Judaism test Flashcards
(88 cards)
1
Q
What are the two types of history when talking about the story of Judaism?
A
- Biblical times
- Modern times (this is still a long ago)
2
Q
What is the origins of Judaism?
A
They trace the origins back 4000 years ago with Abraham and Sarah
3
Q
What is Abraham called?
A
The father of Judaism
4
Q
What were the two kingdoms that divided what we now know as Israel?
A
- The kingdom of Israel
- The kingdom of Judah (today’s Jews and Judaism is linked to the people living in this kingdom)
5
Q
Who were the 3 covenants made with during biblical time?
A
-Noah
-Abraham
-Moses
6
Q
What two religious movements survived the Roman empire (66ce) when they seized Jerusalem?
A
- Christianity
- Rabbinic Judaism
7
Q
Describe the 3 constant themes in Modern Jewish history
A
- they have a history of persecution and suffering throughout the ages
- it is unique because the Jews were always mobile and global for 3500 years
- they didn’t have a homeland so they were reliant on other nations and therefore vulnerable
8
Q
What is analogy to also describe Jewish history?
A
- Roller coaster
- ups and downs
- controlled by others
9
Q
What are 3 constant themes in Modern Jewish history?
A
- They were the minority for more than 2000 years (no homeland)
- unique beliefs and practices made them visible and vulnerable
- not just a history of persecution and suffering but also periods of peaceful coexisting and success
10
Q
what is anti - semitism viewed as?
A
a barometer for an unhealthy society
11
Q
How did Jewish communities survive in history?
A
they were pushed out of declining communities and welcomed into thriving ones. For example, they were blamed for the 1347 black plague and kicked out of England, but because of this many of them survived
12
Q
What was life like for Jews in Western Europe?
A
- they experienced a cycle of rise and decline
-continuously taken in then kicked out and scapegoated - they wanted to blend in with the community so they worked hard to assimilate (blend in )
13
Q
What was life like for Jews in Eastern Europe?
A
- they did not experience any acceptance. there was lack of hope everywhere
- they were blamed for extreme poverty
- a great desire for Jewish nationalism - especially a Jewish nation. we see the creation of Zionism
- anti-semitism and poverty are both widespread in eastern Europe
14
Q
What are the key differences between eastern and western Jews?
A
western Jews saw Judaism as a religion (they tried to blend in) where eastern Jews saw it as an identity - religiously and culturally so the couldn’t physically blend in
15
Q
When was the state of Israel created?
A
1948
16
Q
What are God’s covenants?
A
they were with Noah, King David, Abraham, and Moses
17
Q
Who was involved in King David’s covenant and what is his symbol?
A
Individuals involved: God, King David and King David’s descendants
Symbol: The temple or throne
18
Q
Who was involved in Noah’s covenant and what is his symbol?
A
Individuals involved: God and Noah
Symbol: the rainbow
19
Q
Who was involved in Abraham ‘s covenant and what is his symbol?
A
Individuals involved: God and all of Abraham’s descendants
Symbol: circumcision - the physical and spiritual sign of their deep belief in God
20
Q
Who was involved in Moses’ Covenant and what was his symbol?
A
Individuals involved: Moses and God and through Moses, all the Israelites and all their descendants
Symbol: 10 commandments / tablets of stone
21
Q
According to Jewish traditions what was Abraham born as
A
Abram
22
Q
What is their sacred stories?
A
- their history
- the covenants
- patriarchs and their family trees
23
Q
What is their Sacred Scripture
A
- Jewish Scripture
- the torah
- the breakdown (of Scripture)
24
Q
What are their Sacred times
A
-Rosh Hashanah
- Yom Kippur
- Sukkot
- Purim
- Pesach
25
What are their Sacred spaces
- the synagogue
- the home
- Israel
26
What are the 3 parts of the Tanakh
- The Torah (teachings)
- The Neviim (prophets)
- The Ketuvium (writings)
27
What is the Torah and what is it made up of?
Torah - 5 first books of Scripture
Made up of: Genesis (bereshith), Exodus (shemot), Leviticus (Va Yikra), Deuteronomy (Devarim) and numbers (bemidbar)
28
What is the heart of Jewish Faith
The Torah
29
What is the Neviim?
Most of these books where written after 586BCE when they were exiled from their homeland. These books remind people to be faithful to covenant with God and to practice Justice and to be mindful of widows and orphans
30
What is the Ketuvim?
These where also written during exile and are known as the " wisdom books". They contain sayings and proverb of wise people to reveal ways of Jewish life
31
What is the Talmud?
