Adonai – Hebrew for "my Lord". Since pronouncing the name of God was forbidden, Biblical Jews would use “Adonai” when reading the name of God aloud. Jewish people today often use the term, “HaShem” or “The Name” when referring to God. Yahweh and later Jehovah, was an attempt to recreate the pronunciation of the name of God.

Aliyah – Describes when a Jewish person leaves the country they are living in to move permanently to the land of Israel.

Biblical Judaism – When God gave Moses the Law (Torah) at Mt. Sinai, Biblical Judaism was formed (approx. 1400 B.C.). However, some scholars point to the return of the exiles from Babylon as the starting point of Biblical Judaism. With the destruction of Herod’s Temple in 70 A.D., daily sacrifices came to an end, as did Biblical Judaism.

B.C.E. – Before Common Era. An alternative to B.C. A term used by Jewish people, scholars and historians. For example 200 B.C.E. = 200 B.C. The “common era” starts with the birth of Jesus.

Christian Zionist – A Gentile believer who believes that all of God’s covenants with the nation of Israel and Jewish people are still in effect today. One who prayerfully and financially supports the nation of Israel.

C.E. – Common Era. An alternative to “A.D.” For example 125 C.E. = 125 A.D.

Completed Jew – A term used by some Gentiles to describe a Jewish person who has accepted Jesus as the Christ (Messiah). Often perceived as a derogatory term by non-believing Jews. i.e. “I’m incomplete, (less than a whole person), if I don’t accept who Jesus claimed to be”. A “Messianic Jew” is the preferred term.

Dead Sea Scrolls – A collection of writings that were written from approximately 175 B.C. to 68 A.D. The scrolls were placed in caves to protect them from being destroyed during the first Jewish-Roman War. Three Bedouin boys tending their sheep near Qumran, which is on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea, originally discovered the scrolls in 1947. Over the course of nine years archeologists discovered that the scrolls contained every book of the Old Testament except Esther, as well as apocryphal and codes of ethics for the community that lived there. Previously, the oldest complete set of the Old Testament was the “Leningrad Codex” written in approximately 1010 A.D. The Dead Sea Scrolls are widely recognized as the most important archaeological discovery ever made in Israel.

Diaspora – Refers to the forced expulsion of a people-group from their native land. The first Jewish Diaspora began with the Jews being taken to Babylon in 586 B.C. The second Diaspora, when Hadrian suppressed the Second Jewish Revolt in 135 A.D. Jewish people were either sold into slavery throughout the Roman Empire or fled due to various decrees prohibiting them from living in Judea. Jewish people lived in the “Diaspora” until Israel became a nation again in May of 1948.

Dome of the Rock – The golden-domed Islamic mosque often associated with the skyline of Jerusalem. Built between 687 and 691 A.D. by Muslim leader Caliph Abd al-Malik. Christian and Jewish historians believe that the rock located at the center of the mosque is the top of Mt. Moriah, where Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his son Isaac, as well as the site where the Ark of the Covenant rested in the Holy of Holies for Solomon’s Temple. Muslims believe that the prophet Muhammad and the angel Gabriel “ascended to heaven” to meet with God and Moses, this is known as the “Night Journey”. Muslims point to this event in their claim that the Dome of the Rock is the third holiest site in Islam.

God – for many centuries many Jewish people did not pronounce the name of God. Today some choose to write the name of God this way out of respect, reverence and awe for the Creator of the universe.

Gaza Strip – A strip of land in southwestern Israel that borders Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea. This piece of land is 25 miles long and about 5 miles wide. It is one of the most densely populated areas in the world, with 60% of the population living below the poverty level. Approximately 1.3 million Palestinians and 8,000 Israeli “settlers” live here. Although Israel captured it during the Six Day War, the majority of the Gaza Strip is currently under jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority per the Oslo Accords.

Gentile – Jews refer to any one who is not Jewish, regardless of ethnicity or religious belief as a Gentile.

Golan Heights – The mountainous area in northeastern Israel that borders Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. Captured by Israel during the Six Day War, the Golan Heights is still claimed by Syria. Most of the tributary streams that feed the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River originate on the slopes of the Golan. The mountains of the Golan provide Israel with many strategic military advantages over Syria and Lebanon.

Hebraic Christian – A Jewish person who accepts Jesus as his savior. A Hebraic Christian chooses to worship and follow the teachings and traditions of the Christian church (see Messianic Jew).

Josephus – Flavius Josephus, a Jewish Historian who lived from 37 A.D. to 100 A.D. His writings provide the most comprehensive account outside of the Bible, of life during the first century A.D.

May 14, 1948 – The day that is recognized as the formation of the State of Israel. On May 15, five Arab nations attacked the new nation in hopes of eliminating a Jewish homeland. Arabs refer to this day as al-Nakba, “the Catastrophe/Cataclysm”.

Messianic Jew – A Jewish person who accepts Jesus as the Messiah and believes in both the Old and New Testament as Scripture. A Messianic Jew will often retain all of their religious and cultural background and “graft-in” Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophesies. As with Christianity, there are several denominations or organizations within Messianic Judaism. The majority of Jewish people completely reject Messianic Jews for the belief in Jesus.

Palestine – The area of land that encompassed the Biblical lands of Israel. The land of Palestine was first named by Roman Emperor Hadrian after he crushed the Second Jewish Revolt (Bar Kochba Revolt) in 135 A.D. Hadrian renamed Judea (Israel) Palestine to insult the Jewish population. “Palestine” is a derivative ofPhilistine. From 135 A.D. to 1918 this part of the Middle East was always a province or territory of the current ruling Empire. It was never a sovereign nation. When Britain took control of this area after World War I, it became the “British Mandate of Palestine”.

