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Transcript
A Brief Introduction to Judaism The Essence of being Jewish One is part of a Jewish community, & lives one's life according to Jewish law & traditions. Judaism is a way of life inextricably entwined with a system of beliefs. The fundamental beliefs of Judaism are: There is a single, allpowerful God, who created the universe & everything in it. God has a special relationship with the Jewish people, cemented by the covenant that God made with Moses on Mount Sinai, 3500 years ago. Mitzvot Prayer: Done 3 times a day Some can only be said when ten or more Jews are together, a minyan Read & Study the Torah Done once a week in a Synagogue Tikkun Olam The responsibility to fix the problems of the world Tzeddakah Charity and helping people The Torah:All men are required to be covered while reading the Torah or hearing it read. The Jewish place of worship is called a Synagogue. Ahavath Beth Israel in Boise is the longest continuously operating Synagogue located west of the Mississippi The religious leader of a Jewish community is called a Rabbi. Unlike leaders in many other faiths, a rabbi is not a priest and has no special religious status. The Jewish holy day, or Sabbath, starts at sunset on Friday and continues until sunset on Saturday. During the Sabbath, observant Jews will do nothing that might be counted as work. Among the things that they can't do are driving and cooking. The Torah or Hebrew Bible (which Christians call the Old Testament), and particularly the first 5 books (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy ). Holy Books At least one copy of the Torah, in Hebrew, is kept in every synagogue in the form of a hand-written parchment scroll. The Talmud, a compendium of law and commentary on the Torah applying it to life in later and changed circumstances. Torah scrolls Symbol of Judaism The symbol of Judaism is the Magen (shield) of David, which is often called the Star of David. Menorah -The ninebranched menorah used on Hanukkah commemorates the miracle that a day's worth of oil lasted eight days during the dedication of the second temple. Seder Dinner The Seder reminds Jews of their Exodus into the desert as they escaped the slavery of the Egyptians. Each item on the plate represents something. Unleavened bread to remind us that our ancestors didn't have the time to bake their bread before they fled. Bitter herbs to remind us of the bitter, cruel way our ancestors were treated in slavery. Twice-dipped herbs: We dip our food into Haroset (a mixture of apples, wine and nuts) to remind us of the hard work our forebears did while building the Pharoh's buildings.*The mixture resembles mortar* And we dip our greens (reminder of spring) into salt water, to remind us of the tears that were shed by the Jewish slaves. we recline as we eat to be comfortable, and to remind us that once we were slaves, and now we are free. Jewish Holidays Rosh Hashanna – Jewish new year celebrated in the Fall Yom Kippur – Day of Atonement Hanukkah – Celebration of the victory of the Macabees over the Greeks and the rededication of the temple Passover – Celebration of the miracle by God which took the firstborn son of nonbelievers (including Pharoah’s son) thus ending the enslavement of the Jewish people. Core Jewish Beliefs Judaism originated in Israel around 4000 years ago. Both Christianity and, to a lesser extent, Islam, draw on Judaism. The great Jewish scholar Hillel (70 BCE-CE 10) was asked to summarize the essence of Judaism. He put it like this: Judaism does not have set doctrines or creeds, but is a religion that follows Torah, guidance from God found especially in Scripture. Jews live in a Covenant with God, not for their own sake but for the sake of the whole world. The Western Wall, thought to be part of the original Jewish Temple, is at the base of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour: this is this is the whole of Jewish Law; the rest is mere commentary" God and the Messiah Jews believe there is only one God. God created the universe, and continues to keep it going. God has always existed, and always will. God cannot be seen or touched. God can however, be known through worship, and one can get closer to God through study and through mystical practices. God chose the Jewish people as his own special people, to be an example to all human beings. God gave Torah to the Jews as a guide to the obedient and holy life he wanted them to live. "The Messiah", who is a person specially anointed by God (i.e. specially commissioned), will one day come to the world. The arrival of the Messiah will bring an era of peace. Maimonides wrote “The Laws and Basic Principles of the Torah” Humanity Jews believe: Hebrew, the language of the Jews, is read right to left. Humans are made in the image of God Human beings should try to seek holiness in every part and activity of life Jews believe that obeying the "law" is doing God's will, and showing respect and love for God This is why observant Jews will follow certain practices without needing any extra-religious reason to obey the rules. An example of this would be obedience to Jewish dietary laws. All Jews have a strong attachment to Israel, the land God promised to Abraham and to the holy city of Jerusalem. The Various Types of Judaism Jews are divided according to their beliefs and practices and according to their racial origins, as either having roots in central Europe (Ashkenazi Jews) or Spain and the Middle East (Sephardi Jews). The main divisions of belief and practice are as follows: Orthodox and 'Ultra-Orthodox' Jews Orthodox Jews follow the original teachings and traditions of the faith closely. They believe that the Torah and the Talmud were given by God directly to the Jewish People in, and so they regard these documents as being God's actual words and of the highest authority, in setting down the traditions and laws of Judaism Orthodox Jews are the biggest group in most countries outside the USA. "Ultra-Orthodox" Jews obey religious laws very strictly. They live in separate communities and follow their own customs. To some extent they keep apart from the world around them. The Ultra-Orthodox are one of the fastest growing groups of the Jewish people. "Ultra-Orthodox" is not a term that Jews like very much, and it is more acceptable to use the word "Haredi". Conservative Jews fall somewhere between Orthodox and Reform Jews Hasidic Jews are a sub-group of Haredi Jews, but the two terms are not interchangeable. The essential elements of Hasidic Judaism are the high importance given to mysticism rather than learning, and the reverence given to the leader of each of the many sects within the movement. Hasidism began in Poland in the 18th Century. Hasidic Jews were almost completely wiped out in Europe in the Holocaust. Hasidic Jews Reform Jews and Humanistic Judaism Reform Jews have adapted their faith and customs to modern life, and incorporated the discoveries that modern scholarship has made about the early Jews. They do not regard the Torah and Talmud as the actual words of God, but as words written by human beings inspired by God. Reform Jews believe that because the words of these texts were not directly given by God, they can be reinterpreted to suit the conditions of a particular time and place. So, for example, men and women can sit together in a Reform synagogue, when they would be rigorously segregated in an Orthodox synagogue. However, there are still many elements of Judaism that Reform Jews regard as unchangeable, even though they may be less observant in many other areas of belief. A particular feature of Reform Judaism is a strong belief in the importance of creating a just society, and many Reform Jews have been in the forefront of political activism.