Judaism: History, Beliefs, and Practices

Judaism

Judaism at a glance

Judaism is the original of the three Abrahamic faiths, which also includes Christianity and Islam.

According to information published by The Jewish People Policy Planning Institute, there were

around 13.1 million Jewish people in the world in 2007, most residing in the United States and Israel.

•

Judaism originated in the Middle East over 3500 years ago

•

Jews trace their history back to Abraham.

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Jews believe that there is only one God with whom they have a covenant.

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In exchange for all the good that God has done for the Jewish people, Jewish people keep God’s

laws and try to bring holiness into every aspect of their lives.

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Judaism has a rich history of religious text, but the central and most important religious document is

the Torah.

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Jewish traditional or oral law, the interpretation of the laws of the Torah, is called 

halakhah

.

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Spiritual leaders are called Rabbis.

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Jews worship in Synagogues.

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6 million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust in an attempt to wipe out Judaism.

There are many people who identify themselves as Jewish without necessarily believing in, or

observing, any Jewish law

Judaism: Beliefs

Jewish faith and God

The relationship with God

Jews believe that there is a single God who not only created the universe, but with whom every Jew can have an individual

and personal relationship.

They believe that God continues to work in the world, affecting everything that people do.

The Jewish relationship with God is a covenant relationship. In exchange for the many good deeds that God has done and

continues to do for the Jewish People...

•

The Jews keep God's laws

•

The Jews seek to bring holiness into every aspect of their lives.

Judaism is the faith of a Community

Jews believe that God appointed the Jews to be His chosen people in order to set an example of holiness and ethical

behavior to the world.

Jewish life is very much the life of a community and there are many activities that Jews must do as a community.

•

For example, the Jewish prayer book uses WE and OUR in prayers where some other faiths would use I and MINE.

Jews also feel part of a global community with a close bond Jewish people all over the world. A lot of Jewish religious life is

based around the home and family activities.

Judaism is a family faith

Judaism is very much a family faith and the ceremonies start early, when a Jewish boy baby is circumcised at eight days old,

following the instructions that God gave to Abraham

around 4,000 years ago.

Many Jewish religious customs revolve around the home. One example is the Sabbath meal, when families join together to

welcome in the special day.

Jewish faith in God (continued)

Who is a Jew?

•

Jews believe that a Jew is someone who is the child of a Jewish mother; although some groups also accept children of

Jewish fathers as Jewish. A Jew traditionally can't lose the technical 'status' of being a Jew by adopting another faith, but

they do lose the religious element of their Jewish identity.

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Someone who isn't born a Jew can convert to Judaism, but it is not easy to do so.

Judaism means living the faith

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Almost everything a Jewish person does can become an act of worship.

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Because Jews have made a bargain with God to keep His laws, keeping that bargain and doing things in the way that

pleases God is an act of worship.

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And Jews don't only seek to obey the letter of the law - the particular details of each of the Jewish laws - but the spirit of

it, too.

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A religious Jew tries to bring holiness into everything they do, by doing it as an act that praises God, and honors

everything God has done. For such a person the whole of their life becomes an act of worship.

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Being part of a community that follows particular customs and rules helps keep a group of people together, and it's

noticeable that the Jewish groups that have been most successful at avoiding assimilation are those that obey the rules

most strictly - sometimes called ultra-orthodox Jews.

•

Note:

 Jews don't like and rarely use the word 

ultra-orthodox

. A preferable adjective is haredi, and the plural noun

is 

haredim

.

It's what you do that counts...

•

Judaism is a faith of action and Jews believe people should be judged not so much by the intellectual content of their

beliefs, but by the way they live their faith - by how much they contribute to the overall holiness of the world.

The Jewish view of God

A summary of what Jews believe about God

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God exists

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There is only one God

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There are no other gods

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God can't be subdivided into different persons (unlike the Christian view of God)

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Jews should worship only the one God

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God is Transcendent:

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God is above and beyond all earthly things.

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God doesn't have a body

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Which means that God is neither female nor male.

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God created the universe without help

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God is omnipresent:

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God is everywhere, all the time.

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God is omnipotent:

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God can do anything at all.

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God is beyond time:

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God has always existed

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God will always exist.

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God is just, but God is also merciful

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God punishes the bad

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God rewards the good

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God is forgiving towards those who mess things up.

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God is personal and accessible.

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God is interested in each individual

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God listens to each individual

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God sometimes speaks to individuals, but in unexpected ways.

The Jewish view of God (continued)

The Jews brought new ideas about God

The Jewish idea of God is particularly important to the world because it

was the Jews who developed two new ideas about God:

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There is only one God

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God chooses to behave in a way that is both just and fair.

Before Judaism, people believed in many gods, and those gods behaved

no better than human beings with supernatural powers.

The Jews found themselves with a God who was ethical and good.

God in the Bible

But how do Jews know this about God?

They don't know it, they believe it, which is different.

However, many religious people often talk about God in a way that sounds as if

they know about God in the same way that they know what they had for

breakfast.

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For instance, religious people often say they are quite certain about God - by

which they mean that they have an inner certainty.

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And many people have experiences that they believe were times when they

were in touch with God.

The best evidence for what God is like comes from what the Bible says, and from

particular individuals' experiences of God.

God and the Bible (continued)

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Quite early in his relationship with the Jews, God makes it clear that He will not let

them encounter His real likeness in the way that they encounter each other.

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The result is that the Jews have work out what God is like from what He says and

what He does.

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The story is in Exodus 33 and follows the story of the 10 commandments, and the

Golden Calf.

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Moses has spent much time talking with God, and the two of them are clearly quite

close... “

The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his

friend

.” Exodus 33

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But after getting the 10 commandments Moses wants to see God, so that he can know

what He is really like. God says no... “

you cannot see my face, for no one may see me

and live.  Then the LORD said, There is a place near me where you may stand on a

rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with

my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my

back; but my face must not be seen

.” Exodus 33

Two sides of God

Jews combine two different sounding ideas of God in their beliefs:

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God is an all-powerful being who is quite beyond human ability to

understand or imagine.

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God is right here with us, caring about each individual as a parent does

their child.

A great deal of Jewish study deals with the creative power of two

apparently incompatible ideas of God.

Converting to Judaism

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Converting to Judaism is not easy. It involves many lifestyle changes

and about a year of studying.

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Becoming a Jew is not just a religious change: the convert not only

accepts the Jewish faith, but becomes a member of the Jewish People

and embraces Jewish culture and history.

Conversion and Jewish law

Conversion to Judaism is a process governed by Jewish religious law. Conversions

are overseen by a religious court, which must be convinced that the convert:

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is sincere

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is converting for the right reasons

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is converting of their own free will

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has a thorough knowledge of Jewish faith and practices

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will live an observant Jewish life

There are also two ritual requirements:

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a male convert must undergo circumcision - if they are already circumcised, a

single drop of blood is drawn as a symbolic circumcision

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the convert must undergo immersion in a Jewish ritual bath, a mikveh, with

appropriate prayers

Judaism and conversion

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Judaism is not a missionary faith and so doesn't actively try to convert

people (in many countries anti-Jewish laws prohibited this for centuries).

