Judaism 101

What is Judaism?Is Judaism a Religion?

Clearly, there is a religion called Judaism, but many people call themselves Jews who do not believe in God or practice the religion (called “secular” Jews), so…Is It a Culture or Ethnic Group?

There are certainly cultural traits and behaviors that are shared by many Jews, however, that culture is not shared by all Jews all over the world, and people who do not share that culture are no less Jews because of it, so…

Who Is a Jew?

• In Jewish matrilineal tradition, anyone who is born of a Jewish mother is a Jew, regardless of her or his beliefs;

and/or• anyone who formally converts to

Judaism.

However…For the purposes of this discussion, we will mostly examine Judaism as a Religion, so, we ask again:

What is Judaism?

Judaism is…• the religion of the Jewish people.• the first monotheistic religion and among the

oldest recorded religions, dating back nearly 4,000 years.

• the smallest of the world’s major religions, with a worldwide population of about 14 million, or .2% of people in the world.

mon·o·the·ism [mon-uh-thee-iz-uhm] noun

the doctrine or belief that there is only one God

What is the Role of Place?

As we learn about Judaism,keep in mind this mini-question.

What is the Role of Place in Judaism?

Jewish Diaspora• As the result of a history of extreme

persecution, many Jews live in what is called: the Diaspora.

• Diaspora means “dispersed” and it often is used to refer to the Jews who do not live in Israel.

• Currently, close to half of all Jews in the world live in Israel, or Eratz Yisroel, also referred to in the Bible as Canaan, and by many as Palestine.

http://www.mideastweb.org/misraeldetail.htm

As a Faith, Jews Believe in...

• One God, as the Creator of the Universe, personal but non-corporeal (not having a human form)

• The Torah, the first five books of the Bible, which, along with the Tanakh, and Talmud contains the religious, moral and social law which guides the lives of Jewish people

• Prophets of old, especially Moses, through whom the Torah was revealed to the Jewish people

The Torah• Written in Hebrew,

by hand, on a scroll of parchment.

• Kept in a cloth covering when not in use, and stored in an “Ark”

Three Main Movements• While Jews are united by a common heritage,

they are divided in terms of how they practice their religion.

• In Judaism, the sects or denominations of Jews are called “Movements”, of which there are primarily three:

• Orthodox• Reform

• Conservative

Orthodox Jews• Believe that God gave the Torah directly to Moses on

Mount Sinai.• They observe strictly all Jewish Laws• Men wear skullcaps, called “kipot” or “yarmulkes”at all

times to how respect for God, women wear wigs• Follow Strict dietary rules: keep “Kosher”• Hassidic, or “Ultra Orthodox” Jews wear traditional

clothing: Black hats, forelocks• Women and men worship separately – very traditional

gender roles maintined

Reform Jews• In the early 1800s, some Jews began to

doubt the origins of the sacred writings• They began to believe that the oral law

came from people, not from God• These Jews believe that while moral

teachings from the Torah are important, many rituals and ceremonies are not

• They adapt Jewish law to fit current times

Conservative Jews• Developed after the Reform

movement, Conservative Jews believe that the Torah should be revered as Jewish law from God, BUT they also argue that practices should be relevant to modern times.

• Conservative Jews maintain most traditional customs and laws.

Jewish Values…• Tikkun Olam - “repairing this world”

through justice and righteousness; through acts, not beliefs

• The home and family, social responsibility and doing Mitzvot : “good deeds” based on God’s commandments

• Education and hard work• Debate and discussion

Brief history of Judaism: People of

the Covenant• According to Hebrew scriptures,

around 2100 BCE, Abraham received a vision from God that instructed him to leave his home in Ur, move to Haran and later, Canaan.

• His instructions were to move to a special land and raise a nation. Eventually this special land came to be Canaan.

A covenant is…

a solemn and binding agreement.

The covenant between God and the Jews is key to the Jewish faith.

