What is YHWH?
It is how Jewish people spell Yahweh. Yahweh is the name God first gave to the people. (also know as “I am who I am” or “To be”). They spell it YHWH, because it is spelled without any vowels, thus making it unpronounceable because they think that God is too great and powerful for you to call Him by name.
What is the significance of the synagogues?
After the Jewish people were exiled to Babylon, Jews were dispersed among other nations so they set up a bunch of synagogues so that they would not have to be dependent on the Temple (located in Jerusalem). After 70 CE when the Temple was destroyed, even more synagogues were built.
~Traditional Jews pray 3 times a day
What are the two purposes of the synagogues?
~they are places were Torah is taught (school or education)
~they are places of worship outside Jerusalem
Define: Ashkenazim
Central and Eastern European Jews and their descendants
What happens inside the synagogues involving the Torah?
It contains an ark, or cabinet, where the Torah scrolls are kept. The ark is usually on the eastern wall so that the congregation faces Jerusalem when they face the ark. The Torah is read from a raised platform, and the rabbi speaks from a pulpit to explain the Torah. A lamp is kept burning at all times to remind people that God is present.
Define: Covenant
An agreement of mutual faithfulness, like a contact or alliance between two parties; “I will be be our God and you shall be my people”; the agreement binds the parties together with mutual privileges and obligations
Define: Diaspora
The scattering of Jews outside of Israel in both ancient and modern times
Define: Halahah
“Laws” or “the path”; the oral tradition of Judaism
Define: Holocaust
The systemic killing of over six million Jews before and during World War II
Define: Messiah
A word meaning “the anointed one”; the word “Christ” comes from the Greek word meaning the same thing
Define: Prayer of Sanctification
A prayer to make something sacred
Define: Revelation
The act of showing or revealing something that was hidden
Define: Righteous
Describes one who is just, or who is in a right relationship with God
Define: Secular Jew
An ethnic Jew who is not religious
Define: Sephardim
Primarily Spanish, Portuguese, and North African Jews and their descendents
Define: Shabbat
Hebrew word meaning “Sabbath”
Define: Shiva
A seven-day period of mourning
Define: Shoah
From the Hebrew word for “catastrophe”, “calamity”, or, as it is used translated, “holocaust”; it refers to Nazi Germany’s deliberate attempt to exterminate the Jewish race between 1933 and 1945
Define: Talmud
The compilation of written interpretation of the oral Torah (the Halakhah); after the second defeat of the Jews by the Romans in 135 CE, the rabbis began to write down and interpret this oral Torah
Define:Tanakh
Hebrew word for the sacred writings of Judaism; the word is formed from the first Hebrew letter of the tree parts of the Jewish scriptures (what Christians call the Old Testament): Torah, Neviim, Ketuvim
Define: Zionism
A movement that began in the nineteenth century for the purpose of creating a Jewish state in what is now modern Israel; today, “Zionism” refers to strong support for the State of Israel
What are the statistics related to Judaism?
- Judaism is the 6th most popular religion in the world
- In Canada, it is the 3rd most popular religion.
- Canada has the 4th largest Jewish population globally.
- 330 000 Canadian Jews who originated from Russia and Eastern Europe emigrated to escape persecution during the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries
- Others are associated with the 40 000 Holocaust survivors who came to Canada In 1945 after World War II
- Another wave of Jewish immigrants came from French colonies in North Africa in the 1950s. Most settled in large cities such as Montreal and Toronto
What is Orthodox Judaism?
It is the most strict out of all the Judaism branches.
What are the characteristics of the Orthodox branch?
~Orthodox Jews continue to observe all the ancient rules and practices
~They want to avoid “watering down” the Jewish faith
~They believe God gave the whole Torah –spoken and written– to Moses at Mount Sinai
~Being Orthodox means following the commandments of the Torah, strictly observing the Sabbath and other Jewish Holy days, using Hebrew in the synagogue, dressing modestly, and following dietary laws
~men and women sit separately in the synagogues
~Judaism can only be passed down to children by the mother
What is Reform Judaism?
It is the least strict out of all the Judaism branches. It attracted Jews who had mixed more frequently with the rest of the population. They wanted to enjoy freedom like everyone else, participate in intellectual life and work with non-Jews.
What are the characteristics of the Reform Judaism branch?
~They begin to interpret scripture with more modern methods
~They become less concerned with traditional purity laws, kosher laws, and the desire to return to the homeland
~use a combination of Hebrew and English for religious services
~Men and women sit together in the synagogue
~Women are ordained as rabbis
~Many, but not all, believe if one parent is Jewish the children are Jewish
~Individualism is encouraged, each person must decide what beliefs and practices are key to his or her personal life
~They often accept secular moral values (the values of society in general) but live by traditional values as well
~They stress tikkun olam–repairing the world through social action
What is Conservative Judaism?
