Judaism
Religion of the Jews
When & How did the Church Begin?
Judaism is the oldest religion still existing
today, although the date it was actually
founded is unknown.
It began as the religion of the small nation of
Hebrews.
Judaism traces its history back to the
creation of mankind, but the explicitly Jewish
historical origins began with Abraham and the
Hebrews
Abraham is acknowledged as the patriarch of
the Jewish faith.
What do the followers believe?
They follow the Tanakh, sometimes referred
to as the Torah.
Most religious Jews believe in both
resurrection and immortality of the soul.
They believe in ONE living God (monotheism),
and that God elected them to be the “Chosen
People”
They believe Jesus was born of a normal birth
and was a false prophet. They do NOT believe
Jesus was the Messiah, nor the Son of God.
What do the followers believe?
Basically Jews believe in God. They believe
God is indivisible, not represented in the Holy
Trinity.
Judaism accepts the Old Testament as its
only Holy Book.
Jerusalem is considered a holy city for
followers of the Jewish faith.
The Ten Commandments are accepted as
guidelines for moral and ethical behavior.
Do Jews have a leader or an authority?
Jewish clergy are known as rabbis.
The Jewish house of worship is a
synagogue
Jewish main day of worship is Saturday.
Jewish followers often refer to God as
Yahweh.
Where is this religion mainly located, and
how many followers are there?
The Jewish followers are mainly
concentrated in three major areas:
Israel, Europe, and The United States
There are approximately 14 million
current followers of the Jewish faith
What kinds of celebrations and holidays
do they observe and celebrate?
Chanukah- also spelled as Hannukah or Hannuka, a
"festival of lights" in December commemorating the
defeat of the Syrian Greeks by the Maccabes in 165
B.C.E and the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem.
Miraculously, a tiny container of oil was found in the
Temple burned for eight days. In celebrating this
festival an eight branch candle stick, or menorah, is
used, plus a ninth or Shamash, candle used for lighting
each of the other candles, one for each day of
Chanukah. Children receive gifts and play a top spinning
game.
What kinds of celebrations and holidays
do they observe and celebrate?
Passover- A spring festival lasting seven or eight
days, recalling the angel of death "passing over"
the Hebrews, as the first born of the Egyptians
were taken by death of the last of the great
plagues brought by God on the Egyptian captors. A
home and synagogue ceremonial meal recalls the
bitter experience of slavery in Egypt and the
haste of the escape, or "Exodus."
What kinds of celebrations and holidays
do they observe and celebrate?
Rosh Hashanah- This means literally, the "head of the
year," the Jewish New Year. Ushering in a period of
high holy days for reflection and repentance. A ram’s
horn or shofar is sounded. (the ram is used because
Abraham sacrificed a ram instead of Isaac.)
Sabbath- This means of rest each week- the seventh
and last day of the week- commemorates God’s rest on
the seventh day of Creation. The observance is a
reminder of God’s justice and rule on earth, is ordered
in the Ten Commandments.
What kinds of celebrations and holidays
do they observe and celebrate?
Shavuoth- This means a "Feast of Weeks" in the
spring that celebrates the giving of the law, or Torah.
Sukkoth- The "Feast of booths," a fall harvest
festival, marked by putting up harvest booths.
Yom Kippur- This means "Day of Atonement," and is the
most important holy day, the last of the high holy days.
It is a time of confessing of sins, atoning or making
amends for wrongdoing, and seeking forgiveness, and it
comes ten days after Rosh Hashanah. The shofar, or
ram’s horn, is sounded at the end of Yom Kippur.
Some interesting info about Judaism:
There are 3 branches of Judaism: Orthodox, Reform, and
Conservative
The Orthodox Jews are the strictest.
Orthodox Jews separate men and women from the services
They follow a strict kosher diet (laws about food)
– No pork
– No crawling seafood
– No mixing of milk and meat products