Abraham’s Journey

• Some time later, God asked Abraham to make a sacrifice of his beloved son Isaac. Abraham prepared to do so, but God stops him just in time.

• God saw that Abraham’s faith was true, and made a promise to Abraham that all his descendants would be his Chosen People

• The idea of a Promised Land was established.

• As God’s chosen people, Abraham and his descendants promised to keep faith with God, follow his command, and in turn, they would be led to the Promised Land: This was the covenant.

• This covenant was reinforced around 500 years later, when one of Abraham’s decendants, Moses, received the

Ten Commandments

from God on Mount Sinai, as they wandered in the desert after escaping from slavery in Egypt.

Historical Timeline continues…

• 1200 BCE: 1st” Kingdom” of Israel established• 722 BCE: Jews come under Assyrian rule• 586 BCE: Jews conquered by Babylonians – First Temple

Destroyed (Temple of Solomon)• 516 BCE: Temple rebuilt on the Temple mount in

Jerusalem• 167 BCE: Greeks have moved in and Jews rebel• 63 BCE: Romans conquer and take control• 66-70 CE: Jews revolted against Romans – Second Temple

in Jerusalem destroyed

Destruction of the Second Temple

With the destruction of the Second Temple, Judaism experienced a significant shift from a religion based in sacrifice and prayer in the one Holy Temple in Jerusalem

toRabbinic Judaism, when Jews had to face a new reality of Judaism without a Temple.

Rabbis are leaders of Judaism.

There was always a tradition of Oral Law in Judaism. In the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, Rabbis would debate and interpret the meanings of the words of the Torah.When the Temple was destroyed the Rabbis felt the need to begin to record all of their teachings and interpretations.Today, the record of the Oral Law can be read (and debated) in over 6,000 pages of text called the Talmud

Timeline: Notable Instances of

Persecution of Jews• 635: Jews conquered by Muslims

• 1096: First Crusade in Rhineland - Jews massacred

• 1290: Third Crusade – Jews expelled from England

• 1391: Massacre in Spain

• 1492: Jews expelled from Spain

• 1648-57: Massacres in Ukraine

• 1821-1906: Pogroms (mass kiilings of Jews) in Imperial Russia

• 1880 – 1914: 2 million Jews fled the Russian Empire for the US & UK

• 1917: 250,000 Jews killed in Russia

• 1933 -1945: 6 million Jews killed in a genocide by Germans

Zionism• Began as early as 1897 in response to

antisemitic persecution and discrimination

• a movement of Jews that supported/s the creation and maintenance of a Jewish homeland in the territory defined as the Land of Israelantisemitism [an-tee-sem-i-tiz-uhm]

noun

Hatred of Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish religion or heritage.

What is the Role of Place?

So, what is the Role of Place in Judaism?

Additional InfoWhere do Jews worship today? at a Synagogue, or Shul

The leader of services is a Rabbi, but larger shuls also have Chazzans, or Cantors, who lead the singing of prayers.The Torah is taken out and parts are read on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

Important Holidays• All begin at sundown the night before and the dates are

determined by a lunisolar calendar• Shabbat – the Sabbath, every Friday evening to Saturday

evening• Rosh Hashana – Jewish New Year, usually in September• Yom Kippur – Day of Atonement – asking forgiveness for

wrongdoing• Sukkot – Harvest holiday• Hanukkah – Rededication of the Temple, not actually

important• Passover – Liberation holiday, Jews were freed from

Egyptian slavery

Life Cycle Events• Bris – circumcision ceremony for infant males

on their 8th day of life, performed by a moyle.• Bar/Bat Mitzvah – literally: “Son/Daughter of

the Commandment” The coming of age as an adult: for boys, at age 13, and for girls, at age 12. Typically, to mark the occasion, the Bar or Bat Mizvah is called to read from the Torah.

• Sitting Shiva – seven day period of mourning for the dead, at the mourner’s home.

A few symbols of Judaism

Magen David

Menorah

Chai (Life)