Ancient Alexandria was unequivocally a thriving and virtuous model of a Greek city. It incorporated Greek and Egyptian culture to form a lovely and unique culture. Of the ways that Alexandria actually expressed itself was through its astonishing architecture. Some of the amazing architectural and engineering marvels that were constructed in Alexandria included the Great Synagogue, the Great Library, the Museum of Alexandria, and the Great Lighthouse. The Great Lighthouse was the first of its kind and was undoubtedly revolutionary for its time. As well, the Great Lighthouse incorporated Greek (Hellenistic) culture through exquisite details, including, a statue of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea, on the very top of the Great Lighthouse. Additionally,
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In Alexandria, the core language and culture were greek and partly Egyptian, although groups of other cultural and ethnic origins still kept their traditions ongoing. To the Jews, Alexandria was not a place of dreadfulness nor despair, it was a land of opportunity, “not a few Jews came to Egypt of their own accord, for they were attracted by the excellence of the country and Ptolemy’s liberal ways” (Josephus, Antiquities 12.9). Jews in Alexandria were as much of a part of the community as anyone else. In fact, there was a wide scope of economic opportunities available to them, as anyone else in Alexandria. Consequentially, Jews in Alexandria did have some cultural and ethnic changes due to Hellenization. One of the most significant ethnic changes for the Jews in Alexandria was the Septuagint, a transliteration of the Torah out of its initial primary language (Hebrew), to Greek. However, this act of acculturation mainly occurred to escalate faithfulness towards the Torah and Jewish religion because the Alexandrian Jews were going to synagogue, but they were losing meaning and understanding in the Torah since they could not understand the language it was being said in, Hebrew. Therefore, they translated the Torah from Hebrew into Greek to grow ethnic connections and understanding towards the followers of Judaism and to assist in promoting Judaism and making it more enticing for others to join the religion of …show more content…
As a Jewish Torontonian teenager, I have experienced acculturation firsthand. Some examples of acculturation I have undergone as a modern-day Jew include, reading the Torah and reciting prayers in English, the celebration of holidays that are not my own (such as New Years), and accepting scientific ideologies that contradict Jewish faith. Many of these acculturate events are akin to what befell the Alexandrian Jews. Personally, I acquire the knowledge of being able to read Hebrew, but many Hebrew words that I read lack meaning to me. Alike the Jews in Alexandria, I read the Torah in a scripture that has been translated outside of its native language for the derivation of meaning and understanding of such a holy document. As well, analogous to the Jew in Alexandria, different non-native teachings supervene me, including apothegms that contravene the teachings of the Torah, such as the Big Bang Theory (in my case). Coincidentally, the Jews in Alexandria also endured contradictory teachings, such as being taught the world was round, instead of flat. Although acculturation while still attaining some Jewish beliefs was momentous to most Alexandrian Jews, whether through, intermarriage, communal pressure, or through revision of beliefs, some Jews assimilated towards Alexandrian culture entirely. Likewise, in the modern day, more and more Jews are accepting and permanently altering
In Alexandria, the core language and culture were greek and partly Egyptian, although groups of other cultural and ethnic origins still kept their traditions ongoing. To the Jews, Alexandria was not a place of dreadfulness nor despair, it was a land of opportunity, “not a few Jews came to Egypt of their own accord, for they were attracted by the excellence of the country and Ptolemy’s liberal ways” (Josephus, Antiquities 12.9). Jews in Alexandria were as much of a part of the community as anyone else. In fact, there was a wide scope of economic opportunities available to them, as anyone else in Alexandria. Consequentially, Jews in Alexandria did have some cultural and ethnic changes due to Hellenization. One of the most significant ethnic changes for the Jews in Alexandria was the Septuagint, a transliteration of the Torah out of its initial primary language (Hebrew), to Greek. However, this act of acculturation mainly occurred to escalate faithfulness towards the Torah and Jewish religion because the Alexandrian Jews were going to synagogue, but they were losing meaning and understanding in the Torah since they could not understand the language it was being said in, Hebrew. Therefore, they translated the Torah from Hebrew into Greek to grow ethnic connections and understanding towards the followers of Judaism and to assist in promoting Judaism and making it more enticing for others to join the religion of …show more content…
As a Jewish Torontonian teenager, I have experienced acculturation firsthand. Some examples of acculturation I have undergone as a modern-day Jew include, reading the Torah and reciting prayers in English, the celebration of holidays that are not my own (such as New Years), and accepting scientific ideologies that contradict Jewish faith. Many of these acculturate events are akin to what befell the Alexandrian Jews. Personally, I acquire the knowledge of being able to read Hebrew, but many Hebrew words that I read lack meaning to me. Alike the Jews in Alexandria, I read the Torah in a scripture that has been translated outside of its native language for the derivation of meaning and understanding of such a holy document. As well, analogous to the Jew in Alexandria, different non-native teachings supervene me, including apothegms that contravene the teachings of the Torah, such as the Big Bang Theory (in my case). Coincidentally, the Jews in Alexandria also endured contradictory teachings, such as being taught the world was round, instead of flat. Although acculturation while still attaining some Jewish beliefs was momentous to most Alexandrian Jews, whether through, intermarriage, communal pressure, or through revision of beliefs, some Jews assimilated towards Alexandrian culture entirely. Likewise, in the modern day, more and more Jews are accepting and permanently altering