The Israelites and Judaism “The Story of the Jewish Faith”

Words to know 1) Famine – a time of extreme hunger where crops are not growing usually due to weather conditions or warfare 2) Covenant – an agreement between two parties 3) Tribe – group of related families 4) Plague – disease that spreads rapidly and kills many people 5) Torah – laws that, according to the Bible, Moses received from God on Mount Sinai – these laws later become part of the Hebrew Bible 6) Prophet – a person who claims to be instructed by God to share God’s word. 7) Tribute – payment made by one group or nation to another to show obedience or to obtain peace or protection 8) Sabbath – weekly day of rest and worship for Jews 9) Synagogue – Jewish house of worship 10) Diaspora – the scattering of Jews from their homeland

I.The Bible A. A religious text to many people around the world = Christians B. Can also be used as a historical text to learn about events in history = tells us about places, dates and people C. Tells the historical story of a group of people called the Israelites who practice monotheism. D. Israelites, Jews, Hebrews all refer to the same group of people.

II.Beginning of the Israelites A.Abraham gets a message from God telling him to bring his people from Mesopotamia into a new home in Canaan around 1900 B.C. = God’s covenant! B.A famine occurs in Canaan around 1800 B.C. so the Israelites head to Egypt because Egypt is a very fertile land! C.The Israelites live well in Egypt for about 600 years and write down their beliefs in their native language of Hebrew = the Hebrew Bible

III.“God’s Covenant” A. The followers of Abraham believe that God told Abraham that Jews will have their own land if they follow God’s word. B. This group becomes known as the Israelites. They are unique at the time because of their belief in a single God (monotheism). They form the beginnings of the Jewish religion = Judaism

IV.The Story of the Return to Canaan A.After hundreds of years of living in Egypt, the Jewish people apparently begin to be treated poorly by the Pharaohs for some reason. B.The Israelites ask to return home to Canaan but the Pharaoh refuses. C.Pharaoh might have been Ramses II D.The Ten Plagues of Egypt strike – after the ten plagues, the Israelites are finally granted permission to leave and return to Canaan

V.The Exodus out of Egypt A.Pharaoh changes his mind and sends the army out to get the Israelites – story of the parting of the Red Sea B.Israelites escape - Moses leads Israelites out of Egypt back into Canaan – The Exodus C.Israelites wander in the desert for 40 years. God gives Moses the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai. This is a code of laws for how Israelites should live their lives.

VI.10 Commandments A. Moses receives the 10 Commandments from God on Mount Sinai while traveling in the desert B. The Commandments become part of the Torah, which explains what God considers right from wrong. C. Develop the idea that laws should apply to everyone equally D. U.S.A. borrows this concept of law in our country today!

The Kingdom of Israel 1020 B.C. – 586 B.C.

I.Rise of the Israelites A.Led by soldiers such as Joshua, the Israelites fight wars and conquer the land of Canaan B.King Saul is the first leader of the Israelites. He is followed by King David who unites the 12 tribes and builds Israel into a powerful kingdom C.King Solomon makes Israel into a rich and powerful nation through war and trade and builds great buildings.

II.The 12 Tribes Split A. After the death of Solomon, the 10 northern tribes rebel B. Kingdom of Israel to the north (10 tribes) and Kingdom of Judah to the south (2 tribes) C. Assyrians attack the Kingdom of Israel + scatter the 10 tribes in 722 B.C. = “The Lost Tribes of Israel”

III.Kingdom of Judah A. Greatly weakened and becomes part of Egypt in 620 B.C. B. Chaldeans conquer it in 605 B.C. C. Jews revolt against Chaldeans in 586 B.C. but are crushed by King Nebuchadnezzar. D. Nebuchadnezzar destroys their temples and forces thousands of Jews from their home in Jerusalem to Babylon = Babylonian Captivity

I.Babylonian Exile and Return A. While exiled in Babylon, Jews continue to practice their religion and begin to write down their stories B. They meet on the Sabbath in meeting places called synagogues C. Jews remain in Babylon until 538 B.C. when the Persians defeat the Chaldeans. Cyrus the Great allows the Jews to return home.

The Kingdom of Israel falls, but Judaism continues 539 B.C. – Modern Times

I.The Torah A. Upon their return, Israelites write down their history and beliefs in the Hebrew language = Torah B. This is the central document that teaches the Jewish faith and beliefs C. To Christians, the Torah is part of what they call the Old Testament D. Consists of 5 books – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy

II.Jewish Customs A. Food that is prepared today according to Jewish dietary laws is called kosher B. Major holidays include Passover, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah C. Bar or Bat Mitzvah

III.Jewish Diaspora A. Due to wars and conflicts, Jews became scattered throughout many lands during over time = Diaspora (scattering of people) B. Jews hold onto their faith and traditions despite being removed from their native land C. The Diaspora helped the spread and understanding of their ideas and faith D. Many Jews remain in Judah as well E. Later, the Romans conquer Judah and make it a Roman province and rename it Judaea. This adds to the Diaspora.

Treatment of Jews during World War II by Hitler’s Germany.

IV.Jews and the Romans A. When the Romans take over Judah and make it a Roman province (called Judaea) in 63 B.C., the Jews are divided into many groups because they disagree on how to handle this situation. B. Some of these groups are called the Pharisees, Sadducees, the Essenes and the Zealots. Each group has a different idea as to how to handle the Roman occupation of their land. C. Interestingly, Jesus is born shortly after these events and lives during this time of conflict and struggle. D. The story of the Jews will continue when we study the Roman Empire and Christianity! D. The story of the Jews will continue when we study the Roman Empire and Christianity!