History of Judaism

538BCE – 70CE

The Jewish Temple

• Why was the Temple Important• Zion Theology• Symbol of the chosen people• A king, a capital, and a nation• Choose Jerusalem as their capital

First Temple Period

• 1020 BCE – 598 BCE• Jewish Kingdom of Judah• Capital city in Jerusalem• Centre of political and religious

power• Royal Palace and Temple• Zion Theology

Jerusalem was like a modern day New York, Paris, or Tokyo

Decline of First Temple Period

• Very rich and powerful• Enjoyed God’s favour• Jews lost interest in religion• Surrounded by powerful

countries• Tried to play these nations off

against each other

During this time, other worldly things became more important to the Jews. They felt like they had everything they needed…and therefore, didn’t need God anymore.

Babylonian Exile

• 597 BCE• All middle and upper classes of

Judah relocated• Babylonians destroy temple• Outlaw Judaism• End of the Jews? • End of the world?

During Exile

• Jews no longer have a temple• Begin writing down their faith• Local teachers (Rabbis or

Pharisees) help people learn their faith

• Start going to synagoguesSimilar to Star Wars, after the destruction of Judaism, those who remained worked hard to mentor new Jews to carry on the faith.

New Beginnings

• 538 BCE• Babylonians defeated by

Persians• Cyrus the Great• Allowed to return• Laid Foundations for a new

Temple

PERSIAN RULER CYRUS THE GREAT Dubbed “God’s Anointed” by the

Jewish People

Rebuild the Temple

Greek Rule

• Greek Superpower rising• Alexander the Great• Conquers Mediterranean and

Middle East• Hellenization

Maccabean Revolution

• Revolt against Greek Generals• Judas Maccabeus• Retake the Temple• Hanukkah • Become Independent in 142 B.C.

Internal Fighting

• 100 years of Independence• Different groups fighting for

control• Sadducees invite Rome• 63 B.C. Rome takes over Palestine

Jesus’ Time

• 63 years before Jesus’ birth, Rome had conquered the Middle East

• Priests loyal to Rome• Betrayed the Religion• Jesus’ warning in Mark

Destruction of Temple

• 70 CE, Revolt in Jerusalem suppressed

• Temple destroyed• Two Jewish groups

survive– Rabbinic– Christians

The Wailing Wall

Rituals and Practices

Synagogue

• Shabbat (Sabbath)• Torah Scrolls• Rabbi• Star of David• Menorah

Bat Mitzvah / Bar Mitzvah

• Coming of Age• Understand the faith for

oneself

Yom Kippur

• New Year’s Celebration• September or October• Day if Atonement and

Repentance

Hannukah

• Jewish identity • Originates from Maccabean

Revolt• Commemorates retaking of the

temple

Passover

• Liberation from Egypt• Passing on of History• Symbolic meal

Judaism in the 21st Century

Jews and Culture in History

• Most of Jewish history, Jews maintained independent identity

• Accomplished this in two ways • Independent Nation• Local communities set apart from

main culture• Conflict when came into contact

with other cultures• This conflict is not unique to

Judaism

Enlightenment Period

• 17th and 18th centuries• Mysticism and Religion being

replaced with reason and science

• Migration from rural farms to cities

• How should Jews respond to changes

Above picture shows the advances of industry, mass production, and efficient shipping.

Left picture shows the novel Frankenstein, one of the fundamental questions author Shelley asks is how far should science go?

Orthodox Judaism

• Live by ancient Jewish laws• 613 Laws• Accept Torah written by Moses• Worship in Hebrew

Hasidic Jews

• Israel ben Eliezer• Large following in Eastern Europe• Emphasize Joy and Humility

Conservative

• Reaction to Reform Judaism• Worried reform movement no

longer Jewish• Divine origins of Judaism, but

humans help shape it too• Do not follow all 613 laws• Flexibility interpreting the law

Application and interpretation of the law always requires a slick lawyer

Reform Judaism

• Originally developed in Germany

• Wanted to partake in intellectual freedoms

• Modern methods for looking at scripture (redaction criticism)

• Services held in the vernacular

• Female rabbis • Individualism

Zionist Movement

• Zionist theology existed in ancient world

• Remerged in late 19th century• Gained momentum after the

Holocaust (Shoah)• 1947, Israel re-established by U.N.