What is Judaism?

Judaism: An Overview

• Judaism teaches that there is only one God who created the world and expressed what He expects of people in the Ten Commandments and other laws.
• God chose the Jews to have a special relationship with Him.

Origin of Judaism

• Judaism began about 4000 years ago with the Hebrew people who lived in the Middle East, specifically in the ancient region of Canaan (now Israel and the Palestinian territories).
• The religion developed from the beliefs and practices of the Israelites.

Abraham and the Jewish Faith

• Abraham, a Hebrew man, is considered the father of the Jewish faith because he taught that there is only one God.
• Abraham and his wife were promised by God that their descendants would be as many as the stars and that they would live in the 'Promised Land'.

The Torah

• The Torah is a holy text of Judaism, made up of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy).
• It begins with the creation of the world and includes the laws of God, such as the Ten Commandments.
• Jews believe God gave these laws to Moses on Mount Sinai.

Jewish Religious Celebrations and Customs

• Circumcision: a religious ceremony performed by a mohel eight days after a Jewish boy is born, where he is given a Hebrew name.
• Bar Mitzvah: when a boy turns thirteen, he becomes responsible for fulfilling all the duties of a Jew and reads from the Torah scroll in the synagogue.
• Bat Mitzvah: when a girl is twelve years old, she is considered "daughter of the commandment" and usually has a party with family and friends.

Jewish Festivals

• Rosh Hashanah: the start of the religious new year, marking the anniversary of the creation of the world, celebrated with festive gatherings.
• Yom Kippur: the Day of Atonement, where Jewish people fast, pray, and atone for their sins, asking God for forgiveness.
• Passover: celebrated in spring, marking the liberation of the Jews from slavery in Egypt and the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses.
• Hanukkah: an eight-day holiday that celebrates the triumph of the few over the many, the weak over the strong, and faith in one miracle-making God.

Learn about the basics of Judaism, including its origins, beliefs, and practices. Discover how Judaism began, its relationship with God, and its core teachings.