Judaism

Seder

"Order" Refers to the meal eaten during the first night of passover

Siddur

Book of prayers

Zion

Commonly referred to as the Land of Israel Name of a mountain near Jerusalem. Zionist is someone who supports the modern state of Israel

Sabbath

Day of rest is observed on the seventh day; Saturday Starts Friday at sunset and ends on Saturday at sunset

Met

Death

What is the Jewish view on the afterlife?

Depending on which branch of Judaism you follow The Tanach does not say much about the afterlife Orthodox Jews use to believe it was a land of shadows that you were in forever "Eat, drink and be merry today" Today there is a sense of an afterlife because of the influence of other religions, including Christianity but there is still no clear understanding that is universally accepted.

What were the groups that persecuted the Jews?

Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Christians, Nazis

Shavuot

Feast of Weeks During time Moses went up to mount Sinai to get the 10 commandments "Giving of the Law"

36. What is the kaddish?

The kaddish is the prayer of mourning that is recited after burial.

Emet

Truth

Reform Judaism

Allow women and men rabbis Adapt to society Following kosher varies greatly Girls and boys bar/bat mitzvah Men and women sit together Modern day customs can fit into Judaism

Mikva

ritual bath Purification

Shuckling

ritual swaying of worshippers during Jewish Prayer

2. Why do observant Jews avoid pronouncing the divine name? How is the name written?

Because it is too holy to be spoken by human beings. It can be written however in the Hebrew equivalents of the letters YHWH.

5. Why is the Hebrew Bible also known as the Tanakh?

Because the three books, the Torah, the Prophets and the Writings start with T, N, and K.

14. Why did the Pharisees emerge after the destruction of the second Jerusalem Temple in AD 70 with their religious ways intact?

Because they didn't focus on the rituals observed at the Temple but rather on the study of the Torah.

What three things are eaten on passover and what do they represent?

Bitter herbs - year of slaves Unleavened bread - haste to leave Egypt Lamb - gave its life for the life of the Israelites

Ark of the Covenant

Directions for how to build the ark were given to Moses on Mt. Sinai along with the ten commandments. Inside the ark are the ten commandments, an omar of manna, and the staff of Aaron. Consider to holy to be touched after it was consecrated to God as God spoke to Moses from between the two angels.

28. What does every synagogue contain?

Every synagogue contains a scroll of the five books of the Torah which is encased in an ark.

Ha-Shem

God

13. What does it mean to say God is providential?

God has a plan and he knows how to sufficiently provide for all of us. He is benevolent and advantageous.

What lessons do we learn from the story of Golem?

Golem serves as a cautionary tale about the limits of human power History of conflict and suffering resulted in the Legend of Golem, a story of where massive physical strength defeats overwhelming persecution.

19. What is believed about the zaddik, the leadership figure in Hasidism?

He is a holy man who is believed to have an especially close relationship with God.

Golem

Hebrew: shapeless mass (mankind before creation Talmud calls it anything that is imperfect or incomplete)

Synagogue

Jewish center for worship and instruction in the Torah

12. Rather than describing them as a single "race" of genetically related people, what is the most accurate way to think of the Jews?

Jews are better described as an ethnic group that shares a common history and religion.

17. Briefly describe the situation of medieval Jews in Poland.

Jews in Poland were welcomed and soon had the largest population. Jews enjoyed a large degree of governmental autonomy and lived in safety and prosperity. In 1648, however, a rebellion destroyed about a quarter of the Jewish population.

16. In what areas of the world did medieval Jews live under Muslim rule? Under Christian rule?

Jews lived in Africa, Spain and the Near East under Muslim rule and in Europe under Christian rule.

Which two teachings are in the Talmud?

