Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. Jews believe in one God who created heaven and Earth. God has a covenant (an agreement) with the Jews: God offers his guidance and protection to the Jews, and in return Jews lead a moral life and obey God. The Jewish holy book is the Hebrew Bible (similar to the Old Testament of the Christian Bible). The most important part is the Torah, which contains God’s laws. The Bible, along with many Jewish festivals, commemorates events in the history of Israel, from where the Jews originally came. The history of Judaism goes back about 4000 years, making it the oldest religion based on a belief in a single god.

Abraham

Jews trace their history back to a nomadic people called the Hebrews. One of them, Abraham, settled in Canaan—broadly the land between the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan valley. Jews believe that God made a covenant (promise) to Abraham that he would have as many descendants "as there were stars in the sky", and that these people—the “chosen people”—would inherit the land of Canaan, known to Jews ever since as the Promised Land.
​​​​​​​

Diaspora and persecution

In the first century AD, Israel, the home of the Jews, was under Roman rule. Many Jews were forced into exile. Eventually, they spread to new lands around the Mediterranean and to central and eastern Europe. The scattered population of Jews became known as the diaspora. In order to preserve their identity, the Jews followed their laws and traditions strictly.
​​​​​​​

The creation of Israel

Moves to form a separate Jewish state in Canaan (later known as Palestine), begun by a group called the Zionists back in the 19th century, resulted in the creation of Israel in 1948. Since then, many Jews have moved to make Israel their home—although many remain living in countries all over the world, especially the US. But the birth of Israel created hostility between Israel’s Jewish population and the displaced Palestinians, mostly Muslim Arabs. War broke out between Israel and the surrounding Arab nations on more than one occasion. Efforts to find a peaceful solution continue to this day.

Jews divide into a number of branches, some traditional, other less so. Traditional Jews believe that the laws set out in the Torah are binding and unchanging, while others adapt Jewish practices to modern life. (Jews are sometimes described as either "Orthodox" and "non-Orthodox", but Judaism has more varieties than this.)

​​​​​​​When they pray, many Jewish men—and some women—wear a skullcap called a kippah. They may also wear a tallit, a prayer shawl with knotted fringes. The fringes remind a Jew of the commandments of the Torah. Some wear a kippah and tallit all the time. When praying, the men may also wear tefillin, small leather boxes containing passages from the Torah, on their forehead and left arm, close to the heart. These are reminders to keep the laws of the Torah in both heart and mind.

Hasidic Judaism

Hasidic Judaism is a branch of Judaism named after the Hebrew word hasid, meaning “pious”. This group of Jews was founded in the 18th century and had a particularly large following in Poland and western Ukraine, which is why Hasidic Jews (Hasidim) wear some traditional items of clothing from that region. Hasidic men and boys wear their hair in sidelocks, called payot. The Hasidim also speak the Yiddish language (a form of German with Hebrew words) that was spoken in eastern Europe centuries ago. Today there are around 400,000 Hasidic Jews.

Traditionally, Jews are not allowed to work on Saturday, the Sabbath. This is because, according to the story of creation, God made the world in six days, then rested on the seventh day. The word sabbath comes from the Hebrew shabbat, meaning “rest”. Like many Jewish customs, Sabbath revolves around the home and family. Sabbath starts a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening, when Jewish families traditionally gather for a meal. They eat a special bread called challah.

Ceremonies

When a Jewish baby boy is eight days old, the Brit Malah ceremony is held. The foreskin of his penis is removed, a practice known as circumcision. It is done as a sign of the covenant between God and Abraham.

​​​​​​​A traditional wedding ceremony takes place under a chuppah, a cloth canopy supported by four poles, symbolizing the home the couple will make together. The chuppah may be a tallit.

In Judaism, parents are reponsible for a young child's actions. But when Jewish boys reach the age of 13, they are considered old enough to be accountable for their own actions and be a Bar Mitzvah ("son who is subject to the law"). Girls become a Bat Mitzvah ("daughter who is subject to the law") at the age of 12. The Bar or Bat Mitzvah ceremony usually takes place on the first sabbath after the boy's 13th or girl's 12th birthdays. Many families also hold a party to mark the day. Boys (and some girls) who have had their Bar or Bat Mitzvah can wear a kippah and tallit while praying.

Festivals

The Jewish calendar is based on the phases of the Moon. The year begins around September or October with Rosh Hashanah. Jews believe that God created humanity on the first Rosh Hashanah. On this day, God decides what will happen to them in the coming year. It is customary to eat sweet foods such as cake and honey.
​​​​​​​

Lasting for eight days, Passover, also known as Pesach, marks the escape of the Israelites from Egypt. The angel of death, who was sent by God to kill the eldest son of each Egyptian family, “passed over” the houses of the Israelites. The main ceremony is a family meal, called the seder, in which certain symbolic foods, including unleavened bread (made without yeast) called matzah, is eaten. In answer to the traditional question asked by the youngest present, “Why is this night different from all other nights?”, the story of the Exodus is told.

Chanukah (also spelled Hannukah), the festival of lights, is another eight-day festival. Held between late November to December, it celebrates the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem after it had been looted by invading Seleucid Greek armies in 165 BC.

A nine-branched candelabrum, called a menorah (or hanukkiah), is lit, one candle on the first night of the festival, two on the second night, and so on, ending up with all eight being lit on the final night. The extra candle, with which all the others are lit, is called a shamash, or servant candle.