Judaism

Question 0

Jews consider themselves descended from the __________

Answer 0

Patriarchs

Question 1

God’s covenant

Answer 1

• God’s forms a covenant with Abraham & his descendants, rough which Abraham is to become the father of a great nation bossed by God
• the covenant is God’s agreement with humankind
• if Abraham remains faithful to God, then God will reward

Question 2

The __________ is an important event in Judaism, delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and bringing them to the promised land

Answer 2

Exodus

Question 3

Passover

Answer 3

• the angel of death passed over all the Jewish households that had smeared lamb’s blood on their doorposts
• during the Passover celebration, the whole family is assembled and passages from Haggadah are read to retell the story of Exodus and the purpose of the Passover
• Seder Feast

Question 4

Jewish law = mostly dedicated to the discussion of what is ________, or ritually clean and acceptable

Answer 4

Kosher

Question 5

Ezekiel and Isaiah

Answer 5

• influential during the Israelites exile from Jerusalem

* reminded them that their mission was to spread his message

Question 6

Nehemiah and Ezra

Answer 6

• prominent in reviving and completing the restoration of Jerusalem and its spiritual life after the Babylonian captivity

–> Nehemiah
• repaired wall of Jerusalem

–> Ezra
• priest
• read scripture to them and helped them reform their lives

Question 7

Diaspora

Answer 7

Dispersion of the Jews when they were exiled to Babylonia

Question 8

The _________ is the 10 adult Jews that are required for certain prayers

Answer 8

Minyan

Question 9

Synagogue

Answer 9

Can exist anywhere that there is a copy of the Scripture and 10 adult males

Question 10

Mishnah

Answer 10

All the legal commentary that had been collected since the days of Ezra

Question 11

Gemara

Answer 11

Additional rabbinic teachings on every aspect of Jewish life

Question 12

Talmud

Answer 12

• An encyclopedic collection of Jewish commentaries
• considered the literary source of post biblical Judaism

–> Mishnah + Gemara = Talmud

• divided into 2 categories
1) Aggadah
• parables, sayings, sermons, stories
• ethical, inspirational, or explanatory in nature

2) Halaka
• commentary, discussin, and decisions related to Jewish law and practice

Question 13

The __________ _____________ taught that God could be found only through simple, straightforward faith — not scholarly learning

Answer 13

Hasidic movement

Question 14

The ___________ _______________ deals with elements of the occult and other esoteric subjects not covered in mainstream Judaism. Many groups involved in this movement attempt to predict when the Messiah will come.

Answer 14

Kabbalah movement

• discussion of magic, charms, numerology, Angels, demons, witches, etc. all come under the term Kabbalah

Question 15

The most comprehensive collection of Kabbalah writings is called the _________

Answer 15

Zohar

Question 16

Shabbat

Answer 16

Jewish sabbath — every week from sundown on Friday to nightfall of Saturday

Question 17

Kiddush

Answer 17

• Following the Shabbat service, Jews have a meal that begins with the Kiddush blessing over a glass of wine
• includes recitation Genesis 2:1-3

Question 18

Zionism

Answer 18

• began as a general plea for land to create a Jewish state
• soon they wanted to reclaim Palestine

–> Theodore Herzl
• Australian journalist
• book “Jewish Statein”
• gave the Zionist movement international notice
• believed they would never be treated fairly unless they had a land of their own

Question 19

Nuremberg Laws of 1935

Answer 19

• took away several right from Jews:
• the right to vote, hold office, marry non-Jews, and to work in most professions

• many Jews tried to leave Germany, but couldn’t go anywhere because of immigration laws in other countries

Question 20

Holocaust

Answer 20

–> 6 million Jews killed!!!
• wiped out 1/3 of the Jews in the world
• substantial effect on Jewish theology
• Richard Rubenstein said that “God had died in the Holocaust”
• before the Nazi years, God had answered the Jews cries in persecution, but he didn’t during the Holocaust

