1. The Hebrews and Jews
Common Core Standard: Reading Informational Texts R.I.8.2, Key Ideas and Details. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.

2. Section 1: The Early Hebrews
Essential Question:
How did the Hebrews defend themselves and maintain their beliefs?
The Big Idea:
Originally desert nomads, the Hebrews established a great nation called Israel.
If you were there…You and your family are herders, looking for large flocks of sheep. You grandfather is the leader of your tribe. One day your grandfather says your whole family will be moving to a new country where there is more food and water for your flocks. The trip will be long and difficult.
How do you feel about moving to a far away land?
Common Core Standard: Reading Informational Texts R.I.8.2, Key Ideas and Details. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.

3. Abraham and Moses Led their People
Between 2000 and 1500 BC, a new people appeared in Southwest Asia, they were the Hebrews, ancestors of the Israelites. The Israelites were sheep herders.
Much of what is known about the Israelites comes from accounts written by scribes on their early history and the laws of Judaism, their religion. In time, these accounts became the Hebrew Bible.
The Hebrew Bible traces back to a man named Abraham. According to that text, one day god spoke to Abraham and told him to leave his land. God promised the new land would make his people into a mighty nation. Moses left Mesopotamia and settled in Canaan. Later many moved to Egypt perhaps because of famine in Canaan. As the Israelites lived well in Egypt, The Pharaoh, feared they would take over, so he made them slaves.
Common Core Standard: Reading Informational Texts R.I.8.2, Key Ideas and Details. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.

4. The Exodus
According to the Hebrew Bible, A leader named Moses went to the Pharaoh and demanded that the Israelites be freed. Moses claimed God told him to lead his people out of Egypt. Soon a serious of plagues or disasters struck Egypt. The Pharaoh was frightened by the plagues so he freed the Israelites.
Overjoyed with this news, Moses led his people out of Egypt in a journey back to Canaan called the Exodus.
During their journey God gave Moses two stone tablets. On the stone tablets was written the moral code known as the Ten Commandments.
Common Core Standard: Reading Informational Texts R.I.8.2, Key Ideas and Details. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.

5. Kings Unite the Israelites
In the mid 1000s BC the Philistines invaded the Israelites’ lands. The Israelites' banded together to support a single ruler that would lead them.
King David was a sheep herder David was admired for his military skills and he used his support to become king. King David established the capital of Israel in Jerusalem.
Common Core Standard: Reading Informational Texts R.I.8.2, Key Ideas and Details. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.

6. Finding the Main Idea- Why did the Israelites unite under a king?
David’s son, Solomon, took the throne about 965 BC. Like his father he was a strong king. He expanded the kingdom. He built the great temple to God in Jerusalem. This temple became a symbol of the Israelites faith.
Finding the Main Idea- Why did the Israelites unite under a king?
Common Core Standard: Reading Informational Texts R.I.8.2, Key Ideas and Details. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.

7. Invaders Conquer and Rule
After Solomon’s death about 930 BC, revolts broke out about who would be the next king. Israel spit into two kingdoms, called Israel and Judah. The two kingdoms were defeated by the Assyrians and the people of Israel dispersed. Later the Chaldeans defeated the Jews and Judah was destroyed.
The Chaldeans destroyed Solomon’s temple and forced the Jews to work as slaves. In the 50s BC a people called the Persians conquered the Chaldeans and let the Jews return to Jerusalem. Many chose not to return to Caanan. Others scattered over other parts of the Persian Empire.
Common Core Standard: Reading Informational Texts R.I.8.2, Key Ideas and Details. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.

8. Invaders Conquer and Rule
Scholars call the dispersal of Jews outside of Israel and Judah the Diaspora.
Independence and Conquest
Tired of foreign rule, a Jewish family called the Maccabees led a successful revolt in the 160s BC. For a hundred years the Jews were ruled by their own king until the Jews were again conquered by the Romans. The Romans heavily taxed the Jews. They had no respect for Jewish religious beliefs. The Romans forced the Jews to worship the Roman Emperor. This was too much for the Jews to bear so they called upon to revolt against the Romans.
Reading Check-Summarizing: How did Roman rule affect Jewish society?
Common Core Standard: Reading Informational Texts R.I.8.2, Key Ideas and Details. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.

