Judaism at a glance
Judaism is the first of the three monotheistic Abrahamic faiths (Christianity and Islam being the others).
Its Jewish people trace their ancestry to the Abrahamic family called the Hebrews.
Their moral and religious code, Judaism, was founded in the Middle East by Moses, over 3,500 years ago.
Today, Judaism is hard to define precisely; many of Jewish descent and culture have no particular adherence to the Jewish faith; there are adherents to Jewish faith and culture who are not of Jewish descent. Perhaps it is best characterised as a "peoplehood".
According to information published by The Jewish People Policy Planning Institute, there were around 14.8 million Jewish people in the world in 2020. Of these, 6.77 million were in Israel, and the USA was the largest other centre. According to the UK 2011 Census, 284, 000 people in England and Wales said that their religious identity was Jewish, about 0.5% of the population. North London has the greatest concentration; Greater Manchester and South Hertfordshire are major centres; Jewish communities are to be found in most of the large towns.
- Judaism believes that there is one God, creator of the universe and author of morality.
- It further believes that God chose Abraham and his descendants, to receive His laws and live by them.
- They were to demonstrate to all nations the benefits of life under His rule.
- Obedience would bring blessings; disobedience would bring disaster.
- This covenant was made at Mount Sinai, where Moses famously received the Ten Commandments.
- They became the centrepiece of the Torah (the 5 Books of Moses), which codified the laws and history.
- That Torah, holiest of books, is the first section of "Tanach", the "Old Testament", the Jewish Bible.
- Around this, over the centuries, a body of commentary, learned discussion and further law-making.
- This was the Oral Law, eventually put into writing, and now known as the Talmud.
- The "authorised" code of Jewish conduct and religious practice is called Halakhah.
The extent to which they follow this categorises Jews as Orthodox, Reform or Liberal (each with sub-divisions!). Most conspicuous are the ultra-Orthodox Chasidim, with the distinctive beards, hats and black long clothing of its menfolk. There is also a small but significant number of Messianic Jews, who follow Yeshua (Jesus) as well as the Torah, but still consider themselves Jewish.
Jews worship in synagogues, the larger ones of which also serve as houses of study. Teachers and spiritual leaders are called Rabbis, who are usually attached to synagogues. However, some synagogues and small communities function without their own Rabbi.
Aspects of Judaism best known in the wider world are as follows.
- Not working on Sabbath, which extends over Friday night and Saturday
- Having special dietary laws (the word "kosher" means fitting to be eaten by observant Jews)
- Regarding Israel as the ancestral home and goal of return.
Jews themselves are divided over all of these. They are, however, united in their history, long and often tragic. The murder of 6 million Jews in the Holocaust was the worst of its disasters, and the most widely known, but many attempts to destroy the Jewish people have been made, and are still contemplated in some quarters. Nonetheless, point out the faithful, all the attempts have ultimately failed, most of their enemies have gone, but Jews and Judaism are still here.
Written by Police chaplain David Wright D&C 61406, revised and approved by Dr Joseph Bard of the Plymouth Jewish Orthodox Synagogue.