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Despite this, the modern Jewish community increasingly welcomes would-

be converts.

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A person who converts to Judaism becomes a Jew in every sense of the

word, and is just as Jewish as someone born into Judaism. There is a good

precedent for this; Ruth, the great-great grandmother of King David, was a

convert.

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Orthodox Jews usually don't accept the validity of conversions done by non-

Orthodox institutions - because many Orthodox Jewish communities do not

accept that non-Orthodox rabbis have valid rabbinical status.

Why convert?

The most common reasons put forward are:

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because the person believes the faith and culture of the Jewish people is

right for them

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in order to marry someone Jewish

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in order to bring up children with a Jewish identity

But only the first of these should be accepted as the true reason for

conversion - the convert must have an overpowering wish to join the Jewish

people and share in their destiny, and be committed to loving God and

following His wishes as expressed in the Torah.

There is no other reason that can enable a person to truly enter the covenant

between God and the Jewish people, and do it freely, without reservation,

forever, and to the exclusion of all other faiths.

How to convert

Different forms of Judaism have different conversion mechanisms, but this outline of what

is involved covers the basics for all:

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discuss possible conversion with a rabbi

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study Jewish beliefs, history, rituals and practices

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learn some Hebrew

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get involved with Jewish community life

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believe in G-d and the divinity of the Torah

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agree to observe all 613 mitzvot (commandments) of the Torah

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agree to live a fully Jewish life

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circumcision (men only)

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immersion in a mikveh or ritual bath

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appear before a Bet Din (a religious court) and obtain their approval

Talking to the Rabbi

Conversion to Judaism is not something to be done lightly. The rabbi will want to make sure that the

person really wants to convert, and that they know what they're doing.

Some rabbis used to test would-be converts by turning them away three times, in order to see how

sincere and determined they are. This is unusual nowadays.

If a person doesn't know any rabbis to discuss conversion with, they probably haven't got close

enough to Judaism and Jewish life to be thinking of converting. They should start by talking to

Jewish people, and attending some synagogue services.

The rabbi asks the would-be convert a lot of questions - not just as a test of their sincerity, but in

order to help the convert form a clear understanding of what they want to do:

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Why do you want to convert?

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What do you know about Judaism?

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Are you converting of your own free will?

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Have you discussed conversion with your family?

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Will you accept Judaism as your only religious faith and practice?

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Will you enter into the covenant between God and the Jewish people?

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Will you bring up your children as Jews?

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Are you willing to study in order to convert?

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Will you live as a member of the Jewish people?

Studying

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Would-be converts study Jewish beliefs, rituals, history, culture

(including some Hebrew) and customs.

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They do this through courses, or by individual study with a rabbi. At

the same time they will start going to services, joining in home

practices (with members of their local community) and taking part in

synagogue life.

Judaism: Customs

Sabbath

The Sabbath is commanded by God

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Every week religious Jews observe the Sabbath, the Jewish holy day, and keep its laws and customs.

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The Sabbath begins at nightfall on Friday and lasts until nightfall on Saturday. In practical terms the Sabbath starts a few

minutes before sunset on Friday and runs until an hour after sunset on Saturday, so it lasts about 25 hours.

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God commanded the Jewish People to observe the Sabbath and keep it holy as the fourth of the Ten Commandments.

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The idea of a day of rest comes from the Bible story of the Creation: God rested from creating the universe on the seventh

day of that first week, so Jews rest from work on the Sabbath.

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Jews often call the day Shabbat, which is Hebrew for Sabbath, and which comes from the Hebrew word for rest.

A reminder of the Covenant

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The Sabbath is part of the deal between God and the Jewish People, so celebrating it is a reminder of the Covenant and an

occasion to rejoice in God's kept promises.

A gift from God

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Most Jewish people look forward to Shabbat all week. They see it as God's gift to His chosen people of a day when they

take time out from everyday things to feel special.

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Shabbat is a time with no television, no rushing to the demands of the telephone or a busy work schedule.

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People don't think about work or other stressful things.

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It's an oasis of calm, a time of stillness in life.

Sabbath (continued)

Sabbath greetings

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The traditional Sabbath greetings are Shabbat Shalom (Hebrew), or Gut Shabbos (Yiddish).

A family time

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Shabbat is very much a time when families come together in the presence of God in their own home.

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Singles, or others with no family around may form a group to celebrate Shabbat together.

Sabbath customs

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In order to avoid work and to ensure that the Sabbath is special, all chores like shopping, cleaning,

and cooking for the Sabbath must be finished before sunset on Friday.

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People dress up for Shabbat and go to considerable trouble to ensure that everything is organized to

obey the commandment to make the Sabbath a delight.

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Sabbath candles are lit at sunset on a Friday. The woman of the house usually performs this ritual. It

is an integral part of Jewish custom and ceremony.

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The candles are placed in candlesticks. They mark the beginning of each Sabbath and represent the

two commandments Zachor (to remember the Sabbath) and Shamor (to observe the Sabbath).

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After the candles are lit, Jewish families will drink wine. Sabbath wine is sweet and is usually drunk

from a special goblet known as the Kiddush Cup. The drinking of wine on the Sabbath symbolizes

joy and celebration.

Sabbath (continued)

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It is also traditional to eat challah, a soft rich eggy bread in the shape of a

braid. Challah is eaten on the Sabbath and Jewish holidays except for the

Passover when leavened bread is not permitted.

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Under Jewish law, every Jew must eat three meals on the Sabbath. One of the

meals must include bread. Observant Jews will usually eat challah at the

beginning of a Sabbath meal.

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Before the challah is eaten, the following prayer is recited: “

Baruch atah

Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha'olam, hamotzi lechem min ha'aretz

.” This means:

“

Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread

from the earth

.”

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Other blessings, prayers, songs and readings may also be used.

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It is traditional, too, for parents to bless their children on Shabbat.

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Some of the family will have been to synagogue before the Sabbath meal, and

it is likely that the whole family will go on Saturday.

Tefillin

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Tefillin (sometimes called phylacteries) are cubic black leather boxes with

leather straps that Orthodox Jewish men wear on their head and their arm

during weekday morning prayer. Observant Jews consider wearing tefillin to

be a very great mitzvah (command).

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The boxes contain four hand-written texts from the Bible, in which believers

are commanded to wear certain words on the hand and between the eyes. The

texts are Exodus 13:1-10, 13:11-16; Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 11:12-21.

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The hand tefillin has all four texts written on a single parchment strip but the

head tefillin has four separate compartments, with a single text in each.

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Jewish men start wearing tefillin just before their Bar Mitzvah.

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As with all ritual objects there are very specific rules about how to make

tefillin, and how to wear them.

Tefillin (continued)

Making tefillin

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Tefillin can only be made by specialists and often come with a certificate from a rabbi to prove that they've

been made properly.

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The rules do not exist for their own sake, but to ensure that an article of such enormous religious significance is

perfect in every way.

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The texts have to be written with halachically acceptable (acceptable according to Jewish law) ink on

halachically acceptable parchment. There are precise rules for writing the texts and any error invalidates it. For

example, the letters of the text must be written in order - if a mistake is found later, it can't be corrected as the

replacement letter would have been written out of sequence.

