Are Jews Indigenous to Israel?

Essential Questions

1. What does it mean to be a diasporic people and what does the return to the Land of Israel mean for that identity?
2. What are the factors that influence why Jews leave their homes, both positive and negative? 
3. How does Judaism change when exposed to different cultures , and what are some common threads that stay the same?

Big ideas

1. All Jews are descended from Judeans who were indigenous to the Land of Israel.
2. Jews can be found in different countries around the world because they were often expelled from their homes, fled, or voluntarily left to seek better opportunities.
3. Though Jewish culture varies greatly because Jews have lived amongst many different cultures, all Jews share a central identity, traditions, and practices.