Deck 8: Judaism

Question 1

Jewish history begins with stories recounted in the Hebrew Bible or the __________.

Answer 1

Tanakh

Question 2

Jewish teachings and traditional practices are codified in the compendium of law and lore called the __________.

Answer 2

Talmud

Question 3

The stone tablets on which God had inscribed the commandments were kept in the tabernacle known as the __________.

Answer 3

Ark of the Covenant

Question 4

Non-Jewish peoples may be referred to as __________.

Question 5

Under Greek oppression, some Jews began to believe that there would be a __________, who would bring evil to an end and establish a reign of peace.

Question 6

A Jewish meeting place is called a __________.

Question 7

In the process of __________, rabbis have actually introduced new ideas into Judaism while claiming they were merely revealing what already existed in the scriptures.

Question 8

The name for God's presence in the world is __________.

Question 9

The movement dedicated to the establishment of a politically viable Jewish state is known as __________.

Question 10

A traditional Jewish prayer shawl is called a __________.

Question 11

The Pentateuch refers to the __________.

A) Psalms
B) Temple practices
C) Five books of Moses
D) Oral traditions of the Jews

Question 12

The covenant is a __________.

A) coming of age ritual
B) contract between God and God's people
C) prediction of the early prophets
D) marriage license

Question 13

The scattering of Jews outside of the land of Israel is known as the __________.

A) Diaspora
B) Dissipation
C) Destruction
D) Devastation

Question 14

Which was not a Jewish sect in Judaea during the time of the Hasmonean kings?

A) Sadduccees
B) Pharisees
C) Essenes
D) Samaritans

Question 15

A minyan is a __________.

A) commentary on the Torah
B) prayer shawl
C) commandment
D) quorum of ten adult Jewish males

Question 16

What is the name of the movement emphasizing ecstatic piety?

A) Haggadah
B) Midrash
C) Hasidism
D) Pesach

Question 17

Which is the Jewish holy day of atonement and cleansing?

A) Sukkot
B) Rosh Hashanah
C) Yom Kippur
D) Pesach

Question 18

Modern Israel became an independent Jewish state in what year?

A) 1978
B) 1948
C) 1928
D) 1848

Question 19

Many Jews believe that a Jewish state is the only way for Jews to resist and survive Anti-Semitism.

Question 20

On God's behalf, Isaac attempted to sacrifice his son Abraham.

Question 21

Under the reign of King David, a great temple was built in Jerusalem.

Question 22

The Zealots rose up in armed rebellion against Rome in 66 CE.

Question 23

Kabbalah refers to the esoteric teachings concerning the interactions between the spiritual dimension and the physical world.

Question 24

In the Holocaust, almost six million European Jews were killed in Nazi Germany.

Question 25

At the highest level, Torah refers to God's will.

Question 26

The rabbinic literature maintains that the Torah has 613 commandments, known as mitzvot.

Question 27

A Jewish ritual bath is called a kosher.

Question 28

The Sabbath begins Saturday night at sunset.

Question 29

Contemporary Judaism has only two main branches: Orthodox and Reform.

Question 30

In Judaism, only men can become rabbis.

Question 31

In Jewish tradition, rabbis interpret Hebrew scriptures through a process of study called Midrash. Midrash traditionally yields two types of interpretation: halakhah and haggadah. Please distinguish between these two types of teachings and describe why both are important for Jewish religious life.

Question 32

Please name and distinguish between the major branches of Judaism today. Be specific in citing examples that illustrate the points of commonality and distinction among the different branches.

Question 33

Judaism is both a religion and an ethnicity. These aspects of Judaism take on heightened meaning in light of the historical persecution of Jews, Zionism, and the development of the modern state of Israel. Explore the challenge of a Jewish state in the Middle East today. What have been some of the difficulties Jews have faced as they sought to build a nation free from Anti-Semitism? What challenges do they continue to face?