It is in between the Orthodox and Reform Judaism. It arose as a reaction to Reform Judaism, meaning it was the last branch to be established.
What are the characteristics of Conservative Judaism?
~it follows many, but not all, of the 613 commandments of the Torah, and old traditions such as the order of prayers, the use of Hebrew, and some dietary laws
~It is open to modern historical methods of study, but considers Reform Judaism too loose in its interpretation of the scripture
~the needs of the community and its Jewish identity always comes before the individuals wants and needs
~Active participation in synagogue is very important
~Like Reform Jews, conservatives
~Men and women sit together in the synagogue
~Women are sometimes ordained as rabbis
~It is the largest branch of the Judaism in Canada
Explain: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
~it is the Jewish New Year, but it falls in late September/ Early October
~It begins a ten-day period of repentance, ending with the festival of Yom Kippur (Days of Awe)
~The two days Rosh Hashanah and the eight days that follow concentrate on an assessment of conducts and behaviour in the previous years
~Jews request forgiveness from God and from other human beings
~on Saturday evening, before Rosh Hashanah, a forgiveness service is held at the synagogue
~An important ritual at this service is the sounding of the Shofar, which is a ram’s horn
~Also known as the day of atonement, Yom Kippur is the most solemn religious day of the Jewish year, marked by a 25 hours fast and prayer of repentance
~Regular activities are avoided on this day, as repentance is so important
~Signs of comfort and luxury are not allowed
~No food or drink is allowed to demonstrate that this day is better spent on prayer
Explain: Hanukah
~Festival of the dedication or the festival of lights
~Eight-day period, usually falls in December, celebrates the events of Macccabean Revolt
~In Jerusalem, a small army reclaimed the temple, then the ceremonies were dedicating the temple to place over eight days
~When people try to rekindle the sacred lamp in the temple, there was only enough oil to last one day
~According to legend however, the oil continued to burn in the temple for eight days
~As part of the celebration, the candle is lit for each of the eight days in a special candle or labrum or menorah
~menorahs have 9 branches each branch is for one of the 8 nights of Hanukkah and the 9th candle, known as the shammus (servant), which is often placed in the center and used to light the other candles
~Families gather to light the candles and recite special blessings every night
Explain: Pesach (Passover)
~The feast of Passover is held in April over 7 or 8 days
~Important holiday because it commemorates the freeing of the Hebrews from slavery–the exodus
~This holiday, more then any other, celebrates the Jewish peoples identity as a people of God
~During the entire week of pesach, Jews do not eat anything chametz, or leavened, in order to commemorate the haste in which the Hebrews had to flee from their oppressor
~On the eve of this festival, a ceremonial search for chametz takes place
~This is the last chance to find anything that might have been missed in preparations
~Adults often hide chametz somewhere in the home then the children search for it. A blessing is said when it’s found
~Another custom is for all first born Jewish males to fast on the first day of the festival
~This helps them to remember the first born Egyptian males who were killed, so Hebrews could be freed
~The seder, a ritual service and ceremonial dinner is held at home, on the first night of Pesach
~Events of exodus are told, reenacted and explained
~It describes the rituals, symbols, objects, and food that are used during seder
~Have a seder meal on the first day (resembles what Moses would have ate in the desert)
What is a mohel?
A person who is trained according to Jewish law that preforms the circumcision
Explain: Naming a Baby and Circumcision
~Takes place eight days after birth
~Babies are given a conventional name and a traditional Hebrew name, which is sometimes in remembrance to deceased relatives. It signifies the importance of Jewish faith
~The formal name is usually only used in religious rituals, such as reading the Torah
~Jewish boys are circumcised 8 days after birth
~The circumcision is performed by a mohel
~If a mohel is not present, then a trained rabbi or doctor may preform the surgery
~A boy is usually given his name during the circumcision ceremony
~Girls are given their names in the synagogue on a Sabbath shortly after their birth (Simchat Bat)
What is the Jewish name for circumcision and naming a baby?
Circumcision: Brit Milah
Naming of a baby: Bris
What is a Bat Mitzvah?
It is a coming of age ceremony that a girl celebrates at age 12. She is a “daughter of the commandments”
What is a Bar Mitzvah?
It is a coming of age ceremony that a girl celebrates at age 13. He is a “son of the commandments”
What is a divorce (Get)?
~it is discouraged or permitted
~one is not free to remarry unless a Get is issued (even if they are civilly divorced)
What happens during the Marriage milestone?
