The Hebrews & Judaism

1. The Hebrews & Judaism Global I Honors: Spiconardi

2. Origins of the Hebrew People • Abraham & The Migration (1850 BCE) • Abraham is the patriarch of the Hebrews • He had rejected the deities of Mesopotamia • He migrates from Ur and moves to what becomes known as Palestine • After a drought the nomadic Hebrews migrate to Egypt

3. The Covenants • Covenant  an agreement or contract with God • In Egypt, God makes several covenants with Abraham • Since Abraham recognized God as the true God: • Abraham would be blessed with numerous descendants • He would be the “father of a host of nations” • The Hebrew people would be given the “promise land” (modern day Israel) • The covenant was sealed with a circumcision

5. Moses & The Exodus • According to Jewish scripture, Hebrews were enslaved while in Egypt • Moses • First of the prophets • The Moses Story • Birth Raised in the house of Pharaoh The Killing of the slave master Meeting God Plagues Exodus Splitting of the Red Sea Covenant  No Promised Land

6. Moses & the Exodus • Mosaic Covenant • In exchange for obeying the Decalogue (Ten Commandments), the Children of Israel would be God’s chosen people & special possession

7. The Promised Land • After years of wandering in the desert, the Hebrews finally reach the Promised Land in 1130 BCE • The Kingdom of Israel • Established the Kingdom of Israel under King Saul in 1020 BCE after years of resisting centralized government • Ruled by tribe previously fearing that having a king would be disrespectful to God the true king King Saul

8. The Kingdom of Israel • King Solomon • Under his reign, the Hebrew people experienced their most prosperous period • Solomon’s Judgment • Solomon’s Temple

9. The Split After Solomon’s death, tribal tensions led to the division of the Kingdom of Israel The Kingdom of Israel The Kingdom of Judah • Resided in the North • Invaded by the Assyrians • Resided in the South • Hebrews in Judah became known as Jews • Invaded by the Chaldeans, Babylonians, and Persians • Babylonian Captivity (586 BCE) • Many Jews were forced to live in Babylon • Jews not allowed to resided in the holy city of Jerusalem

10. Beliefs • Monotheism belief one God • There is only one God (Yahweh) • He is not only the God of the Jews, but all peoples • He created the entire world • Omniscient and Omnipotent • All knowing and all powerful

11. Beliefs • Sacred Texts • The Torah • First 5 books of the Bible (Pentateuch) • Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Numbers • Establishes law and morality • The Ten Commandments  code of behavior, moral guidelines • Explains why the world is the way it is • Adam & Eve, Tower of Babel, Noah’s Ark

12. Beliefs • Sacred Texts • The Talmud • Series of rabbinical commentaries developed during the Babylonian Captivity to preserve the Hebrew identity • Explains customs such as bar/bat mitzvahs, dietary law, wedding rituals, burial ceremonies, etc. • Deemed more important in Orthodox and Conservative Jewish sects than in Reform Judaism

13. The Prophets • The Prophets Messengers from God • Preached God’s word on ethics, standards of behavior, morality • Warned the Hebrews that if they failed to keep God’s commandments, they would be punished • Called for social justice & condemned rich for oppressing the poor

14. Diaspora • Diaspora  a scattering of people • Babylonians displace Jews; many flee to Europe • Romans expel Jews from Palestine in 135 CE • For next 2000 years Jews were “guests” in other people’s lands • Often faced discrimination and made scapegoats (Black Death, Crusades, Dreyfus Affair, Failure of the Weimar Republic’s Economy) • 1n 1948, the U.N. establishes a Jewish homeland and creates the nation of Israel.

15. Judaism Today & Facts • Influenced the development of Christianity & Islam • First to suggests people could communicate directly with God • Didn’t need priests to communicate on your behalf • 14 million Jews in the world • .22% of the world’s population • More Jews live in USA than in Israel