3rd Quarter Lectures--By Dani

2/4

1. Today, students were informed on the history and significance of the Priesthood. They learned about how ordained priests can trace themselves back to St. Peter, and that everyone is actually a priest. To compliment this lecture, students also watched a short documentary on the priesthood, that included interviews about why priests decided to enter into religious life.

2. This lecture was very useful in the writing of the John Carroll Essay. Personally, I referred to these notes multiple times throughout my paper. In addition, it gave a new perspective on the jobs of priests in the community. One part of the documentary that really struck me was when a priest noted that he lives a lifetime in a day (baptism, wedding, last rites). This was very powerful.

2/16

1. Students were lectured on the Jewish peoples' revolutionary history. The Jews are God's 'Chosen People' and as such, they have endured much upheaval and repression. They have endured the Babylonian Captivity, repression by the Egyptians, and, most recently, the Holocaust. Although it is a great honor to be God's Chosen People, it is also a burden, because the Jews must keep undergoing tests in order to be worthy of God's love.

2. The rich Jewish history, which is one of the longest religious histories in existence, has shaped Jewish faith and tradition. It is impossible to understand the Judaism without knowing the trials the Jews have undergone. The celebration of Passover, for example, is a tradition from when the Jew's were freed from the Egyptians, and God 'passed over' the homes of the Jews. Without understanding the history behind Passover, we as students cannot understand its importance to the Jewish faith.

2/18 and 2/24

1. This lecture detailed the fundamental teachings of Judaism. Students were instructed in the three religious views in Judaism (orthodox, conservative, reform), and the covenant that God made with the Jewish people. One of the main points of this lecture was the difference between a covenant and a promise--A promise is an exchange of goods, and a contract. A covenant is an exchange of persons, and a swear.

2. This lecture taught students the fundamentals of Judaism. This information is needed, not only for the IB exam, but also to compare and contrast Judaism to other religions. Judaism was the first monotheistic religion, and Christianity and Islam are offshoots of it. In order to understand the other two religions better, we must first understand Judaism.

2/26

1. Today, students learned about the Jewish Community and the Oral Torah. Jews believe that God calls each person by name, and that each person is unique, and will never be repeated. The Oral Torah is an interpretation of the written Torah. It discusses how to live the Torah everyday (in the Jewish Community), and Rabbi's are required to read the entire Talmud (this shows some real commitment!)

2. By learning about the Jewish Community and the Oral Torah, students add another dimension to their understanding of Judaism. They are subjects that every Jew is well versed in, but that an outsider can know only if he/she studies the language in-depth. The Jewish Community is very strong, and is almost its own culture. It is important to understand the community in order to interact with it.

3/3

This lecture was skipped in favor of devoting more time to a documentary on Hasidism.

3/11

1. Students learned about the Holocaust, which is a huge tragedy in Jewish history, as well as the history of all Mankind. Throughout history, there has been bloodshed and tears, and the dignity of the human person has been cast aside. The Nazi's were not some strange, unfeeling breed of humans; they were people, with human hearts. It was humans who orchestrated the Holocaust, and who today contribute to Genocides in places like Darfur.

2. This lecture showed the universal theme of Genocides--they're executed by Man! This is important to remember. This lecture was also very important in relation the the Jewish people; jews have a 2,000-year history of maltreatment. It is important to understand how Jews view the Holocaust; it was a culmination of 2,000 years of persecution.