It is the 2nd most important sacred text behind the Tanakh. It is an Enormous source of Jewish religious and civil laws. It is written record of oral teachings and laws. It is about 5 million words ( the bible is about 800 000 words)
32
What is the Mishnah?
it is in the middle of the page and is surrounded by interpretations and advice on how to follow it
33
What are the main purposes of a synagogue?
A house of study: they are taught the Torah and preparations for bar/bat mitzvahs happen here
A house of worship: Jew gather together outside of Jerusalem to worship as a community or congregation
34
What is important to know about Jews and the Synagogue
Half of them don't belong to a specific one. The other half belong to synagogues that range from liberal to very strict in their practices
35
What is the most Important part of a Synagogue?
The ark where the Torah scrolls are kept. Usually located in the east so the congregation faces Jerusalem.
36
What does it mean to be kosher
It is a set of rules that some Jews follow. To be kosher means that they can't eat pork or shellfish and any other meat must be slaughtered in a kosher manner. It is also forbidden to combine meat and dairy like a cheese burger and pepperoni pizza
37
What is shabbat?
It is their Sabbath day and is a day of rest. It starts at dusk on Friday and lasts until you can see 3 stars in the sky on Saturday night. On this day Jews are not aloud to do any work and for some strict Jews they can't drive or cook. this is the oldest Jewish holiday
38
What is Passover Seder?
it is the first day of an 8 day festival and is a gathering of the whole family and close friends. It has many strict rules
39
What are the rules about food on Passover?
- only special food and utensils and dishware can be used
-only foods that are "kosher for Passover" are allowed
- No foods containing yeast can be eaten. They instead eat matzoh.
- all food prohibited during Passover must be disposed of the morning of the first night of passover
40
What is a seder plate?
it is a ceremonial plate used in Passover meals that contains food with a special meaning for the holiday and the history/traditions of the Jews
41
What are the main sects of Judaism?
- Orthodox
- Reform
- Conservative
- the majority of Jews around the world. fall into the Orthodox category
42
What 3 historical events influenced Modern Judaism?
- The enlightenment
- The Holocaust (shoah)
- The founding of the state of Israel
43
What was the Enlightenment?
It was a new way of thinking that spread across western Europe - the way of reason. It was called this because of its emphasis on intellectual freedom and everything else was seen as superstition. Jews became more welcomed since religion became a non-issue. However it did split Judaism into its 3 sects
44
What is Hasdism?
-Founder: Israel benEliezer (1698-1759)
-he taught that communion or unity with God came through prayer and good deeds
-they tend to keep to themselves and strictly observe Jewish laws
-they are easily identified by their appearance
45
What is Reform Judaism?
- attracted Jews who mixed with the general population
- they interpret scripture with a modern approach
-less concerned with traditional purity laws, keeping kosher, or a focus on Israel
- accepts secular values and have a personal and individual approach to their beliefs
46
What is Conservative Judaism?
-they follow most of the 613 commandments and the earliest traditions.
-active participation in the synagogue is very important and feels it feeds and supports the Jewish identity
- they do have a modern approach and now allow families to sit together and females can be ordained in so congregations
- this is the largest branch in Canada
47
What is Orthodox Judaism?
-considered the most traditional branch
-They believe their faith was fully given to Moses and should not be changed
- they follow all 613 commandments
-only Hebrew is used in the synagogues
- men and women can't worship together, very traditional
-non-Jewish marriages are promoted or embraced
48
What is an ethnic Jew?
a Jew who defines their ethnic background as Jewish (lineage to Israel or the Hebrew nation)
49
What is a secular Jew?
an ethnic Jew who is not religious. Only follows secular principles and laws
50
What is a religious ethnic Jew?
an individual who is Jewish in both their ethnic identity and their religious devotion
51
What is a religious Jew?
A Jew with no ethnic tie to Israel or the Hebrew nation but is a practicing religious Jew
52
Where are the two versions of the commandments in the Torah?
- one in Exodus
- one in Deuteronomy
53
What is "sin" to the Jews?
-failure to live the Covenant
-going against moral laws
-violating rituals and purity laws
54
Canada has the 4th largest Jewish population after the united states(1), Isreal (2), and France (3)
55
Where do most Jews live in Canada?
