1. Shalom: in Jewish perspective

2. Agenda About Judaism Concept about “Shalom”
Three events that have shaped Judaism
Conclusion

3. About Judaism
Judaism traces its origins back 3800 years to Abraham and Sarah, patriarch and matriarch of Hebrews or Israelites.
Monotheism YHWH(Yahweh)
Commandment-10 Commandments(a prophet, Moses were given)
And more commandments in Torah (Jewish bible)
The thought of “Chosen People”-Jewish people positively choose to keep the commandments and they think it is them due.
Messiah thought- when the atonement for sins of Jewish people are all done, Messiah will appear and he or she lead Jewish people to promised land.
It is the story of a covenant (promise) made between God and Abraham.

4. Concept of “Shalom”
According to the Messiah – one of the three foundations of the world is peace (the other two are justice and truth).
The Hebrew word for peace, ‘SHALOM,’ comes from a root meaning ‘completeness’ and ‘perfection’. So when there is peace in Jewish terms, that means things are perfect: there is calm, security, prosperity and a general feeling of physical and spiritual well-being. It doesn’t just mean there is no war.
Shalom is realized only by YHWH(Yahweh) when sins of Jewish people are all atoned.

5. The Hebrew word for peace, Shalom, does not mean a cessation of war, it comes from the word shalem – complete, fullness or perfection.
There are 3 levels of perfection of relationships:
Between man and himself – the achievement of inner peace, a sense of personal contentment.
Peace between a Jew and his fellow Jew. The destruction of the Second Temple occurred because of Sinat Chinam – wanton hatred. It is believed that the Messiah will not arrive and herald an era of world peace until Israel is united in the service of God.
3. Peace between Jewish people and Other Nations – numerous laws have been enacted specifically to promote peace between Jewish people and non-Jewish people. Part of the messianic goal is to promote peace amongst all nations.

6. Pursuing Shalom
One must do all that is possible to foster Shalom Bayit, a home of peace and harmony.
Mipne Darke Shalom – we must extend a hand of friendship to non-Jewish people, in order to create goodwill between Jewish people and people of other faiths.
In Hebrew, to ask someone how they are (“How are you?”) we say “Ma shlomcha?” ‘Shlomcha’ literally means ‘your peace’, so we are actually asking them “How’s your state of peace?” This shows how important living in a state of peace is in Jewish thinking.

7. The Enlightenment, the Holocaust (Shoah), and Modern-Day Israel
Three events have shaped Judaism in the past three centuries: the Enlightenment, the Holocaust (Shoah), and the founding of the State of Israel.
The Enlightenment
In the 17th century, a new way of knowing began to dominate Western Europe: reason.
Before that, mysticism and religion were ways of knowing and understanding life.
The Enlightenment emphasized intellectual freedom.
Only what could be known by reason was acceptable; everything else was superstition.
People became skeptical of traditional political, social, and religious beliefs.
Less emphasis was placed on religion, and Jewish people in some parts of Europe became more accepted.
The Enlightenment also caused divisions within Judaism.
Ashkenazi Jewish people split into three traditions: Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox.

8. Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Jewish people continue to observe all the ancient rules and practices.
They want to avoid “watering down” the Jewish faith.
They believe God gave the whole Torah—oral and written—to Moses at Mount Sinai.
Some Orthodox Jewish people accept some secular moral values, but being Orthodox means following the commandments of the Torah, strictly observing the Sabbath(Friday) and other Jewish holy days, using Hebrew in the synagogue, dressing modestly, and following dietary laws.
Men and women sit separately in the synagogue.
Judaism can only be passed down to children by the mother.

9. Reform Judaism
They wanted to enjoy freedoms like everyone else, participate in intellectual life, and work with non-Jewish people.
They began to interpret scripture with more modern methods.
They became less concerned with traditional purity laws and the desire to return to the homeland.
Today, Reform Jewish people use a combination of Hebrew and English for religious services.
Men and women sit together in the synagogue.
Many, but not all, believe as long as one parent is Jewish, the children are Jewish.
Individualism is encouraged: each person must decide what beliefs and practices are key to his or her spiritual life.
They stress tikkun olam — repairing the world through social action.

