JUDAISM

Judaism is a religion based on principles and ethics found

in religious texts of the Jewish people.

Judaism is among the oldest religions still in practice today and Judaism has influenced

other religions such as Christianity and Islam.

With an estimated 14 million followers in the world, Judaism is the world's

eleventh-largest religion.

This map is a ranked ordering of countries by the sizes of their Jewish populations. The countries in red have the ten largestJewish populations in the world, etc.

During Judaism's 4,000-year history, Jews have

experienced slavery, conquest, persecution,

exile from their homeland, and eventual return

to their homeland in Israelduring the 20th century.

The history of Judaism begins with the covenant (agreement) between God and Abraham (2000 BC)- the patriarch (father) of the Jewish people.

Around 1600 BC, as a result of famine, many Jews (Hebrews)

migrated to Egypt, where they were eventually held in slavery until

Moses led them out of Egypt and established a homeland in

present-day Israel.

A universal symbol of Judaism is the six-point Star of David…

King David unified the Jewish kingdom and ruled from Jerusalem. His reign symbolizes a united Jewish people.

Throughout the ages, Jews remain faithful

to certain religious principles, the most important of which is

the belief in one God who created the universe

and continues to govern it.

According to Jewish belief, God revealed his laws and commandments to Moses and is written in the Torah.

Torah is Hebrew for "teaching", "instruction", or "law".

The Torah is the most

important religious text

of Judaism.

The five books of the Torah

are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.

The practice of Judaism revolves around study and the

observance of God's laws written in the Torah and

expounded in the Talmud- the second sacred book of Judaism.

Other sacred texts include the writings of prophets and psalms, which also form

the Christian’s Old Testament.

Over the past centuries, the Jewish community has divided into a number of Jewish denominations-each has a different understanding of what beliefs a Jew should hold, and how one should live as a Jew.

Orthodox Judaism emphasizes strict observance of religious laws and commandments.

Conservative Judaism holds that the laws may be interpreted to

reflect modern situations.

Reform Judaism, called Liberal or Progressive, believes that individual Jews determine for themselves how laws should be observed.

Most Jewish religious practices

include the wearing

of certain religious clothing.

A “kippah” (or yarmulke) is a round skullcap worn by most Jewish men while praying or

studying Jewish religious texts.

Among Jews, the practice of covering the head is a way to

show reverence.

A “tallis”(prayer shawl) is worn by Jewish men and some Jewish women during a prayer service.

Traditionally, Jews recite prayers three times daily, with a

fourth prayer added on Shabbat

(the sabbath) and religious holidays.

In addition, some Jews recite prayers throughout the day-

before eating and after eating a meal.

Shabbat (Hebrew for "rest“) is the weekly day of rest in Judaism, symbolizing the seventh day in the Book of Genesis, after the six days of God’s creation. It is observed from sundown on Friday until Saturday night.

Shabbat is begun by lighting

candles and families gathering together for the sabbath meal.

During Shabbat, Jews honor the day by not engaging in any

activity that would be considered as "work."

Other Jewish holidays or festivals are observed by Jews

to commemorate important beliefs or events in Jewish history.

Rosh Hashanah-the Jewish New Year-marks the beginning

of the 10-day period of atonement (making right for one’s sins)

leading up to Yom Kippur.

Yom Kippur is considered by Jews to be the holiest and

most solemn day of the year.

It is a day of fasting and praying for forgiveness for

one's sins.

Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights-

is an 8-day holiday commemorating

a Jewish victory over an ancient ruler who refused to allow the

Jews to worship freely.

Hanukkah celebrations include the lighting of the menorah-

a candelabra. It is said to symbolize the

burning bush as seen by Moses.

Passover is a week-long holiday that commemorates the Moses and the Jewish people’s exodus from Egypt.

Other important events, occur throughout a Jew's life.

Bar mitzvah(for young men) and Bat mitzvah(for young women)-

This event marks the passage from childhood to adulthood.

This is often commemorated by having the new adults lead the congregation in prayer and publicly read a "portion" of the Torah in Hebrew.

Synagogues are Jewish houses of prayer and study.

They usually contain a sanctuary for prayer, smaller

rooms for study, and an area for community or educational use.

The Rabbi of a congregation is the Jewish scholar who is a synagogue’s religious leader.

He serves many similar purposes as a priest or minister, such as marrying Jewish couples.

A congregation does not necessarily require a rabbi. Some congregations allow members of the congregation

to act as rabbi.

As one of the oldest religions still practiced today, Judaism’s laws, such as the Ten Commandments, influence our legal systemin the United States and other nations of the world.

JUDAISM