3 Religions3 Religions

JudaismJudaism

ChristianityChristianity

IslamIslam

ItemItem JudaismJudaism ChristianityChristianity IslamIslam

Belief in how Belief in how many deitiesmany deities

Name of Supreme Name of Supreme BeingBeing

Religious FounderReligious Founder

Holy CityHoly City

Religious LeaderReligious Leader

Sacred WritingSacred Writing

Name of BelieversName of Believers

Symbol of FaithSymbol of Faith

House of WorshipHouse of Worship

Celebration of Celebration of Special EventsSpecial Events

Beliefs Beliefs Concerning the Concerning the Good LifeGood Life

Beliefs Beliefs Concerning Life Concerning Life After DeathAfter Death

monotheism

Jehovah Jehovah (Yahweh)(Yahweh)

MoseMosessJerusalemJerusalem

RabbiRabbi

Old TestamentOld Testament

JewsJews

Star of DavidStar of DavidSynagogueSynagogue

Yom KippurYom KippurPassoverPassoverComplete Complete obedience to obedience to Mosaic LawMosaic Law

Vague about Vague about afterlifeafterlife

MonotheismMonotheism

GodGod

ChristChrist

JerusalemJerusalem

Priest/MinisterPriest/Minister

Bible (Old and Bible (Old and New Testament)New Testament)

ChristiansChristians

CrossCrossChurch or CathedralChurch or Cathedral

EasterEasterChristmasChristmas

Love God and Love God and fellow manfellow man

Belief in Belief in Kingdom of Kingdom of HeavenHeaven

MonotheismMonotheism

AllahAllah

MohammedMohammed

MeccaMecca

None, Muezzin or None, Muezzin or ImamImam

Koran Koran (Qur'an)(Qur'an)

MuslimsMuslimsCrescent Crescent

MosqueMosque

Ramadan Ramadan

Five Pillars of Five Pillars of FaithFaith

Belief in Belief in ParadiseParadise

JudaismJudaism

Oldest major religion and first Oldest major religion and first monotheisticmonotheistic

Judaism is the religion of only one Judaism is the religion of only one people – the Jewspeople – the Jews

The Torah is the Old Testament.The Torah is the Old Testament. Synagogue is the house of worship Synagogue is the house of worship

and educationand education The Sabbath is on the seventh day of The Sabbath is on the seventh day of

the week, Saturdaythe week, Saturday

JudaismJudaismSynagogue Western Wall

Jerusalem Menorah

ChristianityChristianity

Christianity is based on the life and Christianity is based on the life and teaching of Jesus Christteaching of Jesus Christ

The largest religion in the worldThe largest religion in the world The Trinity, three distinct persons who The Trinity, three distinct persons who

make up one Godmake up one God• God the Father, who created the universe and God the Father, who created the universe and

everything in it.everything in it.• God the Son, who took human form as Jesus God the Son, who took human form as Jesus

ChristChrist• Holy Spirit, also called the Holy Ghost. Holy Spirit, also called the Holy Ghost.

ChristianityChristianityCathedral Jerusalem

Holy Trinity

IslamIslam Founded in A.D. 600’s by Prophet MuhammadFounded in A.D. 600’s by Prophet Muhammad Muslim is a person who submits to Allah and Muslim is a person who submits to Allah and

follows the teachings of Islamfollows the teachings of Islam Five Pillars of FaithFive Pillars of Faith

• Shahadah, an act of bearing witness, belief that Allah is Shahadah, an act of bearing witness, belief that Allah is the only Godthe only God

• Prayer, pray five times a day, before dawn, at midday, in Prayer, pray five times a day, before dawn, at midday, in midafternoon, just after sunset, and at nightmidafternoon, just after sunset, and at night

• Almsgiving, paid once a year as a tax to help the poor Almsgiving, paid once a year as a tax to help the poor and improve the buildingsand improve the buildings

• Fasting, Every Muslim must fast in the month of Fasting, Every Muslim must fast in the month of Ramadan. Abstain from food, drink, and smokingRamadan. Abstain from food, drink, and smoking

• Pilgrimage, every Muslim must make a Hajj to Mecca at Pilgrimage, every Muslim must make a Hajj to Mecca at least once in their lifetime if they are physically and least once in their lifetime if they are physically and financially able to make the journey.financially able to make the journey.

