Judaism Unit

Covenant

Agreement between God and the ancient Israelites that establishes them as God's chosen people with responsibilities to live righteously

Chosen People

Jews chosen by God through the covenant to live as a holy nation and follow divine law

Abraham

First patriarch of Judaism; covenant established around 2500 BCE

Moses

Leader who received the Torah from God around 1250 BCE

Monotheism

Belief in one God

Providential God

God who cares for, guides, and is involved in human history

Shema

Central Jewish prayer from Deuteronomy 6:4 affirming belief in one God

Torah

God's divine law and will; includes both written and oral teachings

Written Torah

The Hebrew Bible, also called the Tanakh

Tanakh

The Hebrew Bible composed of Torah, Nevi'im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings)

Torah (Pentateuch)

The first five books of the Bible, also called the Books of Moses

613 Mitzvot

The commandments found in the Torah

Nevi'im

The Prophets section of the Hebrew Bible

Ketuvim

The Writings section of the Hebrew Bible

Second Temple

Center of Jewish worship destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE

Rabbinic Judaism

Form of Judaism that developed after the destruction of the Second Temple

Diaspora

The dispersion of Jews outside their ancestral homeland beginning in 135 CE

Oral Torah

Teachings passed down orally by rabbis to interpret the Written Torah

Mishnah

Collection of oral rabbinic teachings written down around 200 CE

Talmud

Rabbinic commentary on the Mishnah preserving Jewish law and practice

Palestinian Talmud

One version of the Talmud completed around 450 CE

Babylonian Talmud

The more authoritative version of the Talmud completed around 600 CE

Animal Sacrifice

Worship practice performed in the Temple that ended after its destruction

Judaism in the Medieval Period

Period from 8th to mid-18th century marked by Jewish life under Christian and Muslim rule

Crusades

11th-13th century religious wars that worsened Jewish persecution in Europe

Ghettos

Restricted Jewish quarters in medieval European cities

Blood Libel

False accusation that Jews murdered Christian children for rituals

Deicide

The accusation that Jews were responsible for the death of Jesus

Supersessionism

Christian belief that Christianity replaced Judaism as God's covenant

Ecclesia and Synagoga

Medieval Christian imagery symbolizing Christianity's triumph over Judaism

Antisemitism

Hostility toward Jews ranging from prejudice to violence

Jewish Emancipation

Granting Jews equal rights during the Enlightenment

Enlightenment

18th-century movement emphasizing reason and individual rights

Pseudo-Scientific Racism

19th-century belief that Jews were an inferior race

Hasidism

18th-century Jewish movement emphasizing mysticism and joy

Kabbalah

Jewish mysticism focusing on knowing God through the heart

Zaddik

Charismatic Hasidic spiritual leader

Zionism

Movement to re-establish a Jewish homeland

Shoah

The Holocaust; Nazi genocide of six million Jews

Holocaust

Nazi persecution and extermination of Jews from 1933-1945

State of Israel

Jewish homeland established in 1948

Nostra Aetate

Vatican II document rejecting antisemitism and the charge of deicide

Pope John XXIII

Catholic pope who promoted reconciliation with Jews

Mitzvot

Commandments guiding Jewish daily life

Orthopraxy

Emphasis on correct practice over belief in Judaism

Prayer

Central form of Jewish worship performed daily

Tallit

Prayer shawl with fringes

Tzitzit

Knotted fringes on the tallit

Kippah

Head covering worn during prayer

Tefillin

Scripture boxes worn during weekday prayer

Synagogue

Jewish house of prayer, study, and community

Ark

Sacred cabinet holding Torah scrolls

Bimah

Raised platform where the Torah is read

Mezuzah

Scripture case placed on doorposts of Jewish homes

Kosher

Dietary laws governing Jewish food practices

Kashrut

Jewish dietary law system

Meat and Dairy

Forbidden to be eaten together under kosher law

Pareve

Foods that are neither meat nor dairy

Brit Milah

Circumcision ritual for Jewish boys on the 8th day

Brit Bat

Naming and welcoming ceremony for Jewish girls

Bar Mitzvah

Coming-of-age ritual for Jewish boys at age 13

Bat Mitzvah

Coming-of-age ritual for Jewish girls at age 12

Huppah

Wedding canopy symbolizing home and God's presence

Breaking the Glass

Wedding ritual remembering the destruction of the Temple

Shiva

Seven-day Jewish mourning period

Kaddish

Prayer recited by mourners

Shabbat

Jewish Sabbath from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset

Challah

Braided bread eaten on Shabbat

Rosh Hashanah

Jewish New Year marking reflection and repentance

Days of Awe

Ten-day period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur

Day of Atonement marked by fasting and prayer

Shofar

Ram's horn blown on holy days

Sukkot

Festival commemorating wilderness wandering

Sukkah

Temporary dwelling built for Sukkot

Passover (Pesach)

Spring festival commemorating the Exodus

Seder

Ritual meal celebrating Passover

Haggadah

Text read during the Seder

Matzah

Unleavened bread eaten during Passover

Shavuot

Festival commemorating the giving of the Torah

Hanukkah

Festival celebrating the rededication of the Temple

Menorah

Hanukkah candelabrum

Purim

Holiday celebrating Jewish survival in Persia

Hamentashen

Triangular cookies eaten during Purim

Orthodox Judaism

Branch strictly following Jewish law and tradition

Conservative Judaism

Branch balancing tradition with gradual change

Reform Judaism

Branch emphasizing ethics and personal choice

Mekhitzah

Divider separating men and women in Orthodox synagogues