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There are 3188 letters on the parchments, and it can take a scribe as long as 15 hours to write a complete set.

The scribe is required to purify himself in the mikvah (ritual bath) before he starts work.

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The leather boxes and straps must be completely black. The boxes must be perfectly square seen from above.

The stitches must also be perfectly square, and both thread and leather must be halachically acceptable.

Wearing tefillin

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The arm tefillin is put on first, on the upper part of the weaker arm. A blessing is recited and the strap wrapped

round the arm seven times.

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The head tefillin is loosely fastened on the head about one centimeter above a person's original hairline (the

fact that a man's hair has receded is ignored). A blessing is recited and the strap is tightened with the knot at the

back of the head.

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The strap of the hand tefillin is then wound three times round the middle finger while reciting Hosea 2:21-2

.

Eruvs

What is an Eruv?

•

An eruv is an area within which observant Jews can carry or push objects on

the Sabbath, (which lasts from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday), without

violating a Jewish law that prohibits carrying anything except within the home.

There are over 200 eruvs (or eruvim) in the world.

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An eruv must be 'completely enclosed'. The area is not enclosed by building a

special wall round it - most of it is enclosed by existing natural boundaries like

railway lines or walls. What matters is that the area is completely enclosed by

boundaries that conform to Jewish law.

Eruvs (continued)

What does an eruv allow people to do?

An eruv mixes the boundary between the area within the home and the area outside it. The result is that within an eruv Orthodox Jews can follow the

same rules on the Sabbath that they would in their homes.

Jewish law says that Jews must not carry any item, no matter how small or for whatever purpose in a Reshus HaRabim (public domain - outside their

home) on the Sabbath, even if they are allowed to carry them within their home.

Pushing things is also forbidden - so families with small children (who would use prams and pushchairs) or the physically disabled (who would use

wheelchairs) are effectively housebound. They can't even go to the synagogue to fulfil their religious duties on the Sabbath.

But both carrying and pushing are allowed inside an eruv because it's regarded as within the home domain. So in an eruv Jews can:

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carry house keys (but not car or office keys)

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carry a handkerchief

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carry food or drink for use during the Sabbath

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carry prayer shawls

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carry books - normally a Jew can't even carry a prayer book on the Sabbath

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carry essential medicines - for example a diabetic Jew can now carry their insulin with them

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carry extra clothes such as a raincoat

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carry nappies

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carry reading glasses

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push a pram or wheelchair

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use a walking frame or crutches

An eruv therefore makes it easier for Jews to follow the spirit of the Sabbath by making it enjoyable and fulfilling, without breaking the rules that keep

it holy.

Eruvs (continued)

What doesn't an eruv allow?

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An eruv doesn't permit Orthodox Jews to carry things that cannot be moved at

all on the Sabbath, such as mobile phones or pens or wallets, or carry things for

use after the Sabbath.

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Nor does an eruv permit Jews to do things that break the spirit of the Sabbath -

such as going shopping or swimming, riding a bicycle or playing football in the

park, or gardening.

Kippah/Yarmulke

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Clothing worn by Jews usually varies according to which denomination of Judaism they adhere to.

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Orthodox Jewish men always cover their heads by wearing a skullcap known in Hebrew as a

kippah or in Yiddish as a yarmulke. Liberal or Reform Jews see the covering of the head as

optional.

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Most Jews will cover their heads when praying, attending the synagogue or at a religious event or

festival.

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Wearing a skullcap is seen as a sign of devoutness.

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Women also cover their heads by wearing a scarf or a hat.

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The most common reason (for covering the head) is a sign of respect and fear of God. It is also felt

that this separates God and human, by wearing a hat you are recognizing that God is above all

mankind.

History

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There is disagreement over whether the covering of one's head is a Torah commandment. However

there is some evidence in the Talmud (Jewish teachings) that some form of head covering is

required.

History of Judaism

The Old Testament

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The history of Judaism is inseparable from the history of Jews

themselves. The early part of the story is told in the Hebrew Bible

(Old Testament).

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It describes how God chose the Jews to be an example to the world,

and how God and His chosen people worked out their relationship.

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It was a stormy relationship much of the time, and one of the

fascinating things about Jewish history is to watch God changing and

developing alongside His people.

The Bronze Age

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Jewish history begins during the Bronze age in the Middle East.

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The birth of the Jewish people and the start of Judaism is told in the

first 5 books of the Bible.

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God chose Abraham to be the father of a people who would be special

to God, and who would be an example of good behavior and holiness

to the rest of the world.

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God guided the Jewish people through many troubles, and at the time

of Moses he gave them a set of rules by which they should live,

including the Ten Commandments.

The birth of Judaism

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This was the beginning of Judaism as a structured

religion.

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The Jews, under God’s guidance became a powerful

people with kings such as Saul, David, and Solomon,

who built the first great temple.

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From then on Jewish worship was focused on the

Temple, as it contained the Ark of the Covenant, and

was the only place where certain rites could be carried

out.

The kingdom declines

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Around 920 BCE, the kingdom fell apart, and the Jewish people split

into groups.

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This was the time of the prophets.

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Around 600 BCE the temple was destroyed, and the Jewish leadership

was killed.

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Many Jews were sent into exile in Babylon. Although the Jews were

soon allowed to return home, many stayed in exile, beginning the

Jewish tradition of the Diaspora - living away from Israel.

Rebuilding a Jewish kingdom

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The Jews grew in strength throughout the next 300 years BCE, despite

their lands being ruled by foreign powers. At the same time they

became more able to practice their faith freely, led by scribes and

teachers who explained and interpreted the Bible.

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In 175 BCE the King of Syria desecrated the temple and implemented

a series of laws aiming to wipe out Judaism in favor of Zeus worship.

There was a revolt (164 BCE) and the temple was restored.

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The revolt is celebrated in the Jewish festival of Hannukah.

Roman Times

•

For a period the Jewish people governed themselves again and were at

peace with the Roman Empire. But internal divisions weakened the

Jewish kingdom and allowed the Romans to establish control in 63

BCE.

•

In the years that followed, the Jewish people were taxed and oppressed

by a series of "puppet" rulers who neglected the practice of Judaism.

•

The priests or Sadducees were allied to the rulers and lost favor with

the people, who turned increasingly to the Pharisees or Scribes. These

were also known as Rabbis, meaning teachers.

1 CE - 70 CE: Rabbinic Judaism

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The Rabbis encouraged the Jewish people to observe ethical laws in

all aspects of life, and observe a cycle of prayer and festivals in the

home and at synagogues.

•

This involved a major rethink of Jewish life. Although the Temple still

stood, its unique place as the focus of Jewish prayer and practice was

diminished. Many synagogues had been founded in Palestine and right

around the Jewish Diaspora.

•

Great teaching academies were founded in the first century BCE with

scholars discussing and debating God's laws. The most well known of

the early teachers were Hillel, and his contemporary Shammai.

70 - 200 CE: The destruction of the Temple

•

This was a period of great change - political, religious, cultural and social

turmoil abounded in Palestine. The Jewish academies flourished but many

Jews could not bear being ruled over by the Romans.