~Jews are not required to marry within the faith but difficulties arise when it occurs when they are interfaith marriages
~Weddings often take place in the synagogue and are conducted by a rabbi
~The Bride and Groom stand under a chuppa (canopy) which symbolizes the home they will share
~the groom crushes glass under his for to remind the couple of the good and bad experiences they will have, as well as the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem
What occurs during the milestone of death?
~occurs within 24 hours of death. Cremation is not allowed. It is considered a destruction of God’s creation
~the family is protected from common problems and responsibilities, and prohibited from leaving the house in order to have their seven days of morning period
~A shiva candle is lit to symbolize the soul of the deceased. Mirrors are covered and clothes are ripped to avoid vanity
What is Shiva?
The seven day morning period
What is Mitzvoth?
Plural of “Mitzvah”, the religious or moral path that Jews must follow
What is a Mohel?
A trained professional that performs the circumcision ceremony
Who is Abraham?
A patriarch of Judaism
~Abraham and his wife Sarah traveled to the Promised Land (Canaan, Palestine)
~ the birth of their only son, Isaac, continued the covenant between God and Abraham
~Isaac fathered Jacob (later Israel) who in turn fathered 12 sons, his favourite being Joseph
~the brothers sold Joseph to slavery in Egypt where he later became a political leader
Who’s Moses?
Led Israelites out of Egypt to free them from slavery in about 1920 BCE (exodus)
~God formed the covenant of Sinai with the people and they later settled in the Promised Land in 1220 BCE
What is a covenant?
An agreement of mutual faithfulness, like a contract or alliance between two parties “I will be your God and you shall be my people”; the agreement binds the parties together with mutual privileges and obligations
What is the Tanakh?
Hebrew Bible containing the Torah, the Prophets, and the writings (which begins with T, N, and K in Hebrew)
What is the Torah and the other names for it?
It was written by Moses and contains the first 5 books of the bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) and 613 laws (including the Decalogue)
~Torah in Greek is “Pentateuch”, and in English it is “The Law”. The Oral Torah is the Halakhah
~All synagogues have one hand-written scroll which is kept in the ark
What is the Decalogue?
It is the ten commandments
What is the Talmud?
It is the compilation of written interpretations of the Halakhah by rabbis after the second defeat of the Jews but the Romans in 135 CE
What does Talmud mean?
It means “teachings” or “instructions”. Most Jews were literate because they were home schooled
What two sections is the Talmud made up of?
- the Mishnah: completed around 200 CE, blends the oral and written Torah into simplified modern terms
- The Gemara: completed around 400-500 CE, consolidation/ interpretation of laws continued in Babylon
What is the Prophet?
Means “one who speaks for”; second division of the Torah contains prophetic books. Challenges people to be faithful to the covenant
What is The Writing?
It contains the rest of the Hebrew Bible including Psalm, wisdom literature and historical books
What is Synagogue?
a place of worship, center for prayers, study and communal fellowship (especially to Orthodox). Some Reform and Conservative Jews call it “Temple”
What is the Ark of the Covenant?
The sacred chest containing the Ten Commandments. It is usually on the eastern wall so the congregation faces Jerusalem when they face the ark
Explain: Kosher
~Means fit or proper
~Dietary laws are call Kashrut which state blood cannot be eaten and meat must not be cooked, combine, stored, or eaten with dairy
~Maintained mainly be Orthodox and sometimes by Conservative Jews
~Pork and Shellfish are prohibited
Define Holocaust (Shoah)
the systematic killing of over six million Jews before and during World War II.
It is from the Hebrew word for “catastrophe”, “calamity”; it refers to Nazi Germany’s deliberate attempt to exterminate the Jewish race (between 1933 and 1945)
What happened during the Holocaust?
~16-20 million people (about 6 million were Jews) were killed in concentration and labour camps by German Nazis and their allies
~Adolf Hitler was elected chancellor of Germany in 1933. He considered Jews to be an “inferior race”. the cause of Germany’s loss in WWI and the cause of the poor economy during the Great Depression (he declared them enemies of the state)
~Jews had trouble leaving during the Depression because the countries limited their immigrant intake
~Jews were imprisoned, starved, forced to do heavy manual labour, medically experimented on, tortured and killed
~The Jewish population in Europe when from 9.5 million to 1.6 million in only 12 years
What is Anti-semitism?
The hatred of Jews
What is the Star of David?
6-pointed star that gained popularity in the last 200 years. It’s named after King David who supposedly had this star on his shield. It appears on the flag of Isreal
What is the Sabbath?
Shabbat in Hebew. Occurs at sunset on Friday and lasts until sunset on Saturday. observant Jews avoid work. ex. driving, using electricity, cooking
What is the Menorah?
