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

This month in Jewish history: Revelation, thrill of victory, agony of defeat

A highly abridged monthly version of Dust & Stars – Today in Jewish History.

MAY 16, 2026BySTEVEN DRUCKER

THE PALMAH’S ‘German Squad’ on a training march, 1942.

From Sinai to today: Judaism and the long march of monotheism - opinion

We were not selected for privilege but to carry God’s presence and moral vision into a broader world.

MAY 16, 2026ByMOSHE TARAGIN

MONOTHEISM WAS never intended to remain the private inheritance of a single nation.

America’s National Shabbat: An invitation Jews cannot afford to miss - opinion

Trump’s call for a national Shabbat highlights a growing Judeo-Christian alliance and a new cultural moment in America.

MAY 15, 2026ByTULY WEISZ

A JEWISH FAMILY gathers after lighting Shabbat candles.

Jerusalem Day: Israelis cannot afford to take a united Jerusalem for granted - opinion

Jerusalem Day should be appreciated and celebrated in all its manifestations – as a historic achievement, a political challenge, and a spiritual opportunity.

MAY 15, 2026ByDAVID M. WEINBERG

Jewish men dance with Israeli flags during Jerusalem Day celebrations at Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City, May 26, 2025.

Parashat Bamidbar: ‘Machar Chodesh’

This week’s haftarah offers a timely message about longing, loyalty, and the enduring bond between the Jewish people and their homeland.

MAY 15, 2026ByMICHAEL FREUND

IDF SOLDIERS stand at the Western Wall in June 1967 after it was captured during the Six Day War.

Shabbat candle lighting times for Israel and US

See Shabbat candle lighting times for your area.

MAY 15, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

Shabbat candles

Parashat Bamidbar: The individual within the collective

When the Torah counts the people by tribes and families, it teaches the art of integration: Each individual is counted on his or her own, yet as part of a larger structure.

MAY 15, 2026ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ

THE PURSUIT of individuality is one of modern culture’s most prominent trends.

Why keep the Sabbath? - opinion

US President Donald Trump urged Jewish Americans to observe a national Sabbath, a rare and monumental statement that brought the importance of keeping the holiday to light.

MAY 15, 2026ByYSHAI AMICHAI

An empty Shabbat dinner table that has been organised by a volunteer group every Friday since October 7 2023 is pictured, in Washington, DC, US, September 20, 2024.

Jerusalem Day lacks ritual meaning and how to fix a neglected holiday - opinion

Jerusalem Day celebrates Jewish history and sovereignty, but needs rituals to become a truly unifying and widely observed holiday.

MAY 13, 2026ByGIL TROY

Jewish men dance with Israeli flags during Jerusalem Day celebrations at Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City, May 26, 2025.

Jerusalem Day: The Israeli capital's eternal bond with the Jewish people - opinion

As Jerusalem Day approaches, the Western Wall stands once again as a symbol of Jewish longing, prayer, and togetherness.

MAY 13, 2026ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ

A general view of Jerusalem's Old City shows the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site, in the foreground as the Dome of the Rock, located on the compound known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount, is seen in the background.