Download Main Idea 2

The Early Hebrews
The Big Idea
Originally desert nomads, the Hebrews established a great
kingdom called Israel.
Main Ideas
• Abraham and Moses led the Hebrews to Canaan and to a
new religion.
• Strong kings united the Israelites to fight off invaders.
• Invaders conquered and ruled the Hebrews after their
kingdom broke apart.
• Some women in Hebrew society made great contributions
to their history.
The Exodus
• The pharaoh of
Egypt made the
Hebrews slaves
to stop them
from taking over
Egypt.
• A leader named
Moses demanded
that the pharaoh
free his people.
• He refused, and
plagues
occurred,
frightening the
pharaoh.
• His people were
released, so they
began their
Exodus out of
Egypt.
• God then gave
Moses the Ten
Commandments
by which to live.
• They included
worshipping only
God and valuing
human life.
• The Hebrews
reached Canaan
and settled there
in small
communities, as
the Israelites.
Main Idea 2:
Strong kings united the Israelites to fight off
invaders.
• The new threat to the
Israelites came from the
Philistines.
• Solomon became king
next, and expanded the
kingdom and trade.
• The Israelites united under
Saul, who became the first
king of Israel.
• He made allies with nearby
kingdoms, including Egypt
and Phoenicia. Trade with
them made Israel very
rich.
• The Israelites wanted a
single ruler who could lead
them in battle.
• David became king after
Saul. He won many wars.
• With the riches that came
from this, he built a temple
to God in Jerusalem.
Scattering and Conquest
• The Jews went through a
period of enslavement called
the Babylonian Captivity.
• The Persians took over and
allowed the Jews to return to
Jerusalem. Some did not
return, however, and settled in
other parts of the Persian
Empire.
• Scholars call the scattering of
the Jews outside Canaan the
Diaspora.
• The Jews were conquered by
the Romans, but made many
advances in teaching and
building temples.
• Yohanan ben Zaccai was a
teacher during this time who
clarified some Jewish
teachings to help people
better understand the religion.
He also built a school to teach
about Judaism.
• Despite these advances, the
Jews were not happy, and
called on people to rebel.
Jewish Beliefs and Texts
The Big Idea
The central ideas and laws of Judaism are contained in
sacred texts such as the Torah.
Main Ideas
• Beliefs in God, education, justice, and obedience anchor
Jewish society.
• Jewish beliefs are listed in the Torah, the Hebrew Bible,
and the Commentaries.
• The Dead Sea Scrolls reveal many past Jewish beliefs.
• The ideas of Judaism have helped shape later cultures.
Main Idea 2:
Jewish beliefs are listed in the Torah, the
Hebrew Bible, and the Commentaries.
The Torah
• This is a
collection of five
books that make
up the most
sacred text in
Judaism.
• Nearly every
synagogue has
one.
The Hebrew
Bible
• This is made up
of the Torah, the
Proverbs, and
the Book of
Psalms.
• It is also made
up of eight books
that describe the
messages of the
prophets.
The
Commentaries
• Because some
laws are hard to
understand,
scholars wrote
commentaries to
explain them.
• They can be
found in the
Talmud.
Main Idea 3:
The Dead Sea Scrolls reveal many
past Jewish beliefs.
• The Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947.
• It is suspected that they were written between 100 BC and
AD 50.
• The scrolls included prayers, commentaries, letters, and
passages from the Hebrew Bible.
Judaism over the Centuries
The Big Idea
Although they were forced out of Israel by the Romans,
shared beliefs and customs helped Jews
maintain their religion.
Main Ideas
• Revolt, defeat, and migration led to great changes in
Jewish culture.
• Because Jews settled in different parts of the world, two
cultural traditions formed.
• Jewish traditions and holy days celebrate their history and
religion.
A Second Revolt
• Jews in Jerusalem revolted against the
Romans in the 130s.
• After winning the second revolt, the
Romans declared that any Jew caught in
or near the city would be killed.
Main Idea 3:
Jewish traditions and holy days celebrate
their history and religion.
Hanukkah
Passover
• This holiday honors
the rededication of
the Second Temple.
• This is a time for
Jews to remember
the Exodus.
• It is celebrated by
lighting candles in
a menorah.
• They eat only flat
bread and have a
ritual meal called
the seder.
• The eight days
represent the
amount of time the
oil burned during
the rededication.
High Holy Days
• The first two days,
Rosh Hashanah,
celebrate the
beginning of the
Jewish new year.
• On Yom Kippur, the
most holy day,
they fast all day
and ask God for
forgiveness of their
sins.
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