1. Judaism

2. Origins of the Jewish Faith
Oldest Western religion
Judaism is an Abrahamic religion along with Christianity and Islam
Abrahamic religions assert that Abraham was God’s first prophet
Monotheistic
YHWH (commonly pronounced Yahweh) meaning God
Role as creator and preserver of natural world; interacts with the world and people
Jews see themselves as God’s “chosen”
Tanakh: religious text

3. The Jewish Faith
Three main aspects of Judaism
Covenant
Laws
Prophets

4. Abraham and the Covenant
God first revealed himself to a Hebrew man named Abram
Genesis 12:1-3
The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
God promised Abram would have many children that would inherit the earth, but Abram was 99 and his wife 90
God made a covenant (pact between God and a human) with Abram:
God would produce a child for Abram (Isaac)
Abram and his descendants would serve God
This covenant would be signified by circumcision (removal of foreskin from male genitalia)
God changed Abram’s name to Abraham (“father of many nations”)

6. Binding of Isaac

7. Prophets
Prophet: act as the mouth of God, teaching and carrying out His will
Abraham is considered the first prophet
Moses is another famous prophet
Called by God to lead the Exodus, or the freeing of Jews from Egyptian captivity
God parted the Red Sea so Jews could flee; destroyed the Pharaoh and his army as a show of power

10. Laws
Torah: First 5 books of the Tanakh; laws handed down to Moses from God
Most famous laws are the 10 Commandments
Moses was called to climb Mt. Sinai to receive stone tablets inscribed with God’s commandments
Moses returned from the mountain after 40 days to find the Israelites worshipping a golden calf; threw and broke the tablets in anger
Torah is understandable by all people, not just priests

11. 10 Commandments Thou shalt have no other gods before me
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy
Honour thy father and thy mother
Thou shalt not kill
Thou shalt not commit adultery
Thou shalt not steal
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor
Thou shalt not covet
10 Commandments

12. Are Jews and Christians the same?
Similar in some ways, but not the same
Jews believe that the Messiah (powerful messenger) will begin an era with no war or hunger, and all of humanity accepts God
Christians believe that Jesus Christ was the Messiah
Jews believe the Messiah has not yet come
Converting to Judaism is much harder than to Christianity

13. Do Jews believe in a heaven or hell? What about Satan?
The answer is a vague combination of yes and no
Ultimately Judaism doesn’t care what you believe, but rather what you do
“Two Jews, three opinions”
Heaven and hell are present in the Tanakh, though briefly, and vaguely
Satan is vague as well
“satan” in Hebrew translates to “adversary”
Most mentions of satan are of people acting as satans (adversaries), not a specific individual
There is mention of HaSatan (The Satan) as an individual
HaSatan creates hardships for Job, a follower of God, to test how devoted to God Job really is
HaSatan takes away Job’s wealth, kills his family, makes him ill but only with God’s permission

14. Other Beliefs and Practices
Jewish ethics include truth, peace, humility, charity
Shabbat: day of rest on Saturday in anticipation of the Messiah
Synagogue: place of worship and study
Kosher: food suitable for Jews to eat
Some foods prohibited, others prepared specially
Meat and dairy not allowed to touch
Bar/Bat Mitzvah: coming of age ritual for 13 year old boys (Bar) and 12 year old girls (Bat)
Become accountable for own actions

15. Yarmulke or kippah

17. Holidays Passover: 8-day celebration commemorating Exodus from Egypt
Rosh Hashanah: Jewish New Year; marks beginning of 10-day atonement leading to Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur: Holiest day of the Jewish year
Fast for the day
Pray for forgiveness
Spend the entire day in the synagogue
Hanukkah: 8-day Jewish holiday
Commemorates the “Miracle of Oil”
Only enough oil to fuel the eternal flame in the Temple of Jerusalem to last one day
Oil burned for 8 days, long enough to prepare new oil
Likely became popular due to being in the same time frame as Christmas
Yom HaShoah: Day of commemoration for the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust