Judaism

Brochure on Judaism
Lynn Clarke
Strayer University
World Religions
REL 212
Dr. Richard Foster

Brochure on Judaism
For my brochure I have chosen Judaism. The topics of focus for my brochure are two of the major festivals: the Passover and Yom Kippur. The different sects of Judaism include the Reform branch, the Conservative branch and the Orthodox branch ("Judaism Sects," 2013, para. 1). The Orthodox is the oldest branch of Judaism and was the original recorder of the oral traditions claimed to be passed intact from parent-to-child and teacher to student ("Judaism Sects," 2013, para. 2). The Reform branch is the first known group to deny the divine origin of the Torah and publish a new prayer book paving the Reform’s official declaration of anti-Zionism in 1885 ("Judaism Sects," 2013, para. 4, 5). The Conservative branch of Judaism is a sub-branch of the Reform branch arguing that we do not possess a God given Torah, let alone a Divine oral tradition ("Judaism Sects," 2013, para. 24).
Judaism is practiced in the following regions: Europe, Asia, North America, South America and Israel ("Judaism practiced," 2013, para. 1). Judaism dates back nearly four thousand years, rooted in Canaan which is now Israel and Palestinian ("Judaism orgin," 2013, para. 1). Though the branches of Judaism differ in their applications and interpretations of the Torah, they are unified on the basic set of sacred texts expressing their relationship with God as his holy people ("Judaism orgin," 2013, para. 1). Judaism focuses on the relationship between the Creator, mankind, and the land of Israel, the most accepted summary of Judaism’s beliefs is Rambam’s 13 principles of faith ("Judaism Beliefs," 2013, para. 5). Rambam’s thirteen principles of faith are:
1. God exists ("Judaism Beliefs," 2013, para. 3).
2. God is one and unique ("Judaism Beliefs," 2013, para. 3).
3. God is incorporeal ("Judaism Beliefs," 2013, para. 3).
4. God is eternal ("Judaism Beliefs," 2013, para. 3).
5. Prayer is to be directed to God alone and to no other ("Judaism Beliefs," 2013, para. 3).
6. The words of the prophets are true ("Judaism Beliefs," 2013, para. 3).
7. Moses’ prophecies are true, and Moses was the greatest of the prophets ("Judaism Beliefs," 2013, para. 3).
8. The Written Torah (the first 5 books of the Bible) and oral Torah (teachings now contained in the Talmud and other writings) were given to Moses ("Judaism Beliefs," 2013, para. 3).
9. There will be no other Torah ("Judaism Beliefs," 2013, para. 3).
10. God knows the thoughts and deeds of men ("Judaism Beliefs," 2013, para. 3).
11. God will reward the good and punish the wicked ("Judaism Beliefs," 2013, para. 3).
12. The Messiah will come ("Judaism Beliefs," 2013, para. 3).
13. The dead will be resurrected ("Judaism Beliefs," 2013, para. 3).
The first topic of focus for my brochure is the Judaism’s festivals of Passover. Passover is a significant festival for the redemption of Israel’s people because of the passing over of the Jewish first born male during the ten plagues that convinced the Egypt Pharaoh to release the Israel people from 400 years of bondage in Egypt ("Passover History," 2013, para. 3). In preparation for Passover families are required to remove all food products derived of wheat, barley, rye, and oats. Unleavened bread is to be eaten from the fourteenth day until the twenty-first day of month ("Passover Matzah," 2013, para. 1).
The second topic of focus for my brochure is Judaism’s festival of Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year ("Yom Kippur," 2013, para. 1). The day we are closest to God and the day a single I, the animal, emotional, intellectual and spiritual have a common goal, that we can achieve harmony in our lives ("Kippur Day One," 2013, para. 5). On Yom Kippur we are empowered to reconcile for past deeds and be forgiven.

Items served at Passover meal

("Passover photos," 2013, figure 1)

Grateful for what God has given

("Passover photos," 2013, figure 2)
Length of Passover

("Passover photos," 2013, figure 3)

Blood on doorstep of protected home.

("Passover photos," 2013, figure 4)

Items served at Passover meal

("Passover photos," 2013, figure 5)

An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man swings a chicken, later to be slaughtered as part of the Kaparot ritual, in which it is believed that one transfers one 's sins from the past year into the chicken.

("Yom Kippur photos," 2013, figure 1)
Masses pray at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, Israel on Sept. 25th 2012.

("Yom Kippur photos," 2013, figure 2)

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men wait as slaughtered chickens are being cleaned during the Kaparot ritual in Jerusalem 's Mea Shearim neighborhood, ahead of Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement.

("Yom Kippur photos," 2013, figure 3)
Jewish worshipers pray on a roof of a Jewish seminary overlooking the Western Wall, Judaism 's holiest prayer site, ahead of Yom Kippur in Jerusalem 's Old City.

("Yom Kippur photos," 2013, figure 4)
References
Day one. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.chabad.org/holidays/JewishNewYear/template_cdo/aid/317732/jewish/Day-One.htm
Different sects of judaism. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.simpletoremember.com/articles/a/reformconservativeorthodox/
Israel observes yom kippur. (2013). Retrieved from http://world.time.com/2012/09/25/israel-celebrates-yom-kippur/photo/selichot-at-the-western-wall-2/
Judaism. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.patheos.com/Library/Judaism.html
Matzah. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/matzah.html
Passover history & overview. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/holidaya.html
Passover photos. (2013). Retrieved from http://photobucket.com/images/passover?page=1
What do jews believe? (2013). Retrieved from http://www.jewfaq.org/beliefs.htm
What is yom kippur? (2013). Retrieved from http://www.chabad.org/holidays/JewishNewYear/template_cdo/aid/177886/jewish/What-is-Yom-Kippur.htm
Where is judaism practiced? (2013). Retrieved from http://religions.findthedata.org/q/2/1462/Where-is-Judaism-practiced

References: Day one. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.chabad.org/holidays/JewishNewYear/template_cdo/aid/317732/jewish/Day-One.htm Different sects of judaism. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.simpletoremember.com/articles/a/reformconservativeorthodox/ Israel observes yom kippur. (2013). Retrieved from http://world.time.com/2012/09/25/israel-celebrates-yom-kippur/photo/selichot-at-the-western-wall-2/ Judaism. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.patheos.com/Library/Judaism.html Matzah. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/matzah.html Passover history & overview. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/holidaya.html Passover photos. (2013). Retrieved from http://photobucket.com/images/passover?page=1 What do jews believe? (2013). Retrieved from http://www.jewfaq.org/beliefs.htm What is yom kippur? (2013). Retrieved from http://www.chabad.org/holidays/JewishNewYear/template_cdo/aid/177886/jewish/What-is-Yom-Kippur.htm Where is judaism practiced? (2013). Retrieved from http://religions.findthedata.org/q/2/1462/Where-is-Judaism-practiced