A Very Brief History of The Jewish People

Beginnings More than 4,000 years ago –

Abraham Middle East – What is today Israel Zion, Judea, Palestine Jewish population has grown in 2

ways – being born to a Jewish parent or conversion

Beginnings Religious group, but the group’s

history has made the community hard to categorize

70 C.E. – Roman Empire conquered Palestine and forced Jewish people out

Spread all over the world Often adopted language and customs

of their new home

Beginnings Diverse ethnic and cultural

community who practice their religion differently

Almost always a minority Today – 14-15 million Jews worldwide

and communities on each continent

“What is a Jew?” Something more than a simple

religious group? Mixture of ethnicity and religion? Others began defining Jews as a

nation within a nation in Europe (9 million by 1900)

Jewish Race? In 1800’s people increasingly tried to

define groups Some in Europe defined Jews as a

separate race - a people who share common physical features and character traits

Why persecution? The lie spread in Europe that the Jews

are an inferior race

Thoughts and Twists Galton - People can be sorted by races –

groups that are genetically different from one another. Some races are superior to others.

Hitler - For example, the Aryan is superior to the Jew

Aryan – originally a group of people who spoke one of a group of Indo-European languages who originated in Iran/India. Hitler created the theory that Aryans were Nordic people who invaded India. Germans were descendents.