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History of Judaism
The History of Judaism is the history of the Jewish people, their religion and culture, tracing back to the Biblical patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob of the 18th c. BCE. The earliest mention of Israel as a people was discovered in an inscription on the Merneptah Stele from the 1200s BCE.
1,396 Questions
What did pogroms in Russia do?
Pogroms were targeted, anti-Jewish riots that began in Russia during the 19th century. Rampant anti-semitism began when Russia acquired territories that had large numbers of Jews. From the beginning, Russia restricted movement of the Jews, confining them to specific areas unless they converted to Orthodox Christianity.
Are Jehovah's Witnesses a Zionist organization?
Not really.
Jehovah's Witnesses are fundamentally opposed to the concept of nations and politics. They maintain that all believers in all places should form local communities and self-administer according to the light of God. However, they hold that it is imperative that all Jews congregate in the Land of Israel to being about the Second Coming of Jesus. So, while they do not support Israel's existence (because they do not support the existence of any nation), they do support Israel's policies in regards to bringing Jews to Israel from afar.
Also, Israel and Lebanon are the only countries in that area of the Middle East that permit Jehovah's Witnesses to practice, which makes Jehovah's Witnesses more likely to favor Israel than the neighboring Arab States which have banned their practice. Several Arab States have argued that Jehovah's Witnesses (like any ideology that they do not like) are Zionists in order to justify this infringement of religious freedom. Some other countries that ban Jehovah's Witnesses, like China and Vietnam do not make the same argument.
What was the language spoken to the Jews in Spain?
If you had just asked what language the Jews of Spain spoke, the question would have been easy. Jews spoke to one-another in Ladino, also known as Judaeo-Spanish. They also spoke the standard Spanish of the time.
What language was spoken to Jews depends on who was speaking to them. Muslims (Arabs, Muladíes, and Amazigh/Moors) would typically speak to them in Arabic. Spaniards would usually speak to them in the various Spanish languages, like Old Castilian, Leonese, Old Catalonian and Aragonese. The Spanish languages and Ladino are more-or-less mutually intelligible, so the Jews could respond in Ladino.
How did Hellenization affect the Jews in 2nd century BCE?
You are way apart in category with this question. Greek had influenced several nations and the Jews were one of those. The Septuagint was the Koine Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. This came around the 3rdB.C. after 4 centuries that Rome came into power as an empire. As I said, the major literary product of the contact of Judaism and Hellenistic culture is the Septuagint but there were some other writings like so-called apocrypha and pseud epigraphic apocalyptic literature like the Assumption of Moses, the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, the Book of Baruch, the Greek Apocalypse of Baruch. Most of those were fiction writings of those days. Important sources are Philo of Alexandria and Flavius Josephus. Some scholars consider Paul of Tarsus a Hellenist as well and they are right about that.
You have to understand that this period is from the death of Alexander the Great to the death of Cleopatra and the incorporation of Egypt in the Roman Empire. There was a contrast between Jews who used Hebrew and Jews who used Greek in the synagogue service. That came with the Hellenistic movement.
Where was the largest Jewish state in history located?
The largest (and only-est) Jewish state in history was (and still is) Israel. Israel is located in Southwest Asia, bordering Africa.
What is the Zionist movement in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict?
The term Zionist as it was originally intended and still used by Jews refers to someone who is a nationalist believing in the proper establishment of a Jewish State in the historic Jewish homeland called the Land of Israel, i.e. Israeli patriots. (For those who prefer analogies, a US Patriot is to the United States of America what a Zionist is to Israel.) A Zionist, like a patriot of any other country, may have left-wing views and argue vociferously against government policies that he dislikes. What makes somebody a patriot is his defense of that country's right to exist with the current general government structure.
Arabs tend to use the word Zionist to refer derisively to those that Jews would call Religious Zionists or Settlers. These are the individuals who hold that the State of Israel should include the West Bank and the Palestinians should remain stateless. Of course, this group of individuals is the minority, but by settling the disputed territory, they cause negative Arab and left-wing Israeli sentiment. Since most Arabs do not believe that the Jews have a right to a state, this has provided additional fuel to the hatred infused into the word Zionist. Many Arabs will refer to Jews as Zionists regardless of whether or not they openly support Israel or not.
