About Judaism
Judaism is a religion, but also a people, and a way of life. It involves spirituality, morals, rituals, symbols, laws and customs, language, and peoplehood.
Judaism is one of the oldest religions in the world. As a faith, it dates back almost 4,000 years to the time of Abraham. Abraham's belief in One God, and the covenant (agreement) established between Abraham and God, became the foundation of Judaism.
Judaism holds no creeds or dogmas - ideas that Jews must believe. However, certain basic beliefs are held by most Jews.
One God - There is one God, Creator of the universe, who is loving merciful and just, and who wants us humans to be God's partner in making this a better world.
Humans - Human beings are created in God's image (they have something divine in them) and have the free will to choose between good and evil behavior. Jews are commanded to "imitate" God's goodness in their ethical daily behavior.
Life - Judaism is very life-centered. No one knows what will happen after we die, so Jews are commanded by God to be moral, good people and to follow God's commandments in the here-and-now, and to try to make this world a better place.
Torah and Mitzvot - Torah is the Hebrew word for "Bible", but also means all of God's teaching that follows as commentary on the Bible. Jews must study the Torah and try to understand how God wants us to behave today. Mitzvot is the Hebrew word for "commandments", and refers to the specific duties and obligations that Jews must do in their daily lives. Some mitzvot are more God-oriented (ritual), and some more people-oriented (laws of moral behavior), but most are a combination of both.
Sin - Judaism teaches that sin means "missing the mark" in one's behavior, not being what you ideally could be as a human being. Jews believe that people are not born sinful, but that they are born with a clean slate, and can do either bad or good. Sins can be atoned for, or reconciled, through repentance - feeling sorry for what you've done, and honestly resolving to do good in the future. If one sins against another human being, the sinner must seek forgiveness from the person who was wronged, as well as from God.
Kashrut - Keeping Kosher is a central Jewish observance. The Torah informs Jews that only certain mammals, fish and birds may be eaten, that animals have to be slaughtered in a certain, least painful way, and that meat and dairy foods cannot be eaten together. Jews eat beef, lamb, and fish with fins and scales, but pork and shellfish are forbidden. By limiting our permission to kill animals for food, Judaism teaches us self-control and reminds us that we are not the ultimate masters of all we see.
The Sabbath - The Jewish Shabbat (Sabbath) is the most important of all the holy days. It commemorates God's day of rest after creating the world. Shabbat begins at sundown on Friday and ends at nightfall on Saturday night. It is celebrated at home, with candle lighting, prayer, festive meals, songs and relaxation; and with synagogue services. These services include prayer (in Hebrew from our prayer book, called a seedur), singing, being together as a community, and reading from the Torah scroll. Just as God rested after creation on Shabbat, Judaism tells Jews to rest and refrain from labor and commerce on Shabbat. It is a time reserved for prayer, contemplation, cultural and spiritual growth, and enjoyment of family.
The High Holy Days are observed in September/October. They begin with Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year festival, marking the beginning of a ten day period of reflection on the past year, repentance for things gone wrong, asking forgiveness of family neighbors and friends, and resolutions for the new year ahead. Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the most solemn day of the year, spent in prayer and fasting and reconciliation with each other and with God.
Other major Jewish Holy Days include Sukkot (the festival of Booths, or Tabernacles in September),Hanukkah (the Festival of Lights in December), Pesach (Passover, in April) and Shavu'ot (the Festival of Weeks, or Pentecost, in May). All are celebrated in Jewish homes and at Beth Shalom with special observances, foods, and joyfulness of spirit.
The Jewish People - Jews live in almost every part of the world and are of many different races. But all Jews feel responsible for one another's welfare, and consider themselves one people. Although Jews are loyal citizens, in whichever country they live, Jews also have a special connection to the State (and land) of Israel, which is the historic homeland of the Jewish people. Jews are people born to Jewish parents, or converts to Judaism.
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