Judaism

Judaism is the oldest monotheistic religion in the world, having originated in the Middle East more than 3,000 years ago with patriarch Abraham.

As the first Abrahamic religion, Judaism has played a major role in shaping the history of the world, having greatly influenced the development of Christianity and Islam, despite having always had a relatively small amount of adherents by comparison.

The religion itself is built off of the "written Torah" of the Bible, known in Judaism as the Tanach, and the "oral Torah" of the Mishna, Talmud and other great works of leading rabbis throughout history.

Judaism itself has no single leading figure, and is divided into multiple streams, such as the ultra-Orthodox (haredi), Orthodox, Conservative and Reform. Further differences also exist along the lines of historic Diasporic communities, such as Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jewry.

Today, the largest concentration of adherents of Judaism can be found in Israel, with the US having the second-largest.

'The Sacrificial Service': Leviticus has been mistranslated for centuries - review

The book grew out of courses the author taught, and covers Leviticus’ chapters 1 through 10.

MAY 30, 2026|ByNOAH ROTHSTEIN

Reading a torah scroll

SCRIBES FINISH writing a Torah scroll.

What the Israelites' greatest failure can teach us about today's uncertainty - opinion

Dreams are perfect. Reality is not. Reality demands sacrifice, perseverance, and the courage to confront uncertainty.

MAY 29, 2026|ByMOSHE TARAGIN

US AMBASSADOR to Belgium Bill White shows an image of a ritual circumcision, in Brussels.

To save brit milah, it's time to end a controversial circumcision practice - opinion

Protecting brit milah means separating the covenant from a risky practice that Jewish law does not require.

MAY 29, 2026|ByJONATHAN LIEBERMAN

The menorah-inscribed stone door discovered in Tiberias, December 2017

Parashat Beha'alotcha: The courage to see beyond

The Menorah in Zechariah’s vision still burns. Its message still endures. And it still calls to each of us: light the flame. Raise it high.

MAY 29, 2026|ByMICHAEL FREUND

If Israel wants mass aliyah, it must end its bureaucratic gatekeeping - opinion

What should have been a relatively simple process, has ended up being a non-ending nightmare of bureaucracy, almost meant to turn away new citizens by completely wearing them down.

MAY 23, 2026ByCOOKIE SCHWAEBER-ISSAN

New immigrants from USA and Canada arrive on a special " Aliyah Flight 2016" on behalf of Nefesh B'Nefesh organization, at Ben Gurion airport in central Israel on August 17, 2016.

Your Investments: Shavuot lessons, from Torah to retirement planning

Shavuot celebrates receiving the Torah. Beyond cheesecake, the holiday teaches restraint, morality, and living wisely, including lessons on finances and desire.

MAY 22, 2026ByAARON KATSMAN

A holiday of cheese and wine

Shavuot’s lesson for Israel: Sovereignty without purpose cannot survive - opinion

The future of Israel will not be determined only by where its borders are drawn but by whether the nation remembers what made it a nation in the first place.

MAY 22, 2026ByJEFFREY KAHN

An AI-generated cartoon illustration of Moses presenting the Ten Commandments to the Israelites and linking it to sovereignty over Israel.

Revealing the invisible: Jewish artists bring Mount Sinai to life

For artists who take on the challenge of depicting scenes from the Torah – particularly Moses and the giving of the Ten Commandments – the process begins with preparation.

MAY 22, 2026ByLIANE GRUNBERG WAKABAYASHI

Huvy Elisha paintings (all oil on canvas): ‘Man with the Torah.’

Shabbat candle-lighting times for Israel and US

See Shabbat times for your area.

MAY 22, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

Shabbat candles

Shavuot and Mount Sinai: Why modern Jews still wrestle with the Torah

The debate over Torah from Sinai may depend less on proof than on the condition of the soul.

MAY 22, 2026ByNATHAN LOPES CARDOZO

Scribe Nadav Elhadad writes a Torah scroll at Safed’s Mount Sinai Institute, in Feb.

Shavuot 2026: The holiday's enduring call to faith, loyalty, and Jewish purpose

From Sinai to modern Israel, Shavuot reminds Jews of the power of faith, words, and commitment.

MAY 21, 2026BySTEWART WEISS

We begin our day with the acknowledgment of ‘Modeh Ani.’

Shavuot 2026: The festival's Jewish mission to elevate the world

Judaism calls on people not to flee the physical world, but to elevate it through Torah and mitzvot.

MAY 21, 2026ByMICHAEL FREUND

Judaism seeks to bridge the divide between spiritual and physical.

Grapevine, May 21, 2026: New face on the diplomatic circuit

Movers and shakers in Israeli society.

MAY 21, 2026ByGREER FAY CASHMAN

President Isaac Herzog shakes hands with Somaliland’s first ambassador to Israel, Dr. Mohamed Hagi, after receiving his credentials at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, May 18, 2026.

My Word: Shavuot's striking legacy of Jewish pain, historic success - opinion

Shavuot is celebrated as a harvest festival with a conflicting history of both attacks on Jews in the past and historical military success.

MAY 21, 2026ByLIAT COLLINS

Children from the Toldot Aharon Talmud Torah march through the Mea Shearim neighborhood in Jerusalem ahead of the Shavuot holiday. May 19, 2026.