Judaism Basics
What does Israel mean?
Struggle with God
What two most important holidays does GHC have off?
Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah
What is the human condition for Judaism?
God created humans and endowed them with free will
What do Jews believe as the afterlife?
What does the word originate from?
Messianic Age
Messiah
What two main texts do Jews follow?
Torah and Talmud
Where did G-d instruct Abram to move?
This holiday details the miracle of rebuilding a temple.
Chanukah
What commandments do Jews need to follow? (laws, commandments, duty). How many are there?
Mitzvah/Mitzvot
613
Explain the concept of the soul in Judaism.
God formed the first man from the dust of the ground and breathed life into him.
What is the process called to repair the world?
Tikkun Olam
What did G-d and Abraham have? And what is the definition of it?
A covenant: pact to follow the one true God.
"booths"; a festival in the late autumn that recalls the Jews' period of wandering in the desert after their exodus from Egypt.
Are humans born perfect and pure? explain.
Yes, because they born in the image of God. They are, however born with yetzer ha-ra and yetzer ha-tov.
What is the name for the world to come?
Olam Ha-Ba
Explain the main concepts of Shema
A prayer from the Book of Deuteronomy reminding the Jewish people to love God with all their heart, soul, and strength
Listen and act
What is Shabbat? When is it?
the Sabbath - Jewish Day of Rest - 7th day and day of prayer - put all worldly stuff aside - starts Friday night at sundown, end Sundown Saturday evening
The Jewish Holidays are on different days of each year because...
They follow the lunar calendar.
What are our 1) Good inclinations and 2) Bad inclinations?
Yezter Hatov
Yezter Hara
What do Jews emphasize when the afterlife is in discussion?
This life should be the focus rather than the next life
What are the main kosher laws? Why are they flexible?
1) specify the types of animals that are permissible and forbidden,
2) forbid the consumption of blood, (way it's cut)
3) and forbid the consumption of meat and dairy products in the same meal
Judge response
What are the 3 main different branches of Judaism? And what is a short identifying description about each?
Reform: Jews who believe the laws and guidance in the Torah can be adapted for modern times; they believe the Torah was inspired by God but written by humans, so can be interpreted according to the times.
Conservative: Jew who keeps some requirements of Mosaic Law but adapts others to suit modern circumstances
Orthodox: Jews who strictly observe the Mosaic Law as interpreted in the Talmud
Explain why Bar/Bat mitzvah's are so important to Jewish society
God formed the first man from the dust of the ground and breathed life into him.
Mitzvah's: commandments. Becoming an Adult means taking on the Mitzvahs'
Judge answer
What name of the Torah deals with sexual law/other laws and which part deals with creation (two very important books of the Torah).
Deuteronomy (Laws)
Genesis (creation)
What type of people will inherit the "World to come" and is there a hell (in the Christian sense)?
The righteous
No, there is a Sheol but it is temporary
How would an Orthodox Jew differ from a reform Jew on how to go about Tikkun Olam?
Judge response