Origins
Abraham
Who is the founder of Judaism?
It focuses on the idea of the oneness of God and the compassion God shares with creation in the form of the covenant.
What is the main belief or doctrine of Judaism?
They accept without question that “the Torah is from Heaven” and adhere strictly to tradition.
What is Orthodox Judaism?
It is a six-pointed star, formed from two interlocking triangles. Some think the triangles represent King David’s shield and it was later adopted by the Zionists.
What is the Star of David?
Perhaps the best-known of the Jewish holidays, is the festival of dedication, or the festival of lights.
What is Hanukkah?
God made the Jewish people the Chosen People and offered them Promised Land through this.
What is the covenant?
This is the communal place of worship for Jews and is considered a place of gathering, of prayer, and of study or learning.
What is a synagogue?
This group believes that both the written and spoken Torah are human creations, and that God allows for successive generations to have a different appreciation of the truth of the Torah.
What is Reform Judaism?
This has seven branches, one branch for each of the six days of creation and one for the Sabbath; it's considered the authentic symbol of Judaism.
What is a menorah?
When a boy turns thirteen, he celebrates this; means “son of the commandment” and he's now considered an adult in the Jewish religion.
What is a bar mitzvah?
This means “going out” or “departure”; the Israelites left the bondage of slavery in Egypt for freedom and hope in a new land.
What is Exodus?
A commandment from God that gives people direction on how to live ethically while honouring God.
What are mitzvah?
This group's approach was less intellectually demanding than that of mainstream Orthodox Judaism and, therefore, more accessible.
What is Hasidism?
Often translated as meaning “law,” but a more accurate translation is “revelation,” “teaching,” or “instruction.”
What is the Torah?
This is a seven-day period of mourning following a Jewish funeral.
What is Shiva?
A process when the Jewish people, particularly those in the Diaspora, fell under the influence of Greek culture.
What is Hellenization?
gerut
What is the process of conversion to Judaism?
This group wanted to alter the old-style Orthodoxy in order to meet the new realities of life; however, they thought another group was too quick to abandon practices and principles that were rooted in tradition.
What is Conservative Judaism?
A body of commentary on the Bible, which means “interpretation” or “to search out”; it looks at puzzling situations presented in the Bible and poses possible explanations for these problems.
What is the Midrash?
This is the Jewish New Year that falls in September or early October, and it begins a ten-day period of repentance, ending with the festival of Yom Kippur.
What is Rosh Hashanah?
A group destroyed the Temple for a final time.
Who are the Romans?
A cabinet-like structure that sits on a raised platform in the synagogue and contains the Torah scrolls; during the service, the Torah scroll is taken from this and placed on a special table.
What is the Holy Ark?
This group supports the notion of the sexes being different but equal and home life is seen as a divine service and a rich world, and dedication to others is considered a virtue.
What is Orthodox Judaism?
The Mishnah was eventually expanded to form this text; it's a vast document of Jewish law that has survived and is used to the present.
What is the Talmud?
This important holiday commemorates the freeing of the Hebrews from slavery and this holiday, more than any other, celebrates the Jewish people’s identity as a people of God.
What is Pesach or Passover?