Judaism

• This is the Star of David, a generally recognized symbol of Judaism and Jewish identity and is also known as the Jewish Star.

The Basics

• Monotheistic• Linked to Christianity

– Believe in the 10 Commandments

• Faith of the Jewish people began with the Israelites

• Sacred text= the Torah: first 5 books of the Bible: Genesis; Exodus; Leviticus; Numbers; Deuteronomy

• Abraham is considered the Father of the Jews

General Beliefs

• God: exists, is one and unique, is intangible, is eternal

• God knows the thoughts and deeds of men

• Prayer is to be directed to God alone

• The words of the prophets are true-Moses and Abraham being particularly important

• The Torah was given to Moses• The Messiah/savior will come• The dead will be resurrected

How it started• Jews believe God made a

covenant (binding agreement) with Abraham, just like Christians do.

• In this covenant Jews believe they were ordained as God’s chosen people-meaning they were given more responsibility as God’s children-but are no more special than any other

Why are they called Jews?• First book of the Torah (Genesis 14:13) teaches that

Abraham, commonly recognized as the first Jew, was described as a “Hebrew.”

• “Jew” comes from the name Judah, one of the twelve sons of Jacob (grandson of Abraham), and one of the twelve tribes of Israel.

• “Jew” originally referred to those who were a member of the tribe of Judah, but when the kingdom was divided (Israel in the north and Judah in the South) (after the reign of Solomon-1 Kings, chapter 12) it referred to anyone in the kingdom of Judah.

• Many believe that a Jew is anyone who is a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; – or simply a believer in the faith of Judaism

History• The Exodus:

– Israelites/Jews escaped Egypt and were forced into slavery• Moses pleaded with the Pharaoh to free the

Israelites • he refused so the Lord sent a series of plagues to

change his mind and he did• Moses then parted the Red Sea to escape and the

Pharaoh’s army was destroyed• The Lord also spoke to Moses to give the Ten

Commandments, the center of Jewish Law.

Terms• Canaan-the promised land;

the Israelite kingdom under the rule of King David

• Jerusalem-capital city of Canaan and the main center for Jewish worship

• Sabbath-holy day of rest• Patriarchal-fathers and

husbands hold great legal and moral authority in Jewish society

• Ethics-moral standards of behavior

Judaism and Christianity Compared

1. The Messiah/Savior has not come

2. Jesus is a teacher.3. Torah4. Hanukkah; Sukkoth5. God is an indivisible entity6. Actions and deeds as

primary7. Jews do not recognize the

need for a savior as a way to God.

8. Rabbis –synagogue9. Passover-honor of their

deliverance from slavery

1. Christ is the Messiah/Savior and has come once and will come again.

2. Jesus is part of the Trinity and Savior.

3. Bible4. Christmas; “Thanksgiving”-

not Christian but similar to that of Sukkoth

5. God is the Trinity6. Beliefs and the heart as

primary7. Christians believe you must

be saved through Jesus to be with God eternally

8. Pastors- Church9. Easter-celebrates Christ’s

resurrection