Unit Two Review: Judaism

A series of flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to Judaism, including belief systems, sacred texts, important figures, and historical events.

Supreme being

Yahweh, the one God in Judaism.

Place of worship

Synagogue, where Jewish people gather for prayer and community.

Sacred scripture

Torah, the most sacred text in Judaism consisting of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible.

Founder

Abraham, regarded as the first patriarch in Judaism.

Celebrations

Important Jewish festivals which include Hanukkah, Passover, Bat Mitzvah, and Yom Kippur.

Diaspora

The scattering of Jewish people away from their homeland, especially during the Rabbinical period after the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans

original agreements of the covenant

• God promises abraham descendants

• Abraham promises to be loyal to God and only worship him (monotheism)

• Boys must be circumcised, this became a physical symbol of beloging to the Jewish community

Exodus

The fleeing of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, a foundational event in Jewish history.

Tanakh

The Hebrew Bible, consisting of the Torah (law), Nevi'im (prophets), and Ketuvim (writings).

Menorah

A candelabra significant in Jewish tradition, with a 7-branched version used in the Temple and a 9-branched version for Hanukkah.

Mitzvah

A religious commandment or good deed in Judaism; there are 613 Mitzvahs.

Kashrut

Jewish dietary laws that dictate what foods are kosher.

Sabbath

Shabbat, the weekly day of rest from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset.

Scapegoat

A person or group blamed for the mistakes or problems of others.

Holocaust

The systematic persecution and genocide of Jews by Nazi Germany between 1933 and 1945.

Anti-semitism

Hatred, discrimination, or prejudice against Jews.

Shofar

A trumpet made from a hollow ram's horn used in Jewish rituals.

Yad

A ritual pointer used to follow along the Torah without touching it.

Rabbi

A teacher of Jewish laws and rituals who leads synagogue services.

Challah

A braided bread traditionally eaten on the Sabbath and Jewish holidays.

Shavuoth

A Jewish festival that commemorates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.

Purim

A festival that celebrates the saving of Jews from a planned massacre as told in the Book of Esther.

importance of the promised land

Canaan (modern day isreal) - promised to abraham through the covenant

burning bush

God showing his presence to moses, telling him to free the israelites from slavery in Egypt

10 plagues

Divine interventions sent from God to convince the Pharoh to free Isrealites

moses reciveing the 10 commandments

Received by Moses on Mount Sinai, the foundation of Jewish law.

King saul

The first King of Israel, known for his military leadership.

King David

Established Jerusalem as the capital and remembered as a great warrior and poet.

King Solomon

Known for his wisdom and for building the First Temple in Jerusalem.

differences in beliefs between jews and christans

Christian Belief: Christians believe Jesus was the Messiah

Jewish Belief: Jews believe the Messiah has not yet come. In Judaism, the Messiah is expected to be a human leader (not a divine being) who will gather all Jews back to the land of Israel. Jews believe Jesus is a historical figure, who can be a teacher but not the messiah.

5 books of the torah

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

rules of torah and why it is so sacred

• Must be handwritten by a sofer 

• Must be written on paper made from skin of a kosher animal, using a quill and kosher ink

• A torah must be written 100% perfect or it is considered invalid 

• Can never be touched with bare hands, only with a Yad.

mitzvah

613 Laws sent from God, divine obligations that guide every aspect of life.

sofer

A specially trained individual who writes the Torah by hand using a quill and kosher ink.

mezuzah

 small case on doorposts containing a scroll with the Shema prayer

kippah/ yarmeluke

• Cap worn to show respect and submission to God

Tallit& Tefillin

Prayer shawl and small leather boxes containing scripture worn during prayer

chai

hebrew word for life

Pesach: Passover

8 day holiday, seder dinner, commemorates the story of Exodus

Rosh Hashanah

Jewish New year, time of reflection

Yom Kippur:

The Day of Atonement; the holiest day involving fasting and prayer.

Sukkoth:

feast of tabernacles, remembrance of the time spent wandering in the desert

Shavuoth:

Commemerates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sanai

orthodox

strictly follows jewish law

conservative

middle ground

reform

embraces the evolving nature of jewish faith

shema

Most important Prayer, often said twice a day 

kosher meat laws

Only certain animals, must be slaughtered humanely.

kosher dairy laws

dairy must not be eaten in the same meal as meat

kosher preparation

utensils and dishes used for dairy are separate from those used for meat

why were jews scapegoated

• Since jews felt more inclined to follow the rules of God, Christians came to believe they were the ¨chosen ones” and became envious 

• Jews were historically scapegoated for economic and political issues

key events of holocaust

• Laws stripped Jews of their citizenship and basic rights.

• riots like krristallnaught that legally destroyed Jewish businesses and synagogues.

• , Jews were forced into overcrowded Ghettoes with little food or medicine.

• The Nazis transitioned to a plan of total genocide, using concentration camps to carry out mass murder on an industrial scale.

• Allies discovered the camps at the end of WWII, revealing the full extent of the genocide to the world.