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World Religions

Judaism

Judaism Video

World Population14 m

Countries with Largest Jewish Populations

Countries with large Jewish Populations

 

Rank Country Jews% of World Jewish

Population

1 Israel 5,313,800 40.6%

2 United States 5,275,000 40.3%

3 France 491,500 3.8%

4 Canada 373,500 2.9%

5 United Kingdom 297,000 2.3%

6 Russia 228,000 1.7%

7 Argentina 184,500 1.4%

8 Germany 118,000 0.9%

9 Australia 103,000 0.8%

10 Brazil 96,500 0.7%

11 Ukraine 80,000 0.6%

12 South Africa 72,000 0.6%

13 Hungary 49,700 0.4%

14 Mexico 39,800 0.3%

15 Belgium 31,200 0.2%

Origins• around 3500 years old • the oldest of the world's great

monotheistic religions (religions with only one god)

• developed in the Middle East in and around the area that is currently Israel

• its fundamental teachings are the basis for Christianity and Islam

•

Jews & Jesus• Judaism predates Christianity – it is the

foundation of Christianity but is not a part of it

• Jesus was Jewish, as were his followers and the Apostles

• Jews do not believe that Jesus was anything more than a good and wise man who lived and died 2000 years ago – Jews still await their messiah

• The Jewish messiah would not be divine. He would be a political figure who restores the Hebrew monarchy and causes peace to reign on Earth

• Jews are not concerned about salvation and the “world to come”

founder• Abraham is generally recognized as

the founder of Judaism due to his covenant with God.

• Moses is also considered a founder due to his role in the liberation of the Hebrews from Egypt, and his delivery of the Ten Commandments from Mount Sinai sometime around 2000 BC

Deborah:A prominent

judge

Moses:Led Hebrews out of slavery

Saul, David, Solomon:Kings under whom

Hebrews united

2000 B.C. 1200 B.C.1300 B.C. 1020-922 B.C.

Abraham:Father of Jewish

people

Origins of Judaism Timeline

Abraham’s family tree

EarlyHistory

• 2000 BC – Abraham migrates from Mesopotamia to

Canaan where he founds the Israelite nation

– Famine forces Israelites to migrate to Egypt where they are enslaved

– Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt

• 1000 BC– Israelites enter Canaan, the promised land– Solomon builds capital at Jerusalem, but

his rule inspires revolts

• 922 BC - Kingdom weakens after splitting into Israel & Judah

• 722 BC - Assyrians conquer Israel

• 586 BC - Babylonians capture Judah – Babylonian

captivity- Persians conquer Babylon and free the

Jews from captivity

Sacred Texts • Torah - (the first five books of

the Hebrew Bible) which was revealed by God to Moses on Mount Sinai over 3,000 years ago – written

• Talmud – commentary on the Torah – oral tradition

• give the Jewish people ethical rules for everyday life. Observing these rules is central to the Jewish religion.

Major Beliefs• teaches that there is one God who is the

creator of all things • Believe every Jew can have an individual and

personal relationship with God• believe that God appointed the Jews to be his

chosen people in order to set an example of holiness and ethical behavior to the world.

• believe that God continues to work in the world, affecting everything that people do.

• After Hebrew exodus from Egypt (remember Prince of Egypt?), many began to lose their faith in God. Moses went atop Mount Sinai and returned with laws that all Hebrews needed to follow: 10 Commandments

Ten Commandments

1. You shall have no other gods before Me. 2. You shall not make yourself any graven

image3. You shall not take the name of the Lord

your God in vain4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. 5. Honor your father and mother6. You shall not commit murder. 7. You shall not commit adultery. 8. You shall not steal. 9. You shall not witness falsely against your

neighbor. 10.You shall not covet your neighbor's house

or anything that is your neighbor's

Everyday Practices

• The heart of Judaism is in the home and family, social responsibility and doing Mitzvot (“good deeds” based on God’s commandments)

• Observation of the weekly Sabbath as a day of rest, starting at sundown on Friday evening

• Strict discipline, according to the Law, which governs all areas of life

• Regular attendance by Jewish males at Synagogue

• Celebration of the annual festivals

Jewish Festivals

• Passover: recalls Jews' deliverance out of slavery in Egypt circa 1300 BCE

• Rosh Hashanah - the Jewish New Year, and anniversary of the completion of creation, about 5760 years ago

• Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement, 10 days after RH. A day to reflect on the past year and ask God's forgiveness for any sins. Most important and solemn of Jewish holidays

• Hannakuh – festival of lights

Jewish Clothing

Kippah (skull cap) - to remind him that he is always duty bound to follow the laws of God at all times and in all places.

Tallit (prayer shawl) Before beginning to worship or pray the devout Jew will often put on a tallit. The fringes on the shawl remind him of the many commandments of the Torah

Tefilin (small leather box with long leather straps) The boxes are worn on the left forearm and on the forehead. Inside the boxes are passages from the scriptures. A tefilin on the left arm is a reminder to keep God's laws with all your heart, because it is near to the heart. A tefilin on the forehead remind the Jew to concentrate on the teachings of the Torah with all your full mind. Tefilins are worn when praying at home or in the synagogue.

Place & Language of worship

• Jews worship in temples called synagogues

• The sacred language of Judaism is Hebrew. Hebrew would be used the most in an Orthodox service, while it would be used the least in Reform one

Spiritual leader• Rabbi

Religious Divisions

• Orthodox Judaism: Oldest and most conservative. View their religion as close to its original forms as possible. Looks upon every word of their sacred texts as being divinely inspired.

• Reform Judaism: A liberal group, the largest of all the divisions (about 70%), Follow the ethical laws of Judaism, but leave it up to the individual the decision whether to follow or ignore the dietary and other traditional laws.

• Conservative Judaism: a main-line movement midway between Reform and Orthodox.