Prothero Judaism

Prothero claims that there are two rhythms in Judaism - the rhythm of wrongdoing, punishment and exile and the rhythm of covenant, breach and new covenant.

true

What is the "Shema"?

A quotation from Deuteronomy used in Jewish worship.

What is a rabbi?

A religious leader of the Jewish community.

What is a traditional Yeshiva?

A school for studying sacred texts.

Who destroyed Solomon's temple in 586 B.C?

Babylonians

According to Prothero, what is the paradigmatic story of exile and return in Judaism?

Destruction of the first temple (in 586 B.C.), the captivity and return to Jerusalem.

According to Prothero, Judaism is a single ethnic group.

False

It is forbidden for anyone not Jewish to participate in the Passover Seder.

False

Judaism believes that depicting God in works of art is permissible.

False

Judaism is a missionary religion

False

Judaism is known for its tendency to suppress contrary points of view.

False

Jewish Student centers on American University campuses are frequently named after this person:

Hillel

In Judaism, why is the Sabbath observed?

It is the one of the Ten Commandments It commemorates God resting after 6 days of creation It commemorates freedom from slavery Correct! All of the above.

Which of the following is contained in the Tanankh?

Love poems Proverbs Hymns Theological history Wisdom literature Law Apocalyptic visions Correct! All of the above.

According to Prothero, Judaism has influenced American popular culture via:

Movies Plays Music Architecture Comedy Correct! All of the above.

Which is the only form of Judaism recognized by the state of Israel?

Orthodox.

Which of the following is a food that an observant Jew will not eat?

Pork Fish without scales or fins Birds of prey Milk and meat together Correct! All of the above.

According to Prothero, which American group identified with the Exodus story?

Puritan pilgrims Slaves Mormons Women Civil rights agitators Correct! All of the above.

Which branch of Judaism is most likely to assimilate to the contemporary culture by, having services on Sunday in the vernacular, rejecting kashrut (kosher, ritual law), ordaining females and not circumcising?

Reform

Jewish Renewal is a movement within Judaism that picks up on feminism, environmentalism, Kabbalah, Buddhism and other religions in an attempt to find a more experiential and embodied spirituality.

True

Jewish critics of the Jewish Renewal movement derisively call it "New Age Judaism"

True

Judaism believes in one God?

True

Judaism discourages conversion to Judaism.

True

Judaism gave birth to two of the world's greatest religions - Christianity and Islam.

True

Judaism has a holiday that commemorates the giving of the law to Moses at Sinai.

True

Kabbalah has come into public view because of its association with celebrities such as Madonna.

True

Many Jews will not write the word "God" and instead use "G_d."

True

Prothero claims that Judaism is above all else a story of Exile and return.

True

Prothero claims that no story has been more influential in the U.S. than the story of the liberation of the slaves in Egypt.

True

Prothero claims that the Jewish dietary laws (kashrut) seem the oddest of the ritual commandments.

True

Prothero claims that the conception of God as all-good and all-powerful that leads to kvetching about God in Judaism.

True

Prothero claims that what is distinctive about Judaism is that it is an ethical monotheism, i.e., God is all good.

True

Prothero observes that, with the exception of Hasidism, Judaism has not done much to cultivate the personal spirituality.

True

Prothero says that the way some Jews follow the law can seem both obsessive and hypocritical.

True

Prothero says that, in non-Orthodox circles, Judaism attitude toward women is changing.

True

Prothero says that, traditionally, Judaism has been the epitome of a patriarchal religion.

True

The Talmud is rabbinic commentary on the Hebrew bible.

True

The source for the esoteric theology of the Kabbalah is a multi-volume book called the Zohar.

True

Zionism is a movement to establish a Jewish state.

True

Who are Hillel and Shammai?.

Two rabbis with competing views whose ideas are recorded in the Talmud.

According to Prothero, what is the task of the human life in Judaism?

