Part 1
Jews become "light to the world" through these sacred deeds and commandments.
What are mitzvot?
Codified discussions, debates, and commentary on the Torah.
What is the Talmud?
Refers to Judaism in the postbiblical premodern period.
What is Rabbinic Judaism?
Teaching, guidance, or law; the first five books of the Hebrew Old Testament.
What is the Torah?
Refers to someone who is not Jewish.
Who is a gentile?
12th century Jewish philosopher who provided 13 tenets that need to be embraced by authentic Jews.
Who is Moses ben Maimon (Maimonides)?
For many contemporary Jews, their faith is less about orthodoxy ("right belief") and more about this... meaning "right action".
What is orthopraxy?
Head covering for Jewish men.
What is the yarmulke?
19th century Jewish secular political movement that promoted giving Jews their own homeland.
What is Zionism?
Originally from Babylonia, he emigrated to Canaan where he and his wife Sarah flourished.
Who is Abraham?
Muslims trace their heritage through this son of Abraham and Hegar.
Who is Ishmael?
It means "one who wrestles with God."
What is Israel?
God revealed this, His name, to Moses.
What is Yahweh?
The title held by leaders of the Jewish tribes between 1220 and 1012BC.
What is judge?
David became king and consolidated his power at this new capital.
What is Jerusalem.
The imposition of Greek culture on lands conquered by Alexander the Great.
What is Hellenization?
The dispersion of a religious people outside their geographic homeland.
What is diaspora?
The Hebrew Bible translated into Greek and disseminated throughout the Jewish diaspora.
What is the Septuagint?
Jewish mystical theory and practice.
What is Kabbalah?
Perhaps the most important holy day for Judaism is this day of rest.
What is the Sabbath?
Often shouted at the end of a Jewish marriage ceremony; it means "good luck".
What is Mazel Tov?
This "day of atonement" takes place ten days after the Jewish New Year.
What is Yom Kippur?
The central place for worship and study after the destruction of the temple in 70AD.
What is the synagogue?
A recess in the synagogue wall, it is where the Hebrew Bible is stored.
What is an ark?
The systematic murder of 6 million Jews by Germany and its collaborators.
What is the holocaust?
The founder of the movement to create a Jewish state.
Who is Theodor Herzl?
After this war, both religious and secular Jews believed, if they were to survive, they must have their own homeland.
What is World War II?
A Jewish diaspora group whose ancestors lived in Central and Eastern Europe, including Germany, Poland, and Russia.
Who are the Ashkenazi Jews?
A branch of ultra-Orthodox Judaism that originated in the 18th century and emphasizes emotional devotion and spiritual expression.
What is Hasidism?
A Jewish group with cultural roots in Spain, Portugal, North Africa, and the Middle East.
Who are Sephardic Jews?