What happened to Jewish people in Europe between 1900 and 1911?
Throughout the period c. 1880-1914 the Russian Tsars encouraged pogroms (violence against Jews). In 1905, when the Russians were defeated by the Japanese in the Far East, the pogroms got worse. Moreover, the Tsarist regime blamed the Jews for Russia's defeat. During this period many Jews fled from Russia and settled in the U.S. and, in some cases, Britain.
When did the Rothschilds join the Zionist Organization?
The Rothschilds were some of the earliest backers of modern Zionism, joining the fold in the mid-1890s. They were one of the major forces behind Britain's issuance of the Balfour Declaration.
What was the dispute between the Hebrew and Grecian Jews?
If you are referring to the dispute between Hebrew and Grecian Jews found in Acts, then you can find the answer in Acts 6:1. "Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists [Grecian Jews], because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution (NKJV)." Basically, the Hellenistic widows, since widows were not allowed an inheritance in their day, were dependent upon the help of others, as were the Hebrew widows. The church helped out the situation by distributing food to the widows daily. However, there seemed to be some sort of "racism", as we would call it today, among those who distributed food. They were not giving the Hellenistic widows the daily distribution of food. And this is the dispute which initiated the choosing of the seven.
Why do the Jews still use the Star of David as their symbol today?
The Jewish Star represents the Unity of the Jewish People which is as important today for Jews as it was 2000 years ago, so the symbol is still used.
What is the difference between Zionism and communism?
Zionism is the belief that the Jews should have political self-sovereignty and is the patriotic sentiment behind the Establishment of the State of Israel.
Communism actually refers to two different things. It refers to an economic system where all means of production are owned by the workers as opposed to a capitalist. It also refers to an oppressive dictatorial system where all power is concentrated in a singular political party called the Communist Party.
There are no lines of similarity, so they are different in almost every facet.
How did the defeat by the Romans affect Jewish History?
After the second Jewish revolt, the emperor Hadrian came down hard on them. They were forbidden to even enter Jerusalem or to practice their religion. Many were enslaved, most were scattered away from their homeland.
they had to leave because of them
How did Ze'ev Jabotinsky help the British beat the Ottomans?
Ze'ev Jabotinsky was a right-wing nationalist who firmly believed in the Jewish right (and necessity) of self defense. Therefore, during World War I, he conceived the idea of establishing a Jewish Legion to fight alongside the British against the Ottomans who then controlled Palestine. In 1915, together with Joseph Trumpeldor he created the Zion Mule Corps, which consisted of several hundred Jewish men, mainly Russians, who had been exiled from Palestine by the Turks and had settled in Egypt. These Zion Mule Corps were eventually disbanded but not before serving with distinction in the Battle of Gallipoli.
After the Zion Mule Corps was disbanded, Jabotinsky petitioned the British government to create Jewish auxiliary to the British Army. In 1917, the government yielded and agreed to establish three Jewish Battalions, initiating the Jewish Legion. Jabotinsky soldiered in the Jordan Valley in 1918 and was decorated for bravery. As an officer in the 38th Royal Fusiliers, Jabotinsky fought with General Allenby in 1917. (General Allenby was the lead British General who fought to liberate Palestine from the Ottomans.)
Where all Christians originaly Jewish?
No. Jesus, while a Jew himself, explicitly taught that his New Gospel did not require one to be a Jew. Thus, to be a follower of Jesus' teaching, one did not have to first be a Jew.
In fact, the vast majority of converts to the new Christianity were Gentiles (i.e. non-Jews).
What did the Ancient Israelites eat on a daily basis?
Hebrew people eat food that is bread without yeast, no meat and they believe in God.
Adolf Hitler what did he want?
