1. Introduction to Judaism

2. 3-2-1 Bridge! Identify three words that you associate with Judaism.
List two questions that you have about Judaism.
Draw one symbol or image that you associate with Judaism.

3. Judaism Facts:
Judaism was founded in Mesopotamia (Iraq, Syria, Iran, and Turkey) around 1300 B.C.
Abraham viewed as a founding father of Judaism.
Canada has the fourth-largest Jewish population in the world.
Approximately 330, 000 Jews currently live in Canada.
Most live in Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec.
Israel has the largest Jewish population.

4. Judaism Facts Continued…
Judaism is a monotheistic religion.
They believe in one God.
Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox are the main sects.
Hebrew was the first language spoken by Jews.

5. What does it mean to be Jewish?

6. Why are people in the Jewish community sometimes misunderstood?

7. Stereotype: Most Jewish people have a similar physical appearance.
Jewish people are often believed to have common physical features.
However, Jewish people come in all shapes, sizes, and colours.
One study found that “only 4 % of American Jewish people have the [stereotypical] hooked nose.”

8. Stereotype: Money means everything to Jewish people.
Plays like “The Merchant of Venice” contributed to this stereotype.
There is no reason to believe that Jewish people have more monetary success than any other group in society.

9. Stereotype: Jewish people are power-hungry.
It is misguided to believe that Jewish people, as a whole, are determined to control major industries and institutions.
Fact: “[Out] of 56 major businesses in the USA that could be controlled by a minority of shareholders, three have substantial Jewish investment.”

10. Movies & Jewish Stereotypes
Movies have not always portrayed Jewish people in a positive light.
Example: “Sacha Baron Cohen stirred up controversy with his hit comedy, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, in which peasants participate in the “running of the Jew.”

11. Sources:
Briggs, David. “Pushing Boundaries.” thestar.com.
CWI Herald. “Stereotypes.”
World Religions: A Canadian Catholic Perspective. Toronto: Novalis Publishing Inc.,