What does it mean to be Jewish?

Jews

Hebrew as Yehudi or Yehudhi.

Originally refers to the people of the tribe of Judah (one of the 12 tribes of the Israelites) or the Kingdom of Judah (the kingdom of Israel established after the division of the Kingdom of Israel and the 10 northern tribes). All Jews were originally collectively called Hebrews, and from the time they occupied Palestine to the Babylonian exile, they were also called Israelites. After living in exile, only the people who originally belonged to the Kingdom of Judah still maintained their national characteristics. The other 10 tribes dispersed and assimilated into other ethnic groups after Assyria destroyed the northern kingdom in 721 BC. Therefore, the term "Jew" only refers to those who originally belonged to the Kingdom of Judah. people. Jews of all sects recognize that a person born to a Jewish woman is a Jew, while the Reformists believe that a person who has one parent who is Jewish is a Jew. Generally speaking, from a purely religious perspective, a community that has lived in a non-Jewish environment for generations and retained many basic teachings of Judaism is considered a true Jew as a whole, but as an individual, such a person cannot marry a Jew arbitrarily.

Also known as Hebrews and Israelites. Belongs to the Mediterranean type of Europa race. Mainly distributed in the United States, Israel, Russia, Europe and other regions. Israeli Jews use Hebrew as their national language, which belongs to the Semitic-Hamitic language family; American Jews speak English commonly, and many understand Hebrew or Yiddish; the rest use the local language. Before the 19th century, Jews scattered around the world were isolated from each other and had certain differences in social culture, religious rituals and living customs, thus forming three major branches: Ashkenazi, Sephardim and Orientals. . Believe in Judaism, some people converted to Christianity in history. Orthodox Christians practice circumcision and prohibit intermarriage with uncircumcised foreigners. Make Saturday a Sabbath day of rest. The reformists were lax in their observance of religious rules. Some people came to China and gradually integrated with the local residents. Throughout the Middle Ages, in the Christian world, Jews were always accused of betraying Jesus and suffered hatred and persecution everywhere. During World War II, 6 million European Jews were innocently murdered by Nazi Germany. The Jews longed to return to their own country. In May 1948, with the support of Britain and the United States, some Jews established the state of Israel in Palestine. Later, many Jews moved to Israel from all over the world, totaling more than 4.6 million people.

High IQ

The average human IQ is between 90-100, and the Jewish IQ is about 20-30 higher than the average human IQ. There is no explanation for why the Jews have high IQ. 1. There is no unified conclusion, and the main explanations are as follows.

1. After nearly 2,000 years of dispersion across the world, Jews have intermarried with local people, objectively forming the effect of distant bloodline reproduction, and their offspring generally have higher IQs than those of close bloodlines.

2. The study of Talmud by Jews has an enlightening effect on IQ.

3. Anti-Semitic Europe in the Middle Ages prohibited Jews from engaging in agriculture and serving in government departments, forcing Jews to engage in high-IQ jobs. The business and financial industry, coupled with the fact that Jews are engaged in intermarriage among Jews with high IQs, has accelerated the improvement of the IQs of future generations.

4. Jews must rely on intelligence to survive in a generally anti-Semitic environment, so the formation of It reflects the Jewish emphasis on knowledge and wisdom

Diversity of skin color

After nearly two thousand years of wandering around the world, Jews have intermarryed with local people, causing the skin color of the Jews to change. There are many kinds of Jews, including white Jews, yellow Jews, black Jews, and Jews of sub-skin color in India and Latin America.

Historical changes

The history of the Jews in biblical times began In the first 500 years of the second millennium B.C., the founders were Abraham, his son Isaac, and his grandson Jacob. A nationwide famine forced Jacob and his sons, the ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel, to emigrate to Egypt, where their descendants were enslaved. Centuries later, Moses led the people out of Egypt, out of slavery, toward freedom, and finally returned to the homeland of Israel. They wandered in the Sinai Desert for 40 years, formed a nation there, and accepted the Law of Moses, including the Ten Commandments. The monotheistic religion founded by their ancestors began to take shape.

