Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Location
Israelites
Came from Mesopotamia & settled in Canaan Language = Hebrew Descended from Abraham
Judaism
Monotheism = belief in one god Israelites faith became known as Judaism (Jews). Their written history is the Hebrew Bible which is the Old Testament
Abraham
God tells Abraham to leave Mesopotamia & go to Canaan & to worship 1 god. Those that followed him to Canaan became known as Israelites.
Abraham
Abraham had a grandson named Jacob. Jacob was called Israel (the one who struggles with God). Jacob had 12 sons. 12 sons each led a tribe which became known as the 12 Tribes of Israel.
Drought
The Israelites lived in Canaan for 100 years until a long drought began Crops withered & livestock died To survive, some Israelites went to Egypt
Each civilization we have talked about has relied on a river for so many things to survive. Imagine you are an Israelite during the drought. What would life be like with the lack of water? What would you choose for your family: to leave your homeland & go to Egypt or to stay in Canaan and try to survive?
Moral Dilemma
The pharaoh was afraid of an Israelite rebellion, so he ordered all Israelite baby boys to be thrown in the Nile River to drown. One mother wanted to save her baby, Moses, so she hid him in a basket & hid it on the riverbank.
Moses
Found & adopted by the pharaohs daughterthats ironic. Tended sheep ~1290 B.C.E says God gave him a message Moses said god told him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt
Traveled through the Sinai Desert Moses went to the top of Mt. Sinai where he received the laws from God. Torah = the laws given to Moses In the Torah, God promised to return the Israelites to Canaan if they followed his laws.
The Torah
Covenant = agreement
10 Commandments
Part of the Torah Helped shape the basic moral laws of many nations If the commandments were written on clay tablets, what region were they in?
Moses died before they got there Joshua took over for Moses
Moral Dilemma: How do you feel about the Israelites taking the land from the Canaanites?
Judges
In charge of the Israelites Usually a military leader 2 Judges (Barak, military leader & Deborah, a prophetess) defeated the people living in the hilly region in Canaan. The Canaanites were moved to the flat coastal areas.
Phoenicians
A group of Canaanites who lived in cities along the Mediterranean Sea Skilled sailors & traders
Phoenician Alphabet
Alphabet that stood for soundsthanks, Phoenicians! Why does trade lead to the development of a written language?
Diaspora
722 B.C.E Assyrians conquered Israel & scattered the 10 tribes across their empire The word Diaspora means scattered
Exile
Around 586 B.C.E the Chaldeans took over and moved 1000s of Jews to Babylon.
Exile = when someone is forced to leave their home; the time the Jews were in Babylon
Jewish Temple
Built in 957 B.C.E Destroyed by an Egyptian pharaoh, then by the King of Judah, then by an Assyrian king, then totally destroyed by Babylonians in 586 B.C.E
Jerusalem today
Temple Mount the most important religious site in Judaism
Judaism
Sabbath weekly day of worship & rest Synagogues Jewish houses of worship Hanukkah holiday remembering when the Jews got rid of all Greek deities & rededicated it to the worship of God Yarmulkes head covering Kosher food prepared to Jewish dietary laws (must be killed in a special way; inspected, salted, & soaked) Rabbis Jewish leaders who taught the Torah