Judaism Beliefs & Practices Quiz

Judaism Beliefs & Practices

• Judaism is the oldest monotheistic religion in the world
• Jews believe in one God (monotheism)
• God is unique, omnipotent, omniscient, transcendent, and non-material.
• God created the world, and humans are created in His image.
• The Torah is the most important Jewish text and contains the first five books of the Hebrew Bible.
• The Tanakh is the entire Hebrew Bible consisting of the Torah, Nevi'im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings).
• The Shekinah refers to God's presence on Earth, often associated with experiences in the Jewish history, like the Exodus and the Temple.
• The Mishnah is collection of oral laws and interpretations of the Torah
• The Talmud is a collection of commentaries and discussions on the Mishnah and the Torah.
• Jews believe in Covenants with God
• Pikuach Nefesh refers to the right to put aside certain Jewish laws if it is necessary to save a life.
• Jewish beliefs cover types of Jews (eg., Ashkenazi, Sephardic, Mizrahim, Secular Jews)

Types of Jews

• Ashkenazi Jews originated in Central and Eastern Europe
• Sephardic Jews originated in Spain and Portugal
• Mizrahim Jews originated in North Africa and the Middle East
• Secular Jews do not believe in God but practice Jewish aspects of culture.
• Reform Jews adapt traditional practices to modern culture.
• Orthodox Jews maintain traditional practices from ancient times

Synagogue

• Synagogues are places of worship and community gathering.
• A synagogue often contains the Ark (Aron Hakodesh), containing the Torah scrolls.
• The Bimah is the platform where the Torah is read from.
• The Ner Tamid is the eternal light.
• The Menorah is a reminder of the 7 stick candelabra.
• The Star of David is a common symbol of Judaism.

Prayer & Worship

• Prayer is a central part of Jewish life and is performed 3 times a day.
• Jewish prayer involves a wide variety of prayers and blessings.
• A minyan is the required quorum of at least 10 Jewish men (or often 10 people of either sex together) for communal prayer.

Shabbat

• Shabbat is the Jewish Sabbath and is observed from Friday evening to Saturday evening.
• Jews refrain from work and engage in prayer and communal activities.
• The Shabbat is observed by lighting candles, praying, and having a special meal.

Jewish Holidays

• Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Passover, Hanukah are important Jewish Holidays.

Jewish Marriage

• Marriage constitutes a covenant between two people and between God and people.
• The Ketubah is a document that outlines the responsibilities of the husband toward the wife.

Jewish Mourning

• Mourning customs differ based on Jewish tradition.
• Periods of mourning rituals last for differing lengths of time, with specific rules and regulations for each.

Brit Milah/Bat Mitzvah

• Brit Milah is the rite of circumcision for Jewish baby boys.
• Bat Mitzvah is the coming-of-age ceremony for Jewish girls.

Jewish Beliefs About Free Will

• Jews believe that humans have free will and God made humans equal between moral good and evil.

Pikuach Nefesh

• Pikuach Nefesh refers to the right to put aside certain Jewish laws if it is necessary to save a life.

Kosher Dietary Laws

• Kosher refers to the dietary laws observed by many Jews.
• Jews are prohibited from eating meat and dairy products together (ie the mixing of milk and meat foods must be separated).
• There are many kinds of acceptable and non-acceptable foods that are part of kosher dietary laws

Afterlife

• Most interpretations of the afterlife in Judaism focus on maintaining a good life in the present.
• Focuses more on the afterlife in the presence of God, instead of heaven or hell.