•

During the first 150 years CE the Jews twice rebelled against their Roman

leaders, both rebellions were brutally put down, and were followed by stern

restrictions on Jewish freedom.

•

The first revolt, in 70 CE, led to the destruction of the Temple. This brought

to an end the temple worship and is still perceived by traditional Jews as the

biggest trauma in Jewish history. It is marked by the fast day of Tisha B'av

(meaning the ninth day of the month of Av).

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A second revolt, in 132 CE, resulted in the death of hundreds of thousands

of Jews, the enslaving of thousands of others, and the banning of Jews from

Jerusalem

200 - 700 CE: The Mishna and Talmud

•

Between 200 and 700 CE Judaism developed rapidly.

•

Following the twin religious and political traumas, the academies moved to new centers both

in Palestine and in the Diaspora. A sense of urgency had taken hold and it was considered

vital to write down the teachings of the Rabbis so that Judaism could continue.

•

Around 200 CE, scholars compiled the Mishna, the collection of teachings, sayings and

interpretations of the early Rabbis.

•

The academies continued their work and several generations of Rabbis followed. Their

teachings were compiled in the Talmud which expands on the interpretations of the Mishna

and established an all-encompassing guide to life.

•

The Talmud exists in two forms. The first was finalized around the 3rd century CE in

Palestine, and the second and superior version was completed during the 5th century CE in

Babylon.

•

During this period Jews were allowed to become Roman citizens, but later were forbidden to

own Christian slaves or to marry Christians.

•

In 439 CE the Romans banned synagogue building, and barred Jews from official jobs.

The Golden Age — The Jews in Spain

•

The years either side of 1000 CE were the golden age of the Jews in

Spain.

•

Co-existing happily with the country’s Islamic rulers the Jews

developed a flourishing study of Science, Hebrew literature and the

Talmud.

•

Despite an attempt to forcibly convert all Jews to Islam in 1086 CE,

this golden age continued.

•

At around this time the first Jews are recorded in Britain.

The Crusades

•

The next Millennium began with the Crusades, military operations by

Christian countries to capture the Holy Land.

•

The armies of the first Crusade attacked Jewish communities on their

way to Palestine, especially in Germany.

•

When the Crusaders captured Jerusalem they slaughtered and enslaved

thousands of Jews as well as Muslims.

•

Following the example of the Romans earlier, they banned Jews from

the city.

•

In Britain, the Jewish population increased, benefiting from the

protection of Henry I.

The bad times return

The 1100s were a seriously bad period. Jews were driven from southern

Spain by a Berber invasion. Serious anti-Jewish incidents began to

occur in Europe:

•

in France Jews were accused of ritually murdering a child

•

in England Jews were murdered while trying to give gifts to the King

at Richard I’s coronation

•

150 Jews were massacred in York, England

•

in 1215 the Catholic Church ordered Jews to live in segregated areas

(ghettos) and to wear distinctive clothes.

Expulsions

•

In England the Jews faced increasing restrictions during the Thirteenth

Century, and in 1290 they were all expelled from England.

•

Shortly afterwards the Jews were expelled from France.

•

In 1478 the Jews in Spain suffered under the Spanish Inquisition, and

in 1492 Jews were expelled from Spain altogether. The same thing

happened in Portugal in 1497.

•

50 years later in Germany, Martin Luther (founder of Protestant

Christianity) preached viciously against the Jews.

Scholarship, literature, and mysticism

•

But it wasn’t an entirely bad period for Judaism. Scholarship and

literature flourished, with figures like Rambam, Luria, Levi ben

Gershom, and Eleazar ben Judah.

•

The Jewish form of mysticism, known as Kabbalah reached new

heights with the publication in Spain of the Book of Splendor, which

influenced Jewish Spirituality for centuries.

Jews return to Britain/come to America

•

This was a period of Jewish expansion.

•

Jews were allowed to return to England and their rights of citizenship

steadily increased.

•

In 1760 the main representative organization for British Jewry, The

Board of Deputies of British Jews, was founded.

•

Jews were first recorded in America in 1648.

Hassidism

•

Poland and Central Europe saw the creation of a new Jewish movement of

immense importance - Hassidism.

•

It followed the example of the Baal Shem Tov (1700-1760) who said that

you didn’t have to be an ascetic to be holy; indeed he thought that the

appropriate mood for worship was one of joy.

•

The movement included large amounts of Kabbalic mysticism as well, and

the way it made holiness in every day life both intelligible and enjoyable,

helped it achieve great popularity among ordinary Jews.

•

However it also led to divisions within Judaism, as many in the religious

establishment were strongly against it.

•

In Lithuania in 1772 Hassidism was excommunicated, and Hassidic Jews

were banned from marrying or doing business with other Jews.

Persecution in Central Europe

•

Towards the end of the 1700s Jews began to suffer persecution in

central Europe, and in Russia they began to be restricted to living in a

particular area of the country, called The Pale.

The birth of Reform Judaism

•

In the 19th Century another new movement appeared in Judaism.

•

This was Reform Judaism, which began in Germany and held that

Jewish law and ritual should move with the times, and not be fixed.

•

It introduced many changes to worship, and customs, and grew rapidly

into a strong movement. It continues to flourish in Europe and the

United States.

United Kingdom and United States

•

In Britain and America this was the century of Jewish immigration, with great

numbers of Jewish people arriving to escape the pogroms in Poland and

Russia.

•

The Jewish population of Britain increased by 250,000 in 30 years. It was at

this time that the East End of London became a center of Jewish life in Britain.

However in 1905 the United Kingdom passed a law that slowed immigration

to a mere trickle.

The birth of Zionism

•

The Zionist movement, whose aim was to create a Jewish state, was rooted

in centuries of Jewish prayer and yearning to return to the land of Israel.

•

Political Zionism began in the mid-19th Century and towards the end of the

century it gained strength as many Jews began to feel that the only way they

could live in safety would be to have a country of their own.

•

In the Balfour Declaration of 1917, the British Government agreed that a

national home for Jewish people should be established in Palestine.

Following the First World War, the British governed the region in

preparation for a permanent political arrangement.

•

Over the next few years Jewish immigration increased and important

institutions were founded such as the Israeli Chief Rabbinate, and the

Hebrew University.

The Holocaust

•

Jewish history of the 1930s and 1940s is dominated by the Holocaust, the

implementation on an industrial scale of a plan to wipe the whole Jewish

people from the face of Europe.

•

The plan was carried out by the Nazi government of Germany and their

allies.

•

During the Holocaust 6 million Jewish people were murdered, 1 million of

them children.

•

The events of the Holocaust have shaped Jewish thinking, and the thinking

of other people about Jewish issues ever since. War crimes trials of those

involved in the Holocaust continue to this day.

•

The tragedy affected much of the religious thinking of Jews, as they try to

make sense of a God who could allow such a thing to happen to His chosen

people.

The State of Israel

•

The second defining Jewish event of the century was the achievement of the Zionist

movement in the creation of the State of Israel in 1948.

