A learning session with clergy intern Naomi Zaslow. The apocryphal book of Judith didn't make it into the Tanakh (bible). In fact, the rabbis of the Mishnah had a strict ban on reading apocrypha; Rabbi Akiva even taught that one who reads apocrypha has no place in the World to Come. In a perplexing twist, some of our Chanukah customs and laws seem to come from Judith! In this class, we will explore the rabbinic ban of apocrypha, highlights from Judith's 16 chapters, and how our celebration of Chanukah draws from her pages.