Term
| Though a religion of "law" Judaism as a whole is nevertheless diverse. What are two foundational reasons for this diversity? |
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Definition
| no single founder and no central leader or group making theological decisions |
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Term
| What Christians call the "Old Testament" Jews refer to as what? |
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Definition
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Term
| "Torah" specificially refers to what part? What are the other sections? |
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Definition
| 5 books of Moses. Writings and Prophets |
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Term
| When does God call Abraham? |
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Definition
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Term
| When does Moses lead the Hebrew slaves from Egypt? |
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Definition
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Term
| When is the Babylonian exile/destruction of the first temple? |
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Definition
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Term
| When is the second temple destroyed, and by whom? |
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Definition
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Term
| WHen is the modern state of Israel founded? |
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Definition
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Term
| Certain stories from the Bible were commonly read, but which ones? |
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Definition
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Term
| Recurring theme in the Jewish experience, what is it? |
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Definition
| Exile, they were exiled from their spiritual home and continued to seek to return to it |
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Term
| What is the key term that describes the relationship of the Jewish people to God? What does the term mean in terms of how the relationship is understood? |
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Definition
| Covenant, contract that they are both accountable and give and take with other |
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Term
| What procedure does Abraham undergo, as a physical sign of the covenant with God? |
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Definition
| example of obedience to God's commands and they must undergo circumcision, it's an initiation rite for men |
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Term
| What does the word "Israel" actually mean in hebrew? |
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Definition
| "the one who struggled with God" |
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Term
| The "Exodus" refers to waht basic event and what key Jewish leader as described in the bible? |
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Definition
| Moses was chosen by God to defy the Pharaoh to lead people out of bondage out of Egypt |
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Term
| What letters are typically used to render God's name, and how should one pronounce it? |
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Definition
| too sacred to pronounce it, YHWH or YHVH |
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Term
| What was the "Ark of the Covenant"? Where does it end up? |
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Definition
| portable tabernacle with a holy ark to keep the stone tablets on which God inscribed the 10 commandments on it, Jerusalem |
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Term
| Who is Israel's greatest king? |
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Definition
| David, the second king of Israel |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| What does the word "diaspora" mean? |
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Definition
| living beyond their traditional homeland |
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Term
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Definition
Sadducees: preist and wealthy business people
Pharisees: liberal citizens, study the Torah
Essences: males dressed in all white, avoid luxury, ritual purity
Zealots: anit-Roman militias |
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Term
| Which group was connected to the "Dead Sea Scrolls"? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is "apocalyptic" literature? |
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Definition
| sees the world in stark terms of good and evil. God's victory over evil and urges people to live righteous lives |
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Term
| What is "rabbi"? What are the basic functions of a rabbi? Is a rabbi a kind of priest? |
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Definition
| inheritors of the Pharisee, they are founders of rabbinic Judaism. they are teachers, religious decision makers, and creators of liturgical prayer. And it is not a type of priest anymore |
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Term
| What is the root meaning of "synagogue"? |
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Definition
| "meeting places"read the Torah and worship communally, song, and readings |
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Term
| What is "minyan" and how many men are required for one? |
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Definition
| quorum of ten adult males and must be present for community worship |
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Term
| Women's role and limitations in the Jewish religion. |
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Definition
| excluded from formal Torah study, keep strict dietary laws, prepare for Sabbath day, teach children the 10 commandments |
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Term
| What is the process of studying Hebrew scriptures called? |
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Definition
Midrash. 2 interpretations (halakhah-proper conduct)
(haggadah-sermons non legal teachings) |
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Term
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Definition
| vast compendium of law. Jerusalem Talmud-spiritual practice Babylonian Talmud-encyclopedia of the Torah |
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Term
| What is the Hebrew term for "God's presence in the world"? This presence is characterized as which gender? |
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Definition
| Shekhinah-femminine noun that often represents the nurturing aspect of God. (radiant, winged presence) |
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Term
| How did Jewish communities fare in the Middle Ages in countries with Islamic rule? |
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Definition
| treated relatively well pay a substantial head tax if they run autonomously. "People of the Book" |
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Term
| What motivated so much Christian anti-Semitism against Jews in the middle ages? |
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Definition
| because Jesus was a Jew his people never accepted Christian claims that he was Messiah |
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Term
| Did the Crusades lessen or increase anti-Jewish hostility? |
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Definition
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Term
| What happened to the Jews in 1492 in Spain? |
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Definition
| forced to leave because they were blamed for the plague, they were either killed or forced out of of countries |
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Term
| In the 1500s the Christians forced the Jews to live in what? |
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Definition
| ghettos-special Jewish living quarters-walled in and locked at night to separate the Jews from mixing with the Christians |
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Term
| What is the word for the esoteric, mystical Jewish traditions? |
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Definition
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Term
| What does the term tikkun olam mean? |
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Definition
| repairing the world-relationship between God and humans as a covenantal one |
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Term
| What is the main distinguishing feature of Hasidism? |
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Definition
| ecstatic piety- feel the spirit, joy, mysticism, connecting to the Divine |
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Term
| Within Hasidism, who is a tzaddick? |
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Definition
| enlightened saint and teacher-Rebbe when ordained a Haisdic spiritual guide |
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Term
| What is the difference between Orthodox and Reform Judaism? |
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Definition
traditional vs. new movement
separate from non-Jews |
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Term
| Roughly how many Jews were systematically exterminated by the Nazis during the Holocaust? |
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Definition
| six million European Jews |
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Term
| What is basic vision of "Zionism"? |
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Definition
| Jewish movement dedicated to the establishment of a politically viable internationally recognized Jewish |
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Term
| Did (do) all Jews support Zionism? If not, why not? |
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Definition
| not all Jews did, the reforms did not, orthodox did because reforms felt God had punished state them for unfaithfulness |
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Term
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Definition
| monotheism-one creator "cause of all existent things" |
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Term
| The "essential commandment" for humans |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| celebrate the body, common descendants of the first man and woman |
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Term
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Definition
| can be faithful to the divine and will fulfill the purposes of creation |
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Term
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Definition
| special deep bath structure by women symbolizing their altered state |
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Term
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Definition
| men, phylacteries, small leather boxes containing biblical versess about the covenant with God-on the forehead and upper arm |
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Term
| When does the Sabbath begin and end for Jews? |
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Definition
| sunset friday night-sunday saturday night |
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Term
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Definition
| special braided bread-symbol of the double portions of manna in dessert |
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Term
| What is a shofar, and what Holy Day is it associated with? |
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Definition
| rams horn that produces an eery, unearthly blast-to know that you are standing before God. Happens 30 days prior to Rosh Hashanah |
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Term
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Definition
| New Year's Day spiritual renewal in remembrance of the original creation |
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Term
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Definition
| completes the High Holy Days-Day of atonement and cleansing |
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Term
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Definition
| Fall Harvest Festival-outdoor bath ritual act to gain a deeper experience |
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Term
| What historical event does Hanukkah commemorate? |
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Definition
| celebration of the victory of the Maccabean rebellion against the non-Jew practice on Jews |
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Term
| What even more ancient, and foundational, event does Passover (Pesach) commemorate? |
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Definition
| celebrates the liberation from bondage in Egypt and springtime advent of new life |
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Term
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Definition
| unleavened bread (matzah) remember urgency of the departure, bitter herbs-slavery |
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Term
| What are two reforms of Judaism pursued by Jewish feminists? |
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Definition
-liturgical issues-changing language to gender neutral, gender inclusive terms
-same sex weddings-expand their perspective to consider global problems-threats and violence and ecological disasters |
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