JUDAISM

Background/History.
Judaism is the oldest known monotheistic religion still practiced in the world today. Its
fundamental teachings have been influential and are the basis for more recently
developed religions such as Christianity and Islam. The history of Judaism is inseparable
from the history of Jewish people themselves. The early part of their story is told in the
Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). Its foundation lies in the original covenant (a promise)
made between Abraham and the Jewish God (known as Yahweh), circa 1900BC. God
promised Abraham that if he left his home in Ur and traveled to Canaan (which later
came to be known as Palestine and Israel) he would give this land to his descendants.
God chose Abraham to be the father of a people(the Hebrews) who would be special
to God, and who would be an example of good behavior and holiness to the rest of the
world. It is because of this covenant that Abraham is considered to be the founder of
Judaism.
Abraham keep his promise with
God and traveled to the land of Canaan.
Not long after their arrival these lands
began to experience sever famine and
droughts. In search of refuge, the Jewish
people traveled to Egypt. However, when
they arrived they realized refuge is not
what the Egyptians had in mind for them.
The Egyptian Pharaoh (king) enslaved the
Jewish people and forced them into
harsh labor building magnificent temples and tombs. 450 years later a prophet, Moses
travels to Egypt and with the guidance of God and the influence of the 10 plagues he
convinces the Pharaoh to let his people go. Moses parts the Red Sea and leads his
people back to the lands of Canaan. This liberation of slavery is known as the Exodus.
On the way back at Mt. Sinai (see map above) God gave Moses 10 Commandments in

which the Jewish people were to live by. These 10 Commandments among other rules
and teaching could be found in the Jewish holy book, the Torah (which is the also known
as the Hebrew Bible).

The 10 Commandments.
1. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. You shall not make yourself any graven
image (worship idols).
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord
your God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it
holy.
5. Honor your father and mother.
6. You shall not commit murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not witness falsely against your
neighbor.
10. You shall not covet anything that is
your neighbor's.

Continued History & The Spread of Judaism.

Jewish civilization after the exodus prospered in the kingdoms of Israel and Judah,
originally headed by powerful kings like Saul, David and Solomon, who built the first great
temple in Jerusalem. Jerusalem was the capital and holy city of the Jewish state of
Palestine. Around 920 BCE, the kingdom fell apart, and the Jewish people split into
groups. In 586 BC, the Babylonians overran Jerusalem, taking many captives into exile
and destroying the temple. A second temple was built when the Jews returned about
538 BC, only to be destroyed one again by the Romans in 70 AD. This destruction was
critical for the future of Judaism. Traditions, learning and sacrificial ceremonies centered
around these local temples known as synagogues. Many Jews were sent into exile,
beginning the dispersion of Jewish people across the world. This Jewish tradition of living
away from Israel is known as the Diaspora. The two defining modern events for this
community in exile were the Holocaust (1939-45), in which over six million Jews were killed
by the Nazis, and the creation of the Jewish state of Israel in 1948. Currently the greatest
amount of Jews can be found in Israel, the United States, and Russia

Common Teachings & Beliefs.

Teachers of Judaism are called Rabbis or Prophets. They are
responsible for conducting religious services, making sure Jewish laws
are followed, and serve as a spiritual guide for the community.
Judaism teaches that there is one God who is the creator of all things.
He is superior, invincible, just and reveals himself to human beings (like Moses and
Abraham). The Hebrew word for this one true God is JHWH, or Yahweh. The Jewish
people also believed there was a messiah, or a savior coming. Judaism focuses on
relationships: the relationship between God and mankind, between God and the Jewish
people, between the Jewish people and the land of Israel, and between human beings.
Scriptures tell the story of the development of these relationships, from the time of
creation, through the creation of the relationship between God and Abraham, to the
creation of the relationship between God and the Jewish people, and forward. These
scriptures also specify the mutual obligations created by these relationships. Think of
these obligations as responsibilities today. A husband has a responsibility to care for his
wife, parents have an obligation to care for and nurture their children, children have an
obligation to respect and obey their parents. Judaism, like most religions provide people
with a moral behavior code to follow (AKA do the right thing).
Judaic thoughts and teaching had a significant influences on the creation of two
other world religions: Christianity and Islam.