunim for all major celebrations from the West End Synagogue (Reconstructionist, but many standard nusach Ashkenaz tunes)
- Moroccan and other North African liturgy
- Online dictionary of Jewish music terms
Rabbi’s Handbooks – leading weddings, funerals, etc.
Coming soon!
Denominations
- Orthodox Union
- Conservative Movement
- Reform Movement
- Chabad
- Reconstructionist Movement, known as Reconstructing Judaism
- World Union for Progressive Judaism, incorporating the Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist movements and other non-denominational liberal practices and communities
- Neo-Hasidism, an approach to Judaism that is compatible with all other movements, offering lots of printable resources
Community Listings
- A listing of many of the known Jewish communities around the world, arranged by country, including synagogue listings
- Active synagogues around the world
- Reform Movement’s synagogue listings, numbering over 800 communities primarily in the Americas
- Reconstructionist Movement’s synagogue listings in North America, Italy, Netherlands, and Curacao
- Conservative Movement’s global synagogue listings
- Orthodox Union’s community finder for the USA, Canada, and Israel
Genealogy and Family Research
Genealogy
- Jewish Genealogical Society, a New York based organization offering resources and educational events
- Ancestry.com, a website to trace genealogy
- MyHeritage, a website to trace genealogy
- FamilySearch, a website to trace genealogy
- Sephardic genealogy resources
- Sephardic genealogy resources focused especially on Anusim
DNA testing
Please note that DNA tests cannot affirm or deny someone’s Jewish status according to Halachah, but mtDNA may indicate increased likeliness as it traces the maternal line only. DNA tests should be considered primarily “for fun”. We do not endorse the services of DNA testing.
- Family Tree DNA, a paid service
- 23andMe, a paid service
- MyHeritage, a paid service
- GEDmatch, a website that collates DNA data from the above services to provide more complete information on your DNA test results
Film, TV, Video
- Simon Schama’s History of the Jews, a five-part BBC documentary spanning 4000 years of Jewish history
- Bimbam, a site for digital storytelling on Jewish themes including educational topics like the weekly parashah and key texts
- AlephBeta, featuring video lectures and courses on wide-ranging topics
Resources in Spanish
Anusim
- Tarbut Sephard, dedicated to helping Anusim reconnect with Judaism
General websites
- Aish Latino, with various learning resources from an Orthodox perspective
Resources in French
- Mitzvot and traditions on the Chabad French language website
- Audiovisual lessons and courses, and “ask a rabbi” function
- A thorough website including music, articles, “ask a rabbi”, videos, and the Jewish calendar
- Daily halachah
- Audiovisual resources
- Piyyutim and other musical resources
Resources for Parents and Children by Miriam Feinberg
- Books (By Miriam Feinberg)
- Jewish Home (By Miriam Feinberg)
- Life Cycle (By Miriam Feinberg)
- Shabbath (By Miriam Feinberg)
- Yom Haatzmaut (By Miriam Feinberg)
- Tu B’shevat (By Miriam Feinberg)
- Channukah (By Miriam Feinberg)
- Purim (By Miriam Feinberg)
- High Holidays (By Miriam Feinberg)
- Passover (By Miriam Feinberg)
- Shavuot (By Miriam Feinberg)
- Sukkot (By Miriam Feinberg)
- The Ultimate in Passover Music
- Passover Links
Book reviews of Kulanu-related publications
- Today I Am a Woman: Stories of Bat Mitzvah Around the World Barbara Vinick and Shulamit Reinharz, editors Blu Greenberg, 2012
- Noah Gordon: The Last Jew Steven Prowler, 2011
- Arnine Cumsky and Carol Weiss Rubel: The Choice: Converts to Judaism Share Their Stories Barbara Vinick, 2011
- Edith Bruder: The Black Jews of Africa: History, Religion, Identity Barbara Vinick, 2010
- Charles London: Far From Zion: In Search of A Global Jewish Community David Scholem, 2010
- Carmit Delman: Burnt Bread and Chutney Steve Prowler, 2009
- Maria Fernanda Guimarães and António Júlio Andrade: “Carção, The Capital of ‘Marranismo’” Manuel Azevedo, 2008
- Tiberiu Weisz: “The Kaifeng Stone Inscriptions: The Legacy of the Jewish Community in Ancient China” Irwin M. Berg, 2008
- Xu Xin: “Legends of the Chinese Jews of Kaifeng”
- David Gitlitz: “Secrecy and Deceit”
- Tudor Parfitt: “Journey to the Vanished City”
- Birobidzhan: Soviet-era Jewish homeland struggles on
- Bukharan Jews: “The Outsiders”
- Bowen on Netanyahu: “The ‘Marranos” of Spain”
- The Corners of the Earth
- Ken Blady: “Jewish Communities in Exotic Places”
- The Annihilation of Lithuanian Jewry
- Jewish Roots in Poland
- The Thirteenth Gate
- Jews of Brooklyn
- The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara
- The Popes Against the Jews
- Hamadrich: A Guide to the Values and Practices of Modern Judaism
- Virtually Jewish: Reinventing Jewish Culture in Europe
- Suddenly Jewish: Dramatic personal stories of the unexpected discovery of a Jewish heritage
- Who is a Khazar?
- Etz Hayim
- Across the Sabbath River: In Search of a Lost Tribe of Israel
- JewishGen
- Outreach Judaism
- ORT World Union
- PBS Shtetl Jewish Child Survivors
- Jews from Asia Ivri Nasawi
- Khazaria: Kevin Brook
- Judaismo & Cultura
- The Jews of Cuba
- Historic Congregation Mickve Israel, Savannah, Georgia
- Jewish Web Week
- Forward Newspaper
- Yachad b’Shalom
- Religion & Spirituality of all Religions