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1. How does the role of gender in the religion differ between divergent groups?
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Conservative
Liberal
Orthodox
Reform
Humanistic
Modern
Reconstructionist
Israel revisits ban on female prayer at holy site
Men & Women: Jewish View of Gender Differences
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/
http://www.jewfaq.org/women.htm
2. How does the religion use the material dimension as a means of religious expression?
Special objects in Judaism:
Things Jews Wear
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Kittel - white robe
Shaytl - wig
Tallit and Tzitzit - prayer shawl and fringes
Tefilin - phylacteries
Tichl - headcovering for women
Yarmulke or Kipa - skullcap
Things in a Jewish Home
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Matzah - unleavened bread
Menorah - candelabrum
Mezuzah - doorpost scroll
Things in the Synagogue
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Ark and accessories - storage for the Torah
Bima - platform
Mechitza - divider
Menorah - candelabrum
Musical instruments
Ten Commandments
Torah scroll and accessories
Synagogue windows
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Yad - Torah pointer
Things for Holidays and Special Occasions
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Chuppah - wedding canopy
Dreidel - Hanukkah toy
Get - divorce document
Haggadah - prayerbook for Passover
Matzah - bread for Passover
Ketubah - marriage contract
Sukka - booth for Sukkot
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Kittelhttp://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/objects/kittel
What is a Kittel? In Judaism, a kittel is a white linen robe worn by Jewish men on special occasions to
signify purity, holiness and new beginnings...
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Mezuzahhttp://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/objects/mezuzah
What is a Mezuzah? In Judaism, A mezuzah (from the Hebrew for "doorpost") is a small parchment
inscribed with short Torah passages in Hebrew...
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Phylacteries in Judaismhttp://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/objects/tefillin
What is a phylactery? In the Jewish religion, a phylacteries (or tefillin), are two small black leather
boxes worn on the left arm and forehead by observant adult male Jews...
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Jewish Synagogue - Judaismhttp://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/objects/synagogue
What is a synagogue? In the Jewish religion, worship services take place at a synagogue, a building
for prayer and the study of God, which replaces the ancient Temple...
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Tallit and Tzitzithttp://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/objects/tallit
What is a Tallit? In the Jewish faith, The tallit (also spelled talit; Yiddish tallis; plural talitot) is a
prayer shawl worn by Jews during weekday morning services, on the Sabbath, and on holidays...
http://www.jewfaq.org/signs.htm
3. How does the religion’s central doctrine of faith influence an adherent’s life?
What Do Jews Believe?
Judaism is one of the oldest religions in the world. Their sacred text, the Hebrew Bible, teaches several doctrines - such as
those about God, the Messiah, human beings, and the universe - making beliefs very important to Jews. Judaism has no
official creed, however.
Judaism shares some beliefs with other world religions, like monotheism with Christianity and Islam, but in other respects
there are sharp differences between the faiths. (Comparison Chart: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam on one massive chart.)
It is important to understand that the term "Jewish" can be used to describe a race and a culture, rather than a religion, so
some who identify themselves as Jewish may have little interest in the beliefs of Judaism.
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The 13 Articles of Faith
As noted above, Judaism has no creed and beliefs of individual Jews can vary widely. However, the great 12th-century rabbi
Maimonides put together "13 Articles of Faith" that he believed every Jew ought to adhere to, and this is often used as a
summary of core Jewish beliefs.
Jewish Beliefs about God
In Judaism, ultimate reality is a single, all-powerful God. It is this belief that made the Jews unique among other ancient
Semitic peoples and that became the legacy Judaism has passed on to the entire Western world. God's name in Hebrew is
YHWH, which simply - but significantly - means "I am."
Jewish Beliefs about the Messiah
Many of the world's religions have hope in a future heroic figure who will rescue the righteous, judge the wicked, and restore
peace to the world (Krishna in Hinduism, Maitreya in Buddhism and the Second Coming of Christ in Christianity). In
Judaism, this figure is the Messiah.
Jewish Beliefs about Human Nature
When Genesis 2:7 says "God formed man," it uses the Hebrew word vayyitzer ("formed"). The Talmud finds special
meaning in the unique spelling of the word in this context, with two yods instead of one. The two yods, the rabbis explain,
stand for the two impulses found in humans: the yetzer tov and the yetzer ra.
Olam Ha-Ba: Jewish Beliefs about the Afterlife
Jewish sacred texts and literature have little to say about what happens after death, which may seem surprising to non-Jews
since the sacred texts of Christianity and Islam, both of which have their foundations in Judaism, elaborate rather fully about
the afterlife.
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Afterlifehttp://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/beliefs/afterlife
What does Judaism teach about the afterlife? Jewish sacred texts and literature have little to say about what happens after
death. This may seem surprising to non-Jews, since Christian sacred texts and Islamic sacred texts - both of which have their
foundations in Judaism - elaborate rather fully about the afterlife...
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Articles of the Jewish Faithhttp://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/lists/articles-faith
What does Judaism teach and believe? The Jewish religion doesn't have an official creed. Jewish beliefs are articulated and
observed by followers of the faith through the reading of the sacred texts of Judaism, like the Torah...
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Human Naturehttp://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/beliefs/human-nature
What does Judaism teach about human nature? A fundamental to Jewish beliefs about human beings is that they are created
in the image of God. This does not mean that people look like God, for God is incorporeal...
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Messiah - Jewish Beliefshttp://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/beliefs/messiah
Who is the Messiah? Many of the world's religions have hope in a future heroic figure who will rescue the righteous, judge
the wicked, and restore peace to the world, like Krishna in Hinduism, Maitreya in Buddhism, and the Second Coming in
Christianity...
