HERITAGE: Civilization and the jews - PBS

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R E S O U R C E T E A C H E R ’ S HERITAGE: CIVILIZATION AND THE JEWS PROGRAM TWO: THE POWER OF THE WORD (586 B.C.E. - 72 C.E.) By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat, sat and wept, we thought of Zion. [Psalm 137:1] HISTORICAL BACKGROUND the western Mediterranean. By 288 B.C.E, they controlled most of the Italian peninsula. The Roman empire continued to expand throughout the next two centuries, eventually defeating all of the Hellenistic powers. In the faction-torn independent Judean state, a battle for succession in the year 63 The ancient world saw the successive rise and fall of empires. B.C.E provided a pretext for the eventual establishment of Roman rule over From the 6th century B.C.E. to the 2nd century C.E., the Land of Judea.That rule was to last, in one form or another, until the Arab conquest Israel was conquered first by the Persians, then the Greeks, and in the 7th century C.E finally the Romans. Each empire incorporated the strategically located land into its own domain and left an indelible mark on Judaism and the history of the Jews. The Persians began their expansion under Cyrus, who in 539 B.C.E put an end to the Babylonian Empire. Cyrus permitted the exiled Jews to return to the sub-province of Judea (consisting of Jerusalem and its environs) and to The confrontation between Jews and Romans in the first two centuries of the common era (C.E) was a bloody and tragic chapter in Jewish history. The most fateful event was the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 C.E Paradoxically, this cataclysm unleashed powerful creative forces within Judaism. In response to the challenge, Jews fashioned legal and theological foundations for Judaism that have lasted to the present day. reestablish the Temple. According to some historians, it was during this time that the Torah (the Five Books of Moses) may have been completed ACTIVITIES and canonized as sacred scripture. MAP During the 5th century B.C.E, the Athenians tried to build their own THE WORLD OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT, 323 B.C.E. empire on the Aegean Sea. Although the Athenian empire was one of the Instructions are on the Student Worksheet. Correct answers are: smallest and shortest-lived of the ancient states, it made some of the most ✓(1) E (2) D ✓(3) C ✓(4) A ✓(5) B significant contributions to Western culture. Athens was home to Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, and to the great tragic playwrights Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. The defeat of the Athenians in 404 B.C.E at the hands of a league of other Greek city-states led to the birth of a Greek, or more accurately, Hellenistic Empire.The Greek Macedonians, led first by Philip II, and subsequently by his son Alexander, conquered virtually all of the territories formerly held by the Persians, including Judea. At the end of the 3rd century B.C.E, the Hellenized rulers of Syria known as the USING PRIMARY DOCUMENTS THE SAYINGS OF HILLEL The sayings of Hillel (see Student Worksheet) typify Pharisaic Judaism, by emphasizing morality. As such, they provide an excellent basis for a discussion about values. Begin the lesson by putting the following five words on the board: fame, knowledge, patience, courage, and Seleucids wrested control of Judea from wealth. Ask the students to the Ptolemys, the Hellenized rulers of Egypt. Once again the political affairs of the Jews were thrown into turmoil. The second of the Seleucid rulers of Judea was the infamous Antiochus IV, during whose reign Judaism came under attack. Judah the Maccabee led a revolt in 164 B.C.E and full Jewish sovereignty was established in Judea in 140 B.C.E. For close to a century, the Hasmonean dynasty founded by Judah’s brothers ruled the Judean state. rearrange them in order of importance. Have some put their lists on the board. Discuss with the class and agree on a definition of “values.” Then read and discuss Hillel’s sayings in terms of the values they represent. Ask the students to list them in order of importance and to give examples of how each might apply to real-life situations. Some students may recognize the first saying as the Golden Rule: Whatever you do not wish your While the Hellenistic dynasties dominated western Asia neighbor to do to you, do not do to him. Jesus later changed Bar Kochba coin, and Egypt, the Romans began to form an empire in Italy and 2nd Century C.E. this to: All things that you wish men to do to you, you must 16