Under the command of Joshua, the tribes of Israel conquered and settled in the homeland of Israel, but they often came under the leadership of leaders called "judges" only when they were threatened by external threats. United together. In 1028 BC, Saul established a monarchy; his successor David unified the tribes and established the capital in Jerusalem in 1000 BC. David's son Solomon developed the kingdom into a prosperous commercial power and built the Israelite monotheistic temple in Jerusalem. Archaeological excavations confirm that during the reign of Solomon, important urban trading centers were established in fortified towns such as Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. After Solomon's death, the country was divided into two kingdoms: one was the Kingdom of Israel, with its capital in Samaria; the other was the Kingdom of Judea, with its capital in Jerusalem. The two kingdoms existed side by side for two centuries, ruled by Jewish kings and exhorted by prophets to practice social justice and obey the law.

In 722 BC, the Kingdom of Israel was invaded by the Assyrians, and its people were forced into exile (known in history as the "Ten Lost Tribes").

In 586 BC, the Jewish kingdom was conquered by the Babylonians. The invaders destroyed the temple in Jerusalem and deported most of the Jews to Babylon.

Jewish Autonomy Period (538-60 BC) In 539 BC, the Babylonian Empire was conquered by the Persians. After that, many Jews returned to Judah (the homeland of Israel) and rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem. The way of life in the native land was also restored. For the next four centuries, the Jews enjoyed a large degree of autonomy under the rule of the Persians and ancient Greeks. As the Seleucid dynasty of Syria imposed a series of measures to prohibit Jewish religious belief, an uprising led by the Maccabees (Hasmoneans) broke out in 168 BC, and subsequently established the Hasmonean dynasty. An independent Jewish kingdom ruled by Jewish kings that lasted about 80 years.

Alien rule (60 BC - 1948 AD) From 60 BC onwards, the country was weakened by civil strife and increasingly came under Roman control. In order to get rid of Roman rule, the Jews launched one uprising after another, the largest of which broke out in 66 AD. After four years of fighting, the Romans conquered Judea (Judah) in AD 70, burned the Second Temple of Din, and exiled many Jews in the country. The last Jewish resistance to Rome was when more than a thousand people entrenched themselves in the hilltop citadel of Masada. This rebellion ended with the mass suicide of the defenders in AD 73. It became a symbol of the Jewish people's struggle for freedom in their own land.

Under the rule of Rome (70-313 AD) and Byzantium (313-636 AD), Jewish society continued to maintain and develop its own legal, educational and cultural systems in its homeland. In the 2nd century AD, Jewish laws covering all aspects of life were compiled into the oral law "Mishnah", which was later expanded into the "Talmud" in the 3rd to 5th centuries AD. Some of these laws were later modified according to changing circumstances, and are still observed by Jews who abide by the rules.

Another attempt by the Jews to regain national sovereignty was the Bar Kochba Revolt of 132 AD, which resulted in the establishment of an independent Jewish enclave in Judea, with Jerusalem as its capital. However, three years later, the Romans defeated Bar Kochba and in order to sever the connection between the Jews and their homeland, Jerusalem was renamed Aelia Capitolina and the country was renamed Palestine.

Since the 7th century AD, the country has been conquered successively by the Arabs (613-1091), Seljuks (1091-1099), Crusaders (1099-1291), and Mamluks (1291-1516). ), the Ottoman Turks (1517-1917) and the British (1918-1948). Rulers in different periods changed the boundaries and the name of the country at will. The royal palaces built by the conquerors are historical witnesses of their rule over this homeland.

Although thousands of years of foreign rule have reduced the number of Jews, the Jews have maintained their presence in this homeland, and as Jews from various countries return to their hometowns, the Jewish population continues to grow Increase. By the mid-19th century, the sparse Jewish population was growing rapidly.

Zionism For centuries, the hope of one day returning to Zion (traditionally synonymous with Jerusalem and the homeland of Israel) has been a mainstay of life for the Jewish diaspora around the world. By the end of the 19th century, as Jews in Eastern Europe continued to be oppressed and persecuted, while Jews in Western Europe became increasingly disillusioned with the kind of formal liberation that neither ended racial discrimination nor integrated Jews into the society of their countries, Zionism emerged as a national liberation movement. In 1897, Theodor Herzl convened the first Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland. At the meeting, the Zionist movement became a formal political organization, calling on Jews to return to their homeland of Israel and revive Jewish national life in their ancestral homeland.

