Judaism

• Monotheistic Religion developed by the Israelites/Hebrew

• Characterized by the fact that the one true God revealed himself to the Israelite leaders

• Abraham is the father of Judaism

The Three Major Jewish Beliefs

• Monotheism - belief in one God

• The Covenant - God made a covenant with His people

• Identity - God is the one true God. He created the universe and controls it.

Judaism v. Christianity

• Jews believe there is only one God. He is not cannot be divided into separate persons.

• Christianity believes God is actually three beings: the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

• Jewish text is the Old Testament, specifically the Torah (first five books of the bible)

• The text for Christianity is both the Old and New Testament

Jewish Fast Facts

• Jews worship at a synagogue.

• A rabbi leads the service, but anyone that has been through training can lead worship.

• The main denominations of Judaism are Orthodox, Conservative and Reform

Jewish Children

• When Jewish children turn 12 or 13, they stand before the congregation and read a section of the Torah in a ceremony called a bar mitzvah (for boys) or bat mitzvah (for girls).

• This celebration commemorates a passage into Jewish adulthood.

Islam

• Islam's founding fathers are several men mentioned in the book of Genesis: Abraham, Ishmael (Issac's brother), and Esau (Jacob's/Israel's brother)

• Islam is an Abrahamic Monotheistic Religion

• Muhammed is the prophet/messenger of God

• The followers of Islam are called Muslims

• The text is the Quran

Location

• Islam is centered on the Arabian Peninsula

• Muhammad was born in 570 A.D. to a merchant family in Makkah

Muhammad

• Muhammad was orphaned at the age of 5 or 6

• He was a caravan leader and a merchant

• He did not like the greed of merchants

• He spent time praying alone in a cave outside the city

• When he was 30, he had a vision that he was supposed to preach

Muhammad's Ministry

• Muhammad told the people to worship the one true God, Allah

• He told people that everyone was equal in God's eyes, the rich and the poor

• He preached that the rich should share their wealth with the poor

• Muhammad preached that God values good deeds