9. Jewish Beliefs and Texts
Essential Question:
How did the Hebrews defend themselves and maintain their beliefs?
The Big Idea:
The central ideas and laws of Judaism are contained in sacred texts such as the Torah.
If you were there…You live in a small town in ancient Israel. Some people in your town treat strangers very badly. But you have been taught to be fair and kind to everyone, including strangers. One day, you tell one of your neighbors he should be kinder to strangers. He asks you why you feel this way.
How will you explain your belief in kindness?
Common Core Standard: Reading Informational Texts R.I.8.2, Key Ideas and Details. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.

10. Main Ideas
Beliefs in God, education, justice and obedience anchor Jewish society.
Jewish beliefs are listed in the Torah, the Hebrew Bible, and the Commentaries.
The Dead Sea Scrolls reveal many past Jewish beliefs.
The ideas of Judaism have shaped our culture.
Common Core Standard: Reading Informational Texts R.I.8.2, Key Ideas and Details. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.

11. Jewish Beliefs Anchor Their Society
Religion is the foundation upon which the Jews base their whole society. The central ideas of Judaism are beliefs in God, education, justice, and obedience.
Common Core Standard: Reading Informational Texts R.I.8.2, Key Ideas and Details. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.

12. Belief in One God Most importantly, Jews believe in one God.
The belief in one god is called monotheism.
In an ancient world where most people worshipped many gods, the Jews’ worship of only one God set them apart. This worship also shaped Jewish society. The Jews believed that God had guided their history through relationships with Abraham, Moses and other leaders.
Common Core Standard: Reading Informational Texts R.I.8.2, Key Ideas and Details. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.

13. Justice and Righteousness
Belief in Education
Teaching the Jewish children the basics of Judaism has always been important in Jewish society. Older boys, not girls, studied with professional teachers to learn their religion. Even today, education and study are central to Jewish life.
Justice and Righteousness
The Jews believed in kindness and fairness in dealing with other people. This includes helping the poor, sick and the orphans. Jews are also expected to be fair in business dealings.
Common Core Standard: Reading Informational Texts R.I.8.2, Key Ideas and Details. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.

14. Observance of Religious Moral Law
Jews believe that God gave them laws to follow. The most important Jewish laws are the Ten Commandments. The Jews believe this is only part of Jewish law. Jews believe that Moses recorded a whole system of Jewish laws called Mosaic law. Mosaic law guided Jews’ daily lives. For example, Mosaic law governed how people prayed and celebrate holidays. The laws forbid the Jews to work on holidays or the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week. Mosaic laws determined the rules for eating food and preparing food. For example, Jews can not eat pork or shellfish. Many Jewish communities today follow strict Mosaic law.
Reading Check-What are the most important beliefs in Judaism?
Common Core Standard: Reading Informational Texts R.I.8.2, Key Ideas and Details. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.

15. Texts List Jewish Beliefs
The laws of Judaism are described in several sacred texts, or writings
Ancient Jews recorded their laws and history in five books called the Torah, the most sacred text of Judaism.
Readings from the Torah are central to Jewish religious services today in every synagogue, or Jewish house of worship.
Common Core Standard: Reading Informational Texts R.I.8.2, Key Ideas and Details. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.

16. The Hebrew Bible
The Torah is the first part of group of writings called the Hebrew Bible Tanakh (tah-NAHK.) The second part is made up of eight books that describes the messages of Jewish prophets.
Prophets are people who are said to receive messages from God to be taught to others.
The final part of the Hebrew Bible is eleven books of poetry, songs, lessons, and history. The final part also contains proverbs and short expressions of wisdom.
Common Core Standard: Reading Informational Texts R.I.8.2, Key Ideas and Details. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.

17. Will you join the rebellion? Why or why not?
Commentaries
For centuries scholars have studied the bible. Because some laws were hard to understand, the scholars wrote commentaries to help explain them.
Commentaries about everyday life from the bible are contained in the Talmud.
Will you join the rebellion? Why or why not?
Common Core Standard: Reading Informational Texts R.I.8.2, Key Ideas and Details. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.

18. Scrolls Reveal Past Beliefs
The Dead Sea Scrolls were writings by the Jews 2,000 years ago. The scrolls contained prayers, commentaries, letters, and passages from the Hebrew Bible.
Readings from scrolls helped historians find about the lives of Jews during this time.
Reading Check- What did the Dead Sea Scrolls contain?
Common Core Standard: Reading Informational Texts R.I.8.2, Key Ideas and Details. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.