JUDAISM.

 Judaism is the world’s first Monotheistic religion and dates to around 2000 BC. The Jews believe there is only one God who had made a Covenant- a special agreement with them. They believe that their God communicates to believers through prophets and rewards good deeds while punishing evil ones.

The Jews worship in a Synagogue and their priests are known as Rabbis. The 6 pointed Star of David is the symbol of Judaism.

ABRAHAM’s son ISAAC and his grandson JACOB were central figures in ancient Jewish history. JACOB took the name ISRAEL and his descendants were known as the Israelites.

1000 years after Abraham, MOSES led the Israelites out of Egypt.

Around 1000 BC King DAVID ruled the Jewish people and his son SOLOMON built the first Jewish temple in Jerusalem. The kingdom fell in 931 BC and the Jews split into 2 groups; ISRAEL in the North, and JUDA in the South. In 587 BC, the Babylonians conquered the area and sent many Jews into exile. They also destroyed the first temple built by Solomon.

A second Jewish temple was built by them again in 516 BC but was again destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.

Presently there are 14 million Jews worldwide but most of them are in the US and Israel. A person is considered Jewish if his mother (and not his father) is Jewish.

The Jewish sacred books are called the ‘TANAKH” or the “Hebrew Bible”. It includes the same books as the Old Testament in the Christian bible, but they are placed in a different order.

The “TORAH” is the first 5 books of the TANAKH and is also known as the PENTATEUCH. This outlines the laws for the Jews to follow.

As per the Torah, God first revealed himself to ABRAHAM who was a Hebrew and he is considered the founder of Judaism.

Around 200 AD, scholars compiled the “MISHNAH” a text that explains the Jewish code of law that was till then orally communicated.

The “TALMUD”, a collection of teachings on Jewish law came in the 3^rd century AD. It contains the “MISHNAH” and a commentary on the Mishnah known as “GEMARA”.

Judaism also has many commentaries including those of MOSES MAIMONIDES who is more liberal, HASDAI CRESCAS who is traditional and IBN EZRA. All the three of them are from Spain.  

SHABBAT is considered as a day of rest and prayer by the Jews. It begins at sunset on Friday and lasts until sundown on Saturday.

BAR MITZVAH is the Jewish ceremony performed when a boy becomes 13 years of age. It is considered religious adulthood.

BRIT MILAH is the circumcision ceremony. This is performed on the 8^th day of the baby’s birth. It is customary to hold this ceremony at the Synagogue and no anesthetic is to be used.