How and when was the religion created? What was the historical context (what was happening during the time of its creation based on its location)?
Formed in 2000 B.C.E. in Canaan (now Israel and Palestinian territories). At the time many people in the Middle East worshiped many gods. Abraham, a Hebrew man, promoted the central idea of the Jewish faith: that there is one God.
What are the basic doctrine and practices of the religion?
The Ten Commandments, as written in the Torah, are:
- Worship no other God but me.
- Do not make images to worship.
- Do not misuse the name of God.
- Observe the Sabbath Day (Saturday). Keep it Holy.
- Honor and respect your father and mother.
- Do not murder.
- Do not commit adultery.
- Do not steal.
- Do not accuse anyone falsely. Do not tell lies about other people.
- Do not envy other's possessions.
- The Mitzvot - Hebrew word for commandants. Used to portray good deeds.
- The 613 Commandments - Jewish philosopher Maimonides made a long list of commandants found in the Jewish bible.
- The Synagogue - this is the place Jewish people worship in. It became the central place for religious after the loss of the Temple.
- Rabbinic Law - in addition to the 613 commandments, there are rabbinical rules and laws.
Is there religious text(s) that are important to understanding the religion?
- The Tenakh is the ancient collection of writings that are sacred to the Jews. They were written over almost a thousand years from 1000 to 100 BCE.
- The Torah is written on scrolls and kept in a special cabinet called the aron hakodish, the holy ark, in synagogues.
- The Talmud is also an important collection of Jewish writings. Written about 2000 years ago, it is a recording of the rabbis discussion of the way to follow the Torah at that time.
Where did the religion begin?
Judaism originated in Israel around 4000 years ago
Using a map visibly describe the spread of the faith.
Babylonyans spread the Jewish people around Israel during the Babylonian exile.
Who were the important leaders, individuals and empires in the religion?
- Abraham - born under the name Abram in the city of Ur in Babylonia in the year 1948. Eventually, the one true Creator that Abram had worshiped called to him,
- Isaac - was the subject of the tenth and most difficult test of Abraham's faith.
- Jacob - Jacob demanded a blessing from a man, and the "man" revealed himself as an angel. He blessed Jacob and gave him the name "Israel".
- Rome - Jews had lived in Rome since the second century BC. Julius Caesar and Augustus supported laws that allowed Jews protection to worship as they chose.
What was the impact of the religion on world history?
Jews were in the middle of the crossroads when Middle East was developing. They were in the center of the empire during the existence of Rome. When power shifted eastward, the Jewish center was in Babylon. Today, the Jews are mainly in Israel.