Question 21

Orthodox Judaism

Answer 21

• largest group within Judaism
• strives to preserve traditional Jewish culture and to raisin the secularizing effects of modernity
• language = Hebrew
• -> further divided into 2 more sects
  1) Modern Orthodox

2) Hasidic
• mystical
• founded by Israel Ben Eliezer who became known as Baal Shem Tov

Question 22

Reform Judaism

Answer 22

• most modern and liberal branch of Judaism
• largest denomination of Jews in the U.S.
• not as strict as the more conservative traditions … does not enforce all of the kosher food laws and Talmudic restrictions
• DOES NOT accept the Talmud as authoritative, but simply as a historical document
• Reform Judaism is distinguished by a liberal attitude toward Jewish law and REJECTS virtually all ceremonial & dietary restrictions

Question 23

Conservative Judaism

Answer 23

• branch of Judaism that lies between the strictness of a Orthodox Judaism and Reform Judaism’s excess
• founder = Rabbi Zecharias Frankel

• attempt to conserve Jewish traditions rather than reform or abandon then

Question 24

Reconstructionist Judaism

Answer 24

--> Mordecai Kaplan • founder • book: "Judaism as a Civilization" • call for a "reconstruction" of Jewish life • Judaism = not a religion, but a civilization characterized by beliefs and practices...

Question 25

Sephardic Jew

Answer 25

* follows the customs and traditions of Jess who lived in the I drain Peninsula before their expulsion in the late 15th century * Sephardim = the descendants of Jews from the Iberian peninsula

Question 26

Crypto-Judaism

Answer 26

* The secret adherence to Judaism while publicly professing to be of another faith (usually Catholicism) * Spanish Inquisition

Question 27

1996, 2/3's of Israel's Jews described themselves as ________

Answer 27

Secular

Question 28

1996 80% of American Jews identified themselves as __________ or ______________

Answer 28

Reform Conservative

Question 29

Karaites

Answer 29

* sect within Judaism which DENIES the authority of the Talmud * desires to live EXCLUSIVELY by the 5 books of the Torah • the Karaite movement = many sub sects because it stresses the individual interpretation of scripture

Question 30

Jewish new year

Answer 30

--> Rosh Hashanah | • begins a period of penitence that culminates with the next Jewish holiday (next card)

Question 31

Yom Kippur — Day of Atonement

Answer 31

* Holiest of all the Jewish holidays * abstaining from work, food, and drink * spend the day at the synagogue * offering prayers for forgiveness of sins and reconciliation

Question 32

Hanukkah

Answer 32

--> Festival of Lights • celebrated for eight days in December • commemorates the rededication of the Temple by Judas Maccabaeus in 165 B.C.

Question 33

Bar Mitzvah

Answer 33

Festive ceremony recognizing when a boy becomes a man on his 13th b'day

Question 34

Bat Mitzvah

Answer 34

Ceremony for girls (like the Bar Mitzvah)

Question 35

Rites of passage

Answer 35

Rituals that mark that passage from one phase of life to another (birth, puberty, marriage, death, etc.)

Question 37

Historical Development

Answer 37

--> Abraham • under Abraham's leadership, the Hebrews settled in Mesopotamia • eventually moved to Egypt where they were enslaved --> Moses • led them out of Egypt • settled in Canaan --> kingdom in "Promised Land" (Canaan) for 300 yrs • kings like David, Saul, & Solomon • split into 2: Israel and Judah --> over the next centuries, foreign people invaded and conquered them... • Babylonian Captivity • Israel = disappeared --> Babylonians destroyed and kingdom of Judah returns • rebuilds temple ``` --> Diaspora • Romans conquered the area • Jews dispersion • many moved to Western Europe • over time they became known as the SEPHARDIM • settled in Spain ``` --> persecuted during the Spanish Inquisition • fled to Portugual, Netherlands, N. Africa, Americas, ... • German Jews = Ashkenazi (persecuted there in Germany) • moved into Eastern Europe... --> Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews = different languages, rituals, and traditions

Question 38

4 main divisions

Answer 38

1) Orthodox 2) Conservative 3) Reform 4) Reconstruction