Adof Hitler had a vision of a Germany populated by what he called the "pure Aryan race". To this extent, he set out on a determined course to eliminate all that was not "pure" in his eyes, i.e. Jews, gypsies, anyone who opposed him, and the mentally ill.
Melanie Dunea is the author of My Country, which was released in October 2010. The book contains photographs and interviews of several country music legends.
How did Prophet Muhammad treat the Jews in Medina?
The following information are extracted from the link below:
Judaism was already well established in Medina two centuries before Muhammad's birth. Although influential, the Jews did not rule the oasis. Rather, they were clients of two large Arab tribes there, the Khazraj and the Aws Allah, who protected them in return for feudal loyalty. Medina's Jews were expert jewelers, and weapons and armor makers. There were many Jewish clans-some records indicate more than twenty, of which three were prominent-the Banu Nadir, the Banu Qaynuqa, and the Banu Qurayza.
Various traditions uphold different views, and it is unclear whether Medina's Jewish clans were Arabized Jews or Arabs who practiced Jewish monotheism. Certainly they were Arabic speakers with Arab names. They followed the fundamental precepts of the Torah, though scholars question their familiarity with the Talmud and Jewish scholarship, and there is a suggestion in the Qur'an that they may have embraced unorthodox beliefs, such as considering the Prophet Ezra the son of God.
There were rabbis among the Jews of Medina, who appear in Muslim sources soon after Muhammad proclaimed himself a prophet. At that time the quizzical Meccans, knowing little about monotheism, are said to have consulted the Medinan rabbis, in an attempt to put Muhammad to the test. The rabbis posed three theological questions for the Meccans to ask Muhammad, asserting that they would know, by his answers, whether or not he spoke the truth. According to later reports, Muhammad replied to the rabbis' satisfaction, but the Meccans remained unconvinced.
Muhammad arrived in Medina in 622 believing the Jewish tribes would welcome him. Contrary to expectation, his relations with several of the Jewish tribes in Medina were uneasy almost from the start. This was probably largely a matter of local politics. Medina was not so much a city as a fractious agricultural settlement dotted by fortresses and strongholds, and all relations in the oasis were uneasy. In fact, Muhammad had been invited there to arbitrate a bloody civil war between the Khazraj and the Aws Allah, in which the Jewish clans, being their clients, were embroiled.
At Muhammad's insistence, Medina's pagan, Muslim and Jewish clans signed a pact to protect each other, but achieving this new social order was difficult. Certain individual pagans and recent Medinan converts to Islam tried to thwart the new arrangement in various ways, and some of the Jewish clans were uneasy with the threatened demise of the old alliances. At least three times in five years, Jewish leaders, uncomfortable with the changing political situation in Medina, went against Muhammad, hoping to restore the tense, sometimes bloody-but predictable-balance of power among the tribes.
According to most sources, individuals from among these clans plotted to take his life at least twice, and once they came within a bite of poisoning him. Two of the tribes--the Banu Nadir and the Banu Qaynuqa--were eventually exiled for falling short on their agreed upon commitments and for the consequent danger they posed to the nascent Muslim community.
The danger was great. During this period, the Meccans were actively trying to dislodge Muhammad militarily, twice marching large armies to Medina. Muhammad was nearly killed in the first engagement, on the plains of Uhud just outside of Medina. In their second and final military push against Medina, now known as the Battle of the Trench, the Meccans recruited allies from northwestern Arabia to join the fight, including the assistance of the two exiled Jewish tribes. In addition, they sent envoys to the largest Jewish tribe still in Medina, the Banu Qurayza, hoping to win their support. The Banu Qurayza's crucial location on the south side of Medina would allow the Meccans to attack Muhammad from two sides.
The Banu Qurayza were hesitant to join the Meccan alliance, but when a substantial Meccan army arrived, they agreed.