•

There had been strong and paramilitary opposition to British colonial rule for many years,

and in 1947 the United Nations agreed a plan to partition the land between Jews and

Arabs. In May 1948 the British Government withdrew their forces.

•

Immediately, the surrounding Arab States invaded and the new Jewish State was forced to

fight the first of several major wars. Notable among these were the 6-day war in 1967 and

the Yom Kippur war in 1973.

•

The first steps towards a permanent peace came when Israel signed a peace treaty with

Egypt in 1979, and with Jordan in 1994.

•

For most of its history Israel has had an uneasy relationship with the Arab states that

surround it, and has been greatly sustained by the help and support of the United States,

where the Jewish community is large and influential.

•

The 21st century began with great political uncertainty over Israel and its relationship

with the Palestinian people, and this continues.

Holy Days

Rosh Hashanah

•

The Jewish New Year, when Jews believe God decides what will happen in

the year ahead. The synagogue services for this festival emphasize God's

kingship and include the blowing of the shofar, a ram's horn trumpet.

•

This is also God's time for judgement. Jews believe God balances a person's

good deeds over the last year against their bad deeds and decides their fate

accordingly.

•

The 10 days beginning with Rosh Hashanah are known as the Days of Awe,

during which Jews are expected to find all the people they have hurt during

the previous year and apologize to them. They have until Yom Kippur to do

this.

Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)

•

The Day of Atonement is regarded as a sacred and solemn occasion,

on which synagogue attendance is particularly important. On Yom

Kippur Jews believe God makes the final decision on who will live,

die, prosper and fail during the next year, and seals His judgement in

the Book of Life.

•

It is a day of fasting. Worship includes the confession of sins and

asking for forgiveness, which is done aloud by the entire congregation.

Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacle)

•

The book of Exodus tells the story of the Israelites' journey to the

promised land. Sukkot commemorates these years spent wandering the

desert, living in makeshift dwellings.

•

For the duration of the festival Jewish families live in temporary huts

called sukkot (singular: sukkah) that they build out of branches and

leaves.

•

Each day they hold celebrations with four types of plant: branches of

palm, myrtle and willow and a citrus fruit called an 

etrog

. Sukkot is

intended to be a joyful festival that lets Jews live close to nature and

know that God is taking care of them.

Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah

•

Shemini Atzeret is an extra day after the end of Sukkot. Jews spend

some time in their sukkah, but not as much, and without some of the

rituals.

•

Simchat Torah means "Rejoicing in the Torah". Synagogues read from

the Torah every week, completing one read-through each year. They

reach the end on Simchat Torah and this holiday marks the completion

of the cycle, to begin again the next week with Genesis.

Hanukkah (Chanukah)

•

The story of Hanukkah is that of the "miracle of the oil". In 164 BC, a

group of Jews called the Maccabees recaptured Jerusalem from the

occupying Syrian Greeks. When they came to rededicate the temple,

they had only enough sacred oil to light the menorah (seven-branched

candlestick) for one day.

•

It is said that the candles stayed lit for eight days despite this. During

the eight days of Hanukkah, Jews light one extra candle on a special

nine-branched menorah, called chanukkiya, each night.

•

They say prayers and eat fried foods to remind them of the oil. Some

gifts are exchanged, including chocolate money and special spinning

tops called dreidels.

Tu B'Shevat

•

Tu B'Shevat is the Jewish New Year for Trees. The Torah forbids Jews

to eat the fruit of new trees for three years after they are planted. The

fourth year's fruit was to be tithed to the Temple.

•

Tu B'Shevat was counted as the birthday for all trees for tithing

purposes, like the beginning of a fiscal year. On Tu B'Shevat Jews

often eat fruits associated with the Holy Land, especially the seven

plants mentioned in the Torah: wheat, barley, grapes, figs,

pomegranates, olives and dates. Planting trees is another tradition.

P

u

r

i

m

•

Purim celebrates the events told in the Book of Esther, in which a

wicked Persian nobleman named Haman plotted to murder all the Jews

in the land.

•

The Jewish heroine Esther, wife of the king Ahasuerus, persuaded her

husband to prevent the massacre and execute Haman. Because Esther

fasted before going to the king, Purim is preceded by a fast. On Purim

itself, however, Jews are commanded to eat, drink a lot and celebrate.

•

Almsgiving is also a very important Purim tradition. The Book of

Esther is read in the synagogue and the congregation use rattles,

cymbals and boos to drown out Haman's name whenever it appears.

Passover (Pesach)

•

This is one of the most important Jewish festivals. During Passover, Jews

remember the story of the Israelites liberation from slavery in Egypt.

•

God unleashed ten plagues on the Egyptians, culminating in the death of

every family's eldest son. God told the Israelites to sacrifice lambs and mark

their doors with the blood to escape this fate. They ate the lambs with bitter

herbs and unleavened bread (unrisen bread without yeast).

•

These form three of the components of the family meal, called the 

seder

,

eaten by Jews on the first two nights of Passover.

•

There are blessings, songs and other ingredients to symbolize parts of the

story. During the meal the adults explain the symbolism to the children.

Shavuot

•

Shavuot, or the festival of Weeks, is a harvest festival. Historically, at

this time of year the first fruits of the harvest were brought to the

temples.

•

Shavuot also marks the time that the Jews were given the Torah on

Mount Sinai.

•

Shavuot is marked by prayers of thanks for the Holy Book and study

of its scriptures. Customs include decorating synagogues with flowers

and eating dairy foods.

Tisha B'Av

•

This is a day of commemoration for a series of tragedies that have

befallen the Jewish people, some of which coincidentally happened on

this day, for example the destruction of the first and second temples in

ancient Jerusalem.

•

Other tragedies are commemorated on this day, such as the beginning

of World War I and the Holocaust. As Tisha B'Av is a day of mourning

Jews observe a strict fast and avoid laughing, joking and chatting.

•

Synagogues are dimly lit and undecorated and the Torah draped in

black cloth.

Ethics

Abortion

•

Judaism does not forbid abortion, but it does not permit abortion on demand.

Abortion is only permitted for serious reasons.

•

Judaism expects every case to be considered on its own merits and the decision to be

taken after consultation with a rabbi competent to give advice on such matters.

•

Strict Judaism permits abortion only in cases where continuing the pregnancy would

put the mother's life in serious danger.

•

In such circumstance (where allowing the pregnancy to continue would kill the

mother) Judaism insists that the fetus must be aborted, since the mother's life is more

important than that of the fetus.

•

Jewish law is more lenient concerning abortions in the first forty days of pregnancy

as it considers the embryo to be of relatively low value during this time.

•

Abortions because of defects in the fetus or to protect the mental health of the

mother are forbidden by some schools of Judaism and permitted by others under

differing circumstances.

•

The argument for allowing such abortions is normally based on the pain that will be

caused to the mother if the pregnancy is allowed to continue.

Capital Punishment

•

Anyone reading the Old Testament list of 36 capital crimes might

think that Judaism is in favor of capital punishment, but they'd be

wrong. During the period when Jewish law operated as a secular as

well as a religious jurisdiction, Jewish courts very rarely imposed the

death penalty. The state of Israel has abolished the death penalty for

any crime that is now likely to be tried there.

