Judaism

ORIGINS
*Abraham and the covenant:
1. Outline the life of Abraham:
Abraham was the first father of the Jewish people. He was a healthy man with servants and provisions. God instructed Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, his son as a way of showing faith. When he had already
raised his knife, God told him to sacrifice an animal instead. It became a demonstration that the God of the Jews detests human sacrifice, but that he also asks us for obedience to His commands.
2. Describe the covenant with the Patriarchs, including the promises of a People and a Land.
The covenant began with Abraham preforming the covenant sealing ceremony. Abraham takes several animals cut them in half and separates the pieces.
The covenant was believed to be between the Hebrews and God. God offered them to Promised Land and protection for his family- the children of Israel- and in return they had to honour and respect Him.

*Moses, the exodus and the giving of the Torah
1. Outline the story of the Exodus and the giving of the law at Sinai, including the 10 Commandments.
Moses is understood by the Jews to be the leader who received the Torah from God and carved the Ten Commandments into stone tablets. It was Moses who arbitrated the covenant between God and the Israelite nation at Mount Sinai. In Exodus one we are told that the new Pharaoh of Egypt believes there are to many Jews in Egypt and so he attempts to kill any Jewish male newborn. Moses, a baby at this time, was hidden and later found and the palace of the Pharaoh by the Pharaoh’s daughter. He was then brought up learning to read and write and developed leadership, management and organisations skills which were to be important in his later role as a leader of the Hebrew people.
*Modern Judaism (Conservative, Orthodox and Progressive)
Variant
Conservative
Orthodox
Progressive
Language of Worship
Introduced English into worshipping ceremonies
Only speaks Hebrew
Whatever language is spoken in the community
Women’s Role
Women were allowed to read the Torah and girls would have a Batmitha
Rituals must be segregated between sexes during worship
Men and women are seen as completely equal: women can be Rabbi’s and take part in services.
Dress
They wear everyday dress except when men go to the synagogue they wear a prayer shawl and skull cap
Men wear a skull cap and shall (613 tassels), women wear long black dresses to cover themselves
Contemporary dress men still wear prayer shawls and skullcaps and women have the option to as well.
Organization
Many synagogues have choir and music. They have Jewish scholarships and value education
Managed to keep up with modern times to recognize they live in the 21st century
The council makes decisions and the community music is used in the services.
Beliefs
The Halakah binds them but they recognize that it changes, they believe that the people come first before the religion.
The commandments were given to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai: the rabbi is in charge and they following his teachings. They observe all festivals and dietary laws
They believe in the reinterpreted scriptures (Torah). They emphasis the importance of Jewish law and emphasise education, services are often shorter.

PRINCIPAL BELIEFS
*Belief in a single God who is the creator and ruler of the universe:
1. Discuss the belief in the one God and the attributes of God:
They believe in a single God, who is the leader. God is all knowing and powerful. This is just a belief, there is no need for proof, it is a clear-cut belief in God. It is the existence of the universe as sufficient evidence that God exists. The belief on Gods oneness is found in the Hebrew bible and forms the basis of the central Jewish prayer. In contrast to Christian faith, they believe in the Holy Trinity- the name of the father, the son, the Holy Spirit. They believe God is incorporeally meaning, God is above all matter, and therefore is intangible. God is free of limitations of