Judaism

JUDAISM
History
(originallyfrom Hebrew ‫יהודה‬, Yehudah, "Judah"; via Latin and Greek) is
the ethnic religion of the Jewish people. It is an
ancient, monotheistic, Abrahamic religion with the Torah as its foundational
text.[3] It encompasses the religion, philosophy, and culture of the Jewish
people.[4]
Judaism is considered by religious Jews to be the expression of
the covenant that God established with the Children of Israel.[5] It
encompasses a wide body of texts, practices, theological positions, and forms
of organization. The Torah is part of the larger text known as the Tanakh or
the Hebrew Bible, and supplemental oral tradition represented by later texts
such as the Midrashand the Talmud. With between 14.5 and 17.4 million
adherents worldwide,[6] Judaism is the tenth largest religion in the world.
Judaism is the world’s oldest monotheistic religion, dating back
nearly 4,000 years. Followers of Judaism believe in one God who
revealed himself through ancient prophets. History is essential to
understanding the Jewish faith, which is embedded in tradition, law and
culture.
The Jewish Religion
Jewish people believe there’s only one God who’s established a

covenant—or special agreement—with them. Their God communicates to
believers through prophets and rewards good deeds while also punishing
evil. Most Jews (with the exception of Messianic Jews and a few other
groups) believe that their Messiah hasn’t come—but will one day. Today,
there are about 14 million Jews worldwide. Most of them live in the
United States and Israel. Traditionally, a person is considered Jewish if
his or her mother is Jewish.
Types of Judaism
Orthodox Judaism
is a diverse sect that includes several subgroups, including Hasidic

Jews. This form started in the 18th century in Eastern Europe and holds
different values than traditional or ultra-Orthodox Judaism. Hasidic Jews
emphasize a mystical experience with God that involves direct
communion through prayer and worship. Chabad is a well-known
Orthodox Jewish, Hasidic movement.
Reform Judaism
is considered a liberal category of the religion that values ethical

traditions over strict observance of Jewish laws. Followers promote
progressive ideas and adaptation. Most of the Jews living in the United
States follow Reform Judaic traditions.
Conservative Judaism: Many people consider this form of Judaism
somewhere in between Orthodox and Reform Judaism. Typically,
conservative Jews honor the traditions of Judaism while allowing for some
modernization.
Reconstructionist Judaism: Reconstructionism dates back to 1922 when

Mordecai Kaplan founded the Society for the Advancement of Judaism. This
sect believes that Judaism is a religious civilization that’s constantly evolving.
Humanistic Judaism: Rabbi Sherwin Wine founded this denomination of

Judaism in 1963. Humanistic Jews celebrate Jewish history and culture
without an emphasis on God.
Messianic Judaism: This modern movement combines the beliefs of

Judaism and Christianity. Messianic Jews believe that Jesus Christ was the
Messiah but still follow Jewish traditions.
While there are various denominations of Judaism, many Jews don’t identify
with a particular classification and simply refer to themselves as Jewish.
Worship
Synagogues are consecrated spaces used for the purpose of prayer,
Tanakh (the entire Hebrew Bible, including the Torah) reading, study and
assembly; however, a synagogue is not necessary for worship. Halakha
holds that communal Jewish worship can be carried out wherever
ten Jews (a minyan) assemble.
Wisdom
The Talmud inaugurated a series of efforts to clarify the Bible that
continues to this day. Aptly describing these efforts as "a conversation
between generations," Rabbi Elkins adds his commentary to the
commentaries, focusing on the implications of the Talmud's teachings for
human behavior. Since ethical and moral acts constitute the core of Judaism,
Elkins begins by exploring Jews' responsibility for the welfare of others.
He goes on to specify the significance of the Golden Rule, following with
a chapter on the importance of fairness, humility, flexibility and dignity. Next,
Elkins discusses the family, emphasizing the difficulty of finding the right mate,
but insisting that it is equally vital to work on maintaining the marital
relationship. He also considers connections to parents and children. The
penultimate section describes Talmudic views on teaching and learning,
stressing the requirement to transmit the Jewish heritage from one generation
to the next.
Finally, Elkins examines dilemmas humans confront such as the
problems of earning a living, rejecting extremism, seeking to grasp too much
and recognizing the good things people do despite their imperfections. This
introduction to the morality of Judaism contributes significantly to our practical
understanding of Talmudic wisdom.
Works
 The word mitzvah means "commandent," or religious act." Mitzvot

consist of ritual as well as ethical acts,and they follow from the
codifications of principles from the Torah.Some practices fall under the
category of minhag (custom), like wearing the had covering (kippah or
yarmulka).
 LGoing to Temple to pray or worship "Temple" preferring instead to
reserve that word for The Temple in Jerusalem.
 Clothing

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JUDAISM

The Jewish Religion

Jewish people believe there’s only one God who’s established a

is a diverse sect that includes several subgroups, including Hasidic

is considered a liberal category of the religion that values ethical

Reconstructionist Judaism: Reconstructionism dates back to 1922 when

Humanistic Judaism: Rabbi Sherwin Wine founded this denomination of

Messianic Judaism: This modern movement combines the beliefs of

 The word mitzvah means "commandent," or religious act." Mitzvot

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