Mishnah - Judah the Prince, rabbinic teachings Gemara - collection of discussions from Mishnah

Cabbala (Kabala)

Mystical body of knowledge aimed at understanding the hidden nature of God and putting this understanding to practical use, to heal sick and combat evil

What are the three branches of Judaism

Orthodox Conservative Progressive (Reform)

23. How is Orthodox Judaism distinguishable from Reform Judaism?`

Orthodox Judaism, unlike Reform Judaism is much more traditional. They often live in separate communities to maintain their traditions. The torah is unchanging and the society should change with it.

32. What does the festival Passover commemorate?

Passover commemorates the Exodus or leaving of the Jews from bondage in Egypt and is a very joyous celebration.

Tzaddik

Pious and righteous man thoroughly learned in Cabala

Shofar

Rams horn that is blown to call the Jewish people to a spiritual awakening Blown during Rosh Hashanah

Purim

Remembrance of Queen Esther Gragger Fancy cookies

30. What is celebrated on Rosh Hashanah?

Rosh Hashanah is the festival of the new year and occurs every fall. It is a religious event. Jews celebrate God's work of creating the world.

Amidah

Series of benedictions that use the formula "Blessed are You O God, King of the Universe" Central prayer of Jewish Liturgy

Menorah

Seven-branched menorah represents the six days of creation and one day of rest/one day supply of oil that burned for eight days. A nine branched candelabra is used during Hanukkah Symbol of the holy temple

Conservative Judaism

Some congregations allow women rabbis Follow some of the dress codes of the Talmud Follow most of the kosher laws They believe Jews should attempt to conserve Jewish tradition rather than reform or abandon it Personal conscience must be final rule of life and cautiously apply Jewish tradition to modern life

Ark

Special place designated within the worship space to hold the torahs of the synagogue

Magen David

Star of David Symbol in Jewish culture Opposites merging in harmony

Orthodox Judaism

Strictest in obeying laws of the Talmud concerning dress, food, prayers, keeping Sabbath, etc Keep kosher at all times Only men rabbis Separation of gender Can't complete a circuit on the sabbath Hasidic - branch of orthodox Only boys are bar mitzvahed

Passover

Take the blood of lamb and coat the doorposts and the lintel so the angel of death would pass

What are the two holy books?

Tanach Talmud

What happened to Jews in the Middle Ages?

The Catholic Church said that they were: Forbidden to own land or join craft guilds Heavily taxed Forced to be money lenders Forced to wear special clothing and markings

15. What is the Diaspora?

The Diaspora or dispersion, is the situation of Jews living away from their ancestral homeland, a circumstance that has been true for most jews since the Classical period.

21. When did the Holocaust occur? What does the Hebrew term Shoah mean?

The Holocaust occurred in 1933-1945 in Germany by the Nazis. Shoah means mass destruction in Hebrew and describes the efficient extermination camps that the Nazis used to murder the Jews.

18. What does the Kabbalah teach?

The Kabbalah teaches that God can best be known with the heart, through love.

25. According to the Mishnah, what sustains the world?

The Law, the temple-service and by deeds of loving kindness.

10. When was the Mishnah written and what does it contain?

The Mishnah was written in about 200 AD and contains the teachings that were formulated and transmitted orally by the rabbis of the previous centuries. It is now considered to be a sacred text.

6. What is the Pentateuch?

The Pentateuch is also known as the Torah and it is the first five books of the bible, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

29. When does the Sabbath occur? What are the two main aspects of its celebration?

The Sabbath occurs every Friday at sunset and lasts until sunset of Saturday. The two main aspects of celebration are Torah study and Sabbath services and meals of special foods.

3. What is the Shema?

The Shema is the most basic theological statement and simply states the uniqueness of the Israelites' relationship to God saying, "Hear O Israel. The Lord is God, Lord alone.

11. What do the rabbis comment on in the Talmud, and how do they support their arguments?

The Talmud is based directly on the Mishna and the rabbis say that it is the central pillar, supporting the spiritual and intellectual edifice. They use the Talmud to teach and cite from it.

7. Who is traditionally regarded as the author of the Torah? How many specific laws is the Torah thought to contain?

The Torah is often thought to be written by Moses. There are 613 specific laws or commandments that the Torah contains.

