If you are called upon to interpret for a Jewish celebration, there are a number of considerations. The first is, which of the three major branches are involved. Orthodox Judaism is the most observant one, with an emphasis on following the commandments of God as found in the Torah². The most obvious and pervasive of which are Shabbat (the Sabbath) and the holidays, kashrut (keeping kosher), and prayers three times a day. This branch believes it follows the laws that God gave to Moshe Rabeinu (Moses) to the letter and without adulteration. Its services are totally in Hebrew, with only a few things repeated in English, if any at all. The drasha (more like a lecture than a sermon) and the announcements are given in English, heavily peppered with Hebrew expressions. Men and women are seated separately with a dividing wall or the women may be seated in a balcony. The truth be told there are many different levels of actual observance among Orthodox Jews from Chassidim being the most strict to Modern Orthodox who may be somewhat more flexible in their observance of the laws, but the synagogue services are virtually identical.

Historically, the next branch is Reform Judaism, which arose in Germany towards the end of the 19th century to break down the barriers between Jew and non-Jew. Their services were strictly in the language of the country they were in, no Hebrew, and mention of anything ritualistic or otherworldly, such as sacrifices or the belief in a redeeming Messiah, were deleted from the service. Yarmulkes (skullcaps) and prayer shawls were not worn. Women and men were seated together, and ritual observances such as Shabbat, holidays, kosher, and thrice-daily prayer were not followed. Judaism was seen as a moral force that had brought light to the world and no further separatism was necessary. Over the years, Reform has taken on more and more of the rituals. In part this is because if rituals are abandoned, there is no need for a synagogue or a Jewish identity. Today you can find Reform services that include a good deal of Hebrew, often repeated in English, and it is a personal choice if you wear a yarmulke or prayer shawl, but many men and some women do. Women and men still sit together and there is a return to many of the rituals like kosher, Shabbat, and prayer, but it is an individual decision.

When many Jews emigrated to the United States from Europe at the turn of the century, most abandoned their Jewishness, only to find later a need to return to some sort of Jewish identity. Conservative Judaism arose and was a middle path between Orthodoxy and early Reform. Now that Reform has taken back many of the elements of Orthodoxy, it is more difficult to separate the Conservative movement from it, but we could say that a greater percentage of Conservative Jews keep more of the commandments than Reform Jews do. In terms of religious services, which is our concern here, a Conservative synagogue is more likely to avoid the appearance of breaking Jewish laws, such as turning lights on during the Sabbath or serving non-Kosher food, and less of the service is repeated in English.

The appropriate dress for any Orthodox setting is formal. Suits for men and very modest dresses for women, that is, long sleeves and no décolletage (nothing showing below the neck). This is best even for Conservative and Reform settings, although one might be able to get away with less. Since Orthodox congregations have separate seating for men and women, it is not appropriate for a female interpreter to stand in the men's section. Usually women can see men easily from their own section, so a male interpreter could work for a female Deaf client while standing within the men's section. For an Orthodox service, I don't see how a female interpreter could work for a male Deaf person. Perhaps this is possible, but you would definitely have to speak with the rabbi beforehand to figure out a strategy. This is rarely an issue for Conservative or Reform congregations.

Preparation is important for any assignment, and especially so for the Jewish services which are meant to be a "poetic" expression of the soul, may contain Hebrew, Aramaic and Yiddish expressions (Ladino if the service is Sephardic), and have specialized limitations that must be dealt with. In any of the Jewish services, it is wise to get a copy of that service in Hebrew (if you can read it at all) and English, and consult the rabbi as to what portion of this written text will actually be used. You can also consult with the Deaf consumers as to what they want interpreted if it is a lengthy service. For some things like a wedding or funeral you will interpret everything, but the Shabbat service is about three hours long and Yom Kippur lasts basically all day, so clear this up beforehand to avoid unnecessary exhaustion, even if there will be two interpreters. If you will be an on-going interpreter for Jewish services, it is wise to start to learn more about Judaism. For resources to help you, see Resources for Jewish interpreting.

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