Judaism

What is monotheism?

belief in one God.

What is Judaism based on?

belief of the Israelites becoming God’s Chosen people.

Who were the Hebrews?

peoples before Jacob / tribal peoples.

Who are the Israelites?

Jacob’s descendants.

Define Jewish.

group of people; culture and modern day religion.

What is the Tanakh?

core teachings of the Jewish faith compiled in three parts.

What does Tanakh mean?

sacred writings of Judaism; formed from the first Hebrew letter of the Three Parts.

What are the first five books of the Torah called?

Genesis

What is another name for the first five books of the Torah?

Pentateuch.

How many minor prophets are there?

12.

What do the Prophets contain warnings about?

to stay faithful

When were the Writings written?

during the time of exile.

What do the Neviim books contain?

sayings and proverbs by wise people revealing ways of living.

What is Shemah?

creed of beliefs.

What term is used instead of "God" in Shemah?

“Adonai”.

What story is detailed in Genesis 1:1 - 3:24?

the story of Creation.

How many days did God take to create the world?

6.

What day is Saturday known as?

the Sabbath.

What event does Sunday mark the start of?

the week.

What is detailed in Genesis 2:4-3:24?

second story of creation.

How was Adam created according to the second story of creation?

from the clay of the Earth.

Who was created from Adam’s rib?

Eve.

Who is the most important figure in the story of Abraham?

Abraham.

What did God promise Abraham?

descendants as numerous as the stars.

What is a covenant?

an agreement of mutual faithfulness between two parties.

Who is the most important figure in the story of Moses?

Moses.

What was Moses called by God to do?

free the Hebrew peoples from slavery in Egypt.

What did Moses receive from God at Mount Sinai?

the Ten Commandments.

What did Moses do with the tables of the Ten Commandments initially?

smashed them.

How long were the Israelites in the desert as a consequence of worshiping fake Gods?

40 years.

Why couldn't Moses enter the Promised Land?

loss of faith.

What are the Ten Commandments?

a Code of Ethics.

How many commandments are there in reality in the Torah?

613.

Who were the enemies of the Jewish people at Moses' time?

Philistines.

Who was the first king of Israel?

Saul.

Who was known as the "Greatest King of Israel"?

David.

What did David dream to build?

a temple to honor God.

Who completed the Temple where the Arc of the Covenant was kept?

Solomon.

What was Solomon's son involved in that caused trouble?

an affair with his best friend's wife.

What does Talmud contain?

Jewish civil and religious laws

What are the two parts of Talmud?

Mishnah and Gemara.

Who wrote Mishneh Torah?

Maimonides.

What does Halakhah mean?

“the path” of Jewish life.

How many commandments are there in Mitzvot?

613.

Who were the patriarch and matriarch of the Hebrews?

Abraham and Sarah.

When was the First Jerusalem temple destroyed?

586 BC.

When did Rabbinic Judaism begin?

after the temple was destroyed in 70CE.

What is Kabbalah?

search for the nature of God

What is the central text of Kabbalah?

the Zohar.

Who was the founder of Hasidism?

Ba’al Shem Tov.

What does Reform Judaism allow?

men and women sit together in synagogue; women can be rabbis.

What is the largest branch of Judaism in Canada?

Conservative.

What does Orthodox Judaism observe?

all 613 laws of the Torah.

What is a Synagogue?

place of worship

What does the Ark in a Synagogue house?

Torah scrolls.

What does the Menorah symbolize?

7 days of creation.

What is a Bimah used for?

to read from the Torah/Haftarah.

What does the Ner Tamid symbolize?

eternal light in synagogues.

What is the focus of Shabbat?

family.

What is Bar Mitzvah?

assumption of adulthood by reciting a passage from the Tanakh.

What is Rosh Hashanah?

Jewish New Year.

What is blown as a wakeup call on Rosh Hashanah?

Shofar.

What is the traditional bread for Rosh Hashanah?

challah.

What does Yom Kippur mark?

the day of atonement.

What is Sukkot?

Feast of the Tabernacles.

What does Hanukkah commemorate?

rededication of the temple.

What does Purim commemorate?

deliverance of the Jewish people from a plot to exterminate them.

What does Pesach commemorate?

liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.

What is Seder?

a meal held at Passover.

What does Shavuot mark?

the time that the Israelites were given the Torah.

What is Shema?

“Hear O Israel

What is Kaddish?

prayer of mourning for the dead.

What was the Holocaust?

a period of persecution of Jewish peoples by the Nazi regime.

How many Jewish people died in the Holocaust?

6 million.

What are Payot?

long sidelocks.

What are Tefillin?

small black leather boxes with leather straps containing Torah excerpts.

What is Yamaka/Kippah?

a brimless skull cap.

What is Tallit?

a prayer shawl.

What is Yad?

a pointer device used to touch the text of the Torah.

What is Shofar?

a horn blown into on Jewish New Year.

What is Shtreimel?

a fur hat.

What is Bekishe?

a traditional Jewish jacket.

What is Khalla?

traditional Jewish bread.

What is Kosher food?

food in compliance with the 613 Commandments.

What must land animals have to be considered Kosher?

split hooves and eat grass.

What must seafood have to be considered Kosher?

fins and scales.

What is forbidden to eat in Kosher laws?

shellfish.

Can meat and dairy be eaten together in Kosher laws?

No.

What is Treif?

food that is not allowed.

What is Parev?

natural foods that can be eaten with either meat or dairy.

What does Kashrut refer to?

the rules pertaining to Jewish foods.

Who approves food in Kashrut?

Council of Rabbis (COR).

Who were Abraham and Sarah?

patriarch and matriarch of the Hebrews.

When was the First Jerusalem temple destroyed?

586 BC.

When did Rabbinic Judaism begin?

after the temple was destroyed in 70CE.

What is Kabbalah?

search for the nature of God

What is the central text of Kabbalah?

the Zohar.

Who was the founder of Hasidism?

Ba’al Shem Tov.

What does Reform Judaism allow?

men and women sit together in synagogue; women can be rabbis.

What is the largest branch of Judaism in Canada?

Conservative.