1. Judaism The first monotheistic religion.

3. Sinai Peninsula

4. Where are Jews Located Today?

5. Founding Fathers Abraham ~ 2000 BCE Considered the first Hebrew. First person to believe in one God. Moses ~1300 BCE Ten Commandments were revealed to him on Mt Sinai. Moses was the man who led his people out of Egypt. This movement is known as the Exodus.

6. Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments given to Moses are these: 1. You shall have no other Gods before me. 2. You shall not make idols. 3. You shall not take the Lord’s name in vain. 4. You shall honor the Sabbath. 5. You shall honor your parents. 6. You shall not murder. 7. You shall not commit adultery 8. You shall not steal. 9. You shall not commit perjury. 10. You shall not covet.

7. Who is the Jewish God? Jews believe in a single, omniscient (all knowing), omnipotent (all powerful), omnipresent (in all places at all times), benevolent God who created the universe and continues to be involved in its governance. This God is just and merciful and has no form or representation.

8. Creation Story Jews believe it took God six days to create the world and everything in it. On the seventh day God rested. The Creation of the Heavens Michelangelo

9. Sacred Text ~ Torah The first five books of the Hebrew Bible which presents the Mosaic law and moral codes. Torah comes from the Hebrew word for “instruction.” Always written in Hebrew 613 Commandments Rules for moral conduct: Ten Commandments

10. Who is a Jew? Traditional Jewish Law: a Jew is anyone born of a Jewish mother or converted in accordance with Jewish Law. Judaism maintains that a Jew, whether by birth or conversion, is a Jew forever. All Jews consider themselves to be descendants of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

11. Holy Days Passover-Spring Rosh Hashanah-Creation of the World Yom Kippur-Day of Atonement-most important Marked by Jews in several ways: They abstain from food or drink for 25 hours They do not wear perfume They don't have sex They don't wash They don't wear leather shoes Painting by Maurycy Gottlieb, 1878, depicting Ashkenazi Jews praying in the synagogue on Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of atonement.

12. Rituals Sabbath The weekly holy day-sundown Friday to sundown Saturday-reserved for worship and attention to family and community.

13. Rituals Bar Mitzvah & Bat Mitzvah Respectively mean “son” and “daughter” of the Commandment. Religious rites of passage for thirteen-year-old boys and twelve-year-old girls. After the ceremony, they are fully responsible in the eyes of God and are seen as adult members of the congregation.

14. Kosher Kashruth (kashroot) Very specific dietary laws regarding food restrictions as well as proper animal slaughter.

15. Where Do Jews Pray? Synagogue Central place for worship and the place where customs, religious practice and faith are maintained

16. Dress Yarmulke Covering the head is regarded more as a custom rather than a commandment. It is a common pious practice to cover the head at all times, it is not religiously mandatory

17. Diaspora The Jews who live outside of Israel in other countries around the world A phenomenon originating when Jews were sent out of Palestine into exile under Babylonian rule.

18. Major Branches of Judaism Orthodox: Original and only form of Judaism until the 1800’s. Named Orthodox in reaction to the advent of Reform Judaism. Most observant.

19. Major Branches of Judaism Reform Founded by Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise in 1873 in rebellion against the binding traditions of orthodoxy. Most flexible about observance of Jewish laws. Largest Jewish movement in North America.

20. Major Branches of Judaism Conservative Organized by Dr. Solomon Schechter in 1913 as a reaction to Reform Judaism's liberalism. Philosophically stands between Orthodox and Reform.

21. Symbols Star of David

22. Other beliefs of the Jewish People Jews believe the Messiah will be a person (not a god), from the family of King David, who will lead the world to unity and peace. Jews do not believe that Jesus was the Messiah. Jews do recognize that in his time, Jesus was an influential Jewish teacher who lived and died as a Jew, with no thought of creating a separate religion.