PROGRAM TWO: THE POWER OF THE WORD (586 B.C.E. - 72 C.E.) do the same to him (Matthew 7:12). Compare and contrast. Students may wish to trace other sayings of Jesus to their Jewish sources. Here are a few suggestions (see chart below): Hebrew Bible Isaiah 61:2 Psalms 37:11 Psalms 24:3-4 Deuteronomy 6:4 and Leviticus 19:18 Proverbs 25:21 RESEARCH PROJECTS Jesus (New Testament) Matthew 5:4 Matthew 5:5 Matthew 5:9 Matthew 22:36-39 Romans 12:20 • Compare and contrast the mass deportation of the Jews to Babylon in 586 C.E. with other forced migrations in history, such as the “Trail of Tears” (the relocation of Cherokee Indians in Andrew Jackson’s time), the Nazi deportations of Jews during World War II, and the more recent expulsion of ethnic Albanians from Kosovo. • Not much is known about Jewish life in Babylon in the 6th-5th centuries B.C.E. Write a research report about what is known, using sources such as translations of the cuneiform clay tablets that are part of the Murashu Archives (the records of a banking firm). Did all Babylonian Jews regard themselves as exiles What was the range of Jewish occupations What impact did the exile have on Jewish religious practice • Why was King Cyrus of Persia considered an enlightened ruler Compare his policies to those recommended by Niccolo Machiavelli in The Prince,or to those of any other ruler you have studied. • Who were the Samaritans How did they differ from the Israelites Where are they today • What elements of Hellenistic culture were embraced by Judean Jews What aspects of Hellenism did pious Jews feel threatened by and reject • Consult the historical atlas on the DVD-ROM and prepare a research report on the extent of the Jewish diaspora in the 1st-2nd century C.E. Then select one Jewish community outside Palestine, such as Rome or Alexandria, and write a profile of it. • Write a report on the Jewish rebellion against Rome. Refer to The Jewish War by Josephus, as well as to other sources. What might account for the differences between these accounts • Write a comparative report on the following groups mentioned in T E A C H E R ’ S HERITAGE: CIVILIZATION AND THE JEWS this program: Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes. Include a basic description of who they were, what they believed, and how they interacted with one another. Or compare one of the above groups to a contemporary religious group. • In 1947, Arab shepherds discovered a treasure trove of what many scholars believe are Essene documents in caves at Qumran. Known as the Dead Sea Scrolls, these manuscripts have revealed hitherto unknown facts about life in Roman-ruled Palestine. Write a report on the “detective” work used by archaeologists and scholars to uncover the meaning of these artifacts. • What was the relationship between Jesus and the Jewish community in his lifetime In what ways was he a practicing Jew Who were his early followers Consult books by historians and compare with accounts in the New Testament. R E S O U R C E 17
Page 1 and 2: DVD-ROM Resource Guide www.thirteen
Page 3 and 4: INTRODUCTION In 1984, PBS broadcast
Page 5 and 6: Exploring Heritage via the historic
Page 7 and 8: Conservative, and Reconstructionist
Page 9 and 10: (Settlement in Canaan) • Babyloni
Page 11 and 12: Indeed, Jewish history is a repeati
Page 13 and 14: of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 C.E.,
Page 15 and 16: PROGRAM ONE: A PEOPLE IS BORN (3800
Page 17: PREVIEW QUESTIONS PROGRAM ONE: A PE
Page 21 and 22: T E A C H E R ’ S PROGRAM THREE:
Page 23 and 24: S T U D E N T PREVIEW QUESTIONS PRO
Page 25 and 26: PROGRAM FOUR: THE CRUCIBLE OF EUROP
Page 27 and 28: PROGRAM FIVE: SEARCH FOR DELIVERANC
Page 29 and 30: S T U D E N T PREVIEW QUESTIONS PRO
Page 31 and 32: PROGRAM SIX: ROADS FROM THE GHETTO
Page 33 and 34: PROGRAM SEVEN: THE GOLDEN LAND (AME
Page 35 and 36: PREVIEW QUESTIONS PROGRAM SEVEN: TH
Page 37 and 38: PROGRAM EIGHT: OUT OF THE ASHES (19
Page 39 and 40: PROGRAM NINE: INTO THE FUTURE (1880
Page 41 and 42: PREVIEW QUESTIONS Answer these ques
Page 43 and 44: SELECTED JEWISH HISTORY RESOURCES S
Page 45 and 46: The Israel Museum www.imj.org.il/ A
Page 47 and 48: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This guide was pro

HERITAGE: Civilization and the jews - PBS

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