Introduction to Israel

The first ancient Israelites inhabited small villages in the hill country of central Israel, called at that time Canaan, sharing land and many cultural attributes with other Canaanites. Although archaeology teaches us that they shared a common physical culture, the ancient Israelites’ worship of a single God was unique.

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The ancient land of Israel was located at the far western end of the Fertile Crescent, the site of the modern State of Israel, on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The first ancient Israelites inhabited small villages in the hill country of central Israel, called at that time Canaan, sharing land and many cultural attributes with other Canaanites.

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​Israel Location

What factors made Canaan become a crossroads in ancient​ Middle East?

About 4,000 years ago, the ancient Israelites developed the religion of Judaism, which became a defining feature of their culture. Today, Judaism is one of the world’s major faiths.The beliefs of the ancient Israelites, also called the Hebrews for the first three generations, differed in basic ways from those of nearby peoples. The Israelites were monotheistic, believing that there was only one god. At the time, all other peoples worshiped many gods.

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Judaism

The Israelites believed in an all-knowing, all-powerful God who was present everywhere. In their views, history and faith were interconnected. Each event reflected God’s plan for the people of Israel, and the Israelites' choices and actions made the plan unfold.

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Unique religious belief

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The most sacred Jewish text, tells the history of the ancient Israelites and their continuing relationship with God. The Torah includes the first five books of the Hebrew Bible—that is, the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The Hebrew Bible includes a total of 24 books. Additional laws, customs, legends, and ethics written down much later make up another important lengthy text, the Talmud, containing over 12,000 pages.

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Torah

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A belief in one God

Monotheism​

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Monotheistic religious belief of the ancient Israelites.

Judaism

A group of people who lived in southwest Asia and believed in one God

Israelite

Most sacred text of the Hebrew Bible. Includes the first five books of the Bible.

Torah

Abraham Moses​ I​saac. Jacob

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Glue the middle tab onto your page​

Use the page under the picture to take notes about each prophet​

Abraham

According to Jewish tradition, Jacob had twelve sons, each an ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. One son, Joseph, saved the family from famine when they moved to Egypt.

Jacob

​Moses led the Israelites in their exodus, or departure, from Egypt, from slavery to freedom. This renewed God's covenant with the Israelites

​​Moses

Isaac

Abraham lived near Ur about 2000 B.C. considered the father of the Israelites, the people who developed the religion of Judaism. Israelites believe in a single all-knowing God

Isaac was the son of Abraham. According to Jewish beliefs, a famous story involves Isaac and his father Abraham. One day, God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son. Abraham took Isaac to Mount Moriah and built an altar. Just before he sacrificed his son for God, God sent an angel to stop him.

is considered the father of the Israelites and their religion, Judaism. According to the Torah, the prophet, Abraham was born near Ur in Mesopotamia, in present-day Iraq, and moved to Haran in present-day Syria about 2000 b.c.

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Abraham

According to Jewish belief, God called to Abraham in Haran. God made an offer to Abraham, telling him that if he left his home and his family, then God would make him the founder of a great nation and bless him. So he and his extended family migrated, herding their sheep and goats into a region called Canaan (kay nun). Abraham believed that everything was created by a single God, and he began to teach this belief to others.

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Covenant:

a binding agreement

​specifically , in the Jewish tradition, the binding agreement God made with Abraham

God's Covenant with the Israelites

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"You shall be the father of a multitude of nations. . . . I will make nations of you, and kings shall come forth from you. And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. And I will give to you, and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings [short stay], all the land of Canaan." . . .

—Genesis 17:4–8

​Why do we care about God's covenant with the Israelites?​

• God declared that He would have a special relationship with Abraham and his descendants.

• The Israelites believed that God had chosen them to fulfill certain obligations and duties in the world.

• God declared that Canaan would one day belong to the Israelites. As a result, the Israelites viewed Canaan as their “promised land.”​

​Today:

The Jewish people continue to believe that the land of Canaan, modern day Israel is land promised to them by God's covenant.

A prophet who renewed God’s covenant with the Israelites.

In the book of Exodus, Moses tells the Israelites that in return for faithful obedience to God, God will lead them out of bondage (slavery) in Egypt and into the promised land.

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Moses led the Israelites in their exodus (departure), from Egypt, from slavery to freedom. After 40 years, they reached Canaan, although Moses died just before they arrived.