•

To really understand Jewish law one must not only read the Torah but

consult the Talmud, an elaboration and interpretation by rabbinical

scholars of the laws and commandments of the Torah.

•

The rabbis who wrote the Talmud created such a forest of barriers to

actually using the death penalty that in practical terms it was almost

impossible to punish anyone by death.

Contraception

Contraception, including artificial contraception, is permitted in Judaism in

appropriate circumstances. Reform and Liberal schools of Judaism allow birth

control for a wide range of reason. Orthodox Judaism is more restrictive.

The methods of contraception allowed under Jewish law are those that do not

damage the sperm or stop it getting to its intended destination. These are the

contraceptive pill and the IUD.

The religious view on birth control is based on two principles:

•

it is a commandment to marry and have children

•

it is forbidden to 'waste seed' (to emit semen while at the same time preventing

conception)

The modern Orthodox position permits the use of contraception in these cases:

•

when pregnancy or childbirth might harm the mother

•

to limit the number of children in a family for the benefit of the family

•

to delay or space out having children

•

but a married couple should not use contraception for the selfish reason of avoiding having

children altogether.

Genetic Engineering

•

Jewish experts have thought particularly hard about genetic

engineering. This is partly because their community has an obvious

application for the technology since there's a particular genetic disease,

Tay Sachs, that targets some types of Jewish people, and partly

because Jewish law, Halacha, has examined medical issues in great

depth throughout history.

•

It is also a painful subject for the Jewish community, not just because

of the suffering of individuals, but because false genetic and eugenic

arguments were used to justify the Holocaust in which over 6 million

Jews were murdered.

War

•

Judaism does not regard violence and war to promote justice as always

wrong. It accepts that certain kinds of war will be ethically justified,

and that it is sometimes morally acceptable to kill people.

•

Before declaring war or starting a battle there must be a genuine

attempt to make peace and avoid the conflict.

•

Jewish law only permits combatants to be deliberately killed in war.

Innocent civilians must be given every opportunity to leave the field of

combat before a battle starts.

Animals

•

Judaism teaches that animals are part of God's creation and should be treated with

compassion. Human beings must avoid 

tzar baalei chayim

 - causing pain to any

living creature. God Himself makes a covenant with the animals, just as He does

with humanity.

•

The Talmud specifically instructs Jews not to cause pain to animals, and there are

also several Bible stories which use kindness to animals as a demonstration of the

virtues of leading Jewish figures.

•

Judaism also teaches that it is acceptable to harm or kill animals if that is the only

way to fulfil an essential human need.

•

This is because people take priority over animals, something stated very early in

the Bible, where God gives human beings the right to control all non-human

animals.

•

Human beings are therefore allowed to use animals for food and clothing - and to

provide parchment on which to write the Bible.

Euthanasia and Suicide

The Jewish tradition regards the preservation of human life as one of its supreme

moral values and forbids doing anything that might shorten life. However, it does not

require doctors to make dying last longer than it naturally would.

•

Jewish law and tradition regard human life as sacred, and say that it is wrong for

anyone to shorten a human life

•

this is because our lives are not ours to dispose of as we feel like

•

all life is of infinite value, regardless of its duration or quality, because all human

beings are made in the image of God

•

saving someone from pain is not a reason to kill them

•

nor is it lawful to kill oneself to save oneself from pain

•

but there is a limit to the duty to keep people alive

•

if someone's life is ending and they are in serious pain, doctors have no duty to make that

person suffer more by artificially extending their dying moments

•

it is also acceptable to ask God in prayer to remove a person from their pain and

suffering

People

Abraham

•

The history of the Jewish people begins in Bronze Age times in the

Middle East when God promised a nomad leader called Abram that he

would be the father of a great people if he did as God told him.

•

Jews regard Abraham (as he was later called) as the first Patriarch of

the Jewish people.

•

Abraham was the first person to teach the idea that there was only one

God; before then, people believed in many gods.

•

Ironically, Abraham's father, Terach, had made his living selling idols

of various gods.

Isaiah

•

The 8th-century BC Jewish prophet for whom the Book of Isaiah is named.

•

Within the text of the Book of Isaiah, Isaiah himself is referred to as "the

prophet", but the exact relationship between the Book of Isaiah and any

such historical Isaiah is complicated. The traditional view is that all 66

chapters of the book of Isaiah were written by one man, Isaiah, possibly in

two periods between 740 BCE and c. 686 BCE, separated by approximately

15 years, and includes dramatic prophetic declarations of Cyrus the Great in

the Bible, acting to restore the nation of Israel from Babylonian captivity.

Another widely-held view is that parts of the first half of the book (chapters

1–39) originated with the historical prophet, interspersed with prose

commentaries written in the time of King Josiah a hundred years later, and

that the remainder of the book dates from immediately before and

immediately after the end of the exile in Babylon, almost two centuries after

the time of the historic prophet

Joshua

•

Successor to the famous leader, Moses,

Joshua is the Bible's most famous

warrior.  He completed Moses’ task of

taking the Israelites across to Jordan

River to the “Promised Land” of Israel.

David

•

David is described in the Hebrew Bible as the second king of the United Kingdom of

Israel and Judah.

•

In the biblical narrative, David is a young shepherd, chosen by God for his pure

heart, who first gains fame as a musician and later by killing Goliath. He becomes a

favorite of King Saul and a close friend of Saul's son Jonathan. Worried that David is

trying to take his throne, Saul turns on David. After Saul and Jonathan are killed in

battle, David is anointed as King. David conquers Jerusalem, taking the Ark of the

Covenant into the city, and establishing the kingdom founded by Saul. As king,

David commits adultery with Bathsheba, leading him to arrange the death of her

husband Uriah the Hittite. Because of this sin, God denies David the opportunity to

build the temple, and his son Absalom tries to overthrow him. David flees Jerusalem

during Absalom's rebellion, but after Absalom's death he returns to the city to rule

Israel. Before his peaceful death, he chooses his son Solomon as successor. He is

honored in the prophetic literature as an ideal king and an ancestor of a

future Messiah, and many psalms are ascribed to him.

Joseph

•

Joseph is an important figure in the Bible's Book of Genesis. Sold into

slavery by his jealous brothers, he rose to become vizier, the second

most powerful man in Egypt next to Pharaoh, where his presence and

office caused Israel to leave Canaan and settle in Egypt. The

composition of the story can be dated to the period between the 7th

century BCE and the third quarter of the 5th century BCE, which is

roughly the period to which scholars date the Book of Genesis.

•

In Rabbinic tradition, Joseph is considered the ancestor of another

Messiah called, "Mashiach ben Yosef", according to which he will

wage war against the evil forces alongside Mashiach ben David and

die in combat with the enemies of God and Israel.

Moses

•

Moses was a prophet in the Abrahamic religions, according to their holy books; however, scholarly

consensus sees Moses as a legendary figure and not a historical person. According to the Hebrew

Bible, he was adopted by an Egyptian princess, and later in life became the leader of the Israelites

and lawgiver, to whom the authorship of the Torah, or acquisition of the Torah from Heaven is

traditionally attributed. Also called 

Moshe Rabbenu

 in Hebrew ( 

מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנ 

lit.