KaabaKaaba

An empty cube-An empty cube-shaped building in shaped building in the center of the the center of the Great Mosque in Great Mosque in MeccaMecca

Muslims walk Muslims walk around the Kaaba around the Kaaba seven times in a seven times in a counter clock wise counter clock wise direction.direction.

IslamIslam

Blue Mosque

Five Pillars of Islam

Kaaba

Qubba Al Sakhrah

Turkey

Jerusalem

Middle East Settlement Middle East Settlement Until the 1900's, most Middle Eastern Until the 1900's, most Middle Eastern

people lived in villages or small towns and people lived in villages or small towns and made a living by farming. Only a small made a living by farming. Only a small number lived in cities. number lived in cities.

Since World War II (1939-1945), many Since World War II (1939-1945), many people have moved to urban areas. people have moved to urban areas.

Today, in most Middle Eastern countries, Today, in most Middle Eastern countries, more than half the people live in cities. more than half the people live in cities. Middle Eastern people have strong ties to Middle Eastern people have strong ties to their families and to their religious and their families and to their religious and language groups. language groups.

The Bedouin PeopleThe Bedouin People Bedouins are Arab Bedouins are Arab

people who people who traditionally have traditionally have been nomadic herders been nomadic herders in the deserts of the in the deserts of the Middle East.Middle East.

The Bedouins who The Bedouins who follow their traditional follow their traditional way of life travel the way of life travel the deserts seeking fresh deserts seeking fresh water and pastureland water and pastureland for their camels, for their camels, goats, and sheep. goats, and sheep.

The Bedouins live in The Bedouins live in tents and wear clothing tents and wear clothing made from the skin and made from the skin and hair of their animals. hair of their animals. The Bedouins eat The Bedouins eat mostly dairy products, mostly dairy products, dates, and rice. They dates, and rice. They trade meat and dairy trade meat and dairy products from their products from their livestock to people in livestock to people in nearby villages for nearby villages for knives, pots, and other knives, pots, and other manufactured goods. manufactured goods.

Oil in the Middle EastOil in the Middle East

The Middle East has about The Middle East has about two-thirds of the world's oil.two-thirds of the world's oil.

Its reserves total about 660 Its reserves total about 660 billion barrels. billion barrels.

Saudi Arabia has about 260 Saudi Arabia has about 260 billion barrels, or about a billion barrels, or about a fourth of the world's fourth of the world's reserves. reserves.

Most of Saudi Arabia's Most of Saudi Arabia's petroleum lies in areas petroleum lies in areas along the Persian Gulf. Iran, along the Persian Gulf. Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and the United Iraq, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates each have Arab Emirates each have about 10 percent of the total about 10 percent of the total world petroleum reserves.world petroleum reserves.

Important IssuesImportant Issues

Oil wealth- How it is used!Oil wealth- How it is used! Power and Authority- democracy versus Power and Authority- democracy versus

control by a few.control by a few. Role of Islam-mRole of Islam-maintenanceaintenance of Islamic of Islamic

traditions and laws.traditions and laws. Status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.Status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Kurdish ConflictKurdish Conflict Environmental Issues- water scarcity, Environmental Issues- water scarcity,

overgrazing. overgrazing.

GovernmentsGovernmentsCountryCountry Form of GovernmentForm of Government Issues of International Issues of International

InterestInterest

Afghanistan Theocracy

Ethnic rivalries and competing Ethnic rivalries and competing political factions make the political factions make the country unstable. The Taliban, country unstable. The Taliban, came into power in the 1990’s came into power in the 1990’s raising concerns in the West as raising concerns in the West as it oppresses certain segments it oppresses certain segments in Afghanistan. In 2001 the in Afghanistan. In 2001 the Taliban came under attack for Taliban came under attack for harboring terrorists. harboring terrorists.

Iran Theocracy

Saudi Arabia

Iraq Parliamentary Democracy

Conservative Monarchy

Unstable political order and Unstable political order and animosity towards the West animosity towards the West concerns many because of concerns many because of Iran’s crucial location in the Iran’s crucial location in the Persian Gulf.Persian Gulf.

Unstable government. Still has Unstable government. Still has US troop in the country to keep US troop in the country to keep control over the conflicting control over the conflicting citizens. citizens.

World’s largest oil exporter can World’s largest oil exporter can affect world economies by affect world economies by reducing or increasing oil reducing or increasing oil production. Role as caretaker of production. Role as caretaker of Mecca. Mecca.