Activity 2: Cultural Expression Over Time

  • 1813 BCE

    Abraham is born (in Mesopotamia)

    Abraham is born (in Mesopotamia)
    According to the Bible (which is a Christian text), Abraham is chosen to be the father of Isaac (the founder of the Jewish people) by god.
  • 1250 BCE

    Ten Commandments

    Ten Commandments
    Moses receives the ten commandments from god and establishes a link between god and the Jewish people. These commandments would be used for centuries for determining good and wrong and are still commonly used in moral issues of politics, technology, and religion.
  • 1000 BCE

    Creation of the Torah

    The first five books of the Hebrew bible. Torah in Hebrew signifies teaching, guidance, and law.
  • 30

    Death of Jesus Christ (Crucifixion)

    Death of Jesus Christ (Crucifixion)
    The death of (Jewish man) Jesus was a substantial moment in Judaism's influence on the world. Christianity would be a major religion that would believe in the teaching of Jesus and much of the religion would have a structure based on Judaism. The exact date of his death is unknown but it is thought to be from the year zero to the year 35.
  • 1000

    Creation of the Babylonian Talmud

    The Babylonian Talmud is a Jewish text that is the primary source of law and ethics. This is one of the oldest examples of enforcing laws and there are a total of 613 commandments mentioned in the text.
  • 1492

    Crusades and expulsion of Jews

    1096- The first crusade resulted in the death of thousands of Jews in primarily Europe.
    1290- King Edward I of England expels all Jews from England
    1492- Spanish Inquisition: forcing all Jews in Spain to convert to Christianity
  • Hasidic Movement

    Also known as Hasidic Judaism, the movement emerged in Eastern European nations such as Ukraine and promoted many aspects of Judaism while also promoting a positive view and freedom of religion.
  • Jewish Enlightenment

    The Jewish enlightenment which occurred in the 18th-19th century was a movement which encouraged modernization and education. Much of the ideology from the enlightenment is currently seen in forms of politics today such as liberal and conservative Judaism.
  • The Holocaust

    The Holocaust
    The Holocaust was the mass genocide of Jews in WWII (1941-1945) by the Nazi party. Similar to past examples of persecution, the Nazis singled out the Jewish populations in (primarily western) Europe in nations such as Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Etc. This unfortunate event is a significant factor in why countries, governments, and states can now be charged with Genocide today. This was the first time anyone was ever charged with "Genocide" in history.
  • Formation of the Jewish State Israel

    Formation of the Jewish State Israel
    The Jewish state was formed after WWII in the historical lands of the Jewish people (Palestine). This nation further allowed political influence and the spread of Judaism and Jewish culture
  • Jewish activists in civil rights movements

    The 60s was a prosperous time for Jewish intellectuals and activists in the United States. Much of the Jewish population would be at the forefront of civil rights movements preachings ideas of peace found in the religious texts (i.e. Torah, Ten Commandments, etc.)
  • Rise of Jewish wealth and entrepreneurship (Economics)

    During the 80s, Jewish people would become very wealthy and dominated many industries in the United States such as Hollywood. This would influence and play a major role in the American and global economies
  • Role in politics and law

    Role in politics and law
    Judaism has been a crucial part of politics and whether you believe it's positive or negative many ideologies stem from Judaism. Such an example is the idea of a weekend to give people Friday night to relax and pray to god. Many influential people have also been Jewish such as Ruth Bader Ginsburg who was the first Jewish and the second woman to serve in the prestigious supreme court. Much of Ginsburg's ideas and motives would follow peace and prosperity mimicking much of Judaism.
  • Advancements in Science (Medicine)

    Advancements in Science (Medicine)
    Jewish doctors and scientists who took much of their experiences with Judaism have also greatly aided medical science today. One such example is Dr. Eric Lander who played a major role in studying human genomes and understanding biological diseases such as Alzheimer's. Through his awards in science and medicine, he further spread the positive influence Judaism initially played a part in centuries ago.