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Moses

Ten Commandments Activity:

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Students can use this activity to take notes on the historical significance of the Ten Commandments.

From early times, the concept of law was central to the Israelites. The Torah includes many laws and is thus often referred to as the Books of the Law. Some of the laws deal with everyday matters such as cleanliness and food preparation. Others define criminal acts. The Torah also establishes moral principles.

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​Laws in the Torah

Where: According to Jewish teachings, Moses received the Ten Commandments on the top of Mount Sinai.

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How: According to Jewish teachings, after escaping from slavery, Moses and his people wandered the deserts searching for their promised land – Canaan – the land where they could settle and start a new life. One day, Moses climbed to the top of Mount Sinai and received the Ten Commandments from God, instructing the Israelite people how to live their lives

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Why: The Ten Commandments helped the Israelites know the difference between right and wrong. Its purpose was to help the Israelites live their life in accordance with their God’s scripture.​

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Significance: The Ten Commandments have had a major impact in the world – far beyond the belief system of the Jewish people. Laws around the world are very similar to the Ten Commandments (no murder, stealing, etc.). An important concept of the Ten Commandments is that those laws apply to everyone equally. In today’s society, that democratic principle is an important part of legal systems around the world.​

Who: Moses - According to Jewish teachings, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. Moses was considered a prophet who rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.

The first four commandments: stress religious duties toward God, such as keeping the Sabbath, a holy day for rest and worship. The rest address conduct toward others.

​The rest address conduct toward others. They include “Honor your father and mother,” “You shall not murder,” and “You shall not steal.”

In addition to establishing a moral law, the Ten Commandments also helped develop the “rule of law,” the idea that laws should apply to everyone equally. Finally, the Ten Commandments guided the ancient Jews in setting up their society and government, an influence that endures into our own time.

Introduction to the Kings and political history of Isarel

Israelite society was patriarchal, which means that men held the greatest legal and moral authority. A family’s oldest male relative was the head of the household, but women were respected and had more rights than women in many other ancient societies. A few outstanding women, such as the judge and military leader Deborah and the prophetess Miriam won great honor.

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​Patriarchal

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Activity: Cut out entire activity and then cut along the lines

Students can use this activity to take notes on the three ancient kings. They can describe their lives, achievements and their significance to the ancient Israelites.

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King Saul King David King Solomon

By 1000 b.c., the Israelites had set up the Kingdom of Israel.

The Torah tells of twelve separate tribes of Israel that were not united before this time.

Saul, the first king of Israel, united these tribes into a single nation.

Second king of Israel, David, established Jerusalem as its national capital and led successful military campaigns creating secure borders for Israel.

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The Kingdom of Israel

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Solomon’s building projects required such high taxes and so much forced labor that revolts erupted after he died about 922 b.c.

The kingdom then split into Israel in the north and Judah in the south.

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The fall of King Solomon​

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In 722 b.c., the Assyrians conquered the northern Kingdom of Israel.

From this time, since most of the remaining Israelites came from the tribe of Judah and were now part of the Kingdom of Judah, they became known as yehudi, or Jews.

In 586 b.c., Babylonian armies captured Judah. Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the great temple and forced many of those he defeated into exile in Babylon.

This period of exile, called the Babylonian Captivity, lasted about 50 years.

In 539 b.c., the Persian ruler Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon and soon freed the Jews. Many Jews returned to Judah, where they rebuilt a smaller version of Solomon’s Temple. However, like other groups in the region, they lived under Persian rule.​

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Kingdom of Judah

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• Ruler of the Persian Empire

• Defeated Chaldeans

• The Chaldeans had forced the Israelites out of their homeland and sent them to live in Babylon

• Cyrus the great allowed the Jews to return to Judah

• Cyrus allowed the Jews to rebuild Jerusalem​

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Born July 20, 356 BC in Macedon

Was taught by hylosopher Aristotle

Never lost a battle in 15 years

334 he invated the persian empire

331 he conquered Egypt

​328 India

Died in Babylon at the age for 32 from illness or poison​

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Alexander the Great

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Family and faith are at the heart of the Jewish culture, food and traditions.

A strong family unit is at the center of the culture. The family parents teach the ​important lessons of the Torah and keep the traditions of their faith.

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Israel's culture and traditions

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