As a siege began, the Banu Qurayza nervously awaited further developments. Learning of their intention to defect and realizing the grave danger this posed, Muhammad initiated diplomatic efforts to keep the Banu Qurayza on his side. Little progress was made. In the third week of the siege, the Banu Qurayza signaled their readiness to act against Muhammad, although they demanded that the Meccans provide them with hostages first, to ensure that they wouldn't be abandoned to face Muhammad alone. Yet that is exactly what happened. The Meccans, nearing exhaustion themselves, refused to give the Banu Qurayza any hostages. Not long after, cold, heavy rains set in, and the Meccans gave up the fight and marched home, to the horror and dismay of the Banu Qurayza.
The Muslims now commenced a 25-day siege against the Banu Qurazya's fortress. Finally, both sides agreed to arbitration. A former ally of the Banu Qurayza, an Arab chief named Sa'd ibn Muadh, now a Muslim, was chosen as judge. Sa'd, one of the few casualties of battle, would soon die of his wounds. If the earlier tribal relations had been in force, he would have certainly spared the Banu Qurayza. His fellow chiefs urged him to pardon these former allies, but he refused. In his view, the Banu Qurayza had attacked the new social order and failed to honor their agreement to protect the town. He ruled that all the men should be killed. Muhammad accepted his judgment, and the next day, according to Muslim sources, 700 men of the Banu Qurayza were executed. Although Sa'd judged according to his own views, his ruling coincides with Deuteronomy 20:12-14.
Most scholars of this episode agree that neither party acted outside the bounds of normal relations in 7th century Arabia. The new order brought by Muhammad was viewed by many as a threat to the age-old system of tribal alliances, as it certainly proved to be. For the Banu Qurayza, the end of this system seemed to bring with it many risks. At the same time, the Muslims faced the threat of total extermination, and needed to send a message to all those groups in Medina that might try to betray their society in the future. It is doubtful that either party could have behaved differently under the circumstances.
Yet Muhammad did not confuse the contentiousness of clan relations in the oasis with the religious message of Judaism. Passages in the Qur'an that warn Muslims not to make pacts with the Jews of Arabia emerge from these specific wartime situations. A larger spirit of respect, acceptance, and comradeship prevailed, as recorded in a late chapter of the Qur'an:We sent down the Torah, in which there is guidance and light, by which the Prophets who surrendered to God's will provided judgments for the Jewish people. Also, the rabbis and doctors of the Law (did likewise), according to that portion of God's Book with which they were entrusted, and they became witnesses to it as well…. Whoever does not judge by what God has sent down (including the Torah), they are indeed unbelievers. (5:44) Some individual Medinan Jews, including at least one rabbi, became Muslims. But generally, the Jews of Medina remained true to their faith. Theologically, they could not accept Muhammad as a messenger of God, since, in keeping with Jewish belief, they were waiting for a prophet to emerge from among their own people.
The exiled Banu Nadir and the Banu Qaynuqa removed to the prosperous northern oasis of Khaybar, and later pledged political loyalty to Muhammad. Other Jewish clans honored the pact they had signed and continued to live in peace in Medina long after it became the Muslim capital of Arabia.
Why has Judaism survived over the many centuries despite the diaspora and persecution?
Answer 1: Refusal to Give Up Faith
When considering the long history of the Jewish people and their journey through some otherwise incredible times the one thing that seems to stand out the most above all else, is their undeniable faith. The Holocaust and Spanish Inquisition was truly a testament of that faith. To be subjected to such atrocities because they would not believe in another god in Heaven and would not bow down and worship or give praise to other gods. For that, they suffered terribly. The key to their survival and longevity lies in their their relationship to G-d and their unwavering faith. "For God so loved the Jews, for they are my people and I am their God."
Answer 2: Christian Divine Plan for the Jews
The Jews followed the same God as the Christian God since Adam and Eve, especially since Noah after the word-wide flood subsided. They were under a different covenant with laws to follow and not the same grace that people got after Christ died. There's only one answer to how they've been around since the beginning of time till the end. They are God's chosen people, even though they've rejected Christ. They will be protected by God all the way up until judgement day. Jews will either wind up being condemned or accepting Christ and making it to heaven. God has guided them all throughout the old testament and God still has a plan for them in the new testament even though they don't follow it.
