1. Chapter 6: The Israelites Notes Foldables

2. Vocabulary – 1.Israelite–a group of people who lived in southwest Asia and believed in one God – 2.monotheism–a belief in one God – 3.prophet –a person believed to have been sent by God to share His word with the people – 4.Sabbath–a day in the week set aside for worship, rest, and prayer – 5.kosher–food prepared according to Jewish dietary laws – 6.synagogue–a Jewish place of worship – 7.exile–to be forced out of one’s home or country – 8.diaspora–a term used to refer to the groups of Jewish people who were exiled from their homeland and scattered throughout much of Europe, west Asia, and northern Africa

3. The Ten Commandments – Who: According to Jewish teachings, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. Moses was considered a prophet who rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. – What: The Ten Commandments are a set of ten laws believed to have been passed to Moses from God. They include: – 1.Do not worship any god except me. – 2.Do not worship false idols. – 3.Do not use my name in vain (misuse God’s name). – 4.Keep the Sabbath day holy. – 5.Honor your mother and father. – 6.Do not murder.

4. The Ten Commandments (Continued) – 7.Be faithful to your husband/wife. – 8.Do not steal. – 9.Do not tell lies. – 10.Do not want things owned by others. – Where: According to Jewish teachings, Moses received the Ten Commandments on the top of Mount Sinai. – How: According to Jewish teachings, after escaping from slavery, Moses and his people wandered the deserts searching for their promised land –Canaan –the land where they could settle and start a new life. One day, Moses climbed to the top of Mount Sinai and received the Ten Commandments from God, instructing the Israelite people how to live their lives.

5. The Ten Commandments (Continued) – Why: The Ten Commandments helped the Israelites know the difference between right and wrong. Its purpose was to help the Israelites live their life in accordance with their God’s scripture. – Significance: The Ten Commandments have had a major impact in the world –far beyond the belief system of the Jewish people. Laws around the world are very similar to the Ten Commandments (no murder, stealing, etc.). An important concept of the Ten Commandments is that those laws apply to everyone equally. In today’s society, that democratic principle is an important part of legal systems around the world.

6. The Three Kings – King Saul– Saul was appointed by a judge, Samuel, to be king. Under his leadership, the Israelites defeated the Philistines in many battles. After a while, though, support for his leadership waned. The people accused him of disobeying God’s laws –offering sacrifices, for example. Samuel denounced him as king and, according to Jewish teachings, selected a new king –David. – King David– David became famous as a young man for defeating Goliath –a huge Philistine warrior -with a single stone. As king, David defeated the Philistines and united the Twelve Tribes of Israel, according to the Jewish teachings. He also established the capital city of Jerusalem. He is often honored as the Israelite’s greatest king.

7. The Three Kings (Continued) – King Solomon– Solomon, David’s son, became the next king. He brought a period of peace and prosperity to the region by promoting trade with other peoples. He also had many cities built and was known for his wisdom. Although his reign brought peace and prosperity to the region, it also brought high taxes. The money was used to build new cities and temples, but it angered the people. They didn’t want to pay the high taxes!

8. The Prophets – Abraham: According to Jewish beliefs, Abraham and his family are the ancestors of the Israelites. Abraham was told by God that he and his family were to travel to a land named Canaan –the Promised Land. According to scripture, God promised Abraham that this land would belong to the Israelites and their descendants and that Abraham’s descendants would number as the stars. – Isaac: Isaac was the son of Abraham. According to Jewish beliefs, a famous story involves Isaac and his father Abraham. One day, God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son. Abraham took Isaac to Mount Moriah and built an altar. Just before he sacrificed his son for God, God sent an angel to stop him. It was a test of his faith all along. As a prophet, Isaac continued to lead the Israelites after Abraham died.

