Download Judaism in Canada

Judaism in Canada
Introduction
● Canada has 4th largest Jewish population
● Many Jews immigrated from Europe to North
America after WWII (the holocaust)
● Most settled in large cities (Montreal &
Toronto)
Origins
● Traces back 3800 years to Abraham and
Sarah when God promised them many
descendants
Links to the Past
● Area of Israel today was once divided into
two kingdoms
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Kingdom of Israel (north)
Kingdom of Judah (south)
● Name comes from southern kingdom of
Judah
Birth of Modern Judaism
● Practices have evolved and changed over
time
● Temple was the centre of all Jewish worship
and sacrifice during time of King David and
King Solomon
● Roman Empire destroyed the Temple
Christianity
● Jews and non-Jews had accepted Jesus of
Nazareth as the long-awaited Jewish
Messiah, or Christ
● Followers became known as Christians
Rabbinic Judaism
● Begun by a group known as the Pharisees
● Encouraged people to gather in synagogues
to study the Torah
● Interpreted Torah
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Interpreters were known as Rabbis
Jews in the Diaspora
● Romans expelled Jews from Judea
● Diaspora means ‘the scattering of’
Jews in Christian Europe
● Became divided into two major groups:
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Ashkenazim (central and eastern European Jews)
Sephardim (Spanish, Portuguese, North African
Jews)
● Jews were often persecuted
Jewish Mystical Teachings
● Main Jewish mystical teachings:
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Kabbalah (12th century)
Hasidism (18th century)
● Hasidic Jews
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Maintain strict observance of Jewish laws