The Israelites

Origins

Ur Canaan (Palestine)

Monotheistic – (worshipping 1 god)

• Prophets – people who revealed the word of God

• Abraham – herder / trader 1900BC

• 1st prophet of Judaism

Core Beliefs

• Covenant with God

• 1 God

• Creator of all

• God is Good and Just

• All people made in image of God

• All people have equal spiritual value regardless of class

Moses and the Law• Israel (grandson of Abraham) brings family to Egypt• After generations Jews enslaved by Egyptians• 1200BC Moses (prophet / leader) leads them out of Egypt• Passover celebrates the Exodus

10 Commandments –

• basis of Hebrew law given to Moses by God according to the Torah

Leadership

• Deborah – prophetess leader “judge”

David – King, approx 1012 BC

• Capital at Jerusalem

• Wars of expansion

Solomon

• (David’s son)

• built temple at

Jerusalem

The Wailing Wall

• Last remnant of

Solomon’s Temple

• Then and now this

is a place for

pilgrimage

The Babylonian Captivity

• Jews were conquered by the Babylonian’s of Mesopotamia and held there as slaves

• Later allowed to return to Judea

The Diaspora

• Meaning “the scattering”

• Refers to when Jews were cast out of their homeland by the Roman’s around 70 AD