![[walk image]](icons/walk.gif)
A Walk in Time
Note: all dates are approximate
Go to 586 BCE: Destruction of the Temple
Go to 495: Babylonian Talmud Completed
Go to 1492: Columbus Discovers the New World
Go to 1882: Founding of Temple Emanu-El in Montreal
Go to 1939-1945: Holocaust
- 1900 BCE - Abraham of Ur (present day Lebanon), the forefather
of Judaism, rejects polytheism (worship of multiple gods) and
begins the tradition of monotheism (the worship of one God). According
to the Bible, God promises Abraham that he will make his family
one great nation. Under God's direction, he and his family settle
in the land of Israel.
- 1750 BCE- As a result of famine, Abraham's great-grandchildren
leave Israel and settle in Egypt. After living in this country
for many years, they are enslaved by the pharoah (Egyptian king).
- 1450 BCE- God forces the pharaoh to free Abraham's descendants,
the Jews, from slavery. Under God's direction, Moses leads the
Jews out of Egypt. After many years of wandering in the desert,
they reach the land of Israel.
![[command image]](icons/command.gif)
- 1410-1050 BCE- The Jews settle in the land of Israel. There,
they divide into twelve separate tribes, each of which is led
by a judge.
- 1050-933 BCE- Saul, the first king of Israel, unites the twelve
tribes. David, who succeeded Saul as king, both extends and strengthens
the kingdom of Israel. During his reign, Solomon, David's son,
builds the Holy Temple.
- 928 BCE- The Jews revolt against the despotic rule of Saul's
son. Subsequently, the kingdom of Israel splits into two: Israel
and Judah.
- 722 BCE- The Assyrians conquer the kingdom of Israel.
- 586 BCE- The Babylonians conquer
the kingdom of Judah and destroy the Temple. Many Jews are forced
to move to Babylonia where they build new places of worship (synagogues).
- 538 BCE- A new Babylonian king allows the Jews to return to
Judah and rebuild the Temple. While many do return, a significant
number remain in Babylonia.
![[destruction image]](icons/destruct.gif)
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- 332 BCE- Judah is conquered by the Greek Empire. Consequently,
some Jews adopt Greek customs and religion.
- 168-164 BCE- Under the leadership of the Hasmoneans (particularly
Judah Maccabee) , the Judeans successfully revolt against the
Greek-Syrian king Antiochus. for a short period, Judah is free
from external control.
- 63 BCE- The Roman Empire conquers Judah.
- 30- The Romans execute Jesus Christ, who was the leader of
a small Jewish sect. Jesus's followers abandon Judaism and spread
the Christian faith throughout the Roman Empire.
- 66-73- The Jews organize a revolt against Roman rule which
fails miserably. In response, the Romans burn the Second Temple.
- 132-135- The Romans force the Jews to leave Jerusalem and
forbid them from practicing their religion. Jewish worship continues
in secret, however.
- 200s - The Jews continued to practice their religion illegally
under Roman rule. Afraid that the laws of the Torah would be forgotten,
the Rabbis wrote them down in the Mishnah. Babylonia becomes the
major center of Jewish activity.
- 400s- Numerous Jewish academies are
built in Babylonia by a Jewish leader known as the "exilarch."
In 495 CE, the Babylonian Talmud is written down.
![[talmud image]](icons/talmud.gif)
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- 622- Muhammad initiate the religion of Islam in Arabia.
- 740-970 - Judaism spreads to Russia where the kingdom of Khazar
becomes Jewish.
- 950-1391- A large Jewish community develops in Spain, where
Jews experience a high degree of freedom under Christian and Muslim
rulers.
- 950-1100- Jews settle in England, France, and Germany. During
this time, many developments occurred in the area of Jewish study.
Maimonides, for example, modernized Bible and Mishnah study.
- 1096-1320- Many Jews are killed during the Crusades. Some
Jews are able to escape to Poland.
- 1200-1400- Jewish persecution continues in Western Europe.
In 1290, Jews are expelled from England because they are too poor
to pay taxes.
- 1348-1349- Many people blame the Jews for the Black Plague,
which kills thousands in Europe. Consequently, Jews are expelled
from many countries. Jewish immigration to Poland increases.
- 1300-1492- Oppression grows in Spain.
In 1492, the same date which Columbus discovers the New World,
Jews are ordered to leave Spain. Some Jews, known as Marranos,
remain in Spain and continue to practice their religion in secret.
- 1500-1600- Spanish and Portuguese Jews immigrate to Italy,
the Turkish Empire (particularly Palestine), North Africa, and
the New World.
- 1400-1648- Jews live peacefully in Poland where they work
primarily as merchants, artisans, and innkeepers. There, they
are governed by the Jewish Council of Four Lands.
- 1648-1658- The Cossacks destroy 700 Jewish communities in
Polish Russia. Many Jews are expelled from the region.
- 1500-1700- The Marranos move to Holland and France, where
they are permitted to practice their religion freely. Jews also
begin to return to England.
- 1750s- A new sect of Judaism known as Hasidism emerges in
Eastern Europe. Commerce and industry flourish in Western Europe
and some Jews become very prosperous.
- 1787- The Constitution of the United States of America promises
religious freedom to all individuals. France follows the American
lead and provides equal rights to Jews.
- 1800-1900- The concept of equal rights continue to spread
throughout Western Europe. Consequently, Jews living in that region
begin to enjoy more religious freedom. In Eastern Europe, however,
there are numerous attacks on Jewish communities (pogroms). Reflecting
in part these new found secular freedoms, the Reform movement
emerges in Germany.
- 1867- The Canadian Confederation is established.
- 1882- The Temple Emanu-El, the first
Reform Judaism congregation in Montreal, is established.
![[Temple image]](pictures/gif/801.gif)
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- 1890s- The Conservative Judaism movement emerges in the United
States. Dreyfus, a captain in the French army, is falsely accused
of treason. anti-Semitism increases throughout France and many
Jews begin to actively support the idea of establishing a Jewish
homeland in Palestine. In 1897, the first Zionist Congress takes
place.
- 1900-1914- The pogroms continue in Russia which results in
further immigration to Western Europe, North America, and Palestine.
- 1914-1918- The first World War rages throughout Europe. Great
Britain issues the Balfour Declaration (1917) which states that
the British government "views with favor" the building
of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Consequently, Jewish immigration
to this region increases.
- 1933- The Nazi party takes power in Germany. The Jews are
blamed for the country's misfortunes and are placed in concentration
camps.
- 1939-1945 - The Second World War rages.
The Nazis conquer most of Europe, destroying much of the Jewish
population in each country. In total 6 million Jews are killed
in the Holocaust.
- 1948 - The State of Israel is established.
![[israel image]](icons/israel.gif)
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- 1990s- Middle East peace talks.