 "Moses our Teacher"),

he is the most important prophet in Judaism. He is also an important prophet in Christianity, Islam,

the Bahá'í Faith, and a number of other Abrahamic religions.

•

According to the Book of Exodus, Moses was born in a time when his people, the Israelites, an

enslaved minority, were increasing in numbers and the Egyptian Pharaoh was worried that they

might ally themselves with Egypt's enemies.

 Moses' Hebrew mother, Jochebed, secretly hid him

when the Pharaoh ordered all newborn Hebrew boys to be killed in order to reduce the population

of the Israelites. Through the Pharaoh's daughter (identified as Queen Bithia in the Midrash), the

child was adopted as a foundling from the Nile River and grew up with the Egyptian royal family.

After killing an Egyptian slave-master (because the slave-master was smiting a Hebrew), Moses

fled across the Red Sea to Midian, where he encountered The Angel of the Lord, speaking to him

from within a burning bush on Mount Horeb (which he regarded as the Mountain of God).

•

God sent Moses back to Egypt to demand the release of the Israelites from slavery. Moses said that

he could not speak eloquently, so God allowed Aaron, his brother, to become his spokesperson.

After the Ten Plagues, Moses led the Exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt and across the Red Sea,

after which they based themselves at Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments.

After 40 years of wandering in the desert, Moses died within sight of the Promised Land on Mount

Nebo.

Rites

Jewish Baby Rites

Jewish baby rites

•

Like some other religions, Jewish baby rites differ for male and female babies.

Circumcision or Brit Milah

•

Any child born to a Jewish mother is considered a Jew. A Jewish girl does not have to go through the same

initiation ceremony as a baby boy. The Brit Milah (circumcision ceremony) is an important initiation rite for

young Jewish boys.

•

Circumcision is a religious obligation on Jews recalling the covenant that God made with Abraham.

Ordinarily circumcision ceremonies take place when the child is eight days old but it can be delayed for

medical reasons.

•

The Brit Milah is usually attended by men. The child is placed on the lap of a male friend or relative who has

the honor of being the Sandek. He has the responsibility of holding the child still whilst the circumcision is

performed by a Mohel.

Naming the baby

•

Baby boys are also given their names at their circumcisions; it is customary to keep the name a secret before

the ceremony.

•

It is traditional for the child to receive his or her name at the first public gathering, so if the child is a girl, then

she will be named at the first public reading of the Torah at the Synagogue.

•

There are other Jewish traditions but these are more to do with superstition than having any real religious

significance; for example pregnant women must not visit cemeteries.

Jewish Wedding Rites

•

The rituals associated with Jewish weddings begin as soon as a couple

are engaged, with a ceremony known as tena'im. It involves breaking a

plate to symbolize the destruction of the temples in Jerusalem, as a

reminder that even in the midst of celebration Jews still feel sadness

for their loss. This is a theme that is repeated at the ceremony of itself

with the breaking of the glass.

•

The wedding itself can be held on any day of the week apart from

during the Jewish Sabbath, which runs from sunset on Friday until

sunset on Saturday, or on major Jewish festivals such as the Day of

Atonement or Jewish New Year (when Jews are required to refrain

from work).

Jewish Wedding Rites (continued)

The Wedding Day

Fasting

•

It is also traditional for the bride and groom to fast on the day of the wedding itself as a symbolic statement. Just as Jews fast on Yom

Kippur - the Day Of Atonement - to cleanse themselves of their sins and start afresh - so Jews fast on their wedding day to cleanse

themselves of sin and come to their marriage with a clean slate.

The ceremony

•

Although the ceremony has to be under a rabbi's supervision - as they will be familiar with all the laws and customs of the wedding - it does

not necessarily have to be performed by a rabbi, as long as one is present. Most couples opt to have a rabbi conduct the ceremony, although

it can be performed by a friend or family member, provided they have the permission of a rabbi.

•

The ceremony itself begins with the signing of the Ketubah - the Jewish marriage contract which sets out the legal terms of the marriage.

The origins of the Ketubah go back to the days of the Sanhedrin - the Jewish Supreme Court - in Jerusalem a few thousand years ago - in

order to protect the bride by the terms of her dowry.

•

The signing is done prior to the main ceremony and is in the presence of four witnesses and the officiator of the service. During the signing

of the Ketubah, many men will sign an agreement saying that they will not contest a Get (Jewish divorce) in the event of the couple

separating. This is significant for those Jewish women whose husbands refuse to give them a Get, meaning they are unable to remarry.

•

This is accompanied by a ceremony known as Bedecken (veiling), in which the bridegroom places the veil over the bride's face. This

symbolizes the groom's intent to clothe and protect his wife, and dates back to Biblical times, when Rebekah covered her face before she

married Abraham's son Isaac.

•

There is no rule as to what music can and cannot be played during the ceremony, although many couples feel uncomfortable playing music

by Wagner (such as The Wedding March) due to his anti-Semitic viewpoints and popularity with Germany's Nazi party during the 1930s

and 1940s. Most couples opt for traditional Jewish music to be played during the entrance of the bride and after the service - much of this is

centuries old.

•

There is also no firm rule about who escorts the bride to the Chupa, but traditionally it is the bride's father who accompanies her (sometimes

both parents will do so). The bride is the last person to enter, and upon reaching the Chupa will walk round the bridegroom several times -

this number varies. Some brides walk around their husband-to-be once while more Orthodox brides walk round seven times.

Subdivisions

Conservative Judaism

The Conservative/Masorti movement practices traditional Judaism, but interprets Jewish teaching in the light of

contemporary knowledge and scholarship.

Conservative Judaism allows gradual change in law and practice, but only if the change is in harmony with Jewish tradition.

The wish to embrace both tradition and change may seem admirable, but it is a very difficult one to live out since it's hard to

develop a clear theology that can provide a consistent path between the two standpoints. The tendency has been to tackle each

issue individually, rather than to embark on a global rethink.

Core values

Below is a list of Sacred Cluster of core values of Conservative Judaism (the commentary is editorial, not part of the

original):

•

Centrality of Modern Israel:

 Conservative Jews regard Israel as not only the birthplace of the Jewish people, but also its

final destiny. Their behavior reflects the wish of Conservative Judaism not to denationalize Judaism.

•

Hebrew - the irreplaceable language of Jewish expression:

 Hebrew literacy is the key to Judaism, to joining the

conversation between sacred texts, between Jews of different ages, between God and Israel.

•

Devotion to the ideal of Klal Yisrael (the entire worldwide Jewish Community):

 This is the idea that the Jewish

community is united worldwide and that every single Jew has ultimate significance.

•

The defining role of Torah in the reshaping of Judaism :

For Conservative Jews, the Torah is no less sacred, if less

central, than it was for their pre-modern ancestors.

•

Study of Torah:

 Modern Jews should study Torah in harmony with their mental world and not solely through the eyes of

their ancestors.

•

Governance of Jewish Life by Halakhah (Jewish law): 

Halakhah is central and authoritative in determining the way of

life and conduct of the Jewish people.