Palestinian – An Arab who chooses to be identified with the inhabitants of Palestine before 1918. Many Palestinians do not recognize the State of Israel and refer to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip as the occupied or disputed territories.

Rabbinical Judaism – As a result of the destruction of Herod’s Temple and therefore the end of daily animal sacrifices in 70 A.D., a group of Pharisees lead by Yohannon Ben Zakkai met to discuss what was to become of Judaism. A new religion that was focused on good deeds and the study of Torah came to life. This series of meetings became known as the “Council of Yavneh”. It was decided that the leadership of Judaism would transfer from the temple priesthood to a new leadership called Rabbi’s. Rabbinical Judaism has four main denominations today, Orthodox, Reform, Conservative and Hasidic.Replacement Theology – An erroneous doctrine that was started by some of the “church fathers” when the leadership of the Church passed from Jews to Gentiles. This theology believes that the Church has replaced Israel (the Jewish people and land), in the purposes of God. This theology states that the covenants, blessings and promises that were given to Israel have been taken away from the Jews and given to the Church and that the Jewish people are to perpetually suffer for their rejection of Jesus.

Second Temple Period – Officially 536 B.C. – 70 A.D. More commonly known as the time period when Jesus was alive. The Second Temple refers to the Temple that Herod the Great built/remodeled. The First Temple is the one that Solomon built.Shabbat – The Sabbath, the seventh day of the Biblical week. A 24-hour period (a Biblical day according to Genesis 1:5) that begins at sundown on Friday and continues to sundown on Saturday evening.

Septuagint –The Greek translation of the Old Testament that was made in Alexandria, Egypt starting in 282 B.C. Originally just the first five books of the O.T. were translated. With the spread of the Greek language, many Jews no longer spoke Hebrew and over the next three centuries, additional books were translated for the Greek speaking Jews.

Shema – The central declaration of Judaism. “Hear, O Israel the Lord your God, the Lord is one. Love your God with all of your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deut. 6:4-5). Jesus called this the most important commandment in Mark 12:29

Shofar – An instrument that is made from the horn of a ram or other kosher animal. The sound it makes is known as the “trumpet”. The shofar was used to call the Israelites to worship, for assemblies and feasts, and sounding the alarm for battle. See Joshua Chapter 6.

Six Day War – Also known as the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. President Nassar of Egypt stated what six Arab nations sought to achieve, “Our basic goal is the destruction of Israel …”. When diplomatic efforts failed and with the massing of thousands of Arab soldiers on Israel’s borders, Israel launched a preemptive strike against the Egyptian Air Force bases in the Sinai, leaving only 12 planes to defend the entire country. At the end of the first day, 60% of Egypt’s Air Force was destroyed. With total air superiority, the Israeli forces were able to capture the Sinai, West Bank, Gaza Strip and the Golan Heights over the next five days. Crucial to understanding the importance of these acquisitions is that until this point, certain parts of Israel were only nine to eleven miles wide.

Tallit – A prayer shawl that has tassels (tzitzit) at each of the four corners. The purpose of the tallit was to hold the tzitzit (see Tzitzit). The Israeli flag with its blue stripes is patterned after the tallit.

Tanakh - The Hebrew Scriptures or Old Testament. An acronym from the first letters of the three parts of the Hebrew Scriptures. Torah, Nevi’im (Prophets) and K’tuvim (Writings). Jesus refers to this order in Luke 24:44. The Hebrew/Jewish Bible is arranged differently than the Christian Old Testament.

Temple Mount – A 35-acre compound in the old city of Jerusalem. The site of King Solomon’s and Herod’s Temples. Herod the Great started an expansion project in 20 B.C. and finished 83 years later in 64 A.D. During the Six Day War, Israel took control of the Temple Mount for the first time in over 1900 years. As a show of good faith and in hope of peace, the Israeli government decided to hand jurisdiction of the Temple Mount back to Muslim religious leaders called the “Waqf”.

Torah – The first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures or Old Testament. The Torah consists of three main sections – civil, moral and sacrificial laws. The Torah was to be the “constitution” of the Jewish nation.

Tzitzit – The tassels on the four corners of the prayer shawl. The tassels were to be a physical reminder of God’s commandments to the Jewish people. When the woman who was bleeding for twelve years reached out to touch Jesus, it was not for the hem of his garment but for the tzitzit. See Matthew 9:21.

West Bank – The area of land that encompasses Biblical Judea and Samaria and is west of the Jordan River bank. Jordan annexed the West Bank at the end of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Israel captured this piece of land during the Six-Day War in 1967. After the Oslo Accords of 1993, limited governing authority was given to the Palestinian Authority. 2.3 million Palestinians and 187,000 Israeli “settlers” live in the West Bank. A security fence is now being erected along the perimeter of the West Bank in an effort to keep suicide bombers from entering into Jewish towns.

Western Wall – Also know as the “Wailing Wall”. This is the holiest place in the world to a Jewish person. The Western Wall is part of the retaining wall that Herod the Great built in order to expand the Temple Mount. When the Old City of Jerusalem was captured during the Six Day War, Jews were able to worship here freely for the first time since 135 A.D. when the Roman Emperor Hadrian expelled all Jews from Judea.

Yeshua – Jesus’ name in Hebrew. Originally written as Iesous (Greek) in the New Testament. Translated as Jesus in English. Yeshua means salvation in Hebrew.

Zionism – A political movement among Jews that believe the Jewish people should have a national homeland. Formally founded in 1897 by Theodore Herzl. Today Zionism reflects a nationalistic pride in the country of Israel that encourages Jews to live in the land