Quiz 4

Question 1

Ancient Question of Judaism

Answer 1

Q: Why is Israel subordinated to the gentiles?

A: Israel’s sanctification and God’s judgement of Israel’s failures

Question 2

New question of Judaism

Answer 2

How is it possible to be both an Israelite and something else (ex. European or American)?

Question 3

Reform Judaism’s answer to the new question

Answer 3

Israel is a religious community with a universal mission

Israelites could integrate AND be loyal to France, Britain, etc.

Practices separating Israelites from humanity were to be dropped

Question 4

Orthodox Judaism’s answer to the new question

Answer 4

Rejected Reform

Integrationists held that Israelites should combine Torah study and secular sciences

Integrationists held that one could practice Judaism AND integrate into national culture

Question 5

Conservative Judaism’s answer to the new question

Answer 5

Mediated between the two positions

Traditions could change, but only in accord with the historical processes of Judaism

Question 6

Zionism’s answer to the new question

Answer 6

Political system, not a religious system

Did not trust emancipation

Proposed the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine

Question 7

What competition did Rabbinic Judaism meet?

Answer 7

Orthodox, Reform, Conservative

In NA, 50% Reform, 30% Conservative, and the rest Orthodox

Question 8

What was Zionism aimed at?

Answer 8

Restoring Jewish people to the Land of Israel

Founding the Jewish state

Realizing the nationalism of the Jewish people

Question 9

Why did the Rabbinic system meet competition?

Answer 9

Jews used to have a distinct culture and identity, but were now expected to integrate into the law

The Rabbinic system did not answer the new question, but rather promoted the segregation

Question 10

Major beliefs of Reform Judaism

Answer 10

Looked towards a messianic age when social order would be perfected in justice and humanity

Denied that any version of the Torah enjoyed eternal validity

Question 11

Changes in Synagogue worship

Answer 11

People were defecting from the synagogue

Zionism emerged

Affirmed integration and made important changes to the law in the Pittsburgh Platform of 1885

Question 12

Who is Israel?

Answer 12

No longer a nation and is now a religious community

Once had a set of laws regulating diet, clothing, etc, but no longer apply

Question 13

How does Israel account for its existence as a distinct group?

Answer 13

The group had a mission to serve as a light to the nations

Realize messianic hope for the establishment of a kingdom of truth, justice, and peace

Question 14

Reform worldview

Answer 14

Lays emphasis on a perfect age that is yet to come

Question 15

The Pittsburgh Platform

Answer 15

Central Conference of American Rabbis

Worldview issues divided Judaism, but most Reform Jews could accept it

The way of life: sanctification

Worldview: Reference to the Torah for rules and explanation of conduct

Defined the norm for all communities of Judaism outside the Orthodox

Question 16

Major beliefs of Integrationist Orthodox Judaism

Answer 16

Divine revelation and eternal authority of the Torah

Integration of Jews

Study of Torah AND philosophy

Secular studies are legitimate and essential

Question 17

Major beliefs of Segregationist Orthodox Judaism

Answer 17

Teaches only sacred sciences

Reject Hebrew and preserve Yiddish

Holy Israel is not to mix with the gentiles

Question 18

Yeshivot

Answer 18

Segregationist Orthodox centres of learning that only taught sacred sciences (Talmud)

Question 19

Haredi

Answer 19

Hebrew “those that tremble before the Lord”

Question 20

When did integrationist Orthodox Judaism come into being?

Answer 20

Germany, mid 19th century, a generation after Reform in Germany

Question 21

Dual Torah

Answer 21

Torah and commentaries

Question 22

Laws of the Dual Torah

Answer 22

May wear similar clothing as Gentiles

Religious duties are not to mix flax and wool, or wear show-fringes

Does NOT dictate and therefore sanctifies all of life’s details

Question 23

Major beliefs of Conservative Judaism

Answer 23

German Historical School, Canadian, US Conservative = single Judaism

Worldview: Moderation in making change

Historical fact rather than theological conviction

Stricter observance of the law than reformers

Question 24

Order of the formation of several Judaisms

Answer 24

Reform, Orthodox, Conservative

Reform defined the tasks of the next two Judaisms

Question 25

Critical scholarship

Answer 25

Free approach to the study of the Torah

Question 26

Eat kosher and think traif

Answer 26

Orthodox slogan saying “do the right thing and it doesn’t matter what you believe”

Question 27

Dogma of dogmaless Judaism

Answer 27

Denied Judaism set forth doctrine at all

Question 28

Secular character of the Reform and Conservative systems

Answer 28

Religious belief could be established upon a foundation of historical fact

Question 29

Major beliefs of Zionism

Answer 29

Constituted the Jews’ nationalist movement

Secular political movement utilizing the story of Scripture

Called Jews to emancipate themselves

“A people, one people” restored to the Land of Israel in the end of days