|
|
Symbols
Mezuzah - "On the doorposts of traditional Jewish homes (and many not-so-traditional homes!), you will find a small case . . . . This case is commonly known as a mezuzah (Heb.: doorpost), because it is placed upon the doorposts of the house. The mezuzah is not, as some suppose, a good-luck charm, nor does it have any connection with the lamb's blood placed on the doorposts in Egypt. Rather, it is a constant reminder of G-d's presence and G-d's commandments."-- as excerpted from "Judaism 101: Signs and Symbols" by Tracey Rich, located on the home page of Judaism 101
Menorah
- "One of the oldest symbols of the Jewish faith is the menorah, a seven-branched
candelabrum used in the Temple. . . . It has been said that the menorah
is a symbol of the nation of Israel and our mission to be 'a light unto
the nations.' (Isaiah 42:6). . . . The nine-branched menorah used on Chanukkah
is commonly patterned after this menorah, because Chanukkah commemorates
the miracle that a day's worth of oil for this menorah lasted eight days."--
as excerpted from "Judaism 101:
Signs and Symbols" by Tracey Rich, located on the home page of
Judaism
101
Star of
David - "The Magen David (shield of David, or as it is more commonly
known, the Star of David) is the symbol most commonly associated with Judaism
today, but it is actually a relatively new Jewish symbol. It is supposed
to represent the shape of King David's shield (or perhaps the emblem on
it), but there is really no support for that claim in any early rabbinic
literature. . . . Today, the Magen David is a universally recognized symbol
of Jewry. It appears on the flag of the state of Israel, and the Israeli
equivalent of the Red Cross is known as the Red Magen David."-- as excerpted
from "Judaism 101: Signs and
Symbols" by Tracey Rich, located on the home page of
Judaism
101
Chai - "This
symbol, commonly seen on necklaces and other jewelry and ornaments, is
simply the Hebrew word Chai (living), with the two Hebrew letters Chet
and Yod attached to each other. Some say it refers to the Living
G-d. Judaism as a religion is very focused on life, and the word chai has
great significance. The typical Jewish toast is l'chayim (to life). Gifts
to charity are routinely given in multiples of 18 (the numeric value of
the word Chai)."-- as excerpted from "Judaism
101: Signs and Symbols" by Tracey Rich, located on the home page of
Judaism
101
Kippah (Yarmulke)
- "The most commonly known and recognized piece of Jewish garb is actually
the one with the least religious significance. The word yarmulke (usually,
but not really correctly, pronounced yammica) is Yiddish. . . . The Hebrew
word for this head covering is kippah (pronounced key-pah).
It is an ancient practice for Jews to cover their heads during prayer. This probably derives from the fact that in Eastern cultures, it is a sign of respect to cover the head (the custom in Western cultures is the opposite: it is a sign of respect to remove one's hat). Thus, by covering the head during prayer, one showed respect for G-d. . . . Whatever the reason given, however, covering the head has always been regarded more as a custom rather than a commandment."-- as excerpted from "Judaism 101: Signs and Symbols" by Tracey Rich, located on the home page of Judaism 101
Dreidel
- Square top used to play a game for Chanukah. "A gambling game played
with a square top. Most people play for matchsticks, pennies, M&Ms
or chocolate coins. A dreidel is marked with four Hebrew letters: Nun 
,
Gimmel 
,
Heh 
and
Shin 
.
This supposedly stands for the Hebrew phrase "nes gadol hayah sham", a
great miracle happened there. Actually, it stands for the Yiddish words
nit (nothing), gantz (all), halb (half) and shtell (put), which are the
rules of the game!" -- as excerpted from "Judaism
101: Chanukkah" by Tracey Rich, located on the home page of Judaism
101
Thaler, E. M. (Ed.). (2000, July 19). Light Our Candles: Judaism - Symbols [WWW document]. Light Our Candles. Leavenworth, KS: Saint Mary College. Retrieved Month #, 2000 from the World Wide Web: https://lightourcandles.tripod.com/judaismsymbols.html
|
Home Page |
Cross-Cultural Communication Resources |
Education Department |
