Transcript What is Judaism?

What is Judaism?
A few things you need to know
Holidays
Why do Jewish holidays keep
changing dates?
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The Jewish calendar
The Chinese calendar works the same way
The Muslim calendar is also similar
Holidays
When does a Jewish Holiday Start
and End?
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How long is a Jewish holiday?
A Jewish "day" starts at sunset, and
holidays start the evening before the day
on your secular (everyday) calendar.
"Erev Passover"
Holidays: Passover
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Commemorates the Exodus from Egypt
Celebrated for seven or eight days
Usually overlaps with Easter, though
occasionally occurs a month after
Easter
Holidays: Passover
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Almost all American Jews observe
Passover to some extent
Most American Jews avoid bread and
grain products in memory of the fact
that our ancestors left Egypt in a hurry
and didn't have time to wait for their
bread to rise
Holidays: Passover
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Strictly observant Jews
Jewish law requirement
Most American Jews ignore law
Similar to Thanksgiving
Holidays: Rosh Hashanah
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The Jewish New Year
Between Labor Day and Columbus Day
Happy, festive holiday
A time to look back
A time to prepare for Yom Kippur
"Twice-a-year Jews"
Holidays: Yom Kippur
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The Jewish day of atonement
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fasting
repentance
Near Columbus Day
Most Jews take off from work or school
How do you pronounce the name of this
holiday?
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"Yom" rhymes with "home" and “
Kippur" sounds like "key poor" with emphasis on the
"poor."
Holidays: Chanukkah
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Chanukkah is the festival of lights
Celebrates the rededication of the Temple in
Jerusalem
Victorious Jews needed to light the Temple's
menorah (candelabrum)
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Only enough oil to last one day
It would take eight days to prepare more oil.
The oil lasted for eight days.
Begins between Thanksgiving and Christmas
Holidays: Chanukkah
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Almost all Jews light candles with their families
Almost nobody takes off from work or school
Not a Jewish Christmas!
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NOT about
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Very minor holiday
Joy to the world
Peace on Earth
Presents
IT IS about
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Lighting candles
Playing games
Eating food
Holidays: Chanukkah
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So why the gifts?
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So children don’t feel left out!
Is Chanukkah important?
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No, because
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It is not a big deal
Yes, because
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It asserts Jewish identity
Other Jewish Terms
Zionism
 A political movement dedicated to the
creation of a Jewish state
 NOT a religious movement
 The Holocaust increased need
 The British were unable to come up with a
solution
Other Jewish Terms
Zionism
 In 1947, they handed the problem to the
newly-founded United Nations
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Developed a plan
The surrounding Arab nations
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Did not recognize the validity of Israel
Fought wars
Other Jewish Terms
Torah
 Means different things in different contexts
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Refers to the Five Books of Moses:
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Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Also refers to the whole body of Jewish law and
teachings
Other Jewish Terms
The Talmud
 Basically an "Oral Torah"
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Explains what the scriptures mean
How to interpret them
How to apply the Laws
From Moses to present day
Other Jewish Terms
The Talmud
 Not easy to read
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Like class notes
Gaps in reasoning
Concepts are in shorthand
Biblical verses referenced by only two or
three words
Preserves a variety of views
Other Jewish Terms
Kabbalah (or Cabbala)
 Helps find answers to important
questions
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Is there a heaven and hell?
What happens to the soul after death?
What is the nature of God and the universe?
In Judaism, these questions are wide
open to personal opinion
Other Jewish Terms
Kabbalah (or Cabbala)
 Mysticism in Judaism
 Since the earliest days
 Many mystical stories
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Visitations by angels
Prophetic dreams
Visions
Other Jewish Terms
Kabbalah (or Cabbala)
 Some take mysticism very seriously
 Others take mysticism with a grain of
salt
 The mystical school of thought came to
be known as Kabbalah, from the Hebrew
root meaning "to receive, to accept."
Credits
All information in this PowerPoint was
obtained from www.jewfaq.org