Jewish Foundations

The origins of Judaism have long been associated with one man, Abraham, who led his family out of their homeland Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) and towards what became known as the ‘promised land’. These people were named the Hebrews, which in their language meant those who had ‘crossed the waters’. Their descendants are today known as the Jews, whose identity and religion are intricately bound up in the ancient stories that have been preserved in scriptures shared by Christianity and Islam. This fact is very important for those wishing to understand international affairs in the 21st century CE, and is crucial for those intending to facilitate objective understanding in the minds of young people.

The nation state of Israel also derives from these stories because Jewish belief is that G-d or YHWH made a covenant that Abraham’s descendants would be as many as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on the seashore, and that He would provide them with a land flowing with milk and honey. The people of G-d (or Isra’el in Hebrew) assumed this to be the small piece of land marked on the east by the River Jordan and on the west by the Mediterranean Sea. All students of religious education should know this; hence, this first section of work on Judaism has been designed to lead them into a good understanding of the historical background to the life of Abraham and the origins of Judaism.

You are advised to read the following information to check your own knowledge and understanding of the origins of Judaism. You should also look through the virtual visit to see how it might be used to aid and support your students in the development of their knowledge and understanding.

Background information

The origins of Judaism

Sacred writings

Refer to the Jewish beliefs tour of the virtual visit, particularly screens 10, 11 and 16.

Mesopotamia