Download The Struggle To Preserve Judaism

The Struggle To
Preserve Judaism
How the Hebrews lost their
homeland.
Jewish Diaspora
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When the Hebrews were captured and
became slaves in Babylon, they called
it the Jewish Diaspora
Diaspora means “scattering” or
spreading out throughout the world.
Never again would most of the
Hebrews be together in one single
homeland, even today.
Central Beliefs of Judaism
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Monotheism
Following God’s Law
Equality and Social Justice: everyone
is equal in God’s eye, help to care for
the less fortunate
Importance of Study: study the Torah
Foreign Domination
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Fall of Judah in 597 BCE and the
destruction of the temple in 586 BCE
threatened the survival of the Jewish
beliefs.
Became slaves in Babylon for ½ a
century (597 BCE- 538 BCE).
Prophets encouraged the Hebrews to
keep their faith.
Continued…
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In 539 BCE the Babylonians were conquered by the Persians,
and the King released the Hebrews. Some went back to
Judah where they re-built some of the temple, others stayed
in Babylon.
Judah was ruled by the Persians and the Greeks for over 400
years. Some rules were kind, but most of the time they were
harsh.
The Greeks tried to force the Hebrews to worship Greek Gods
in their own temple.
In 168 BCE the Hebrews rebelled and started a war that
would last 24 years.
In 164 BCE they drove the Greeks from Jerusalem and were
able to reclaim the temple. This is the reason for the
celebration of Hanukkah.
And then there were the
Romans
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The Hebrews lived independently for 88 years, but later conquered
by the Romans in 63 BCE.
Quick to end rebellion: more than 50,000 Hebrews were executed
under their rule.
Romans did allow the Hebrews to practice their religion and govern
some of their own affairs.
In 66 CE the Hebrews rose up against the Romans and were able to
keep them from Jerusalem for three years.
In 70 CE the Roman military conquered the Hebrews and destroyed
Jerusalem and its temple. All that was left was the western part of
the wall.
They seized Jewish land and forbade the Hebrews from entering
Jerusalem. Thousands were sent to other parts of the Roman
Empire.
The Hebrews lost their homeland and their holy city.
Preserving and Passing
on the Faith
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They were spread out throughout Africa, Asia, and
Europe but they were able to keep the faith alive.
Rabbi Yohanan ben Zaccai: he begged the
Hebrews to surrender in order to save the faith.
When the Hebrews refused, he went to the
Romans.
He pleaded to start a Jewish school in the Roman
Empire’s Yavneh (right outside of Judah) so when
Jerusalem fell, Yavneh became the center of Jewish
life.
They taught other Rabi’s and other people the faith
so when they returned home to their people they
were able to spread the faith to them.
Continued….
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New Teachers and Practices
Any adult male can read from the Torah; now the
people do not need a trained leader to learn the
laws and history of Judaism.
Rabbi’s created synagogues (place of worship and
study). This allowed them to strengthen their
communities and faith.
Struggled with prejudice and persecution until
today, but in 1948 they were given their homeland
back by the British. However, they are still fighting
for their land.