Monotheism The belief in only one God Tanakh Hebrew bible Very large book Torah First five books of the hebrew bible Basically a shorter version of th

Monotheism

The belief in only one God.

Tanakh

The Hebrew Bible, a very large collection of texts.

Torah

The first five books of the Hebrew Bible that recount the origins of humanity and Judaism; contains the basic laws of Judaism.

Talmud

A collection of Jewish law and tradition, containing the Mishnah and Gemara.

Mishnah

The codification of Jewish laws within the Talmud.

Gemara

Commentary and discussion on the Mishnah, part of the Talmud.

Prophet

A person who speaks the word of God.

Covenant

An agreement between God and His people.

First Covenant

The agreement between God and Abraham, where God promises to care for His people in return for their commitments, symbolized by circumcision.

Second Covenant

The agreement between the Jewish people and Moses, including the delivery of the Ten Commandments.

Saul

The first king of Israel, seen as a tragic figure.

David

The second king of Israel, known for uniting tribes and establishing Jerusalem as the capital.

Solomon

The third king of Israel, known for building the First Temple and considered the most powerful.

First Jewish Temple

Built by Solomon, destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE.

Second Jewish Temple

Rebuilt after the Babylonian exile, destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE; the Western Wall is its only surviving part.

Diaspora

The scattering of the Jewish population around the Roman Empire, preventing them from uniting.

Reform Judaism

A branch of Judaism that is more relaxed and allows changes in rules.

Orthodox Judaism

A branch of Judaism with strict observance of rules and traditional practices.

Conservative Judaism

A branch of Judaism that is a middle ground between Reform and Orthodox, combining aspects of both.

Hasidic Judaism

An ultra-Orthodox branch of Judaism known for strict adherence to tradition and living in distinct communities.

Sabbath

A day of rest in Judaism lasting from sundown Friday to one hour after sundown Saturday, during which work is prohibited.

Rosh Hashanah

The Jewish New Year, lasting two days and focusing on repairing relationships.

Yom Kippur

The Day of Atonement, observed with fasting, prayer, and confession.

Pesach (Passover)

A Jewish holiday celebrating liberation from Egypt, lasting 7 or 8 days with ritual feasts.

Hanukkah

A Jewish holiday meaning dedication; commemorates the rededication of the Temple and lasts 8 days.

Ashkenazi Jews

Jews from Russia, Ukraine, and Central/Eastern Europe who speak Yiddish.

Sephardic Jews

Jews from Spain, Portugal, North Africa, and the Middle East who speak Ladino.

Mizrahi Jews

Jews from the Middle East and Central Asia.

Ethiopian Jews

Jews from Ethiopia.