Inspired by Zionist ideas, thousands of Jews began to return to their homeland. At that time, this homeland was part of the Ottoman Empire, sparsely populated and ignored by the world. Early pioneers drained swamps, reclaimed wasteland, planted trees on bare mountains, set up industry, and built cities and villages. They established community institutions and services and revived the use of Hebrew in daily life, long reserved for liturgy and literature.

One land, two peoples

Based on the recognition that "the Jews have a historical connection with Palestine (the homeland of Israel)" and the consideration of "rebuilding the Jewish national home in that country", the League of Nations In 1922, the British were entrusted with the rule of this homeland, and were specifically charged with "creating various political, administrative and economic environments for this country to ensure the establishment of a Jewish national homeland."

In the same year, the British established a new mandate on this land. The Arab Emirate of Transjordan (today's Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan) was established on three-quarters of the territory, leaving only the area west of the Jordan River for the development of the Jewish national homeland. Arab extremist leaders oppose even the establishment of a Jewish national home in such a small area. They incite attacks on Jewish communities and even attack Arabs who advocate Arab-Jewish independence.

British restrictions on Jewish immigration and settlement did not stop Arab militants from giving up. Violent incidents occurred frequently and continued until the outbreak of World War II.

During World War II, the Nazis murdered approximately 6 million European Jews, including 1.5 million children. After the war, despite the urgent need to find refuge for Jews who had survived the Holocaust, Britain did not lift quotas on Jewish immigration. In order to illustrate the stamp: Anna Frank and her family escaped Nazi persecution in this house for two years. In response to the British policy of restricting immigration, the Jewish community in her homeland, together with Jews from all over the world, mobilized all manpower and material resources to organize a This "illegal" immigration movement has transferred 85,000 refugees from Europe to their homeland.

The Arabs opposed the Jews settling in their homeland, while the Jews insisted on lifting restrictions on Jewish immigration. When the British were unable to mediate, they handed over the issue to the United Nations. The United Nations General Assembly voted on November 29, 1947 to establish two states west of the Jordan River: a Jewish state and an Arab state. The Jews accepted the partition plan while the Arabs rejected it.

National Status

On May 14, 1948, the British Mandate ended, and the Jews immediately declared the establishment of the State of Israel. Less than 24 hours later, armies from five Arab countries invaded the new country. Israel's war of independence raged on and off for more than a year. In July 1949, it signed armistice agreements with bordering Arab countries based on the ceasefire line.

In its founding declaration, Israel states that it "extends the hand of peace and good neighborliness to all its neighbors and their peoples." Although successive Israeli prime ministers have repeatedly reiterated this call, it has always been rejected or ignored . Arab terrorists continue to attack Israeli residential centers. Arab countries not only support and encourage the attacks, but also implement economic and diplomatic boycotts, block Israeli shipping international lanes and provoke all-out war. In 1956 and 1967, Israel launched preemptive attacks in response to deliberate provocations. In 1973, Israel repelled a simultaneous all-out offensive from three fronts by its Arab neighbors. In 1982, because residents of the northern Galilee were repeatedly attacked by terrorists, Israel took action to destroy the bases of the Palestine Liberation Organization (Palestine Liberation Organization) that carried out terrorist activities in southern Lebanon.

In 1977, Egyptian President Sadat visited Jerusalem at the invitation of Prime Minister Begin, thus breaking the deadlock of rejecting peace. This visit led to negotiations between the two parties, which resulted in the signing of the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty on March 26, 1979 and the conclusion of the Camp David Accords, which included relevant provisions for the realization of peace in the Middle East and the settlement of Jewish conflicts under Israeli administration since 1967. an arrangement for the future status of Asia, Samaria and the Gaza Strip. As violent protests erupted in these areas in 1987, the Arab-Israeli conflict focused on the Palestinian Arab side. Israel is convinced that the parties concerned can resolve the issue only through direct negotiations and therefore welcomes the dialogue opportunities provided by the Middle East Peace Conference held in Madrid on October 30, 1991, under the auspices of the United States and Russia. The meeting, which brought together Israeli, Lebanese, Syrian and Jordanian-Palestinian delegations, laid the foundation for subsequent bilateral negotiations between Israel and each of its Arab neighbors, as well as multilateral talks to resolve regional issues.

