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Ancient Israelites. Bellwork :. Chalk Talk: Write down a list of the world’s major religions. For each religion, write down the religion’s god(s) and sacred text. Work together. No one should write more than 3 items. Central Questions. What were the main beliefs of the Israelites?
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Bellwork: Chalk Talk: Write down a list of the world’s major religions. For each religion, write down the religion’s god(s) and sacred text. Work together. No one should write more than 3 items.
Central Questions • What were the main beliefs of the Israelites? • What made their belief system unique for their time? • What were the main events in the early history of the Israelites?
The History of the Israelites • This history is according to the sacred text of the Israelites, the Torah • A man named Abraham lived near Ur in Mesopotamia • 2000 BC: Abraham and his family migrated to Canaan • Israelites believe that God made a covenant (promise) with Abraham • God would have a special relationship with Abraham and his descendents • Canaan would someday belong to the Israelites (their “promised land”)
More History of the Israelites • A famine forced the Israelites to migrate to Egypt, where they were eventually enslaved • A man named Moses (with God’s help) leads them out of slavery and into Canaan (after 40 long years, though Moses never got in) • Kingdom of Israel set up by 1000 BC • King David united the 12 tribes of Israel into a single nation
More More History of the Israelites • 922 BC: After the death of David’s son, Solomon, the kingdom split into Israel in the north and Judah in the south • 722 BC: Assyrians conquered Israel • 586 BC: Babylonian armies captured Judah; Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the great temple and forced the defeated Israelites into exile for 50 years (Babylonian Captivity) • 539 BC: Persian ruler Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon and freed the Israelites
Diaspora • Diaspora: 500-year spreading of the Jewish people to different parts of the world that began with the Babylonian Captivity • Jews maintained their identity by living in close-knit communitiesand keeping their religious laws and traditions • Anti-Semitism: hatred or distrust of Jews was common throughout Europe and other parts of the world where they settled
Beliefs of Judaism • Monotheistic (belief in one God) • Believe God is all-knowing, all-present, and all-powerful • Sacred texts: Torah and Talmud • Torah= books of law • Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy • Talmud= additional laws and customs • Society was patriarchal: men held greatest legal and moral authority
More Beliefs of Judaism • Ten Commandments • Set of laws that Jews believe God gave to them through Moses • Included religious laws such as keeping the Sabbath (holy day of rest) and having no Gods before their one, true God • Included basic laws such as murder, theft, etc. • Strong code of ethics/morality, which all leaders and prophets had to adhere to • Christianity and Islam were influenced by Judaism; both religions honor Abraham, Moses, and the prophets found in the Jewish texts and embrace the same morality