Transcript Document
JUDAISM – ETHNIC RELIGION
ARCH OF TITUS
ORIGINS-MOST ETHNIC RELIGIONS HAVE UNKNOWN OR
UNCLEAR ORIGINS
• OLD TESTAMENT RECOUNTS
ANCIENT JEWISH HISTORY
• 1ST TO ESPOUSE MONOTHEISM:
BELIEF IN 1 GOD AS OPPOSED TO
POLYTHEISTS: BELIEF IN MANY
GODS
• ‘FATHER’ ABRAHAM 4,000 YRS
AGO
• MIGRATED FROM MODERN DAY
IRAQ ALONG FERTILE CRESCENT
TO PRESENT DAY ISRAEL
• The history of Judaism begins
with Abraham,
• • his son Isaac,
• • Isaac's son Jacob, later called
Israel,
• • and Jacob's 12 sons who
founded the twelve tribes of Israel
DIFFUSION: ETHNIC RELIGIONS DON’T SPREAD FROM 1 CULTURE TO
ANOTHER BUT REMAIN WITHIN THE CULTURE WHERE IT BEGAN
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CLUSTERED DISTRIBUTION
2/5THS WORLDS POPULATION
2/5 LIVE IN ISRAEL, 2/5 U.S.
70CE DIASPORA TO EURO, N.
AFRICA, ASIA
MAINTAINED RELIGION BUT
ACCULTURATED IN OTHER
WAYS
PERSECUTION COMMON
GHETTOS – ETHNIC ENCLAVES
NAZI’S 1930’S, WWII, 6 MILL
1947 CREATION OF ISRAEL
>15% LIVE IN EUROPE TODAY
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ORGANIZATION:SPACE, CALENDAR, ADMIN.
SACRED SPACES “ANCHORS” OF
RELIGION – EQUALLY IMPT. IN ETHNIC AS
IN UNIVERSAL RELIGIONS
JERUSALEM
TEMPLE MOUNT WHERE 2ND TEMPLE WAS
LOCATED
WESTERN (WAILING) WALL – ALL THAT’S
LEFT OF 2ND TEMPLE
MT. ZION – TOMB OF KING DAVID
HOLIDAYS FOR ETHNIC REL. TEND TO BE
BASED ON DISTINCTIVE PHYS. GEO. OF
LAND –SEASONS/AGRICULTURE
SOME JEWS LIVE IN AREAS WHERE
SEASONS/AG NOT THAT IMPT.
PESACH, SUKKOT, ROSH HASHANAH,
YOM KIPPUR
SOLAR VS. LUNAR CALENDAR
ADMIN – NO CENTRAL AUTHORITY OR
STRUCTURE
ORTHODOX, CONSERVATIVE, REFORM,
RECONSTRUCTIONIST
10 MEN = SERVICE (WOMEN
SOMETIMES)
CONFLICT
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RELIGION V. RELIGION/REL. V. GOV’T
RELIGION IS AN ELEMENT OF CULT.
DIV. THAT LEADS TO CONFLICTSPATIAL DIFFUSION & DOCTRINAL
BELIEFS CLASH
US V THEM – FUDAMENTALISM: LITERAL
INTERPRETATION OF A STRICT
ADHERENCE TO BASIC PRINCIPLE OF A
RELIGION, BRANCH, DENOMINATION
OR SECT
ECO/POL DEMANDS OF GOV’T
MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT INTRACTABLE
CONTROL OF HOLY SITES OF JUDAISM,
CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM
LAND, RESOURCES, ETHNIC GROUPS
EVERY RELIGION HAS HISTORICAL TIES
CREATION OF ISRAEL 1947 THEN WAR
1948-49, 1956, 1967, 1973, &
TENTATIVE PEACE BUT TENSIONS STILL
PRESENT
PALESTINIANS: 5 GROUPS & SEE SELVES
AS LEGITIMATE RULERS
2 ISSUES FOR ISRAEL
– SMALL & SURROUNDED BY
ENEMIES
– HISTORICAL÷ ‘UNFAIR’ TO JEWS