Judaism

Question 1

Who are the Patriarchs?

Answer 1

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

Question 2

Covenant with Abraham

Answer 2

God promises Abraham land and descendants in return for worship of one true God

Question 3

Why is Abraham’s story considered the beginning of Judaism

Answer 3

Established ideas of a Chosen People and Promised Land, established God as the creator and ruler over all things. Charged Abrahams people to protect the covenant between God and humanity

Question 4

Define Exodus

Answer 4

A going out: a departure or emigration, usually of a large number of people. The departure of the Israelites from Egypt under Moses, second book of bible

Question 5

Why were Israelites enslaved

Answer 5

They kept reproducing, king of Egypt thought there were too many

Question 6

Passover

Answer 6

Remembers Israelites freedom from slavery. They remember 3 things: God is good, death is passed over the houses of Israelites, Israelites passed over Red Sea when they were escaping

Question 7

10 Commandments

Answer 7

God spoke to moses high on the mountain slopes and made a new covenant with the Jews that renewed the one he had made with Abraham, God provided commandments that would allow them to keep his covenant

Question 8

Seder

Answer 8

Passover meal

Question 9

7 Beliefs: One God

Answer 9

One God is Judaism’s fundamental or
foundational belief. God is Omnipotent (all-powerful), Omniscient (all-knowing), Omnipresent (exists everywhere)

Question 10

7 Beliefs: Keeping the Covenant

Answer 10

The covenant is the expression of God’s
loving relationship w/ his ppl. The covenant consists of 613 mitzvoth
means “laws” or “commandments,” but it is
more accurate to use “guidance.”

Question 11

7 Beliefs: The Chosen People

Answer 11

Idea of being a “chosen people” is an ongoing
theme in Judaism. This is what the covenant is about, God protects his ppl & the ppl obey God to reach their full potential.

Question 12

7 Beliefs: The Promised Land

Answer 12

Abraham’s story 1st suggests this idea
too, God tells Abraham to move to Canaan. Moses is also told to deliver the
Hebrews from slavery and lead them
to a land “flowing with milk and honey”

Question 13

7 Beliefs: The Messiah

Answer 13

Messiah: an anointed one
Most Jews believe in the idea of a Messiah:
-Descendent of King David
-Will establish peace & harmony
-Restore Jewish sovereignty of the Promised Land
Jews believe the Messiah is still to come

Question 14

7 Beliefs: Sin

Answer 14

• failure to live the covenant
• seen as main obstacle to living with covenant, break in relationship with God
• celebrate a day of repentance, Yom Kippur, last opportunity to ask God for forgiveness before Book of Life is sealed
  -God cannot forgive sins done to others so people ask for forgiveness from ppl they may have hurt

Question 15

7 Beliefs: Life and Death

Answer 15

• Life on earth is part of a process of living in
  union w/ God
• Process continues when body dies, soul moves into the afterlife where you are rewarded or punished
• also believe that souls of the dead will all return to their bodies in a mass resurrection

Question 16

Purposes of Kosher

Answer 16

• Helps Jews conform to the Divine Will, as expressed in the Torah
• Shows the distinction of the Jewish people (different from others)
• Shows humility of the Jewish people (methods of killing animals in a humane manner)
• Takes an ordinary act that everyone does (eating) and infuses it with a special quality to make it unique

Question 17

Clean and Unclean Food

Answer 17

• Approved land animals must be mammals which chew their cud and have cloven hooves.
• Pork and rabbit are prohibited.
• Fish must have fins and scales. Shellfish is prohibited.

Question 18

Mixing Milk & Meat

Answer 18

• The Torah states not to “boil a kid in its mother’s milk.”
• Meat and milk (and anything made with dairy and meat products) cannot be served in the same meal, or cooked using the same dishes or utensils, or stored in a way that could cause them to intermingle.
• A kosher household will have at least two sets of pots, pans and dishes: one for meat and one for dairy.
• One must wait a significant amount of time between eating meat and dairy

Question 19

Slaughtering

Answer 19

• The Torah prohibits consumption of blood because the life of the animal is contained in the blood.
  *For this reason, Kosher slaughtering removes all traces of blood.
• The method of slaughter is a quick, deep stroke across the throat

Question 20

The Shema

Answer 20

The Shema is the centerpiece of the
daily morning and evening prayers, considered most essential prayer, daily recitation

Question 21

Mezuzah

Answer 21

Is a small handwritten parchment or
scroll containing the Shema & other biblical
passages. Placed inside small case, on right side of door frames.

Question 22

Magen David/Star of David

Answer 22

appears on flag for state of Israel, 2 triangles pointing up and down, represents covenant relationship between God and humanity

Question 23

Tefillin

Answer 23

is a series of leather straps & small boxes are
worn during prayer, Inside boxes are tiny scrolls. A physical reminder of God’s centrality in Jewish worship & the fulfillment of mitzvoh found in the Sherma

Question 24

Kippah

Answer 24

Kippah is the traditional skullcap worn by
Jewish men, Worn to show respect for God during prayer,

Question 25

Tzitzit and tallit

Answer 25

Tallit is the four cornered prayer shawl (white in colour with blue stripes), each shawl has fringes tzitzit or tassels tied to each end or corner

Question 26

Menorah

Answer 26

Has 7 branches, Hanukkah Menorah has 9 branches. Menorah is ancient source of light, stands for light, wisdom, divine inspiration

Question 27

Torah Scroll

Answer 27

The most Sacred Ritual Object, The Torah is the very heart and center of Jewish teaching

Question 28

Shofar

Answer 28

A ram's horn blown primarily during the High Holy Days or the Days of Awe because their importance for the forgiveness of sin and the coming new year

Question 29

Rosh Hashanah

Answer 29

Jewish new year celebration Begins in about september

Question 30

Yom Kippur

Answer 30

- Means “Day of Atonement” - Falls on 10th day of Jewish New year, usually september or october - Solemn day of fasting - Jews must atone for their sins by reconciling with God and those who they have sinned against

Question 31

Passover

Answer 31

- It is celebrated in the first month of the Jewish year, on the 15th day of Nisan (March/April) - Jewish people retell the Passover story and have a Seder meal

Question 32

Hanukkah

Answer 32

- Means “Festival of Light” - Celebrates the Jewish victory over the Syrian Greeks in 165 B.C.E. - During Hanukkah, the candles on the menorah are lit, blessings are recited, fried foods are eaten, children play traditional games, and gifts are given

Question 33

Shabbat

Answer 33

- Sabbath, every week from sunset on friday to sunset on saturday -Spending time with family, refraining from work, attending synagogue services, praying, studying the Torah, and having a Sabbath meal are important