JUDAISM

BASIC BELIEFS OF JUDAISM

God is not associated with other gods, only people and the world

God is only concerned with the actions of human beings

Prayer to God is the only way to connect with him

ORIGIN OF JUDAISM

Began during the 6th-5th century BCE According to scholars, exiled Judahites in

Babylon altered ideas for monotheism, divine law and Covent becoming Judaism

Then they returned to Jerusalem to build a kingdom based on Judaism

According to the Hebrew bible, Judaism started when God chose the children of Israel as his own people

THE IMPORTANT SYMBOLS AND TRADITIONS OF JUDAISM

The mezuzah: an important symbol that reminds people of the presence of God.

Baby naming ceremonies, also known as Simchat Bat ceremonies for baby girls takes place in synagogues eight days after birth.

Simcha (marriage ceremony) celebrates the union between two Jewish people

The marriage traditionally takes place under a canopy, or chuppah.

IMPORTANT EVENTS CAUSED BY JUDAISM

The sacking of Jerusalem by the Roman Empire

The Crusades by Catholic Christians WWII and the Holocaust Today’s Palestinian-Israeli conflict The making of the country of Israel http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Jud

aism/jewpop.html

THE GOD(S) OF JUDAISM

There is one god The only proper name for God is “YHWH” Elohim also means god God can also be called “El” or “Shadda”

which mean the mighty one and almighty respectively

Elyon=most high Avinu=our father All refer to same god

THE HISTORY OF JUDAISM

Abraham was regarded as the first Hebrew, and the father of the Jewishpeople.

After he fulfilled his promise in worshipping only one God, Abraham was rewarded with his son Jacob inheriting the land of Israel.

They later went to Mount Sinai where they received the Torah, which is thebook of Moses.

63BCE, Romans take over Israel 70CE, Sacking of Jerusalem, Jews scatter (The

Diaspora

THE HISTORY OF JUDAISM

After WWII (1948), the Jews are given the country of Israel

Currently, there is a “religious war” in the Middle East between Israel and Arabian countries

POPULARITY OF JUDAISM

Over 15 million Jewish people

Countries with top Jewish populations >>>

 

Rank Country Jews% of World Jewish

Population

1 Israel 5,313,800 40.6%

2 United States 5,275,000 40.3%

3 France 491,500 3.8%

4 Canada 373,500 2.9%

5 United Kingdom 297,000 2.3%

6 Russia 228,000 1.7%

7 Argentina 184,500 1.4%

8 Germany 118,000 0.9%

9 Australia 103,000 0.8%

10 Brazil 96,500 0.7%

11 Ukraine 80,000 0.6%

12 South Africa 72,000 0.6%

13 Hungary 49,700 0.4%

14 Mexico 39,800 0.3%

15 Belgium 31,200 0.2%

THE PLACES THE RELIGION IS PRACTICED

Judaism is practiced in countries all around the world, but the majorityof Jewish people dwell in Israel, United States, Russia, England, andCanada

Next to none in Muslim countries

RACE/CULTURES ASSOCIATED WITH

The Jewish people technically have a culture of their own

Most Jewish people are Caucasian

BIBLIOGRAPHY Living Judaism: The Complete Guide to Jewish

Belief, Tradition andPractice, Wayne Dosick, no date

A history of Jews, Paul Johnson, Harper Collins, 1988

Philosophy of Judaism, Julius Guttman, translated by David Silverman, 1964

Stillman, Norman. "The Jews of Arab Lands." 1979 (Magazine)

Tracy Rich. "Judaism 101." http://www.jewfaq.org/index.htm. 1995

Yona Williams. "Basic Beliefs and Clothing."http://www.unexplainable.net/artman/publish/article_8761.shtml. 2 November2008

“Judaism.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judaism. 2010