Judaism

Monotheistic

• Believed there was only one god– All knowing, all powerful

(fancy word?)– History reflected God’s

plan for people

Torah

• Sacred text• First 5 books of Hebrew

Bible – Genesis– Exodus– Leviticus– Numbers– Deuteronomy

• Hebrew Bible has 24 books

Abraham

• Lived near Ur!– Migrated to Canaan

(2000 BCE)– ‘Father of Israelite

People’

Covenant

• Binding agreement– Made with Abraham

– Basis of 2 key beliefs of Judaism:• Special relationship with

Abraham and descendents– Israelites were God’s

“chosen people”• Canaan would one day

belong to Israelites

Kingdom of Israel

• Set up by 1000 BCE– 12 separate tribes

feuded until then

• David united tribes into single nation– Son Solomon followed as

king• Turned Jerusalem into

impressive capital• Builds great temple

Division and Conquest

• High taxes and forced labor– Revolts erupted 922 BCE

• Split into Israel in north and Judah in south– Assyrians conquered Israel– Babylonians conquered

Judah

• Persian Cyrus the Great freed Israelites– Most came from kingdom of

Judah= called Jews

Law and Morality

• What types of laws?– Cleanliness, food

preparation, crimes

• Society was patriarchal– Men held authority

• Women had few rights

Ten Commandments

• Given to Jews through Moses– Religious duties (first 4)– Conduct toward others

Ethics

• Moral standards of behavior– Taught by prophets

• Personal morality• Social justice

• All people equal before God– Leaders bound to obey

God’s law

Diaspora

• 500 years– Began with Babylonian

captivity– Spreading out

• Maintained identity as a people – close-knit communities– Obeyed religious laws

and traditions