Judaism

1. Judaism

2. Jewish History B.C.ETraditional Dates • 1800-1600 Abraham, Isaac & Jacob • 1400 Enslavement in Egypt • 1300 Moses, the emancipator & lawgiver leads exodus from Egypt • 1312 Torah given on Mount Sinai • 1200 Canaan conquered • 900 1st Temple under Solomon • 930 Kingdom divided • 722 Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom of Israel and deported its people (10 lost tribes) • 586 Judea conquered and 1st Temple destroyed—Babylonian exile • 510 Return from exile • 300 Alexander the Great conquers Judea • 165 Revolt of the Maccabeans b/c Antiochus Epiphanes prohibited the observance of the Sabbath, circumcision and studying Torah

3. Jewish History C.E • 70 Romans destroy Jerusalem and the 2nd Temple (part of the Wall remains so-called the “Wailing Wall”),later after the 103 Bar Kokhba revolt, remaining Jews are deported from rest of Palestine—Beginning of Jewish Diaspora • 1171 France’s first blood libel • 1290 Jews expelled from England • 1350 Black Death massacres of German Jews • 1390 Jews in France Expelled • 1480-92 Spanish Inquisition • 1648 Jews of Poland massacred by BogdanChmielnicki (Cossacks) • 1880 Wave of “Pogroms” in Russia • 1940 Holocaust (Yom Ha-Shoah—Holcaust Memorial Day celebrated each year) • 1948 Modern state of Israel proclaimed

4. Scriptures & Symbols • Torah (law) = First 5 books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers & Deuteronomy • Talmud = Commentaries on the 613 commandments (Mitzvot) in the Torah • Prayer Book (used daily) • Prayer shawl (tallit) and skull cap (kippah/yarmulke) • Tefillin (phylacteries) are worn during morning prayers at home

5. Authorities & Structure • No single central authority for all Judaism • Rabbis (lit: teachers) lead worship at synagogues with the help of ordinary members of congregation • “Minyan” group of 10 people needed for communal religious functions (funeral prayers, services, etc.) • Three main branches: Orthodox, Conservative and Reformed

6. Festivals • Hebrew year 5771--Use a lunisolar calendar whose date indicates both the moon phase and the time of the solar year • Purim (Esther’s story) Feb/Mar • Passover (Commemorating the Exodus) Mar/Apr • High Holidays: Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) Sept/Oct ,10 days later Yom Kippur fast (Day of Atonement) • Sukkot or “Booths” (Ex. 23:16; Deut. 16:13) Sept/Oct • Chanukah (164 BCE Temple Lights) Dec—One of the only major non-biblical festivals

7. Prominent Beliefs • Belief in resurrection rather than disembodied immortality • Do not believe in original sin • The Talmud states that “the righteous of all nations are worthy of immortality” • Non-Jewish people are not bound by the 613 commandments in the Torah but only by the “Seven Noahide Laws” • Gentiles = “the nations”

8. 7 Noahide Laws • Idolatry - Must not deny God • Murder - No murder • Theft - No theft • Sexual Promiscuity - No adultery • Blasphemy - Must not blaspheme God • Cruelty to Animals - Do not eat the flesh torn from a living animal • Government - You shall set up an effective government to police the preceding six laws

9. Rituals & beliefs • Preservation and respect of bodies very important • Bodies should not be left alone and no autopsies unless necessary • Quick burial (but not on Sabbath) • Sabbath is Saturday (but starts at Friday sundown and end Saturday at sundown) • For the very pious injunction to “rest” on the Sabbath pronounced in book of Genesis taken very seriously (definition of “work” varies widely between groups) • Circumcision of boys 8 days after birth • Prayers in morning, afternoon and evening

10. Distinctive Rules • Main “Kashrut” dietary laws: • Mammals with “Cloven hoofs” that chew cud may be eaten and certain birds • All animals must be slaughtered to minimize suffering and drain blood • Meat and milk products must not be eaten together (several hours wait), different utensil, etc. • No shell fish • Foods that are neither meat or dairy (“Parve” foods) may be eaten with meat or milk (eg. Fruit, veg, rice, eggs, and lentils) • Degree of observance varies widely between individuals • Preservation of life trumps all commandments/laws • “trayf” = non-kosher