The Portrayal of Judaism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Portrayal of Judaism - Essay Example Nevertheless the Greek culture had a great influence on the religious beliefs of the Jews. Due to the massive armies of Ptolemy and Seleucids, the Jews of Judea always remained subordinate to them and hence their powerful cultures had a great impact on the Jews and slowly they were forced to imbibe some of their concepts which were forced upon them. The Jews faithfully believed in life after death, stellar immortality and the immortality of ones soul after death. Prior to the Hellenistic period, the concept of afterlife the Jews had was a dark existence they referred to as â€Å"Sheol†. As it states in psalm 6 - â€Å"Turn, O Lord, save my life...For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who can give you praise?†. (Psalm 6: 4-5) But the modern Jews believed in Both Heaven and Hell. They believed that after death God would judge the actions of a person – by rewarding the good and punishing the evil. The Daily Express of London written on 24th of March, 1933 carried these headlines –â€Å" "Judea Declares War on Germany - Jews of All the World Unite - Boycott of German Goods - Mass Demonstrations." The Express also said that Germany was â€Å"now confronted with an international boycott of its trade, its finances, and its industry†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦In London, New York, Paris, and Warsaw, Jewish businessmen are united to go on an economic crusade.† (The Daily Express, 1933) This could be described as the first fatal turn of events towards the war. â€Å"The war against Germany will be waged by all Jewish communities, conferences, congresses... by every individual Jew. Thereby the war against Germany will ideologically enliven and promote our interests, which require that Germany be wholly destroyed.† (Natscha Retsch, 1933) Another primary factor that played a pivotal role in the war was the desire to set up a National Socialist ideology in Germany. As was written in Journal of Palestine Studies ("The Secret Contacts: Zionism and Nazi Germany, 1933-1941";