Download mostly Judaism, although the world`s 3 major religions

ISRAEL
Fast Facts
• Capitol is Jerusalem
• Government is a parliamentary
democracy
• Religion: mostly Judaism, although
the world’s 3 major religions
(Christianity, Islam & Judaism)
consider Israel, especially
Jerusalem, to be very important
• Official languages: Hebrew, Arabic,
English
• The nation was re-created by the United
Nations after World War II as a place to
send European Jewish refugees & survivors
of the Holocaust
– In order to re-create the nation of
Israel, other people living in that area
of the Middle East were removed from
their homes & became refugees
themselves
– This created tension & violence in the
Middle East that exists today
Israeli New Shekalim = 26 ¢
Food
Kosher
• There are many rules about food that Orthodox Jews
follow. Here are a few:
– Follow the Biblical laws about clean & unclean meat &
how the animals are slaughtered
– Meat & milk can’t be mixed together
– Certain foods, like grape juice & cheese, must be
completely made by Jews (they are forbidden if any
part is made by a non-Jew)
– Food from Israel must be properly tithed
– Cooking utensils & machinery must never touch nonkosher food (if they do, they can’t be used again)
Matzo Ball Soup
A traditional soup eaten during the
celebration of the Passover Seder
Kugel
• Traditional baked side dish or dessert
• Often served during Jewish Festivals
& on Sabbath
• Originated in Germany over 800 years
ago
Hamantaschen
A pastry eaten during the Jewish holiday, Purim,
filled with prunes, nuts, dates or fruit preserves
Hamin
Traditional stew, containing cereals, pulses
& potatoes (meat may or may not be
added), eaten for Sabbath lunch
Animals
Nubian Ibex
Photo Credit:Ester Inbar
Rock Hyrax
Photo Credt: Yael & Amihay
Deathstalker
Photo Credit: Ester Inbar, available from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:ST
Nutria
Music
Riq (Tambourine)
Darbuke
Hora Dance
A traditional circle-dance, commonly a part of weddings &
other festive occasions. The honored person or wedding
couple are often lifted up on chairs during the dance.
Clothing
Tallit (Prayer
Shawl)
&
Yarmulke
(Skull Cap)
• Tefillin = a pair of black leather boxes
containing scrolls of paper with verses
written on them
• The head-tefillin is worn above the
forehead while the arm-tefillin is worn
wrapped around the arm, hand & fingers
• They serve as a sign
and a way of
remembering that God
brought the Israelites
out of Egypt
• Are worn during
morning prayer
services
• A literal way to fulfill
the commandment in
Deuteronomy 11:18,
“Therefore shall you
lay up these my words
in your heart and in
your soul, and bind
them for a sign upon
your hand, that they
may be as frontlets
between your eyes.”
Payot
• Long, curled
sidelocks are
worn by men of
certain sects of
Judaism
• Believe that the
sides of the face
should never be
shaved
Jerusalem
Photo Credit: Jerusalem Old City from the Mount of Olives, Wayne McLean
• Is the capitol of Israel
• Is one of the world’s oldest
cities, dating back at least 4000
years
• The Old City is only a little over
1/3 square mile
• In it’s history, the city has been
destroyed twice, besieged 23
times, attacked 52 times,
captured and recaptured 44 times
• The city is considered holy to the
world’s 3 major religions
– Is the Holy City to the Jews
– Is important to the Christians as
the place of much Bible history &
where Jesus taught & was crucified
– Is the 3rd most holy place in Islam
because it is believed that the
prophet Mohammed ascended to
heaven from the Temple Mount in
Jerusalem
Temple Mount
Replica of Herod’s Temple, what the Temple Mount
would have looked like during the time of Jesus
• Is considered holy in all of the
world’s 3 major religions
– Is the site where Abraham was
going to sacrifice Isaac & God
provided a ram instead
– Is the site of both of Israel’s
temples, Solomon’s Temple &
Herod’s Temple
– Is the site where Moslem’s believe
that the prophet Mohammed
ascended to heaven
The Dome of the Rock, what the Temple Mount
looks like today
Western (Wailing) Wall
Photo Credit: Gene Mathes
• The Western Wall is the
only surviving part of
Herod’s Temple (the
temple in the time of
Jesus)
• Is called the “Wailing
Wall” because it is
where Jews from all
over the world come to
cry about the loss of
their temple & to pray
for it to be rebuilt some
day
• The cracks between the
stones are filled with
prayers written on small
slips of paper
Compliments of HoboTraveler.com
The Dome of the Rock
Photo Credit: Paolo Massa
• Built in 691 A.D., it is the oldest Islamic
building in the world
• Is built on the center of the Temple
Mount
• The dome is covered with gold
– Originally, 100,000 gold coins were melted
down to cover the dome
– The original dome was damaged over time &
required repair
– King Hussein of Jordan donated over $8 million
to have the dome re-covered in 36 pounds of
gold
Synagogue
Photo Credit: Alaexis
• A community House of Prayer built
wherever Jews live, kind of like a Jewish
church
• Different from a temple (there is no
temple since Herod’s Temple was
destroyed)
• Like churches, the outside & inside of
synagogues can look very different from
each other
• Besides the sanctuary, there may be a
fellowship hall, kosher kitchen, daycare &
religious school
• An Orthodox Synagogue always contains:
– An Ark, where the Torah is kept, faces
West toward Jerusalem
– A large, raised reader’s platform from
where the Torah is read, located in the
exact center of the sanctuary
– A continuously lit lamp, a reminder of
the lamp in the
Tabernacle or Temple
that always remained
lit in Bible times
– A candelabrum lit
during services as a
reminder of the Menorah
– A pulpit facing the congregation
where the Rabbi conducts the
service
– Another pulpit facing the Ark
where the prayer leader stands
– A partition to separate the
men’s seating area from the
women’s or a separate seating
area for women in a balcony
Torah
• The first 5 books of the Bible that Moses
wrote: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus,
Numbers, Deuteronomy
• May also refer to the whole legal &
religious Jewish writings
• The most sacred writings in Judaism
• Tradition says that there are a total of
613 commandments is the Torah, divided
into 365 negative restrictions & 248
positive commands
• Portions of the
Torah are read or
chanted during
every morning &
evening service,
Sabbath & during
feasts & festivals
• Since the Torah is
the heart of
Judaism, it is
dressed with a
sash, ornaments &
a crown
Photo Credt: Katie Tornick
Citations
www.wikipedia.com/wiki/Animals_of_Israel
www.wikipedia.com/wiki/Cholent
www.wikipedia.com/wiki/Hamantash
www.wikipedia.com/wiki/Israel_Defense_Forces
www.wikipedia.com/wiki/Jerusalem
www.wikipedia.com/wiki/Jewish_Cuisine
www.wikipedia.com/wiki/Kosher_Foods
www.wikipedia.com/wiki/Kugel
www.wikipedia.com/wiki/Synagogue
www.wikipedia.com/wiki/The_Dome_of_the_Rock
www.wikipedia.com/wiki/Torah