Judaism

Christianity

Symbols

The Ten Commandments

1. “You should have no other gods before Me.”

2. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image--any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.”

3. “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.”

4. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

5. “Honor your father and your mother.”

6. “You shall not murder.” 7. “You shall not commit adultery.” 8. “You shall not steal.”9. “You shall not bear false witness

against your neighbor.” 10. “You shall not covet your

neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.”

Fast Facts

Judaism is the religion of more than 14 million people throughout the world.

Orthodox Jews obey the Torah without question. Conservative and Reform Jews interpret the torah to make its teachings relevant to today’s world.

A synagogue is a Jewish house of worship. It is usually built so that the congregation faces toward Jerusalem during worship.

A rabbi, or “teacher,” leads prayers and reads passages of the Hebrew Bible, or Torah, during the service.

Dietary laws are followed by some Jews. These laws have established what is kosher, or acceptable, for Jews to eat. Kosher laws forbid the eating of animals considered unclean. These animals include pigs and shellfish.

Hashanah is a one- or two-day festival that marks the beginning of the new year in the Jewish calendar.

Passover, or Pesach, lasts for seven or eight days and recalls the departure of the Jews from Egypt, where they had been enslaved.

Hanukah is a Jewish holiday which usually falls in November or December. Hanukah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. Often called the Festival of Lights, the holiday is celebrated with the lighting of the menorah, traditional foods, games and gifts.

One of the oldest symbols of the Jewish faith is the menorah, a seven-branched candelabrum. It has been said that the menorah is a symbol of the nation of Israel, and their mission to be “a light unto the nations.” (Isaiah 42:6)

The Star of David is a symbol that is commonly associated with Judaism today, however it is a relatively new Jewish symbol. The star is meant to represent the shape of King David’s shield, but there is no historical support for that claim. This symbol was once common in the Middle East and North Africa as a symbol for good luck. In the 17th century, it became a popular practice to put the Star of David on the outside of synagogues to identify them as Jewish houses of worship. Today, the Star of David is the universally recognized symbol of Judaism, and it is found on the flag of the state of Israel.

Fast Facts

Christianity is the largest religion in the world, with about 2 billion followers.

Christians believe that they reach salvation by following the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Christianity is a monotheistic religion, which means Christians believe in one God.

Today, most Christians are members of one of three major groups: Roman Catholic, Protestant, or Eastern Orthodox.

The Bible is the most sacred book of the Christian religion. It is divided into two major parts: the Old Testament, which focuses on Jewish history, and the New Testament, which describes the teachings of Jesus.

Christian holidays have come to have a considerable impact on western culture and traditions. Christmas is celebrated each December 25, and is a celebration of the birth of Jesus. Easter is a spring festival that celebrates the resurrection of Christ. It is the oldest Christian holiday and the most important day of the church year. Palm Sunday is the sixth Sunday of Lent and the last Sunday before Easter. It commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.

Jewish Rituals

When Jewish children reach the age of 13 they enter the adult religious community. The event is marked in the synagogue with a ceremony called a bar mitzvah for a boy and a bat mitzvah for a girl.