Answer 3: Jewish Divine Plan for the Jews
Judaism does not recognize a Christian divine plan. Judaism does not recognize Jesus. Judaism does not recognize the new testament.
Judaism only recognizes the one G-d of Israel.
The Jewish people have survived so long because The Jewish people are eternal.
In Genesis 17:7 G-d promises Abraham that the Jewish people will be eternal in an everlasting covenant between Him and the Jewish people.
On Mount Sinai G-d promises the Jewish people they will be an eternal nation.
Leviticus 26:44 states: And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God.
Answer 4: Uniqueness of the Jews
There are numerous interrelated reasons that the Jews survived despite being deprived of their homeland and being almost consistently persecuted to varying degrees, regardless of whether the miracle-argument is convincing or not.
1) Identity and Distinctiveness: Both Jews and non-Jews perceived Jews as a unique ethnic group of people with specific religious beliefs. Historically, parts of the Jewish and parts of the non-Jewish communities have strongly resisted integration and legal equality between Jews and non-Jews. This distinctive identity was further reinforced by the various forms of persecution that Jews suffered. They realized that nobody would look out for their interests consistently other than themselves, which made them more resilient and inward-looking as a community with distinct customs and beliefs.
It is worth noting that in countries with more persistent persecution (but not genocide) of Jews, that Jews tend to be more religious than in countries were Jews feel less persecuted. This is not to encourage persecution, but there is a strong correlation between stronger persecution (that does not rise to genocides or massacres) and a more religious Jewish population.
2) High Degree of Literacy and Education: Jews have historically had high literacy rates and a determination to be educated. This resulted in Jews being able to more effectively preserve their traditions than the general Christian or Muslim populations with which they lived. This prevented cultural diffusion, where it did occur, from obfuscating Jewish traditions because the latter could always be reread and discussed.
3) Usefulness: Since Jews were more educated, they were able to branch out into numerous more skilled professions. Additionally, many of the professions in artisanry were forbidden to Jews. This led to many Jews becoming lawyers, doctors, bankers, and bureaucrats. Their abilities to help Gentile leaders effectively rule their states made the Jews worth protecting in a way that other minorities, such as the Romani, did not encourage.
4) Mobility: Unlike most minorities, the Jews were able to migrate from areas with increasing persecution and hardship to areas where these things were lessened. This moblity was enhanced by the above three benefits. Since Jews were distinct, it fostered a strong sense of brotherhood, meaning that a migrant Jew would be welcomed by the extant Jewish community. Additionally, the shared literacy of the Jewish communities meant that even if the migrants did not speak the vernacular, they could at least communicate with Jews using written Hebrew in a pinch. However, more useful were Jewish languages like Yiddish, Ladino, Yevanic, or Judeo-Arabic which had a larger geographic dispersions than most spoken languages of the time. Also, given that Jews were very useful, they posed less of welfare problem than non-Jewish migrants with equal resources.
Answer 5: God's promise
Rabbi Jacob Emden (1697-1776) once said that the survival of the Jewish people is the greatest of miracles. It can be explained only as a fulfillment of God's covenant.
Consider also this famous quote from Mark Twain:
"If the statistics are right, the Jews constitute but one quarter of one percent of the human race. The Jew ought hardly to be heard of; but he is heard of, has always been heard of.
The Egyptians, the Babylonians and the Persians rose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greeks and Romans followed and made a vast noise, and they were gone; other people have sprung up and held their torch high for a time but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, or have vanished.
The Jew saw them all, survived them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no dulling of his alert mind. All things are mortal but the Jews; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?"
What is the era from the 1930's to the 1940's?
From the stock market crash of Friday, October 29, 1929 until 1939 the United States and much of the world went through the Great Depression. Production slowed to a near halt, in some nations inflation was rampant. Over valuation of stocks in the roaring twenties led to wild investments that did not pan out.
In Europe, the rise of Fascism was a result of the suffering populace, war became an industry that fed and clothed the newly poor.
