The IsraelitesThe Israelites

YHWH & The YHWH & The CovenantCovenant

YHWHYHWH YahwehYahweh JehovahJehovah ElohimElohim GodGod Struck a covenant with Struck a covenant with

His chosen people, the His chosen people, the Israelites or Jews and Israelites or Jews and promised them promised them Canaan (Israel), a land Canaan (Israel), a land “of milk & honey”“of milk & honey”

AbrahamAbraham About 2000 BC?About 2000 BC? Real or myth?Real or myth? Seen as the “founder” Seen as the “founder”

of Judaism, of Judaism, Christianity, and IslamChristianity, and Islam

Accepted Yahweh as Accepted Yahweh as the only true god, the only true god, sealing the Covenant sealing the Covenant between his between his descendants and Goddescendants and God

His descendants are His descendants are the Israelitesthe Israelites

MosesMoses 1390 – 1270 BC?1390 – 1270 BC? Real or myth?Real or myth? Jewish infant raised in Jewish infant raised in

Egyptian Pharaoh’s Egyptian Pharaoh’s householdhousehold

Led the Israelites out Led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt by of slavery in Egypt by bringing 10 plagues bringing 10 plagues upon the nationupon the nation

Parted the Red SeaParted the Red Sea Received the Ten Received the Ten

CommandmentsCommandments Recorder of the Recorder of the TorahTorah

The Ten Commandments = basis The Ten Commandments = basis for the legal system of the for the legal system of the

IsraelitesIsraelites

The Ten CommandmentsThe Ten Commandments

Ten Commandments Ten Commandments (+ Roman law) (+ Roman law) became the became the foundation for all foundation for all modern western lawmodern western law

The basic moral code The basic moral code for Jews, Christians, for Jews, Christians, Muslims, & even Muslims, & even “nonbelievers” raised “nonbelievers” raised in Europe/Americasin Europe/Americas

King DavidKing David 1037 – 971 BC1037 – 971 BC Some archaeological Some archaeological

evidence exists that evidence exists that David was a real king David was a real king of Israelof Israel

Supposedly killed a Supposedly killed a giant with just his giant with just his slingshot as a boyslingshot as a boy

Seen as a righteous, Seen as a righteous, yet flawed, king who yet flawed, king who raised Israel to a raised Israel to a powerful kingdompowerful kingdom

SolomonSolomon 971 – 931 BC (reign)971 – 931 BC (reign) Son of DavidSon of David Known as an Known as an

incredibly wise and incredibly wise and just king (story of just king (story of The Judgment of The Judgment of Solomon)Solomon)

Built the First Jewish Built the First Jewish Temple, in Temple, in JerusalemJerusalem

Had 700 wives?!Had 700 wives?!

Solomon’s TempleSolomon’s Temple

Israel Became Israel Became DividedDivided

Due to political Due to political rivalries and rivalries and sectarian religious sectarian religious disputes, the disputes, the Israelites became Israelites became divided into two divided into two kingdoms, leading kingdoms, leading to their defeat at to their defeat at the hands of the the hands of the BabyloniansBabylonians

The Babylonian The Babylonian CaptivityCaptivity

The 2The 2ndnd Jewish Jewish TempleTemple

Eventually, the Persians Eventually, the Persians would conquer the would conquer the Babylonians and allow the Babylonians and allow the Israelites to return to Israelites to return to Jerusalem, where they rebuilt Jerusalem, where they rebuilt their templetheir temple

Temple stood until being Temple stood until being destroyed by the Romans destroyed by the Romans during the Jewish Rebellion during the Jewish Rebellion of 66 AD, after which the of 66 AD, after which the Jews were sent into Jews were sent into “diaspora” (the population “diaspora” (the population was deliberately scattered was deliberately scattered across the Roman Empire in across the Roman Empire in an effort to crush the Jewish an effort to crush the Jewish cultureculture

TheThe Torah Torah: Jewish version of : Jewish version of the stories of Abraham and the stories of Abraham and

MosesMosesThe Five Books of Moses (The The Five Books of Moses (The

Pentateuch)Pentateuch)GenesisGenesisExodusExodusLeviticusLeviticusNumbersNumbersDeuteronomyDeuteronomy

The Hebrew Bible The Hebrew Bible ((TanakhTanakh))

Consists of three Consists of three parts of which the parts of which the TorahTorah is the first is the first and holiestand holiest

Roughly equivalent Roughly equivalent to the Christian to the Christian Old Old Testament Testament

