Ancient Israel
The ancient "capital" of the Jewish people, where the Temples once stood.
What is Jerusalem?
The modern state (country) of Israel was founded in this year.
What is 1948?
The Hebrew term for the land of Israel.
What is "Eretz Yisrael"?
The title of the song "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav" translates to this in English.
What is "Jerusalem of Gold"?
During the service for this holiday, we say, "Next year in Jerusalem!"
What is Passover/Pesach?
Name a time in history that there were no Jews living in the land of Israel.
What is "never"?
(Trick question! There have been Jews in the land of Israel ever since the Jews started existing!)
Every street sign in Israel has writing in all these three languages.
(You must answer all three to get the points.)
What is Hebrew, Arabic, and English?
The Hebrew term for the modern state (country) of Israel.
What is "Medinat Yisrael"?
At Eurovision 2024, Eden Golan performed this song and came in 5th overall.
What is "Hurricane"?
The holiday of Sukkot celebrates _____, which connects us back to agriculture in the land of ancient Israel.
The First Temple was destroyed in 586 BCE by this Empire, and the Hebrews were sent into exile.
What is the Babylonian Empire? (Or, Who are the Babylonians?)
Four of the major Jewish diaspora groups in Israel are....
(You get 100 points for each correct answer, 400 if you get all three)
Who are the Mizrahi, Sephardi, Ashkenazi, and Ethiopian Jews?
The word "Halakha" means _____.
What is Jewish law?
Ofra Haza performed at Eurovision in 1983 with this now-famous song about surviving.
What is "Chai" (Life/I Live)?
Hanukkah celebrates this group of Jewish rebels, who reclaimed the ancient Temple from the Syrian-Greek/Hellenist Empire in the 100s CE.
Who are the Maccabees?
The Jewish Revolt in 70 CE (Common Era) was an uprising against this Empire.
What is the Roman Empire? (Or, Who/what are the Romans?")
The government of Israel is called the _____.
What is the Knesset?
The Hebrew word used to describe when a Jewish person moves to Israel.
What is Aliyah? (Or, what is "making aliyah?")
"Aliyah" means "going up" or "ascending."
This pop song about a big city is jokingly considered the unofficial Israeli national anthem.
What is "Tel Aviv"?
The holiday coming up, Tu B'Shevat, marks this agricultural event.
What is the new year for the trees? (Or, what is the birthday for the trees?)
Because trees are planted at different times, having one birthday is useful to determine when trees will be mature enough to pick their fruit.
This ancient Egyptian document contains the oldest known reference to Israel.
What is The Merneptah Stele?
Remember, this Stele refers to Israel as a people or a nation, rather than a place!
Name two groups of people who live in Israel who are not Jewish.
Name any two - if you get at least one correct, you get half the points.
Who are the Druze and the Samaritans?
Other valid answers: Baha'i, Armenians, Christians, Arabs, Palestinians
What is "my brother"?
Israel has won the Eurovision competition ___ times, most recently with Netta's "Toy."
What is "four"?