o JUDAISM

 Judaism is the faith of Jewish people, who live all over the world but share a history.

Unlike people of other religions. Jews are born into their faith. Anyone born of a Jewish

mother is counted a Jew , whether or not they observe Jewish religious practices. Nearly

half of the world’s 14 million Jews live in the USA, a quarter in Israel and a quarter in

Europe.

 One God

o The History of the Jews goes back about 4000 years, when they were a nomadic

people called the Hebrew, Abraham, living in what is now the Middle East. One

Hebrew, Abraham, is seen as the father of the Jewish faith because he championed

its central belief: the belief in one God. Neighboring peoples worshipped several

gods

 Chosen people

o Jews believe that God chose them to be his special people and made a covenant

(contract)with Abraham. Abraham and his wife , Sarah, were sad because they

had no children. One night, Abraham heard God telling him not to worry: he

would have as many descendants as there are stars in the sky and they would live

in a land of their own: the Promised Land. Soon after this, a son. Isaac, was born.

Isaac’s son was called Jacob or Israel and the descendants of Abraham because

known as Israelites. (The Jewish practice of circumcision dates from the time of

Abraham and is done as a sign that a boy is descended from him.) According to
 the covenant , God promised to care for the Israelites, but in return they must

obey Him.

 The Exodus

o In about 1250BC the Israelites escaped from Egypt, where they were being used

as slave labor. This escape, known as the Exodus ,is of great importance in the

history of Judaism. This is how it is said to have happened.. God chose a man

called Moses to plead with the Egyptian pharaoh (king) to free the Israelites.

When Pharaoh refused to listen, God sent a series of plagues to make him relent.

The tent and last plague was the most terrible .One night all the eldest son of the

Egyptians died ,while the Israelite boys were saved. Pharaoh gave in. The

Israelites set off on their journey but Pharaoh sent his army in hot pursuit . When

they reached the Red Sea, the water miraculously parted, making a way for the

Israelites. As soon as Pharaoh’s army begun to cross , the water closed up and all

his horses and men were drowned.

 God’s Laws

o After their escape from Egypt, the Israelites spent some time wandering in the

desert. During this time, God renewed the covenant with them and gave them a

set of laws to live by. There are hundreds of Jewish laws but they all stem from

these first ten commandments ,known as the Ten Commandments. God is said to
 have given the laws to Moses, carved on tablets of stone, at a place called Mount

Sinal.

 The Ten Commandments

 Worship no god but me.

 Do not make for yourselves images (to worship).

 Do not use my name for your purposes.

 Observe the Sabbath (holy day)

 Respect your father and mother.

 Do not kill.

 Do not commit adultery.

 Do not steal.

 Do not accuse anyone falsely.

 Do not be envious to other people’s possessions.

 The promised land

o About forty years after the Exodus, the Israelites reached Canaan, which they

believed was the Promised Land. Two hundred years and many battles later,

Canaan became an Israelite kingdom under the Israelite king, David. He

established a capital city at Jerusalem in 993BC. David’s son, King Solomon,

build a temple at Jerusalem and this became the main center for Israelite worship.

 The Prophets

o Once the Israelites became settled in Canaan, they did not always keep faithfully

to the Law. The prophets were people who reminded the Israelites of their

covenant responsibilities and warned them of the consequences of disobedience .

 They were often champions of the poor and needy, arguing that being God’s

chosen people gave the Israelites increased responsibilities for others.

 Exile in Babylon

o From the mid 8th century BC onwards, Canaan, now known as Israel , was ruled

by many different peoples , including the Assyrians , the Babylonians and

Romans. In 587BC, The temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians,

and many Israelites were taken into exile in Babylon. Jerusalem was in an area

called Judah and the exiles Israelites now became known as Jews. The Jews began

to follow the laws given to Moses even more strictly, in order to preserve their

identity For instance, they were very strict about keeping the Sabbath day and

following certain food laws. Outsiders were suspicious of the Jews because of

these different traditions, which they did not recognize or understand.

 The Diaspora

o By the 1st century BC, Israel was under Roman rule, In 70AD,in response to a

Jewish rebellion, the Romans destroyed a second temple which had been build

education and killed any Jews who tried to teach. For the second time, many Jews

were driven out of Israel. The exiles joined existing Jewish communities around

the Mediterranean, spreading to Spain and Portugal, and eventually into eastern

and central Europe . This dispersion or “scattering” of the Jews became known as

the Diaspora. Today the word is used to refers to all Jews outside Israel.

