Download Chapter 12 - Endeavor Charter School

G u i d e
t o
R e a d i n g
N o t e s
Section 2
Central Beliefs and Teachings of Judaism
Teaching
Description
Influence Today
monotheism
belief in one God who is the
source of standards of morality
(right and wrong)
Judaism is the world’s oldest monotheistic religion.
Through study of sacred texts, and through prayer,
many Jews feel that God is close to them in their
daily lives.
following
Jewish
teachings
laws like the Ten Commandments
instruct Jews on how to lead
upright and honorable lives
A larger set of laws and practices developed over
time, such as loving your neighbors, keeping a
Sabbath, and the celebration of Passover. Jews
observe these rules and practices in different ways.
equality and
social justice
belief that God considers all
people equal, and that treating
people fairly and caring for less
fortunate people are important
Stories and sayings teach about treating everyone
fairly. Caring for those less fortunate in society is a
basic value in Judaism.
importance
of study
studying the Hebrew Bible, the
Talmud, and other writings
Jews value study and learning. Many Jews learn
about Jewish history, law, and traditions through
reading and discussion. They also pass on their
knowledge to other members of the faith.
Section 3
Answers will vary. Possible answers:
Student: How did the Jewish Diaspora begin, and why
was it difficult for followers of Judaism?
Rabbi: The Jewish Diaspora began in 597 B.C.E.,
when the Babylonians conquered Judah. Thousands of
Jews entered captivity in Babylon. From this time on,
the followers of Judaism were scattered in many lands
or were dominated by foreign rulers. It would not be
easy to keep Judaism alive.
Student: Which foreign powers ruled Judah, and how
did they treat the Jews?
Rabbi: The Babylonians were conquered in 539 B.C.E.
by the Persians. The Persian king Cyrus ended the
exile of the Jews, and many of them returned to Judah.
For nearly 400 years, Judah was ruled by foreigners.
Most rulers were harsh. The Greek ruler Antiochus
tried to force the Jews to worship idols of Greek gods,
but the Jews rebelled and drove the Greeks out. The
Romans conquered Judah in 63 B.C.E.
© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute
While they did allow Jews to practice their religion
and govern some affairs, the Romans were quick to act
against any sign of rebellion. They executed more than
50,000 Jews.
Student: What happened after the Jews rose up
against the Romans in 66 C.E.? in 135 C.E.?
Rabbi: The Jews kept the Romans out of Jerusalem for
three years, but in 70 C.E., Titus led a Roman army
against the Jews. The Jews were outnumbered, and the
Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the Second Temple.
In 135 C.E. the Romans ended another Jewish revolt
and forced most Jews to move away. This began the
final exile of the Jewish people from their homeland.
Section 4
Answers will vary. Possible answers:
Student: Where did the Jews live during the Jewish
Diaspora?
Rabbi: After losing control of their homeland, Jews
were exiled throughout many gentile, or non-Jewish,
lands.
Learning About World Religions: Judaism 1
G u i d e
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R e a d i n g
N o t e s
Student: Who was Yohannan ben Zaccai, and why
was he significant?
they had learned. The rabbis at Yavneh made sure that
Jews still had leaders to guide them.
Rabbi: Yohannan ben Zaccai was a rabbi who gained
permission from the Romans to start a Jewish school
in the town of Yavneh. He was afraid that Judaism
would not survive because of the fighting with the
Romans. When Jerusalem fell, Yavneh became the
center of Jewish learning. Ben Zaccai’s rabbis trained
teachers and rabbis, who returned home to share what
Student: What new practices developed over time that
helped Judaism survive?
Rabbi: New practices were introduced to ensure that
the teachings of Judaism would be passed on. The rabbis at Yavneh made the synagogue more important.
They also created a religious service for use in the
synagogue.
Lesson T-Chart
Answers will vary. Possible answers:
Classroom Activity
Teachings and History of Judaism
• The first classroom truth we learned was that our
class has only one true teacher.
• The first central teaching of Judaism—
monotheism—is that there is only one God.
• The second classroom truth we learned was to
respect and follow the classroom truths.
• Another central belief of Judaism is to follow
Jewish teachings.
• The third classroom truth we learned was to help
other students if they are having trouble.
• Another central belief of Judaism is equality and
social justice.
• The fourth classroom truth we learned was
to complete all assignments creatively and
thoughtfully.
• A final central belief of Judaism is the importance
of study.
• Four teachers were forced to leave the center of the
room and were dispersed to different corners of the
room.
• When the kingdom of Judah fell to the
Babylonians, the Jewish Diaspora began. Hundreds
of years later, the Romans also forced many Jews to
leave their homeland.
• The classroom teacher could impose a penalty on
the entire class if some students did not follow the
strict rules about how the four classroom truths
could be taught.
• Foreigners—like Greeks and Romans—were often
harsh rulers, quick to act against any sign of
rebellion among Jews.
• One of the original teachers was allowed to stay in
the center of the room.
• The Romans allowed Rabbi Yohanan ben Zaccai to
start a Jewish school in Yavneh.
• Teachers from the four corners of the room could
consult with the teacher in the center.
• Rabbis came from many places to study at the
school in Yavneh, and then they returned to their
communities to share what they had learned.
• Teachers and students had specific areas in each
corner of the room where they could learn the
classroom truths.
• Jews built synagogues as places to worship, study,
and hold meetings.
• The last group of students came back to the center of
the room to share the classroom truths.
• Starting in 1948, Jews from around the world came
back to settle in the new Jewish state of Israel.
© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute
Learning About World Religions: Judaism 2