9. The Prophets (Continued) – Jacob: Jacob was the son of Isaac and the grandson of Abraham. According to Jewish beliefs, Jacob was given the name “Israel” by an angel of God. “Israel” means “one who struggles with God”. Teachings state that Jacob’s twelve sons became the heads of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. – Moses: According to Jewish teachings, Moses was born to an Israelite family who was enslaved by the Egyptians. Pharaoh ordered all newborn boys of the Israelites to be killed. In order to save him, Moses’ mother hid him. The pharaoh’s daughter discovered and adopted the infant. When Moses grew into a man, he saw an Egyptian hurting an enslaved Israelite and he killed the Egyptian. He then fled into the desert. Later, he returned and freed the Israelites from slavery, famously parting the Red Sea and receiving the Ten Commandments along the way.

10. A Conquered People – King Cyrus the Great– When King Cyrus the Great (King Cyrus II) was ruler of the Persian Empire, he and his people defeated the Chaldeans. The Chaldeans had forced the Israelites out of their homeland and sent them to live in Babylon. Cyrus the Great allowed the Jews to return to Judah. They were also permitted to rebuild Jerusalem. Cyrus’ actions gave him much respect from the Jewish people.

11. A Conquered People (continued) – Alexander the Great– The Persians ruled over the area of Judah for around 200 years. In 331 B.C.E., Alexander the Great, a king from Macedonia conquered the region. He allowed the Jewish people to stay in the region of Judah while also introducing Greek culture and language to the area. – The Seleucid Kings– After the death of Alexander the Great, the lands he had once ruled were divided into smaller kingdoms ruled by the Seleucid Kings. One of the kings was named Antiochus IV. He tried to force the Jews to worship Greek gods. One of the Jewish priests, Judas Maccabeus led a rebellion against the Seleucid king’s rule.

12. Cause and Effect – The Assyrian and Chaldean Invasions –Cause: the Assyrians and Chaldeans had formed powerful empires in the area surrounding Judah. Valuable trade routes rand through the Judah, making it a prime location for conquering. The people in Judah didn’t have large enough forces to defend themselves and were conquered by the Assyrians and Chaldeans. –Effect: After being conquered, the Jewish people were forced to pay high taxes and were removed from their homeland. The Assyrians were ruthless conquerors. If people didn’t pay the tributes, or taxes, their homes and villages were destroyed. Later, the Chaldeans forced the people to leave Jerusalem and live in Babylon.

13. Cause and Effect – The Babylonian Exile –Cause: The Chaldeans, led by King Nebuchadnezzar, were one of the conquerors of Judah. They destroyed Jerusalem and sent the Israelites to live in Babylon. –Effect: Although the Israelites were conquered, they kept their spirits up and their faith strong. Through these hardships, the Jewish people proved that they had the resolve to withstand the effects of conquerors, making their own cause for freedom and their religious determination stronger than ever.

14. Cause and Effect – The Revolt of Maccabeus –Cause: Under the rule of on of the Seleucid kings, Antiochus IV, the Jewish people were forced to worship Greek gods. They refused, and one of the Jewish priests, Judas Maccabeus led a rebellion against the Seleucid king’s rule. The revolt was successful and the Jewish people cleared Jewish temples of statues of Greek gods and goddesses. – Effect: Today, Jewish people celebrate the success of the Maccabean revolt during Hanukkah. It’s said that when the people were cleansing the temple of Greek gods an goddesses, they lit oil as part of the ceremony. Unfortunately, there was only enough oil to last one day. Miraculously, the oil lasted eight days! That is why the Jewish people light a menorah each of the eight days during Hanukkah.

15. Jewish Beliefs – Daily Life: Daily life does not refer to a “day in the life” of a Jewish person, but rather, what aspects of their faith are evident in their daily life. One important aspect of Jewish life is family. A strong family unit, with parents teaching their children important lessons from the Torah and other parts of the Hebrew Bible is (and was) common. Jewish families also worship in synagogues. – Dietary Laws: The Jewish people have certain dietary laws that are encouraged. Food prepared according to those dietary laws is referred to as kosher. Some examples of dietary laws: meat must be inspected, soaked in water, and salted, dairy and meat products shouldn’t be eaten together, shellfish should not be eaten, pork is considered “unclean” and should not be eaten. – The Hebrew Bible: The Hebrew Bible is the religious text of the Jewish people. It is made up of three parts: the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings. Inside the Hebrew Bible, you can find histories, songs, prayers, laws, and instructions on how to live a good and moral life.