1. What are the great questions of life – the ultimate questionsThose questions of being referring to God, humanity and the world?

2. How is it possible to speak of the ultimate?

3. What is me?

4. The faith response to transcendenceThat which refers to the metaphysical world rather than the physical.

5. How a person of faith responds to sufferingThe universal condition of humankind, partly caused by the impermanence of all things and the human condition?

Judaism has an almost unique view of the relationship between humanity and G-d.

Jews know that their role is to live an halakhic life according to G-d's will which is expressed in the Ten Commandments and the 613 mitzvot.

The undertaking to obey G-d and to worshipThe offering of praise and reverence to God via a religious service G-d is found in the Covenants (agreements) of the Jewish Scriptures, in particular the first covenant with AbrahamFounder of the Jewish nation:

The LORD said to Abram, "Go forth from your native land and from your father's house to the land that I will show you.

I will make of you a great nation,

And I will bless you;

I will make your name great,

And you shall be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you

And curse him that curses you;

And all the families of the earth

Shall bless themselves by you." (GenesisFirst book of the Bible 12:1-3

Some time later, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision. He said,

"Fear not, Abram,

I am a shield to you;

Your reward shall be very great."…

He took him outside and said, "Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And He added, "So shall your offspring be." And because he put his trust in the LORD, He reckoned it to his merit. (Genesis 15:1, 5-6)

Jews put their trust in G-d because of the promises of the Covenants and because of their role as a chosen people:

For I provide water in the wilderness,

Rivers in the desert,

To give drink to My chosen people,

The people I formed for Myself

That they might declare my praise. (IsaiahOne of the three major prophetic books of the Bible 43:20b-21)

The G-d of the Jews is transcendent and some people suggest that this is more so since the time of the TorahIn Judaism, the Law or the first five books of the Bible as G-d has seemed more distant from humanity and less involved.

For many Jews the experience of the 20th century HolocaustThe term referring to the murder of six million Jews in the Second World War posed a very real challenge to their view of G-d. Some theologians argued that as G-d did not prevent the Holocaust, G-d must be dead or non-existent. Conversely, some argue for a strengthened faith in the light of such as disaster. Whilst others look for a different way of believing:

'We cannot sustain the old belief in man, nor the old belief in G-d … but we can search for new beliefs.' (Albert Friedlander)

Websites

http://www.afet.org.uk

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/

http://www.jewfaq.org/index.htm

http://www.jewishagency.org/JewishAgency/English/Jewish+Education/

http://www.myjewishlearning.com/index.htm

http://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/

http://www.shamash.org/

http://www.torah.org/

http://www.yadvashem.org/

Bibliography

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Cohn-Sherbok, D., 2003. Judaism: History, Belief and Practice. London: Routledge.

Gaster, T.H., n.d. Festivals of the Jewish Year. s.l.: Morrow Quill

Greenberg, B., 1990. How to run a traditional Jewish household. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Greenberg, B., 1992. On Women and Judaism: A View from Tradition. s.l.: JPS.

Harris, L., n.d. Holy Days, the World of a Hasidic Family. s.l.: Collier Books.

Koltun, E., (ed.), 1989. The Jewish Woman. New York: Schocken, New York.

Kraemer, D., (ed.), 1989. The Jewish Family. Oxford: OUP.

Mayled, J., 2007. ‘Judaism’. In Tyler, S. & Reid, G., AS Religious Studies. London: Pearson.

Mayled, J., 2007. ‘Judaism’. In Tyler, S. & Reid, G., A2 Religious Studies. London: Pearson.

Pilkington, C. M., 1995. Teach Yourself Judaism. London: Hodder & Stoughton.

Schauss, H., n.d. Jewish Festivals: History and Observance. s.l.: Schocken.

Unterman, A., 1996. The Jews: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices. s.l.: Sussex Academic Press.

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