Walk with God and repair the world (tikkun olam)

According to the Kabbalah, God has ten different emanations and there is a feminine aspect of God "Shekhina"

True

Humanistic Judaism is a secular form of Judaism that focuses on ethics.

True

It is possible to be both Jewish and atheist.

True

Prothero claims that present day Jews are between exile and return.

true

Prothero claims that the Hebrew Bible is the greatest story ever told.

true

Prothero builds a case for the influence of Jews on the 20th century by citing:

14 of the 100 most influential persons in the 20th century are Jewish A quarter of the Nobel Prizes have gone to Jews Jewish entrepreneurs started Levis, Starbucks, Hyatt Hotels, Dell and Google search Correct! All of the above.

When was the state of Israel founded?

1948

According to the Mishnah (rabbinic tradition) how many mitzvots are there?

613

Which branch of Judaism assimilates to the contemporary culture, accepts biblical criticism, ordains females and homosexuals, but has services in Hebrew and accepts with modification kashrut?

Conservative

Prothero claims that the Judaism is not one of priests performing rituals in a temple in Jerusalem, but one of synagogues and rabbis reading and interpreting texts. This form of Judaism did not start until:

Destruction of the first temple

Prothero thinks that the most the most helpful way to classify the mitzvots (commandments) is:

Ritual and ethical

Who destroyed the second temple in 70 A.D.?

Romans

Prothero claims that Judaism:

Started the monotheistic revolution Created the prophetic voice (demands for justice) Has had worldwide literary influence. Is at the crossroads of international conflict. Correct! All of the above.

In Judaism, when is the Sabbath observed?

Sundown Friday to Sundown Saturday.

According to Prothero, what is the technique used to affect the solution identified in Judaism as the problem?

Tell the story and obey the law.

What do Jews call the Hebrew Bible?

The Tanankh

The word Tanakh is an acronym to refer to:

The entire Hebrew bible including the torah (law), neviim (prophets), and ketuviim (writings).

Why did some Jews initially oppose the Zionist movement?

The establishment of a Jewish state was to be the work of God and the messiah alone. Some Jews wanted to assimilate into the prevailing culture and this would be segregation. Correct! All of the above.

What does Passover commemorate?

The exodus from Egypt.

What is the narrow meaning of the torah in Judaism?

The five books of Moses Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy Correct! All of the above.

What caused Jews to drop their opposition to Zionism?

The holocaust

According to Prothero, the three main branches of Judaism (Reform, Conservative, Orthodox) mainly divide on how they interpret and observe the halakha (law).

True

Of all the religions covered in Prothero's book, Judaism is:

The least populous

The Jewish calendar is based on:

The lunar calendar

Prothero claims that Hanukah is the only Jewish holiday that many Europeans and Americans can name. What does it commemorate?

The rededication and purification of the temple after the Maccabean revolt.

What is the "wailing wall"?

The remains of the second temple.

Prothero believes that it is hard to summarize Judaism beliefs about the afterlife because:

There is hardly any mention of an afterlife in the Tanakh. There is a later belief in the resurrection of the body. The afterlife is downplayed. Correct! All of the above

According to Prothero, Hasidic ("pious ones") Jews are considered ultra-orthodox and are compared, by him, in their services, to Pentecostals and Yoruba dances because of their emphasis on the heart over the head.

True

According to Prothero, Judaism does not have creedal statements like Christianity.

True

According to Prothero, Reconstructionist Judaism originated in Conservatism but is more likely to focus on gender and sexual egalitarianism.

True

According to Prothero, because God is just, God punishes.

True

According to Prothero, because God is merciful, God extends new relations.

True

According to Prothero, the Exodus story doesn't end with liberation, but with the giving of the law.

True

According to Prothero, the problem Judaism is addressing is exile (distance from where we ought to be).

True

According to Prothero, the solution to the problem identified by Judaism is to return.

True

According to Prothero, the technique for repairing the world is to tell the story about who they are and obey the laws given to them.

True

According to Prothero, the three main branches of Judaism (Reform, Conservative, Orthodox) all respect the authority of the torah.

True