United States History Student Edition

Anti-Semitism and the Holocaust Beginnings GUIDING QUESTION

READING STRATEGY Analyzing Key Ideas and Details As you read, take notes about the impact of anti-Semitism in different historical periods.

What are the basic beliefs of Judaism? Judaism (JOO•dee•ih•zuhm) is a religion that has its roots in the ancient Mediterranean region at the junction of Asia, Europe, and Africa. It was shaped by migration, forced and voluntary. The origins of the religion include the ancient Israelites and their migrations: into Canaan; into and out of Egypt; into and out of Babylon. At different points in history, groups of Jews lived in lands controlled by the Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans. These civilizations influenced each other’s cultures. Migrations According to Jewish belief, the ancestors of the ancient Israelites, and thereby Judaism, were a man named Abraham and his family. As a prophet (PRAH•feht), or a messenger sent by God to share God’s word, Abraham led his family from Mesopotamia to Canaan, located in parts of modern-day Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, and Syria. According to Jewish belief, God made a covenant (KUHV•uh•nuhnt) with Abraham, around 1800 B.C.E. God promised Abraham that if he and his family moved to the land of Canaan, they would be blessed. According to Jewish tradition, Abraham is important primarily for his belief in a single God. The belief in one all-powerful, just, and personal God is called monotheism (MAH•nuh•thee•ih•zuhm). This belief made Judaism unique among ancient religions. Judaism would play an important part in the development of two other major monotheistic religions— Christianity and Islam. prophet a messenger sent by God to share God’s word with people covenant an agreement with God monotheism a belief in one God

The Impact of Anti-Semitism

Historical Period

The Holocaust

The Contemporary Era

The Hebrew Bible says that Abraham led his family to Canaan. The land of Canaan had diverse environments, as it does today. Pictured here is the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel.

Hanan Isachar/Getty Images

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