 The Middle Ages

o In the centuries following the Diaspora, the Jews suffered further persecution,

especially at the hand of Christian rulers. The Christian world was prejudiced
 against Jews for both religious and economic reasons . Jews do not recognize

Jesus as the son of God like Christians do. The Jews were also accused of making

money out of other people’s debt. This came about because Christians were

forbidden b their religion to lend money and charge interest on it, so this became a

service provided by Jews, who were barred from many other profession. After

years of ill treatment, Jews were expelled during the late Middle Ages from

England, from France and even from Spain, where they had previously flourished.

In countries where they were allowed, Jews were often forced to live in separate

and inferior areas called ghettos . Prejudice against Jews, which is called anti-

Semitism, continued well beyond the Middle Ages and right into 20th century.

Between 1871 and 1907, Jews in Russia were the victims of a large-scale

massacre known as pograms. Many flo the USA or Palestine. (Palestine was the

old land of Israel, renamed by the Romans.)

 The Holocaust

o The worst –ever persecution on Jews took place as recently at World War ll

(1939-1945) and known as Holocaust. The six million European Jews (than one

third of the total w population of Jews) were bru murdered by the Nazis, who

were in power in Germany u the leadership of Adolf Hitle

 The modern state of Israel

o During the 19th century, Jews had begun to resettle in Palestine A group of Jews

called Zionists began to campaign for a separate Jewish state to be set up within

Palestine. After the Holocaust, this seemed important for Jewish survival. In 1948

Palestine was divided up, and the modern state of Israel was founded. Jews from
 all over the world have made their home there. The creation of Israel inevitably

led to hostility between Israelis and non-Jewish Palestinians (mainly Muslim

Arabs) and between Israel and surrounding countries, which were also mainly

Muslim. Efforts to find a lasting solution to the Israeli- Arab conflict still continue

today. .

 The Messianic Age

o Out of the Jews' early history arose the hope of a leader sent by God and called

the Messiah. who would re-establish a Jewish kingdom and an age of peace.

Some Jews believe that the establishment of the state of Israel marked the

beginning of the Messianic Age.

 Sacred writings

o The Tenakh is a the Old Testament (part of the Bible). Although some of the

material they contain was being passed on by word of mouth from around the

time of Moses, the books are thought to have been written down over about 900

years, from 1000 to 100BC. They were written mainly in Hebrew The first five

books of the Tenakh are called the Torah. which means teachings. They contain

the teachings which God gave to Moses. Tradition has it that the Torah was

written by Moses, but scholars have shown that the material came from various

sources. The Tenakh also contains histories, prophecies, poems. hymns and

sayings. Coples of the Torah for use in synagogues (see page 22) are not in book

form but in scrolls. Even today, they are not printed but are each copied out by

hand.
 o The Talmud is a vast collection of writings compiled in the first few centuries AD.

It consists of the thoughts and discussions, some of them humorous, of about

2000 rabbis. A rabbi is an expert on the Torah.

 Orthodox and Progressive Jews

o Religious jews are either Orthodox or non- Orthodox. Orthodox Jews.accept the

Torah (see above) and all its laws as being God's word to Moses, to be obeyed

without question Non-Orthodox Jews accept that human beings played a part in

devising the laws and they have attempted to adapt Judaism to modern life. Non-

Orthodox Jews are also known as Progressive Jews and, depending on what

country they are in. Conservative. Reform, Liberal or Reconstructionist.

Extremely Orthodox Jews are known as ultra-Orthodox. The Hasidim (see page

18) are an example of an ultra-Orthodox sect. The difference between the types of

Jews is largely seen in styles of worship and in the clothes worn by men.

 Skull cap

o Small boxes like this are called tefiilin and contain prayers. For worship,

Orthodox Jews strap one round their head, another round the arm nearest their

heart. This is to remind them to worship God with both head and heart. Tefillin

strap Jews cover their head when praying. Marry Orthodox men wear a skull cap

(kippah) all the time, as a sign of being always in the presence of God. Prayer

shawl Many Jews put on a prayer shawl to worship. Orthodox Jews often wear a
 fringed garment all day under their ordinary clothes. The fringe is to remind them

to obey God's law.