The Jews call themselves the "people of memory." The faith of Abraham, the slave life in Egypt, the words and deeds of the prophets, the wisdom of the sages, the history of the nation, and the relationship with the holy city of Jerusalem. The Jews rely on "memory" to inherit these and tell their descendants everything that happened in the past. To say that the Jews are a "people of memory" is to express their memory and inheritance of history. In these memories, there are not only the great achievements and glory of the nation, but also the persecution, separation, pain and failure. Through memory, the Jews passed on these pains and lessons from generation to generation to serve as a warning to future generations.

History is actually a record of a nation’s imprint. One of the reasons why Jews remember their national history seriously is to use this method to make Jews scattered around the world realize the unity of the Jews. However, the greater role of history education is the all-round enlightenment of personality, which the Jews also quite agree with. Therefore, history education in the true sense not only emphasizes the glorious history, but also faces up to the failures, setbacks, persecutions and decline in history, reflects on them and draws lessons from them. In this sense, Jews try to define education as "painful education." They not only tell their children that there is joy and happiness in life, but they also tell them that there will be darkness and frustration in life.

Purim (also known as Purim) is a costume parade held every February or March. In ancient times, Esther, a Jew who became a princess, once saved Jewish lives at all costs. This festival commemorates this history.

On Purim Festival, people play flutes and ring bells, and children and adults parade in the streets in costumes. Before going on this delightful parade, children must learn the origins of this holiday. Esther once sacrificed her life to inform the king of the plot to massacre the Jews. As a result, the principal culprit of the plot was executed, and the Jews saved their lives at the critical moment. Expressing Jewish gratitude is what Purim is all about.

In December every year, there is an eight-day Temple Dedication Festival. In ancient times, in order to resist the tyranny of Greece, the Maccabees staged an uprising and restored Jewish autonomy.

This festival commemorates this uprising. During this holiday, people learn about the history of the desecration of the Temple in Jerusalem and the denial of Jewish freedom of worship.

Also, two thousand years ago, the Greek army personally destroyed the Temple of Jerusalem. To commemorate this event, every August the Jews review history, conduct a one-day hunger strike, and pray for the rebuilding of the temple.

In addition, the Jews in Spain were exiled, the Jews were suppressed by Christians, and were levied exorbitant taxes, all the way to the fascist massacre. No matter how big or small the incident was, as long as it related to them, the Jews would investigate it thoroughly. record and remember.

The mission chosen by the Jews is to never let these tragic histories happen again. The pain of the past is a lesson for the future. Therefore, Jews will pass on this mission to the next generation and tell them: they cannot adopt a comfortable attitude towards life; they must have a sense of responsibility for the nation and the world; and learning history should not just stay in the past. , but also open your mind to the future.

A nation has its own history, and a person also has his own history, such as a person's growth, experience, family, friends and hometown. Each experience is connected with the relevant history, forming a large historical block. History is the product of an individual and his community. Learning history is not about listing past historical events, but about considering the relationship between these events and the present and their significance. For Jews, history is about challenges to the present and questions about the future.

For example, Jewish textbooks will not simply record how the Jews were massacred by the fascists, but will ask: How would you have responded in that situation? Students are asked to imagine themselves as victims, referring to various texts written by their ancestors about life in the concentration camps. Depending on the situation, if some people have relatives or friends who survived the concentration camps, you can have a discussion with them to hear the most real experiences.

Through such learning, students can understand history more intuitively, reflect on it and see the future direction. No matter how unforgivable the sins of fascist Germany were, they still had to establish friendly relations with the German people. This was the inductive attitude adopted by the Jews towards history. From failure, we can recognize and distinguish between good and evil, positive things and negative things. The most taboo thing for Jews is to ignore the facts and make one-size-fits-all regulations for everything. Created by Liu Hongping.