Chapter 4: The Story of Judaism

Textbook Questions and Study Guide

Download these questions in Word.doc or as an Adobe.pdf

Key Terms: Ashkenazim, Covenant, Diaspora, Halakhah, Holocaust (Shoah), Messiah, Mitzvah, prayer of sanctification, revelation, righteous, secular Jew, Sephardim, Shabbat, Shiva, Talmud, Tanakh, Zionism

The following questions are all from the textbook “Check Your Understanding”, “Think About It,” and “Making It Personal” boxes. To find the matching question simply notice that the first number relates to the text page and the second number relates to the same question on that page. For example 103-2 is question #2 on page 103. 

History - Completed Due Date: _______________________

103-2.        Examine the timeline on page 102 and draw out three important themes or ideas (for example, land) from the events described there. Explain the significance of each idea to an understanding of Judaism.

107-2.        Look up the word "anti-Semitism" in a dictionary. Record the definition and give some examples from history. Why might it be especially important for Catholics to speak out against anti-Semitism whenever they encounter it?

107-3.        Why do you think some religious communities, such as Hasidic communities, dress and eat in ways that set them apart?

110-1.         Suggest ways in which the Enlightenment challenged religion.

110-2.        Research the distinctions between Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform Judaism. (Possible Site but Wikipedia might be better!) Then, create a three-column chart to show what you learned. Possible research topics include the role of the oral tradition, the Bible, women rabbis, traditional morality, and God's role in the Torah. Download the form in Word .doc or Adobe .pdf

114-4.        The UN has designated January 21 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. In the Jewish calendar, 27 Nisan is set aside for the same purpose. What do you think would be appropriate ways to mark these events?

116-1.        Explain how the focus of Zionism changed over time.

116-2.        Why did Western nations support the idea of a Jewish homeland after World War II?

Rituals - Completed Due Date: ____________________

119-1.        Explain why the Days of Awe are significant to the Jewish people. Describe highlights from the celebrations of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

122-3.        Find out about Jewish beliefs about the afterlife. Create a chart to show how they are similar to and different from Catholic beliefs.

Community/Beliefs - Completed Due Date: ____________________

125-1.        Describe how the Jewish community is organized. How does this structure differ from the structure of Catholicism?

127-1.        Describe the Tanakh and explain its importance to the Jewish people.

127-3.        Use the table of contents of a Catholic Bible to compare the Tanakh with the Old Testament. How similar are they? What might account for this similarity?

129-3.        What do you think it means that human beings are made in God's image? What privileges and responsibilities does this entail?

131-2.        What does the name that God reveals to Moses tell us about God?

132-3.        How can temples and churches be places where God is present? What does it mean to you when it is said that God is present among us?

134-1.        Explain what the "oral law" or "oral Torah" is. Why is it important to Judaism?

134-2.        The rules around impurity were one way that Jews set themselves apart. What ways can you think of that groups today use to differentiate themselves from others? Brainstorm a list.

Morality - Completed Due Date: ____________________

137-1.        Draw a diagram or image to show the relationships among the following terms: mitzvot, Halakhah, sin.

137-2.        Explain the distinction between the Ten Commandments and Noah's laws.

137-3.        Explain the Jewish attitude toward procreation. How is Reform Judaism's view of human sexuality similar to the traditional view? How is it different?

Family Life - Completed Due Date: ____________________

139-1.        Describe what it might be like to spend a day following the rules for Shabbat as outlined in the text. If you observed all these rules, what difference might it make to your usual Saturday activities?

139-2.         Create a menu for a kosher meal, based on what you know about the kosher laws. Why are these laws important to many Jews?

 141-5.        What connection can you see between the Jewish emphasis on hospitality to guests and the notion of tikkun olam? Explain in words or pictures.