Judaism
Overview
Judaism is the oldest of the three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
All three trace back their roots to the patriarch, Abraham.
Monotheism - belief and worship in one god.
Early Judaism recognized more than one god, yet only worshipped one.
Jews claim to have been chosen by God as his people, a relationship formed based on a covenant revealed to Abraham by God; this agreement stated that God would fulfill the promises of his followers if they remained faithful to Him always.
This has been represented within the faith as being held in high regard, setting an example for others.
Both ethnic and religious identity began combined, then after the Enlightenment period were perceived as two separate aspects of identification.
As opposed to Eastern religions who view time in cycles, Judaism views time as linear, with a constant presence of God from beginning to end.
Morality stems from the belief that God is entirely “good” and created the world that way, and “evil” is a choice made by human beings.
Tanakh: the title for Jewish scriptures. These include: Torah (teachings), Nevi’im (prophets), and Ketuvim (writings).
Referred to as the Hebrew Bible within Judaism, and the Old Testament within Christianity.
Moses: called upon by God to lead the Hebrew people out of Egypt where they had been enslaved (commemorated by Passover).
Also was spoken to by God atop Mount Sinai and given the sacred Ten Commandments.
“Promised Land”: the land originally given to Abraham by God during the covenant, becoming the center of Judaism and home to the Hebrew Tribal Confederacy; the twelve Hebrew tribes were led by the twelve sons of Jacob, patriarch and grandson of Abraham.
Within this land was Jerusalem, center of Judaism and home to the first Jewish Temple built by King Solomon in the 10th Century B.C.E.; this was the site of most Jewish ritual and practice until its destruction in 586 B.C.E. by the Babylonians.
Biblical vs. Rabbinic Judaism: After the temple was rebuilt, renovated, and destroyed again during the common era, many Jews dispersed to areas around the world. Many reasons for the conflicts Jews were involved in during Biblical times were due to their tradition of sacrifices. Rabbinic Judaism emerged through the teaching of rabbis, those who asserted leadership over Jewish communities but were not considered priests. These teachers were trained to lead worship and readings in synagogues or homes depending on the size of their congregation.
In 90 C.E., the Tanakh was organized and studied by a gathering of rabbis, incorporating the sacred texts into Jewish law. This event was called the Midrash.
Talmud: central text of Rabbinic Jewish law and theology. Contains early rabbinical writings and later commentary, known as Mishnah and Gemara.
There are claims of two different versions of the Talmud: one written down but incomplete in 400 C.E. (Jerusalem Talmud), and one primary version written down in 500 C.E. (Babylonian Talmud).
Halakah: totality of Jewish law, the “way” to live as laid down in sacred texts by observing 613 laws, or mitzvot.
Zionism: Jewish nationalism movement and ideology that advocates Israel as a Jewish nation-state, and emerged with prominence among the anti-Semitic sentiments in the 20th Century.
Hebrew Bible Lecture Series
Types of Judaism
Reform
Founded by Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, a 19th Century German American Jew who set out to assimilate Judaism with American culture; many Jewish leaders feared “Americanization.”
Promoted a universal and ethical monotheistic practice, retaining the moral and cultural value of tradition yet stressing no observance of Jewish law; preservation of Judaism in an American context.
Goal of unification via inclusion: co-ed seating in synagogues and prayers in English and German rather than Hebrew.
Orthodox
Maintains the strictest observance of Jewish law in all aspects of life, following tradition closely from the earliest days of Rabbinic Judaism.
Regard the Jewish texts not merely as sacred but as revelations from God.
Hasidic Judaism is an example of an ultra-orthodox branch of the faith, which is distinct for their segregation from others and unique style of dressing.
Conservative
Formed in New York by Solomon Schecter in 1913 as a way to reach a middle ground between two extremes: Orthodox and Reform Judaism.
Enforces the idea that though the sacred Jewish text is God’s word, it was transmitted by humans, thus identifying the humanity of the religion.
Observes Jewish law, but with more flexibility and adaptation to culture and times than Orthodox Jews.
Reconstructionist
Created in the 1930s by Mordecai Kaplan (former conservative rabbi), this branch defines Judaism as a religious culture.
God was more important to the group, but not as essential to understanding one’s self.
Open to modernity, with a focus on the community amidst the surrounding culture.
Synagogues in Philadelphia
Mikveh Israel (Orthodox) - Founded in 1740 by Sephardic Jews -- 44 N. 4th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Rodeph Shalom (Reform) - Founded in 1795 by German-speaking, Ashkenazi Jews -- 615 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123
Beth Sholom (Conservative) - Founded in 1918, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright -- 8231 Old York Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027
Readings/Resources
Click HERE for a tutorial for how to visit a synagogue and what you can expect to observe and experience.
Click HERE for lecture slides including basic information about Judaism
Click HERE for lecture slides introducing Judaism in the United States.
Raphael, Marc Lee. Judaism in America, 2003.
Scheindlin, Raymond P. A Short History of the Jewish People: From Legendary Times to Modern Times, 2000.
