Judaism is one of the world's oldest monotheistic religions, tracing its origins to Abraham's covenant with God. Both Christianity and Islam emerged from the traditions of Judaism (New York University Press, 2002). The sacred text of the Jews is the Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh, which consists of the Torah, the Neviim, and Ketuvim. Major Jewish holidays include Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Hanukkah, and Passover.
Look through the tabs in the Jewish Artifacts box on this page to learn more about the items in the display that represent the Jewish tradition.
References
New York University Press. (2002). Judaism. In The New Encyclopedia of Judaism.
The shofar is a traditional Jewish instrument, made with an antelope or ram’s horn. It was—and still is today—used by Jewish congregations for ritual purposes, particularly on important holidays such as Rosh Hashanah (the first of the Ten Penitential Days which begin the Jewish New Year), and Yom Kippur (the last of the Ten Penitential Days which begin the Jewish New Year).
Are you curious to know what a shofar sounds like? Check out the short video below! (Video credit: The Jewish Museum)
This short 1-minute clip from FIRM Isreal explains why the shofar is an important part of Jewish tradition.
The mezuzah (Hebrew for “doorpost”) is a box in which a klaf, a small scroll of parchment with special prayers in Hebrew, is attached to the doorpost of a Jewish home. A mezuzah must be on the top third of the right doorpost, facing in the door, and must be tilted inward. It is customary for Jewish people, upon entering the home, to touch the mezuzah, sometimes kissing their hand before doing so—either as a reminder to themselves to honor their commandments, for protection, or to simply honor the traditions of their ancestors
The text of the klaf must be handwritten on parchment by a sofer, a scribe trained and qualified to inscribe holy scrolls. The text is from Bible (specifically, the Torah) passages Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21 which begin. “Hear, o Israel, Adonai is our God, Adonai is one...”
Credit: Jewish Learning Institute
Also sometimes called “the Hebrew Bible,” the Tanakh is the collection of scriptures considered canon by Jewish tradition. This particular version is a translation of Biblical Hebrew—and Aramaic, in the case of a few books—into modern English.
The word “Tanakh” is an acronym (TaNaKh) for the book’s three main sections: the Torah, or first five books, the Nev’im, or words of the prophets, and Ketuvim, the books of wisdom.
Also sometimes called a yarmulke, the kippah is traditionally worn by Jewish men (as well as some women and nonbinary people) to cover their heads.
While the question of when to wear the kippah is of some debate—some Jewish people will wear it only when praying or studying the Tanakh, while others will also wear it when entering sacred spaces or during meals. The exact reason given for this varies depending on the various Jewish authorities, but is generally agreed upon is a sign of reverence and respect.
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