 Synagogues

o The word synagogue means a meeting place Synagogues are Jewish centers of

worship. education and socializing. Torah scrolls are kept in a cupboard or alcove

called the ark. This is named after a wooden chest which is said to have held the

covenant given to Mases on Mount Sinal.

o The second of the Ten Commandments forbids Images of God, so there are no

pictures or stained glass windows showing God. A six-pointed star, called the star

of David, is an important Jewish symbol and may be seen inside or outside

aynagogues. Despite Its name, the star has no direct link with King David. A light

hangs in front of the ark H represents the old menorah (see page 20) and God's

everlasting presence. Torah scrolls are ofton covered with a mantle when not in

use. To save the Torah from getting solled during readings, the text is not touched

A pointing stick is used instead.

o Worship in the synagogue consists mainly of prayers and readings, especially

from the Torah. The worship is often led by a rabbi or a singing leader called a

cantor. In Orthodox synagogues, women sit separated from men: the service is in

ancient Hebrew the readings are chanted and no musical instruments are used. In

Progressive synagogues. men and women sit together; part of the service is in the

local language and singing may be accompanied by an organ. Women can become

non- Orthodox rabbis.

 Bar and bat mitzvah

o At the age of 13, a boy is considered an adult for religious purposes and is called

bar mitzvah (son of the covenant). This is marked by a ceremony in the

synagogue. followed by a party. Many synagogues hold a bat mitzvah (daughter

of the covenant) ceremony for girls when they reach the age of 12. A boy at his

bar mitzvah with his father and the rabbi.

 Language

o Although Jews have always learned to read ancient Hebre so that they can read

the Tor and prayers in the synagogue Hebrew had died out as a livin language

until early in the 200 century. Then, a Jewish settle in Palestine, called Ben Yehud

set about reviving it. By refusa to speak anything but Hebrew his family and

fellow settlers. began the development of modern Hebrew. This differs slightly

from ancient Hebrew is now Israel's official languag. A carving of the Ten

Commandments in ancient Hebrew. Another language, called Yiddish, is a

mixture of ancie Hebrew and medieval Germar is still spoken today by some

ultra-Orthodox groups.

 The home

o The Jewish home is even more important than the synagogue for ensuring the

continuation of the Jewish faith. Many families have a mezuzah similar to this one

on their door. A mezuzah contains a text from the Torah. In Orthodox homes

especially. food must be prepared in accordance with God's laws to make it

"kosher" (fit). Meat a milk products must never be eaten at the same time or

prepared with the same uten and many foods, including shellfish, are forbidden by
 the Torah. Meat must be drained of blood because the blood is seen as the life of

the animal and so is too sacred to be eaten. Animals are slaughtered by a special

method which is designed both to drain the blood and kill with the minimum

amount of pain.

 The Sabbath

o The Sabbath (Shabbat in Hebrew) is the Jewish holy day. which begins at sunset

on Friday and lasts until nightfall on Saturday. It is a day for rest and

contemplation. No work is done because the Jewish creation story says that God

made the world in six days, then rested on the seventh. The Sabbath meal is

prepared in advance of Friday evening. The meal is a family occasion with special

songs, readings and a prayer of thanksgiving. People go to the synagogue during

the Sabbath and the day ends with a ceremony at home.

 Festivals

o Rosh Hashanah is a festival for the Jewish New Year, which falls In September or

October. The main ceremony at Rosh Hashanah is the sounding of the shofar, a

ram's horm, blowm to "wake" people so that they can prepare to lead better lives.

Ten days after the Jewish New Year comes Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement

(making amends). This is the most sacred day in the Jewish year, spent in prayer,

fasting and asking God's forgiveness for wrongdoings. The woman of the house

lights candles to welcome in the Sabbath and she says a blessing. A special candle

is also lit to mark the end of the Sabbath. Wine ls drunk as a symbol of joy and the

Sabbath meal always Includes two plaited loaves.

o Passover, or Pesach, held in March or April, marks the night when the Israelite

children were saved or "passed over" by the plague, before their escape from

slavery in Egypt (see page 18). The most important ceremony is the seder, a meal

in which some of the food and drink has a special meaning The story of the

Exodus is read from a book called the Hagadah. in response to a ritual question

from the youngest child: "Why is this night different from other nights?" An egg

symbolizes new life or a new beginning. A roasted lamb bone is a reminder of the

eve of the Exodus: God told the Israelites to daub lambs blood on their doorposts

as a signal to the angel of death to pass over them. The bitter taste of horseradish

is a reminder of the misery of slavery Salt water symbolizes tears. Unleavened

bread (made without yeast) is eaten. Bread made with yeast takes time to rise and

on the eve of the Exodus the Israelites only had time to make the unleavened type.

At Hanukkah, the festival of lights, held in November or December. a candlestick

with nine branches is used. The smallest candle is used to light one candle a night

over eight nights, until all of them are burning.