Judaism Study Guide (P. 240)

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Judaism Study Guide (p. 240)

1. Why is it difficult to define Judaism?

1. Why is it difficult to define Jews in terms of race?

1. What is the basic principle around which we may build a loose definition of Jews and their religion?

1. What one man and his descendants did God choose to communicate with in biblical writings?

1. What was promised to Abraham?

1. Who were other patriarchs of the Jewish people?

1. What activity were the patriarchs engaged in according to Genesis?

1. What was the generic name for God in this period?

1. What does the story of the attempt to sacrifice Isaac by Abraham seem to indicate?

1. What basic religion practice was part of the worship of the patriarchs?

1. What other two practices were very old ones of the Ancient Middle East and were probably done by the patriarchs?

1. What is the most important event in Judaism?

1. Where were the descendants of Abraham at the close of Genesis?

1. What might the Egyptian name “Moses” indicate about the story of Exodus?

1. How did God appear to Moses, what was god’s name and how did Moses secure freedom for the Israelites?

1. Why is Passover called that?

1. What was given to Moses on Mt. Sinai?

1. What are the first five books of the bible called by Jews?

1. Judaism is defined as a religion of the ______.

1. In addition to the 10 Commandments, what two other religious institutions were acquired during the “wilderness period”?

1. What two conflicting reports are given regarding the relationship of the Israelites to the Canaanites? Which of the two is more likely correct?

1. Critical Thinking: What might the “wilderness period” described in the bible have referred to? What were the Israelites likely doing during this time?

1. Who was the first effective king of the Israelites and what were his major strengths and abilities?

1. Who built the temple, where was it built and what was the main form of worship there?

1. What did prophets do and what are they most remembered for in the bible?

1. What happened to Israel after the reign of Solomon?

1. What happened to Judah and its inhabitants with the Babylonian invasion of 586 B.C.E.?

1. Who was the leader of the Jews during its captivity and how did captivity and Judaic exposure to the ideas of Zoroastrianism change the nature of YHWH?

1. What great historic figure sent the Jews back to Jerusalem and rebuilt their temple?

1. How did Ezra and his writings change the identity of the Jews?

1. Define diaspora:

1. Due to the diaspora, what new institution was developed?

1. Define synagogue:

1. What was required in order to form a synagogue?

1. What does the word rabbi translate to and who would become rabbis?

1. List three primary differences which separated Jews from gentiles?

1. What did Diaspora Judaism hope would come to defeat the enemies of the Jews?

1. What Roman emperor would attack Jews in the empire and besiege Jerusalem?

1. What is the Mishnah and how did it interpret the issue of the Sabbath?

1. Where did the center of Jewish life shift to following the compilation of the Mishnah?
2. When did the cult of Christianity split from Judaism and what caused it?

1. What was the Gemara and what do we call its uniting with the Mishnah?

1. How did Muslims generally view Jews and Christians?

1. Where did many Jews go during the Abbasid dynasty?

1. Who was Maimonides, where was he born and where did he eventually settle?

1. What was the experience of Judaism in Spain like during the rise and control exhibited by Christians?

1. How did Ferdinand and Isabella deal with Jews in Spain in 1492?

1. What did the Crusades set off in Europe?

1. List 10 different elements of mysticism which were lumped together in the Kabbalah?

1. What compilation of Kabbalahlistic material is attributed to Rabbi Tanna Simeon Ben Yohai?

1. To what does the Zohar attribute the nature of the sensual world?

1. What rabbi led a group of Jews fleeing from Spain that settled in Safed in upper Galilee?

1. When did Kabbalahistic literature become more popular with Jews?

1. After being rejected by many Western European countries, where did many Jews settle in Eastern Europe and what language did they develop?
2. How did Martin Luther treat the Jews in his later writings?

1. How were Jews impacted by the Counter Reformation?

1. Where were Jews forced to live first in Rome and later throughout Europe?

1. How were Jews often singled out and identified throughout Europe after 1215?

1. Define pogrom:

1. What happened to Shabbatai Zevi when he entered Jerusalem calling himself the Messiah?

1. What did Mendelssohn encourage Jews to do?

1. According to Israel ben Eliezer, where was God to be found?

1. What did the followers of Baal Shem Tov call themselves?

1. How did the revolutionary period impact Jews in Europe and North America?

1. What examples can be given for the basic changes made to Judaism after the reform?

1. Why did a vast number of Jews come from Eastern Europe to the United States in the mid-to-late 1800s?

1. What did the Dreyfus Affair (Case) convince many Jews (including Theodor Hertzl) of?

1. What city was founded in 1909 and how many Jews had purchased land in Palestine by 1920?
2. How did Arabs react to increasing numbers of Jews moving to Palestine?

1. What is the usual number given as an estimate regarding the number of Jews killed by the Nazis?

1. What 5 basic reasons are given for the Holocaust?

1. The Holocaust reduced the world population of Jews by as much as ______.

1. How did Israel respond to attacks right after the founding of the country?

1. What makes the resolution of problems in Israel and Palestine even more difficult?

1. Where is the largest concentration of Jews in the world found?

1. What do Orthodox Jews attempt to do?

1. Where is Reform Judaism popular?

1. What movement occupies space between Orthodox and Reform movements?

1. Specifically, how does Conservative Judaism operate?

1. What does Reconstructionist Judaism emphasize?

1. What types of things do fundamentalist Jewish sects try to accomplish?

1. How do many secular Jews view their religion and heritage?

1. What do religious festivals and holy days (holidays) accomplish for all Jews?

1. Briefly explain each of the following festivals and holy days:

1. Sabbath (Shabbat)

1. Passover (Pesach)

1. The Feast of Weeks (Shavuot)

1. New Year (Rosh Hashanah)

1. The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)

1. The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot)

1. The Feast of Dedication (Chanukah)

1. The Feast of Lots (Purim)

1. The Son of the Commandment (Bar Mitzvah)

1. What is one of the primary tasks of Judaism today?

1. How is Israel much more than just another country for Jews?

1. How do many see the peace treaty signed in 1978 between Israel and Egypt?

1. What event shows the sharp divisions within Judaism over various issues in Israel?

1. What greatly feared compromise of modern Judaism has helped create a revival of interest in Orthodox Judaism and Hasidism?