The The TalmudTalmud Written 200 – 500 Written 200 – 500

ADAD Book of rabbinic Book of rabbinic

discussion on discussion on Jewish law, ethics, Jewish law, ethics, customs, and customs, and historyhistory

Interprets the Interprets the Tanakh and Tanakh and applies it to applies it to everyday lifeeveryday life

As a faith, Jews Believe…As a faith, Jews Believe…

In one God, creator of the universe, In one God, creator of the universe, personal but non-corporealpersonal but non-corporeal

In prophets of old – especially Moses, In prophets of old – especially Moses, through whom Torah was revealed to through whom Torah was revealed to the Hebrew peoplethe Hebrew people

In Torah (first five books of the Bible), In Torah (first five books of the Bible), containing religious, moral and social containing religious, moral and social law which guides the life of a Jewlaw which guides the life of a Jew the Hebrew Bible does the Hebrew Bible does notnot include the include the

New TestamentNew Testament

As a people, Jews are…As a people, Jews are…

A nation in Diaspora (dispersed)A nation in Diaspora (dispersed) 15 – 16 million in worldwide population15 – 16 million in worldwide population United by a common heritage (an “ethnic” United by a common heritage (an “ethnic”

religion), divided in contemporary religion), divided in contemporary practice:practice:Orthodox:Orthodox:

ModernModernChasidic (Ultra Orthodox)Chasidic (Ultra Orthodox)

Reformed (18Reformed (18thth century Germany) century Germany)Conservative – moderates, response to Conservative – moderates, response to

reformreformReconstructionalism (20Reconstructionalism (20thth century America) century America)

As a way of life, Judaism is As a way of life, Judaism is based on…based on…

613 commandments found in Torah 613 commandments found in Torah (“Written Law”)(“Written Law”)

Talmud (“Oral Law”) – commentary of Talmud (“Oral Law”) – commentary of ancient rabbis that elaborates on how to ancient rabbis that elaborates on how to apply God’s Law in everyday life through:apply God’s Law in everyday life through: Dietary rules (Kashrut/Kosher)Dietary rules (Kashrut/Kosher) Dress and other symbolsDress and other symbols Prayer and devotion to the one GodPrayer and devotion to the one God The Temple and Temple ritesThe Temple and Temple rites Observance of Holy daysObservance of Holy days Proper social relations between male and Proper social relations between male and

female, in business, judicial rulings, etc.female, in business, judicial rulings, etc.

How does Judaism sanctify life?How does Judaism sanctify life?

Life cycle celebrations:Life cycle celebrations: Bris – ritual circumcision, sign of the Bris – ritual circumcision, sign of the

covenantcovenant Bar/Bat Mitzvah – full adult status and Bar/Bat Mitzvah – full adult status and

responsibility within the religionresponsibility within the religion Marriage - "Be fruitful and multiply" Marriage - "Be fruitful and multiply"

(Gen. 1:22)(Gen. 1:22) Death – funerals, mourning (sitting Death – funerals, mourning (sitting

“Shiva”), and memorials (“Yartzeits”)“Shiva”), and memorials (“Yartzeits”)

Jewish Holy DaysJewish Holy Days

High Holidays:High Holidays:Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year)Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year)Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)

Chanukah, the “Festival of Lights”Chanukah, the “Festival of Lights”Pesach (“Passover”) – Pesach (“Passover”) –

commemorates the exodus from commemorates the exodus from Egypt (events told in Exodus)Egypt (events told in Exodus)

Shabbat (Sabbath, 7Shabbat (Sabbath, 7thth day, on day, on Saturday) – the “Day of Rest”Saturday) – the “Day of Rest”

How is Judaism related to Christianity?How is Judaism related to Christianity?

Judaism predates Christianity – it is the Judaism predates Christianity – it is the foundation of Christianity but is foundation of Christianity but is notnot a part of it a part of it

Jesus was Jewish, as were his followers and the Jesus was Jewish, as were his followers and the ApostlesApostles

Jews do not believe that Jesus was anything Jews do not believe that Jesus was anything more than a good and wise man who lived and more than a good and wise man who lived and died 2000 years ago – Jews still await their died 2000 years ago – Jews still await their messiahmessiah

The Jewish messiah would not be divine. He The Jewish messiah would not be divine. He would be a political figure who restores the would be a political figure who restores the Hebrew monarchy and causes peace to reign Hebrew monarchy and causes peace to reign on Earthon Earth

Jews are not concerned about salvation and the Jews are not concerned about salvation and the “world to come”“world to come”