im an amazing jew

Teshuva

to return

mitzvah

commandments that are expected of Jewish people. A relgious act.

torah

first 5 books of the hebrew bible

rabbi

jewish teacher, spiritual leader, and scholar of jewish law

nation of israel

historical community of the jewish people that descended from abraham, isaac, and jacob

books part of the oral law

mishnah and talmud

shema prayer

prayed twice daily. considered the most essential prayer in all of judaism, traditionally recited with the hand placed over the eyes.

rosh hashanah

marks the new agricultural year, occurs in the seventh month. in the morning a trumpet called a shofar from a horn of a ram is sounded along with prayers.

yom kippur

holiest day of the jewish year. End of the 10 days of awe that began on rosh hashana. originated from moses. day of atonement

hanukkah

when rabbis attributed the legend of a single jar of oil that burned in the temple for 8 days straight

Passover

jewish holiday that commemorates the biblical story of the israelites liberation from slavery

nostra aetate

declaration by the 2nd vatican council that reshaped the catholic church's relationship with non-christian religions.

What is the significance of mount sinai

where god revealed himself and delivered the torah and the ten commandments to moses and the israelites nation

What occured during the year 70 AD

the roman army led by general titus besieged and destroyed the city of jerusalem and the second temple

Why do jews say that 70 AD was one of the worst years in jewish history

it destroyed their spirtual and cultural heart and forced exile of an entire nation

why did the synagogue gain importance during the rabbinic period

the roman army destroyed the second temple in jerusalem in 70 CE which ended the ancient sacrificial worship system

who was moses maimondes

a famous 12th century jewish philosopher, doctor, and legal scholar

what are some of moses maimonedes' contributions to the intellectual and spiritual practice of jews

he created the mishnen torah, the 13 principles of faith, and guide for the perplexed.

what religious ritual occurred yearly on the day of atonement during the temple

yom kippur

how does yom kippur differ from how jews observe yom kippur today

it differs from personal and communal prayer, fasting, and repentance in synagogues.

three different ways the word torah can be used

1. instruction and teaching

2. the first five books of the bible

3. the entire hebrew scriptures and tradition

what is the difference between written and oral law

written law is the text of the first 5 books of the bible. the oral law is the set of traditional explanations and rules used to understand and practice those texts.

why do jewish people call the hebrew bible tanakh? why do they not call the hebrew bible "the old testament"?

it implies a christian theological framework that judaism does not share

what are the five books of the torah

genesis, exodus, leviticus, numbers, and deuteronomy

how was the talmud developed

it was created by combing the mishnah with the gemara

Why is the shema prayer central to jewish religious belief

it serves as the ultimate declaration of monotheism and a direct commandment from the torah

what is a sukkah

temporary outdoor hut with a special roof made of natural vegetation

why is a sukkah important to the observance of sukkot

it reminds jews of the temporary booths that god used to shelter the israelites during their 40 yrs of travel in the desert

why is dialogue between jews and christians not a matter of choice but duty

it is a duty because christians cannot fully understand who they are, what they believe, or who jesus is without engaging with the jewish tradition from which christianity emerged

how is the relationship between the two relgions described

it is portrayed as that of two sibilings who shared the same mother and roots, intially lived closely together, but gradually separated and eventually became divided and hostile toward one another

can there be two paths to salvation

no there cannot because christ is the savior of all, and god's covenant with israel has never been revoked.

why is evangelization to the jews viewed in a different manner than to persons of other religions or beliefs

jews are not viewed simply as people who have never encountered god's revelation. catholics continue to witness to christ, but they do not conduct a specific institutional mission to convert jews.

how does abraham heschel describe ritual and what is important about it

he describes it as a religious belief into a lived experience. it helps people remember that god is present and that ordinary human life can be connected to holiness

describe the meaning and purpose of the sabbath.

it is a sacred time of rest and communion with god. its purpose is to free people temporarliy from the demands of work.

how does the sabbath help achieve detachement from the material world

by stopping ordinary activity and focusing on prayer, relationships, rest, and the sacredness of time

in what ways does jesus fulfill the role of the sacrificial lamb at passover

jesus gives his life and sheds his blood to deliver humanity from sin and death

what is the meaning of the star of david as a symbol of judaism

it symbolizes belonging, history, and connection to the jewish people