- In big cities like Montreal and Toronto
- Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Calgary also have large populations
56
When was the first synagogue Built in Canada
1768 in Montreal
57
What where the 3 main waves of Jewish immigration to Canada
- those who emigrated from Russia and eastern Europe in the late 19 century and early 20 century
-40 000 Jewish Holocaust survivors in 1945
- Immigrants from the French colonies of northern Africa in the 1950's
58
What are the special clothing wore during worship
-Men wear a skull cap called a kippah
-during morning services men also wear a prayer robe called a tallit
- In a Orthodox sect men wear two leather boxes one on their head and one on their arm facing their heart
59
What are the 3 actions Jewish people participate in
- worship
- prayer
-remembering
60
What is the oldest Jewish holiday
Shabbat
61
What is on a Seder plate
- haroseth
- parsley
- roasted egg
- shank bone
- bitter herbs
- wine
62
What do the 4 glasses of wine mean (in order)
- freedom
- deliverance
- redemption
- release
63
What does the 5th cup of wine stand for
It is an offering for the prophet Elijah. The door is also left open to invite the prophet in to the house
64
What is the largest branch of Judaism in the world? And in Canada?
Largest in the world: orthodox
Largest in Canada: conservative
65
Who is Elie Wiesel
- a holocaust survivor
- a Nobel piece prize winner
- wrote a short book about the holocaust called night
66
What is the current Jewish year?
5785
67
How long has the civil calendar been in use? and how long has the Jewish calendar been in us?
Civil calendar: since 16th century
Jewish calendar: since 4th century
68
What was the post world war 2 perspective?
- more than 1/3 of the Jewish population was killed
- with the support of the nations the state of Israel was created
-this is the first time in 2
millennia Jews had a
homeland
69
Who are the patriarchs of Judaism?
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
- they are both physical and spiritual ancestors of the faith
- They founded Judaism and their descendants are the Jewish people
70
What is the star of David
It is made of 2 overlapping triangles. There is 6 outer points which stand for the 6 days of creation and the center stands for the 7th day of rest
71
What is the menorah?
it is a 7 branched candelabra. The 7 branches symbolizes the 7 days of creation and it is sometimes called "the tree of life"
72
What is the Torah scroll?
It is the center of Jewish life. It is made up of the 5 books of Moses written by hand on parchment that is specially prepared. It takes 6 months to prepare
73
What is the Mezuzah
It is a container with the shema in it. It is attached to the right of the door on a diagonally some Jews will touch it with their finger tips when they enter or leave the house for a blessing
74
What is the shema
It is the Jewish prayer that is in all all morning and evening prayers
75
What are the rituals around marriage in Judaism
- it is expected for a Jew to marry another Jew because they think it is difficult for them to understand you
- the wedding takes place under a canopy called a "huppah" symbolizes home
- the drink from a blessed cup of wine
- marriage contract is ready and signed by the husband and the women wears a ring on her right hand
- end of service the groom breaks glass to symbolizes the good and bad
76
What is their opinion on divorce
- they can divorce but they have to put in effort to prevent it
- only the man can give the wife a certificate of divorce because only he signed the marriage contact
77
What are the rituals for death
they try to do it as soon as possible preferably in the first 24 and should be very simple since there is no difference between a rich and poor man
78
When was the temple destroyed
1st century
79
What are the 12 tribes of Israel
They are Jacob’s 12 sons
80
What is the wailing wall
- last remaining wall of heralds temple where Judaism started
- it is a sacred space and location
81
Define righteous
Describes one who is just, or is in a right relationship with god
82
What does it mean when someone changes their name
That a change in their relationship with god has happened
83
What where many of the first Jews when they immigrated to Canada
Fur traders or members of the British army
84
What are they symbols of Judaism
- Star of David
- menorah
- Torah scroll
- mezuzah
85
How are Jacob’s 12 sons in order. What is his daughter’s name. And which wife is every kid from
1) Reuben (Leah)
2) Simeon (Leah)
3) Levi (Leah)
4) Judah (Leah)
5) Dan (Bilah)
6) Naphtali (bilah)
7) Gad (zilpah)
8) Asher ( zilpah)
9) Issachar (Leah)
10) zebulun (Leah)
11) Joseph (Rachel)
12) Benjamin (Rachel)
- Dinah (Leah - only daughter)
86
What are the mitzvahs that Jew believe non-Jews are obligated to follow as well
- do not commit idolatry
- do not commit blasphemy
- do not commit murder
- do not commit theft
- do not commit sexual immorality
- do not remove and eat a living limb of an animal
- establish a judicial system with courts of law to enforce the first six
87
How is sexuality viewed in Judaism?
- all forms see human sexuality as a blessing from god
- according to halakhah human sexuality can only be enjoyed in marriage
- views differ from one branch to another. Some are stricter than others
- adultery is not allowed in any branch
88
Name 3 famous Jews
- Adam Sandler
- Mel brooks
- Natalie Portman