10. Conservative Judaism
The Conservative movement arose as a reaction to Reform Judaism.
It follows many, but not all, of the 613 commandments of the Torah, and old traditions. (ex. the order of prayers, the use of Hebrew, and some dietary laws.)
It is open to modern historical methods of study, but considers Reform Judaism too loose in its interpretation of the scripture.
The needs of the community and its Jewish identity always come before individual wants and needs.
Active participation in synagogue is very important.
Like Reform Jewish people, Conservatives stress tikkun olam.
Men and women sit together in the synagogue.

11. Holocaust

12. Holocaust: History Reasons of Jewish discrimination (Anti-Semitism)
Basic Reasons
1. Thought of chosen people
2. Sin that Jewish people helped a crucifixion of Jesus.
Objections
1. YHWH(Jewish God) did not chose Jewish people. Jewish people chose YHWH and kept their commandments.
2. There are no historical evidences, and the crucifixion is thought to be needed by Christianity.

13. Holocaust (Shoah): History
The Holocaust by Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler
Tragic ethnic cleansing which had occurred in the Nazi Germany during the World War II.
Jewish people were thought to be objection for racial purity of Aryan-German. Nazi defined Aryan-German is the most superior race in the world.
Jewish people were imprisoned, starved, forced to do heavy manual labor, medically experimented on, tortured, and killed.
The number of victims: 5,595,000～5,860,000 Jewish people. 85% decreasing in 12 years
Anti-Semitism was widespread Reform Judaism was spread

14. Effects of the Holocaust on the Jewish Community
The central message of the Torah is “What is hateful to you, do not do to others.”
This is the rallying cry for many Jewish people of all denominations in response to the Holocaust.
Greater emphasis on the tikkun olam has been a Jewish response to the cruelty of WWII.
The Messiah teaches that Adam was created single to teach people that the destruction of any person’s life is the same as destroying a whole world, and the preservation of a single life is the same as preserving a whole world.
Life is sacred because it is from God; for many Jewish people, preserving life is a key response to the Holocaust.
ALTHOUGH
After the horrors of the war, the faith of many Jewish people was shaken.
They wondered if God was punishing them for their lack of faithfulness.
They seem holocaust is one of process of their atoning.

15. Zionism and the State of Israel
The persecution Jewish people experienced in Europe fuelled a desire to return to the land God had promised them.
By the late 1800s, many (half of them) Jewish people supported Zionism, a movement to establish a national Jewish state in Palestine.
Some Zionists began to emigrate to Palestine.
Arabs who lived there objected to the Jewish people coming to what they saw as their homeland and fighting broke out several times.

16. Zionism Activity (Foundation of the Israel)
Foundation of Israel
United Nations (not international institute) was on Jewish side, because getting support from Jewish people is thought to be efficient policy against Germany.
UN focus on the Jewish concept, Zionism, and they prepared the land of Palestine as their promised land.
Jewish culture
Zionist rebirth Hebrew language
They use Torah in education for academic learning
Have their own military forces

17. Zionism Activity (Negative opinion )
Half of Jewish people are against the Zionism movement, and they do not live in Israel.
Holiness
Zionist try to use Hebrew language as daily language, but it must be used only in Torah. It thought to be sin cause of lack of holiness.
According to Torah, they cannot uses violence means in any cases, but Israel has a history of conflict between Palestine Arab and own their military forces.
The worst thing is that all sins are committed in Holy land, Israel.

18. Middle East War
In 1947 the UN voted to divide Palestine into an Arab and a Jewish state with Jerusalem under international control.
On May 14, 1948, Jewish people proclaimed the independent State of Israel.
The next day, Israel’s neighboring Arab nations invaded in attempt to destroy the new Jewish state.
When the war ended about eight months later, Israel controlled its part and about half of the land the UN had planned for the new Arab state.
Most became refugees living in the Arab-controlled part of Palestine.

19. Conclusion
Each brunch (Orthodox, Reform, and Conservative Judaism) aims Shalom in their way, but they has different concept of it.
Holocaust divided Jewish faith in several brunches.
Religious crisis for them.
They are blaming each practice in each brunch.

20. Discussion Theme
What ways does Judaism differ from other religions? How do you feel about these differences?
How do you feel about the major ethical obligations of Jewish life? How do you feel about the role of religious ritual in your life?
What is anti-Semitism? Have you ever experienced being discriminated? If you did, how did you feel?