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YHWH (Yahweh)http://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/beliefs/yhwh
In Judaism, ultimate reality is a single, all-powerful God. It is this central belief that made the Jews unique among other
ancient Semitic peoples and that became the legacy Judaism has passed on to the entire Western world...
Sourced from: http://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/beliefs
Principle Beliefs of Judaism
The central idea of Judaism involves a commitment by the Jewish people to a single, omnipotent, incorporeal
God, who is the creator and ruler of the universe and the source of a moral law for humanity. The idea of God as
the creator of the universe opens the Biblical narrative Bereshit (“In the Beginning”) in the Book of Genesis.
The declaration of this belief appears throughout the Jewish source texts, including in the key prayer known as
the Shema. The Shema, a recitation of Deuteronomy 6: 4-9, is a central feature of every synagogue service. It is
also recited daily upon waking and on significant occasions such as approaching death. The Shema (whose
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name means "Listen/Hear") begins:
"Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God. The Lord is One.
Blessed be his name, whose glorious kingdom is for ever and ever.
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might."
The concept of a moral law prescribed by God is one of the principal subjects of the Torah, the first five books
of the Bible. The concept of the Creator's moral law suffuses the Tanah, which comprises the Torah,
the Prophets and the Writings. (See Core Ethical Teachings of Judaism.)
Some statements of belief
A statement emphasising the majesty of God and condemning idolatry occurs in the First and Second
Commandments at Exodus 20:2-6:
1. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
2. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make yourself a graven image; nor the form of
anything that is in the heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water beneath the earth. You
shall not bow down to them or serve them…
The attributes of God are recited in the songs of petition and praise collected in the Psalms. Psalms 19
and 24 are just two out of scores of examples:
"The heavens are telling the glory of God;
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple."
(Psalm 19)
"The earth is the LORD's and the fulness thereof,
the world and those who dwell therein;
for he has founded it upon the seas,
and established it upon the rivers.
Who shall ascend the mountain of the LORD?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to what is false,
and does not swear deceitfully."
(Psalm 24)
Every day observant Jews pronounce numerous belssings which commence with the words “Blessed
art Thou, our God and King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with his commandments …”
 The idea of the Covenant
 Maimonides' Thirteen Principles of Jewish Faith
Above sources from: http://www.ijs.org.au/Beliefs/default.aspx
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4. How are relationships to the divine expressed?
The interpretation of Sacred Scripture from a Jewish
perspective
“They read from the scroll of the Teaching [“Torah”] of God, translating it and giving the sense;
so they understood the reading” (Neh 8:8, JPS translation). Harvey J. Fields notes that this
passage gives insight into the way in which Jews in antiquity engaged with Sacred Scripture.
First, they listened to the Torah, both in its original Hebrew and in the form of a Targum, or
“translation”. Second, they sought to understand the sense of what they were hearing in order
to understand it more fully.[8] This threefold method of engaging with the biblical text is
relevant to all who seek to enter into the Dialogue between the Divine and humanity that has
found expression in the Sacred Scriptures of so many religious traditions. The first step
involves “hearing” the text: this involves a careful reading of the text. The second step involves
“translating” the text: for this we will need the assistance of others who have been involved in
this “Dialogue between the Divine and humanity.” In the case of Judaism, we look to the rabbis
and others who have studied Torah with great care and reverence throughout the centuries.
The final step involves “analyzing” the text: using the insights we have gained through
“hearing” and “translating” the text in order to understand some of the fullness of its meaning.
Sourced from: http://www.batkol.info/?p=2701
What Jews Believe
Judaism Documentary
Sacred Symbols and Rituals
Ultra-Orthodox Rituals ahead of Yom Kippur
Judaism: Practices, Rituals, Festivals & Symbols
5. How does the religion function within society’s cultural contexts?
The Promised Land
The history of the Jewish people begins with Abraham, and the story of Abraham begins when G-d tells him to
leave his homeland, promising Abraham and his descendants a new home in the land of Canaan. (Gen. 12). This
is the land now known as Israel, named after Abraham's grandson, whose descendants are the Jewish people.
The land is often referred to as the Promised Land because of G-d's repeated promise (Gen. 12:7, 13:15, 15:18,
17:8) to give the land to the descendants of Abraham.
The land is described repeatedly in the Torah as a good land and "a land flowing with milk and honey" (e.g., Ex.
3:8). This description may not seem to fit well with the desert images we see on the nightly news, but let's keep
in mind that the land was repeatedly abused by conquerors who were determined to make the land uninhabitable
for the Jews. In the few decades since the Jewish people regained control of the land, we have seen a
tremendous improvement in its agriculture. Israeli agriculture today has a very high yield.
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Jews have lived in this land continuously from the time of its original conquest by Joshua more than 3200 years
ago until the present day, though Jews were not always in political control of the land, and Jews were not always
the majority of the land's population.
The land of Israel is central to Judaism. A substantial portion of Jewish law is tied to the land of Israel, and can
only be performed there. Some rabbis have declared that it is a mitzvah (commandment) to take possession of
Israel and to live in it (relying on Num. 33:53). The Talmud indicates that the land itself is so holy that merely
walking in it can gain you a place in the World to Come. Prayers for a return to Israel and Jerusalem are
included in daily prayers as well as many holiday observances and special events.
Living outside of Israel is viewed as an unnatural state for a Jew. The world outside of Israel is often referred to
as "galut," which is usually translated as "diaspora" (dispersion), but a more literal translation would be "exile"
or "captivity." When we live outside of Israel, we are living in exile from our land.
Jews were exiled from the land of Israel by the Romans in 135 C.E., after they defeated the Jews in a three-year
war, and Jews did not have any control over the land again until 1948 C.E.
Sourced from: http://www.jewfaq.org/israel.htm
Jewish population of the World
Israeli Society and Religious Issues
Jew's in New York
Jews in Society throughout history