•

Belief in God

Liberal Judaism

The movement has a strong intellectual tradition, and believes that Jewish texts should be

reinterpreted in the light of modern scholarship and Jewish laws reassessed by their practical

suitability to contemporary conditions.

God

 is “One and indivisible, transcendent and immanent Creator and sustainer of the universe,

Source of the Moral Law, a God of Justice and mercy who demands that human beings shall

practice justice and mercy in their dealings with one another.”

Humanity

 is “created in the Divine Image, endowed with free will capable of sublime

goodness but also of terrible evil, mortal yet with a sense of eternity, able to enter into a direct

personal relationship with their Creator, and to restore that relationship when it is broken,

through repentance (t'shuvah).

The Bible and holy books: 

Liberal Jews don't believe that the Torah was written by God on

tablets of stone and given to Moses. They believe it was written by human beings and should be

responded to as such. Many Liberal Jews do acknowledge that much of the Torah was divinely

inspired.

The Messiah and the afterlife

•

Most Liberal Jews reject the idea of a personal Messiah at whose coming all the righteous

dead would arise and live in unadulterated bliss and also reject the idea of physical

resurrection.

•

There is no consensus on an afterlife.

Orthodox Judaism

•

A collective term for the traditionalist branches of Judaism. Theologically, it is

chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as

literally revealed by God on Mount Sinai and faithfully transmitted ever since.

Other key doctrines include belief in a future resurrection of the dead, divine

reward and punishment, the Election of Israel and an eventual restoration of

the Temple in Jerusalem under the Messiah. Orthodox Judaism advocates a

strict observance of Jewish Law, or 

Halakha

, which is to be interpreted only

according to received methods and canonical sources due to its divine origin.

It regards the entire 

halakhic

 system as the unfolding and application of an

immutable revelation, essentially beyond external and historical influence.

•

Orthodox Judaism is not a centralized denomination. Relations between its

different subgroups are sometimes strained and the exact limits of Orthodoxy

are subject to intense debate. Very roughly, it may be divided between Ultra-

Orthodox or "Haredi", which is more conservative, and Modern Orthodox

Judaism which is relatively open to outer society.

Reform Judaism

•

Reform Judaism (also known as Liberal Judaism or Progressive Judaism) is a

major Jewish denomination that emphasizes the evolving nature of the faith, the

superiority of its ethical aspects to the ceremonial ones, and a belief in a

continuous revelation not centered on the theophany at Mount Sinai.

A liberal strand of Judaism, it is characterized by a lesser stress on ritual and

personal observance, regarding Jewish Law as non-binding and the individual

Jew as autonomous, and openness to external influences and progressive

values. The origins of Reform Judaism lay in 19th-century Germany, where its

early principles were formulated by Rabbi Abraham Geiger and his associates;

since the 1970s, the movement adopted a policy of inclusiveness and

acceptance, inviting as many as possible to partake in its communities, rather

than theoretical clarity. Its greatest center today is in North America.

Humanistic Judaism

Humanistic Judaism doesn't proclaim that there is no God, but it does do

without God. It sees no evidence for the existence of a supernatural being.

Most Humanistic Jews regard the question of God's existence as either

meaningless, or irrelevant.

Humanistic Judaism is nontheistic and based on two principles:

•

Judaism is more than a religion; it is the culture of the Jewish people.

•

The source of power for solving human problems lies within human beings.

So Humanistic Jews regard Judaism as an ethnic culture that was created by

the Jewish people and shaped by Jewish experience.

It did not fall from heaven, and no supernatural being had anything to do with

it.

Modern Orthodoxy

•

Modern Orthodoxy

 (or 

Modern Orthodox

) is a movement

within Orthodox Judaism that attempts to synthesize Jewish values

and the observance of Jewish law, with the secular, modern world.

•

Modern Orthodoxy draws on several teachings and philosophies, and

thus assumes various forms. In the United States, and generally in

the Western world, "Centrist Orthodoxy" – underpinned by the

philosophy of 

Torah Umadda

 ("Torah and [Scientific] Knowledge") –

is prevalent. In Israel, Modern Orthodoxy is dominated by Religious

Zionism; however, although not identical, these movements share

many of the same values and many of the same adherents.

Reconstructionist Judaism

•

Reconstructionist Judaism is an American Jewish denomination founded in the last century

that seeks to unite Jewish history, tradition, culture and belief with modern scientific

knowledge and the way people live today.

•

Reconstructionism is particularly suited to meet the needs of people with a scientific turn of

mind as well as a strong spiritual sense since it takes the supernatural elements out of

religion.

•

Judaism is more than a religion; it is an evolving religious civilization. It is this that

characterizes Jewish people, rather than their core beliefs.

•

Judaism is therefore the creation of the Jewish people themselves, not of God.

•

Judaism changes throughout history: the past "has a vote, not a veto”

•

A supernatural understanding of God (and of heavenly salvation) is misguided

•

Jews are not a 'chosen people‘

•

Judaism should be inclusive

•

The driving force behind Judaism is belonging rather than believing

•

Judaism and working for social justice are inseparable

•

The State of Israel is vital to Jewish cultural and spiritual survival

Texts

The Talmud

•

The Talmud is the comprehensive written version of the Jewish oral law and

the subsequent commentaries on it. It originates from the 2nd century CE.

The word Talmud is derived from the Hebrew verb 'to teach', which can also

be expressed as the verb 'to learn'.

•

The Talmud is the source from which the code of Jewish 

Halakhah

 (law) is

derived. It is made up of the Mishnah and the Gemara. The Mishnah is the

original written version of the oral law and the Gemara is the record of the

rabbinic discussions following this writing down. It includes their

differences of view.

•

The Talmud can also be known by the name Shas. This is a Hebrew

abbreviation for the expression 

Shishah Sedarim

 or the six orders of the

Mishnah.

The Torah

•

The Torah is the first part of the Jewish bible. It is the central and most important document

of Judaism and has been used by Jews through the ages.

•

Torah refers to the five books of Moses which are known in Hebrew as Chameesha

Choomshey Torah. These are: Bresheit (Genesis), Shemot (Exodus), Vayicra (Leviticus),

Bamidbar (Numbers), and Devarim (Deuteronomy).

•

Jews believe that God dictated the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai 50 days after their

exodus from Egyptian slavery. They believe that the Torah shows how God wants Jews to

live. It contains 613 commandments and Jews refer to the ten best known of these as the ten

10 statements.

•

The Torah is written in Hebrew, the oldest of Jewish languages. It is also known as Torat

Moshe, the Law of Moses. The Torah is the first section or first five books of the Jewish

bible. However, Tanach is more commonly used to describe the whole of Jewish scriptures.

This is an acronym made up from the first letter of the words Torah, Nevi im (prophets),

and Ketuvim (writings).

•

Similarly, the term Torah is sometimes used in a more general sense to incorporate

Judaism’s written and oral law. This definition encompasses Jewish scripture in its entirety

including all authoritative Jewish religious teachings throughout history.

•

The word Torah has various meanings in English. These include: teaching, instruction and

law. For Jews the Torah means all of these.