1. Chapter 7: Changes for the Jewish people
Lesson 1 : Defeat and New Beginnings

2. Vocabulary Exile – forced to leave their homeland
Synagogue – Jewish community center
Rabbi – teachers who led the synagogues
Diaspora – scattering of Jews outside their homeland
Canonize – made an official part of
Theocracy – a state ruled by religious law

3. Objectives
Describe the location of Jewish people in lands outside Canaan
Discuss the treatment of the Jewish people by the Babylonians and the Persians
Explain how Judaism developed despite the scattering of Jews to other lands

4. What to Know
How did Jerusalem change under Babylonian and Persian rule?

5. The Babylonian Captivity
The Babylonians conquered Judah in 597 BC.
The Judaeans rebelled but were conquered again in 586 BC by the Babylonians
Judaeans were exiled to Babylon
How did the Babylonians keep control of Judah?

7. Reading Check How did the Babylonians keep control of Judah?
By forcing the king and other citizens to move to Babylon

8. Judaism Changes The experience of exile changed Judaism
Jeremiah introduced new ideas to the Judaeans, who began to worship in community centers: synagogues
Rabbis led the synagogues
What new ideas did Jeremiah bring to the exiled people from Judah?

9. Reading Check
What new ideas did Jeremiah bring to the exiled people from Judah?
He told them that God could be worshipped not just in the Temple but everywhere and that they would one day return to Judah.

10. The Jewish Diaspora
After the Persian Empire defeated the Babylonians, some Jews returned to Canaan and rebuilt the Temple
Others began settling throughout the world as part of the Diaspora
How did the Babylonian Exile affect the Jewish people?

11. Reading Check How did the Babylonian Exile affect the Jewish people?
It caused Jews to settle all over the world

12. Ezra and Torah
About 450 BC a Jewish scribe named Ezra restored Judaism in Jerusalem
He gave public readings of the Torah and wrote its laws onto a scroll
How did Ezra help restore Judaism in Jerusalem?

13. Reading Check How did Ezra help restore Judaism in Jerusalem?
He led Jews back to Jerusalem and gave public readings from the Torah.

14. Lesson 1 Review
Why did the Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and the Temple?
How did new ideas and events lead to changes in worship for the exiled?
Why did Cyrus allow the Jews to reclaim Canaan and rebuild the Temple?
How did Jerusalem change under Babylonian and Persian rule?

15. Lesson 1 Review Answers
Why did the Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and the Temple?
The Babylonians were angered by a rebellion led by a Judaean king whom they had appointed
How did new ideas and events lead to changes in worship for the exiled?
They no longer had a temple so they worshipped in community centers; instead of priests, teachers called rabbis led the synagogues
Why did Cyrus allow the Jews to reclaim Canaan and rebuild the Temple?
Cyrus believed that the Jews should be allowed to worship as they wished, as long as they accepted his rule.
How did Jerusalem change under Babylonian and Persian rule?
Under Babylonian rule, the Jewish people began to practice their religion outside of the Temple. Under the Persians, they rebuilt the Temple and adopted the Torah as Jewish law

16. Lesson 1 Summary
In 586 BC the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple. They sent many Jew into exile in Babylon. The Jewish people kept their faith by changing the practices of Judaism. When the Persian Empire conquered Babylon, King Cyrus allowed Jews to return to Canaan and to rebuild the Temple. Many Jews, however, remained outside Canaan, forming the Jewish Diaspora.