Monday:
Go over Blog Post Expectations and Forum Post
Review on Judaism
Sabbath- On our Saturday for Jews
2.6% of Americans identify as Jews
Northeast very Jewish
Synagogue is their place of worship led by Rabbis
Jewish people wear the Yarmulke to respect G-d (They don't spell out God out of respect)
Menorah is a candle stick holder used during Hanukkah
Bar Mitzvah-Bat Mitzvah is to celebrate the beginning of manhood/womanhood usually at the age of 12 or 13
Jews make a pilgrimage to the "Wailing Wall" (Western Wall)
Built 2nd century BC
Temple destroyed by Romans
Thought to be one of the most sacred of places
Non-Kosher foods-
Mixture of meat and milk
Can't use eating utensils which had previously been used for non-kosher foods
Depending on what kind of animal it is
Kosher Foods
Animals that have cloven hooves and chew their cud'
Cows, goats, sheep, antelope, deer, bison, etc.
Most fish
Chicken, duck, and turkey
Milk and cheese are kosher but cannot be eaten with meat
The slaughter of animals is designed to minimize the pain- slit throat
All blood and veins must be removed from meat
Tuesday
Problems Jews Face
Antisemitism
Diaspora (being forced out of an area involuntary)
Pograms- organizational beatings, raping, and killing of Jews
Holocaust- killed 2/3 of European Jews
Israel established as a Jewish state after WWII- led to several wars and terrorist attacks (Israel vs. Palestinians)
Christianity
3 Main Parts- Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant
Beliefs are based on the life, teachings, and death of Jesus Christ and founded in 33 AD
The cross is a symbol used to represent life, death, and resurrection
Jesus Christ's death made salvation and forgiveness of sins possible for everyone
Three days after his death he was resurrected and later ascended to Heaven
The resurrection of Christ is celebrated on Easter
The first Christians were Jews who came to believe Jesus was the Messiah
Thursday -
Four stages of life
1. ages 12-14 you get educated and trained
2. ages 24-48 you have married, raise a family, make money, get involved
3. ages 28-72 you come a mentor to a young person and start isolating themselves from the outside world
4. at age 72 you end ties to the outside world and get rid of your worldly possessions. Prayer and devotion become very important
Mostly aimed at men and is not follow as much as it used to be
Many consider Hinduism to be polytheistic but they really only worship Brahman
Brahman is the only god and creator but he shows himself in many forms
Vishnu reflects God's work in keeping the universe in existence
Shiva reflects God's work in destroying
Diwali is their new year - very colorful celebration
Buddhism
Siddhartha Gautama is the founder
Buddha means "the awakened one"
He grew up in a wealthy family but decided to follow a path of self-denial
He did not find truth until he sat down under a tree, now known as the Bo tree which is in China
There he was "enlightened" and obtained the knowledge he had been looking for
He discovered four noble truths and the Eight fold Path to Nirvana, or ultimate bliss
The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism
1. Existing is suffering
2. The cause of suffering is craving and attachment to worldly possessions
3. Suffering ceases at some point and turns to Nirvana
4. There is a path to Nirvana which is made up of 8 steps called the Eight fold Path
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