Judaism is based on the belief in one God who has chosen the Jewish people and acts through history. The core of the Jewish story is the Exodus, when Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. At Mount Sinai, God gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments, focusing on obedience to God and treating others well. This established Judaism as a religion of law. Major events after include conquering Canaan, the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, the exile and diaspora of Jews throughout the world, and the development of synagogues and religious writings like the Torah and Talmud. The four major beliefs of Judaism are the oneness of God, God's choice

2. Judaism: Do Now: 2
minutes
Write down 8 things you learned
from the video.

3. Who is Jewish?
• Ethnicity
• Faith
• Culture
• Self-identification

4. Unifying feature
Belief in the ONENESS of God who works
through HISTORY and who has CHOSEN
the Jewish people

5. Today
14 million Jews
Many are non-practicing

6. Story of God’s acts through history
Abranham These are the
father of patriachs.
Isaac They were nomads,
following flocks.
father of
Jacob
father of
Twelve Sons

7. Stories
No systematic presentation of beliefs.
Stories that said: Worship ONE GOD with
burned animal sacrifices.

8. Heart of Jewish Story
Exodus
End of Genesis – Abraham’s descendants
were slaves 
Exodus – story of Moses, leading people out
of slavery toward becoming a nation

9. Sinai and the Law
Ten Commandments
Focused on
- Obedience and loyalty to God
- How to treat others
Judaism became a religion of law. Jews were
people who were obedient.

10. After Sinai
Israelites conquer Canaan.

11. Hebrew Monarchy
King David
1) Israel became a miliary power
2) Wanted to rebuild temple (Solomon
did)

12. Exile and Return
Northern - Isael
enslaved and disappeared
Southern – Judah
take captive, but
kept identity

13. Diaspora - scattering
Babylon
Persia
Egypt

14. Once out of Israel, Jews had to
change
Synagogue
Scripture = Torah
10 adult males

15. Rabbi (religious leader)
study scripture
teach community
debated how to interpret and apply laws

16. Jews lived apart
no work on the sabbath
keep kosher dietary laws

17. At time of diaspora -
hope for a messiah to re-establish the
kingdom

18. Jewish Scripture - Tanak
T – Torah (Law)
A
N – Neviim (prohphets)
A
K – Ketuvim (writings)

19. Other writings
Rabbis wrote interpretation of law
- Talmud
- Mishnah
- Gemara (analysis of Mishnah)

20. Kabbalah
Mystical Judaism
Not widely practiced
Writing = book of Zohar

21. Four major beliefs
One one God

22. Four major beliefs
This God has chosen only the Jews to
be his people on earth

23. Four major beliefs
God’s choice of the Jews in an
expression of love, but also a call to
obedience of the law

24. Four major beliefs
Special reward – eternity
Gentiltes, too – for living right