Transcript Judaism
Judaism Brief Overview Pogroms: brief timeline Pogroms = large-scale, targeted, repeated anti-Semitic rioting Pre-19th century: • 38 - anti-Semitic riots under Roman rule • 2nd c. - communal violence against Jews & Christians who refused to accept Roman rule over Israel • 1095–1291 - massive violent attacks against Jews date during Crusades Pre-19th century pogroms cont. • 11thc. - Muslim pogroms against Jews in Spain. • 1348 - Because of hysteria surrounding the black plague, Jews were massacred throughout Europe. Many surviving Jews fled to Poland. • 1543 - On the Jews and Their Lies (Martin Luther), treatise advocating harsh persecution of Jewish people. • 1648-1654 - Jews & Roman Catholics massacred by Ukrainian Cossacks. 19th Century Pogroms in Russia • 1881-84 - large-scale wave of antiJewish riots swept through Russia. Jews were blamed for the assassination of Tsar Alexander II. – Thousands of Jewish homes destroyed, many families were reduced to poverty, large numbers of men, women, & children were injured in 166 towns in today’s Ukraine. – Many Russian Jews reassessed their status in Russian Empire & emigrated to the US. – Boosted the early Zionist movement. 20th Century Pogroms in Russia • 1903-06 – Bloody wave of pogroms, leaving an estimated 2,000 Jews dead & many more wounded. • 1917 Russian revolution & Civil War – – – – 887 mass pogroms 70,000 to 250,000 Jews killed Over 300,000 Jewish orphans about 40% of pogroms perpetuated by Ukrainian forces 20th Century Pogroms outside Russia • 1918 – pogroms in Poland • 1919 – a pogrom in Argentina • 1927 – pogroms in Romania • 1945 - pogroms in Libya & Iraq: led to massive emigration from Arab countries to Israel Holocaust-era pogroms • Nazis encouraged pogroms before larger mass killings began. • Deadly pogroms occurred at the hands of non-Germans (Ukraine & Lithuania). • Romania = 13,266 Jews were killed by Romanian citizens, police & military. • After WWII = isolated pogroms, i.e. Polish pogrom of 1946. Influence of Pogroms worldwide outcry mass Jewish emigration 2,000,000 Jews fled the Russian Empire between 1880 & 1914, many going to the UK & the US. Jews became politically active The General Jewish Labor Union. Participation in Bolshevik movements. Jewish self-defense leagues. Zionism. 4 Movements of Judaism Reform Judaism • 1800s in Germany • Largest Jewish movement in North America, more than 900 congregations & 1.5 million people • Western Europe began to tolerate Jews: granted citizenship & civil rights • Process of social & political liberalization extended to Judaism • Emphasized aspects consistent with rationality & modern thought • Rejected ancient rules & beliefs: dietary laws (kosher); use of spoken languages in place of Hebrew; seating segregation by gender Conservative Judaism • Distinctly US American branch • Some adaptation of Jewish law to contemporary life • Not as far as Reform Jews in updating ancient tradition • Ex. Ordination of Conservative women rabbis is still controversial Orthodox Judaism • Torah was literally bestowed by God on Moses & the Jewish people • Torah is sacred and beyond challenge Ultra-orthodox Hasidic Judaism • 1700’s in Poland • mystical Judaism that finds divine presence in all places • rabbis are charismatic leaders with special powers to perform miracles • Jews lived in segregated ghettos, shtetls Origins • God established covenant with Abraham – Divine promise to Abraham that his descendants would enjoy God’s blessing – In turn, they were obligated to obey the divine word • Hebrews embraced Judaism – Monotheism – Ethical behavior • Torah = 1st 5 books of the Hebrew Bible received by Moses – Core sacred text of Judaism from about 3,500 years ago – Essence of a way of life: devotion to God, lifelong learning, reason, wisdom, ethical conduct – Talmud – 60 books of rabbis’ thinking & decisions between 300 and 500 • Rome conquered Middle East – Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed – Ancient Jewish state of Israel became a province of the Roman Empire • Jewish Diaspora = dispersion of Jewish communities throughout W. & E. Europe, N. Africa, & E. Mediterranean Some Core Beliefs • Flexibility in belief = no hierarchical religious authority codifies & enforces religious precepts • Rabbi interpretations of sacred texts • Ethical practice & moral action = more important than conformity to abstract theological or ritual rules • People are created in God’s image & are uniquely capable of performing good deeds: mitzvah (righteous acts) • God’s creation is an unending process, always unfolding in the virtuous actions of people • Land of Israel = God commanded Abraham to settle in Israel – Returning to the Promised Land = coming of the messiah, ending 2000 yrs. of exile – 1948 = modern state of Israel – Longing for the homeland expressed in prayers • “chosen people” = covenant placed responsibilities on Jewish people to demonstrate by their own actions the universal truth of God’s commandments – Jews were to guide others in living morally & ethically – NOT an ethnocentric sense of superiority or entitlement • Human nature = people are selfdetermining: can choose to act righteously or sinfully • Judaism Focuses on this world – Heaven & hell vaguely mentioned in Jewish writings: not distinct places where divinity dispenses rewards & punishments for behavior on earth – Heaven & hell are experienced in this life as rewards & punishments for human actions