34. What are the bar mitzvah and bat mitzvah?

The bar and bat mitzvah are ceremonies that marks the point at which a young person becomes responsible for observing the detailed practices of daily Jewish life. This occurs on the 13th birthday of the child. The bar mitzvah is for boys and the bat mitzvah is for girls.

1. Define the term covenant in relation to the Jews.

The covenant is an agreement established long ago between God and the ancient Israelites. This covenant said that they would follow the law and God would deem them his chosen people.

35. What symbols and events highlight the Jewish marriage ceremony?

The first symbol is the kuppah or bridal canopy, creating a sacred space. Prayers are read over a cup of wine and the ceremony concludes when the groom breaks the glass under his foot.

G-d

The name given to Moses at the burning bush "I am who I am" translated from Hebrew Symbolized by the word Yahweh Jews consider God's name too holy to say and instead say "Adonai" (Lord) or HaShem (The Name)

Western Wall

The only remnant left of the Temple of Solomon after it was destroyed by the Romans for the second time in 70 CE

9. What is the oral Torah? How is it thought to complement the written Torah?

The oral Torah is the material taught and transmitted by the rabbis. It is thought to complement the Torah because the written Torah never said enough, the oral Torah is explains it better and addresses the ever-changing circumstances the world is in.

26. What is the predominant form of daily worship in Judaism?

The predominant form of daily worship is prayer which is mandatory for males thirteen or older.

Rabbi

The spiritual teacher and leader of the congregation

4. Identify the three related meanings of the term Torah.

The term Torah has three meanings, the first being instruction, the second, law and the more common meaning, the first five books of the bible.

27. What are the two centers of Jewish worship?

The two centers for Jewish worship are the house and the synagogue or temple.

8. What is the literal meaning of the word prophet?

The world prophet means "one who speaks for."

Mezuzah

This container hold the scripture (Shema) Placed on the right side of the doorpost Used to remind the homeowner of God's laws and to serve as a visible symbol of one's Jewish identity as well as membership in the Jewish community

33. What is signified by the rite of passage that marks the birth of a child?

This signifies entrance into the Jewish community of descendants of Abraham.

What 3 books make up the Tanach?

Torah "instruction, Nebi'im "prophets" Ketubim "writings"

Gragger

Used to make noise when Haman's name came up

Ghetto

Walled area Jews were confined to and locked into at night

31. What is emphasized on Yom Kippur?

Yom Kippur emphasizes repentance through confession. On this day Jews do not eat, drink or work. It is the first of the 10 high holy days.

Second Death

You die the first time when your body dies You die the second time when no one remembers you

20. What is Zionism?

Zionism originally was a movement that arose in the late nineteenth century and was committed to the re-establishment of Jerusalem. Now it is associated with the support of Israel.

Confirmation

this supplements or can replace the bar/bat mitzvah Not as formal Doesn't require as much training

Kaddish

Prayer for the mourners

Who are the patriarchs of the religion and what are they credited for?

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob For founding the monotheistic religion

Blood lie

Accused Jews of mixing the blood of Christian children with the flour and water of matzo (unleavened bread)

Tefillin

Aka Phylacteries Boxes bound to your left arm and head to always keep God present Contains the Shama

What are the 3 other ways to say the western wall?

Aka Western Wall of the Temple Called the Al Buraaq Wall - muslims Wailing Wall - Christianity Kotel - Hebrew

Rosh Hashanah

"Day of Remembrance" New Year Apples dipped in honey - sweet new year End of the 10 high holy days

Torah

"The law" First five books of the Hebrew Scriptures (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) First section of the Tanach

Brit Milah

"covenant of circumcision" Religious ceremony to welcome a Jewish boy into a covenant between God and the children of Israel through ritual circumcision Performed by a mohal on the eighth day unless delayed for health reasons, in the presence of family and friends, followed by a celebratory meal (seudat mitzah)

What is the year?

5777