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Guidelines for teachers

Introduction

Judaism, like other religious traditions, is not a uniform whole. It has evolved across the time and space from which it emerged. The objective of this module is to present key moments in the history of Judaism and the Jews, based on the approach of historians. The module will also focus on the main principles and practices of Judaism and showing the constant elements and transformations it experienced, but also its great diversity. This will offer the opportunity to learn about Judaism, both as a religion, but also as a culture and identity. Based on the rejection of idolatry and on the belief in one God and his Law, a system of particular values emerged, as did different forms and levels of practices. A diversified Jewish world came about whose importance in the history of mankind was fundamental. We will explain this long and rich history, and outline its major characteristics, without resorting to oversimplifications, since the history of Judaism is full of nuances and complexity. The historical themes that we will cover were selected based on European school programmes and contemporary questions affecting the Jewish world and all societies.

Conceptual (knowledge) Objectives:

  • C.O.1: Understand the key events and figures in the history of Judaism
  • C.O.2: Understand the foundations of religious beliefs and practices in Judaism
  • C.O.3: Understand the diversity in Judaism and the Jewish world

Skill objectives:

  • S.1: Be able to distinguish between the history of the Jews and Judaism, and Biblical history
  • S.2: Understand and know how to analyze the main Jewish beliefs and practices

Summary of arguments, linked to student view sections

Ancient Judaism
Rembrandt, Moses Breaking the Tables of the Law, 1659 [picture] (sec. 1)
The Tel Dan inscription [picture] (sec. 1)
Assyrian relief. Jewish prisoners sent into exile toward Babylon [picture] (sec. 1)
Triumphal procession, detail of the Arch of Titus, 81 AD, Rome [picture] (sec. 2)
Cassius Dio, Roman History, Book LXVIII [text] (sec. 2)
Tympanum of the Dura-Europos synagogue (2nd-3rd centuries) [picture] (sec. 2)
The Jewish diaspora in the 1st – 2nd centuries [map] (sec. 2)

Bible
The Ten Commandments [text] (sec. 1)

History
The Tel Dan inscription [picture] (sec. 1)
Assyrian relief. Jewish prisoners sent into exile toward Babylon [picture] (sec. 1)
Triumphal procession, detail of the Arch of Titus, 81 AD, Rome [picture] (sec. 2)
Cassius Dio, Roman History, Book LXVIII [text] (sec. 2)
The Jewish diaspora in the 1st – 2nd centuries [map] (sec. 2)
Letter by Berr Isaac Berr [text] (sec. 4)
Louis-François Couché, Napoleon the Great re-establishing the religion of the Israelites (30 may 1806) [picture] (sec. 4)
Book cover of Der Judenstaat by Theodore Herzl [picture] (sec. 5)
Declaration of independence of Israel [text] (sec. 5)
Protocol of the Wannsee Conference [text] (sec. 5)

Holocaust
Protocol of the Wannsee Conference [text] (sec. 5)
Felix Nussbaum, The Damned (1943) [image] (sec. 5)

Image
Rembrandt, Moses Breaking the Tables of the Law, 1659 [picture] (sec. 1)
The Tel Dan inscription [picture] (sec. 1)
Assyrian relief. Jewish prisoners sent into exile toward Babylon [picture] (sec. 1)
Triumphal procession, detail of the Arch of Titus, 81 AD, Rome [picture] (sec. 2)
Tympanum of the Dura-Europos synagogue (2nd-3rd centuries) [picture] (sec. 2)
Manuscript from The Guide for the Perplexed [picture] (sec. 3)
French postal stamp showing the figure of Rachi of Troyes [picture] (sec. 3)
Exterior view of the Old-New synagogue, Prague [picture] (sec. 3)
Santa Maria la Blanca synagogue, Toledo, commemorative plaque [picture] (sec. 3)
Santa Maria la Blanca synagogue, Toledo, interior view [picture] (sec. 3)
Baruch Agadati as Hassid, from the Dance Melaveh Malka [picture] (sec. 4)
Portrait of Moses Mendelssohn [picture] (sec. 4)
Louis-François Couché, Napoleon the Great re-establishing the religion of the Israelites (30 may 1806) [picture] (sec. 4)
Book cover of Der Judenstaat by Theodore Herzl [pictur(sec. 5)
Felix Nussbaum, The Damned (1943) [image] (sec. 5)

Jewish writer
Maimonides, The Guide for the Perplexed [text] (sec. 3)
French postal stamp showing the figure of Rachi of Troyes [picture] (sec. 3)
Letter by Baal Shem Tov [text] (sec. 4)
Portrait of Moses Mendelssohn [picture] (sec. 4)
Letter by Berr Isaac Berr [text] (sec. 4)
Book cover of Der Judenstaat by Theodore Herzl [picture] (sec. 5)

Jewish rites
Baruch Agadati as Hassid, from the Dance Melaveh Malka [picture] (sec. 4)

Jews in non-Jewish context
Exterior view of the Old-New synagogue, Prague [picture] (sec. 3)
Santa Maria la Blanca synagogue, Toledo, commemorative plaque [picture] (sec. 3)
Santa Maria la Blanca synagogue, Toledo, interior view [picture] (sec. 3)
Letter by Berr Isaac Berr [text] (sec. 4)
Louis-François Couché, Napoleon the Great re-establishing the religion of the Israelites (30 may 1806) [picture] (sec. 4)

Map
The Jewish diaspora in the 1st – 2nd centuries [map] (sec. 2)
The distribution of the world’s Jewish population (2010) [carte] (sec. 5)

Medieval Judaism
Maimonides, The Guide for the Perplexed [text] (sec. 3)
Manuscript from The Guide for the Perplexed [picture] (sec. 3)
French postal stamp showing the figure of Rachi of Troyes [picture] (sec. 3)

Modern Judaism
Letter by Baal Shem Tov [text] (sec. 4)
Baruch Agadati as Hassid, from the Dance Melaveh Malka [picture] (sec. 4)
Portrait of Moses Mendelssohn [picture] (sec. 4)
Letter by Berr Isaac Berr [text] (sec. 4)
Louis-François Couché, Napoleon the Great re-establishing the religion of the Israelites (30 may 1806) [picture] (sec. 4)
Book cover of Der Judenstaat by Theodore Herzl [picture] (sec. 5)
Declaration of independence of Israel [text] (sec. 5)
Protocol of the Wannsee Conference [text] (sec. 5)
Felix Nussbaum, The Damned (1943) [image] (sec. 5)
The distribution of the world’s Jewish population (2010) [carte] (sec. 5)

Mysticism
Letter by Baal Shem Tov [text] (sec. 4)

Official document
Declaration of independence of Israel [text] (sec. 5)
Protocol of the Wannsee Conference [text] (sec. 5)

Philosophy
Maimonides, The Guide for the Perplexed [text] (sec. 3)

Roman writer
Cassius Dio, Roman History, Book LXVIII [text] (sec. 2)

Synagogue
Tympanum of the Dura-Europos synagogue (2nd-3rd centuries) [picture] (sec. 2)
Exterior view of the Old-New synagogue, Prague [picture] (sec. 3)
Santa Maria la Blanca synagogue, Toledo, commemorative plaque [picture] (sec. 3)
Santa Maria la Blanca synagogue, Toledo, interior view [picture] (sec. 3)

Text
The Ten Commandments [text] (sec. 1)