1. Judaism, Along with Christianity and Islam, Regards ______As the Founder of Its Faith

Chapter 7: Judaism

Quiz Questions

1. Judaism, along with Christianity and Islam, regards ______as the founder of its faith.

2. Central to Judaism is the reciprocal relationship between the Jewish people and God, known as a ______. While this relationship was first established with Judaism’s spiritual father, the ______covenant provides commandments by which to be a holy people.

3. The most important sacred literature in Judaism is known as the ______. The first five books of this collection is known as the ______.

4. Jewish people who live outside of Israel are known as part of the Jewish ______, and most of the Jewish population fit within this category.

5. Jewish people refer to non-Jews as ______, or goyim. There is a strong tradition within Judaism that says that goyim will share in God’s blessings if they uphold the seven ______.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. The country of Israel gets its name from:

a. Abraham’s son

b. Abraham’s grandson

c. The Hebrew phrase, “covenant people”

d. Moses’ son

2. The significant event marking the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt and remembered and recounted during the Passover holiday is called:

a. The Enlightenment

b. The Exile

c. The Exodus

d. The Disapora

3. After Moses’ death and before the construction of the temple, the Israelites were led by judges and worshiped God by means of a moveable sanctuary known as:

a. The Ark of the Covenant

b. The Tabernacle

c. The Synagogue

d. The Halakhah

4. The prophets of Israel and Judah warned against violating the Mosaic covenant, and in particular the sin of:

a. not keeping the Sabbath holy

b. not keeping kosher

c. idolatry

d. taking God’s name in vain

5. The destruction of Judah in 586 BCE marked a turning point in Judaism because:

a. The Jewish people became increasingly assimilated into non-Jewish culture

b. The Jewish people realized they were now free from their obligations to God

c. Other peoples began to identify themselves as the real heirs to Judaism

d. The Jewish people asked whether they were still God’s chosen people

6. The solution to worshiping God after the first temple’s destruction that became central to Judaism was:

a. Seeking God through the Mosaic covenant, leading to the creation and study of the Torah

b. The construction of additional temples in the Diaspora

c. The construction of synagogues in local communities

d. An internally-focused form of worship known as the Kabbalah

7. The Mishnah and Talmud, written and synthesized by rabbis, comprise:

a. The Tanak, Judaism’s most significant sacred scriptures

b. Halakhah, Jewish religious law

c. The whole of the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants

d. The Torah, the basis of God’s commandments

8. Although traumatic for the Jewish people, how did the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE help Judaism’s survival in the Diaspora?

a. It allowed for the internal transformation of foundational Jewish beliefs

b. It fostered the development of a written language

c. It brought about the rise of a new priesthood

d. The focus shifted to the home and synagogue, therefore allowing for more active religious involvement by ordinary Jewish people

9. What was the main difference between Sephardim and Ashkenazi Jews?

a. A language difference

b. Sephardim interacted broadly with the wider culture, while Ashkenazi Jews were isolated

c. Sephardim were conservative in their approach to Judaism, while Ashkenazi were more progressive

d. There was a startling level of uniformity between the two, considering the large amount of geographic territory covered by both populations

10. Which of the following movements made the Diaspora and exile the heart of its teachings, and promoted tikkun (reparation of the world) for cosmic suffering?

a. Lurianic Kabbalah

b. Hasidism

c. Orthodox Judaism

d. Reform Judaism

11. How did the Jewish Enlightenment lead to modern versions of Judaism?

a. The Jewish Enlightenment brought Judaism more in line with the current scientific climate

b. It encouraged Jewish people to close themselves off from the larger world to create their own paths

c. Its active engagement with non-Jewish intellectual approaches, professions, and resources brought about mixed reactions to how Judaism was either being destroyed or renewed

d. It did not; instead, it resulted in the increased secularization of the Jewish people

12. Which version of modern Judaism focuses most closely (and exclusively) on the teachings of the Torah?

a. Conservative Judaism

b. Orthodox Judaism

c. Reform Judaism

d. Hasidic Judaism

13. What circumstances brought about the intellectual and political movement of Zionism?

a. Disillusionment regarding continued discrimination against the Jewish people, despite the Enlightenment

b. A conviction that the Jewish people needed their own nation in order to gain broader acceptance

c. The Balfour Declaration by the British regarding Palestine

d. The Holocaust

14. How do halakhah and aggadah function in contemporary Jewish life?

a. They provide an interpretive framework for being a covenant people

b. They provide a connection to the rich history and narrative of Judaism’s past.

c. They provide examples of good Jewish models to follow

d. a and b

e. a, b, and c

15. While Jews may differ culturally and ideologically, Judaism’s emphasis on ritual and lifestyle means that many Jews will share the following EXCEPT:

a. A common religious calendar

b. Hope of messianic redemption

c. Interpretations of the Torah

d. Similar attitudes toward family and children