9-branch candelabras representing each of the 8 nights of Hanukkah (the ninth being for shamus or servant)
What is the Tefflin?
It is the small black leather box containing the scrolls inscribed with verses from the Torah. It is worn during morning prayers
What is the Mezuzah?
may be placed on front door or every door, tilted slightly to the right. Symbol is in accordance to Deuteronomy 6:9 and contains the first to paragraphs of the Shema
What is the Yarmulke or Kippah?
small, round cap clipped to the hair. Orthodox allows only men to wear them and they are worn all day. Conservatives allow women to wear one. It can be worn while eating, praying or studying. Reform Jews are not obligated to wear one. It signifies that all humans are beneath God
What is a shofar?
The ram’s horn which is blown into the month before Rosh Hashanah. The purpose of the sound is to remind people of their responsibility to repent
What is diaspora?
The scattering of Jews outside of Israel in both ancient and modern times
What is zionism?
A movement that began in the 19th century for the purpose of creating a Jewish state in what is now modern Israel; today ‘Zionism’ refers to strong support for the State of Israel.
What compelled the Jews to their promised land? What happened as a result of this?
~Persecution of Jews in Europe compelled them to their Promised Land
~Zionists emigrated to Palestine–Arabs objected them–fighting ensued
~Britain submitted an issue to UN and voted to divide Palestine into Arab and Jewish states
~Palestinians felt betrayed–Britain promised them independence in 1915
~may 14,1948–Jews proclaimed independence of Israel. Neighbouring nations attacked the day after
~8 months later, Israel won and controlled its land and half of Palestine forcing the Arabs to become refugees
What is Shema?
The Jewish Creed
What is a Ghetto?
A poor section of a city inhabited by Jews when discriminated against
What is Shalom?
the Hebrew word for peace, a greeting
What is monotheism?
The belief in one God
Who is Saul?
the first king of Isreal
Who is David?
Israel’s second king, who defeated the enemies of his people & united all the tribes into one kingdom.
Who is Solomon?
built the temple that David had offered to build for God containing the Ark of the Covenant
Who are the Pharisees?
a member of ancient Jewish sect distinguished by strict observance of the traditional & written law.
What is Rosh Hashanah?
Jewish New Year, Days of Awe
- 10 day period of repentance ending with Yom Kippur
- Jews request forgiveness from God & from others on the previous Saturday at a forgiveness service
- The Shofar is sounded ritually
What is Yom Kippur?
or “Day of Atonement”
- The most solemn religious day of the year
- Jews fast for 25 hours & pray for repentance. Regular activities, comfort, luxury, food & drink are not allowed as the day is better spent on praying.
What is Purim?
occurs in March/February commemorating Queen Esther’s part in ensuring the survival of the Jewish people
What is Kiddush?
the ritual of sanctification said before the Sabbath & holidays
What is the Western Wall?
Or the Wailing Wall. the Temple was destroyed by Romans in 70 CE, only the Western Wall remains. Prayers are put between the rocks.
What is the Kabbalah?
- One text, the Zohar is described as a journey into the self of each individual
- According to Kabbalah, God’s true nature is indescribable except by saying what he’s not
- God’s true essence is known as Ein Sof which means “without end” because God has no boundaries in time or space
What is Hasidism?
- The founder was Israel ben Eliezer aka Ba’al Shem Tov. He taught that communion with God happened through prayer, good deeds, humility, & especially joy.
- Hasidic communities are led by charismatic leaders (rebbes) to whom followers come for guidance & sustenance
- Most Canadian communities are in Montreal & Toronto
- Easily recognized by dress; most men have dark suits & black hats & many have long uncut sideburns. Women dress modestly with covered hair.
- Their communities keep to themselves & maintain strict observance of Jewish laws
Explain: Isaac
The son of Abraham and Sarah, he continued the covenant that began with God and Abraham
Explain Jacob/ Israel
The covenant with Israel’s ancestors (the bond that connects God with Israel and Israel with God) is the head of Jewish belief today
What is a Tallit?
a four cornered garment that is worn during the morning prayers, the important part of a tallit is the tzitzit (or the fringes) tied onto each other . Some Jews wear small four cornered undershirt called a tallit katan so they can fulfill the commandment of wearing the tzitzit all day. The fringes represent the 613 laws of the Torah
Explain: Patriarchs
A word meaning “father”. Abraham, Issac (Abraham’s son) and Jacob-Israel (Isaac’s son)
What is a rabbi?
A person appointed as a Jewish religious leader; also a scholar or teacher (especially one who studies or teaches Jewish law)
What is Tikkun Olam?
“repairing the world through action”—Charity