Temple Beth Tzedek

12 Tribes of Israel: Naphtali, Dan, Judah, Levi, Simeon, Reuben
Temple Beth Tzedek
621 Getzville Rd., Amherst, NY 14226
Temple Beth Tzedek - Official Website

Jacob fathered 12 sons. They are the ancestors of the tribes of Israel, and the ones for whom the tribes are named.

Tribe of Naphtali

Naphtali symbol: Naftali is represented by a gazelle or running stag

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Tribe of Dan

Judges 18:2: And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts, men of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto them, Go, search the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged there.

Symbol: scales of justice. The original area of the tribe of Dan extended from Jaffa southward. As it could not conquer its entire territory, Dan looked to settle elsewhere and the tribe moved north to the source of the Jordan River, captured the city Laish, and settled there. In Jacob's Blessing Dan was promised that he "shall judge his people" (Gen. 49:16), a reference symbolized by the scales of justice.

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Tribe of Judah

Symbol: The most famous heraldic symbol belongs to the tribe of Judah, which displayed a lion on its shield. Gen. 49:9: Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion...

Tribe of Levi

Symbol: ephod of the high priest on which were engraved, upon precious stones, the names of all tribes.

Tribe of Simeon

Symbol: He and his brother Levi destroyed the entire village of Shechem in retribution for the rape of their sister Dinah (Genesis 34).

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Tribe of Reuben

Symbol: mandrakes. In Gen. 30, where young Reuben brought his mother Leah mandrakes from the field.

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