Judaism Beliefs and Teachings

The nature of the Almighty

Halakhah: The holy law of Judaism
Maimonides: Medieval rabbi and philosopher who wrote the Thirteen Principles of Faith
Mezuzah: A container for the Shema scroll put on door posts
Tefillin: Leather container for Shema scroll to put on arms and head
Tenakh: The Jewish scriptures

Shekhinah

Kabbalah: Jewish mysticism
Mount Zion: The holy hill in Jerusalem where the Temple was
Rabbi: An ordained Jewish religious leader/teacher
Tabernacle: The holy place containing the Ark of the Covenant
Temple: The centre of worship built by Solomon in Jerusalem and destroyed in 70 CE

Messiah

Jewish people had to leave their homeland and live elsewhere
Messianic Age: A time when all nations will live at peace and there will be justice in the world
Olam-Ha-Ba: The world to come
Ultra-Orthodox: The very Orthodox like the Hasidic and the Haredi
Zionism: The belief that the boundaries of the old kingdom of Israel should be those of the modern Jewish homeland

The covenant at Sinai

Ark of the covenant: The holy container for the tablets of the commandments
Covenant: An agreement between two parties
Decalogue: The Ten Commandments
Exodus: The Israelite' escape from slavery in Egypt
Gentiles: Non-Jews
Hashem: The Name, a word used to refer to God without mentioning his name

The covenant with Abraham

Brit Chayim: Covenant of life ceremony for Reform bay girls
Brit Milah: Covenant of circumcision
Canaan: Ancient name for the land of Israel
Ethnic Jew: Someone who is Jewish through his or her genes rather than his or her religious belief

Sanctity of life

Kashrut: Jewish food laws
Pikuach nefesh: Saving a life, the principle that Mitzvot can be ignored to save life
Sanctity of life: The belief that life is holy and belongs to God
Talmud: A collection of Mishneh and other writings on the Jewish Law

Moral principles and the Mitzvot

Halakhah: Jewish Law from the written and Oral Torah
Kosher: Food which a Jew is allowed to eat
Mishneh: The Oral Torah
Mitzvah: Commandment (singular)
Mitzvot: Commandments (plural)

Jewish belief about life after death

Gan Eden: Heaven
Gehinnom: Hell
Maimonides Jewish scholar (1135-1204) who wrote the Thirteen Principles of Faith
Olam-Ha-Ba: The spiritual world to come