What is Judaism?

Judaism the religious beliefs and practices and the way of life of the Jews. Central to these is the notion of monotheism, adopted by the biblical Hebrews. In this early period there also developed a belief in the ultimate coming of God's kingdom on earth, a time of peace and justice. With the destruction (586 B.C.) of the First Temple and the consequent Babylonian captivity came the expectation of national restoration under the leadership of a Messiah. In Babylonia the Israelites were exposed to, and adopted, new ideas, e.g., the personification of evil (Satan) and the resurrection of the dead. In the post-exilic period (not later than the 5th cent. B.C.) the practice of publicly studying the Torah, or Pentateuch, and of writing expositions on it, began; these were later collected in the Mishna and Talmud.

The conquests of Alexander the Great brought other new ideas, most significantly that of the immortality of the soul. Conflict over the acceptable level of Hellenization led to the revolt of the Maccabees. As conditions of life deteriorated, apocalyptic beliefs grew: national catastrophe and the Messianic kingdom were seen as imminent events. Out of these beliefs grew both Christianity and classical, or rabbinic, Judaism. Rabbinic Judaism, which evolved over five centuries (until A.D. c.500), replaced the Temple with the Synagogue (the Second Temple was destroyed in A.D. 70), the priesthood with the Rabbi, and sacrificial ceremony with the prayer service.

Emphasis was placed on study of the Torah, on the growing need for national restoration in the Promised Land, and on the function of this world as preparatory for the world to come. In the medieval period two new developments arose: the Cabala, influenced predominantly by Neoplatonism, and, opposed to it, rationalism, whose principal exponent was Maimonides. Although the Jewish Middle Ages extended into the 18th cent., the general European Renaissance had its Jewish counterpart, e.g., in the work of the poet Judah Abravanel.

At the same time, the influence of the Sephardim, particularly the Marranos, came to be felt, generally as a liberalizing force. The 18th cent. produced both the great traditional rabbinic figure Elijah Ben Solomon (the Gaon of Vilna) and the untraditional figures Baal - Shem - Tov, the founder of Hasidism, and Moses Mendelssohn, spiritual progenitor of the later Reform movement. With the 19th cent. came the question of how Jews were to maintain tradition when the non-Jewish world demanded its abandonment. In Eastern Europe this problem was dealt with by the Haskalah, or Jewish enlightenment, movement, whose members, e.g., Nachman Krochmal, sought to revitalize Jewish life by recreating it along the lines of the best in European culture.

Finally, in reaction to the needs of a persecuted people and to growing nationalistic desires, Zionism arose, promising a return to the Holy Land. Ultimately, it was Halakah (the law) over which Jews divided; Orthodoxy regards halakah as derived from God and therefore authoritative, whereas Reform sees it as binding only in its ethical content. The Conservative movement assumes a middle position, maintaining most of the traditional rituals but recognizing a need for change in accordance with overriding contemporary considerations. Reconstructionist Judaism, a 20th-cent. movement, accepts all forms of Jewish practice, regarding Judaism as a culture rather than a theological system.

Additional Resources

Judaism

Jewish FAQ and Recommended Reading Lists     - Collection of answers to questions about Judaism (and the soc.culture.jewish Usenet group.) Reading lists on a variety of topics. Opinions of all denominations are represented equally.

Aish HaTorah - Judaism For Today - Aish HaTorah is an international network of Jewish educational centers. Our classes assume little or no Jewish background, and have achieved a worldwide reputation for making Judaism exciting, relevant and user-friendly.

Am Echad - Preserving One Jewish Nation - A collection of essays on Jewish unity and continuity.

Ask Yenta - The purpose of this website is to allow interesting, fun, and informational interaction with everyone. Your feedback is not only welcome but encouraged. Please feel free to share your wisdom, criticism, and ideas.

Awesome Litvish Chassid Torah Bayis! - A site for true Emes, Judaism and Torah! Shidduchim Database, Jewish Music and everything you could hope for in a Frum Jewish Site!

Bar Mitzvah Vendor Directory - Florida - A directory that is sorted by type of service. Includes names and contact information for vendors and hyperlinks to e-mail or websites where applicable.

Beth Hatefutsoth - The Israel Diaspora Museum - Museum in Tel Aviv, Israel, covering the history of Jewish communities in all parts of the world.

BibiWatch - Hebrew/Jewish newsletter.

Davka - Despite Everything; exploring Jewish life - Explore Jewish experience as mediated by Rabbi Mark Hurvitz. Find a Haggadah and other materials for celebrating Jewish life. Examine contested issues, share Israel trips, and build a community of Jews worldwide.

Dei'ah Vedibur - Information and Insight - Weekly window into the Jewish chareidi world. News and analysis of life in Israel and around the Jewish world from a religious Jewish perspective.

Documents of Jewish Belief - A collection of seminal documents about the varied forms of Jewish belief and religious streams compiled by journalist A. Engler Anderson.

Dwelling Place: the Site for the Growing Mind - Interactive on-line Jewish games

Fraiberg Judaica Collection - Over 70,000 items including Judaica books, periodicals, sheet music, and artifacts maintained by Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. Most are not Florida-specific.

Fresh Challah - An essay by writer Sergio Troncoso. Links to his short stories on the Web. News on current publications, including The Last Tortilla and Other Stories.

GenerationJ - The Site for Jewish 20 Somethings - Featuring articles on all issues that are important to the Jewish GenXer. It is published by Jewish Family & Life!, the largest producer of original Jewish online content.

Hagalil Online - Edited in Central Europe. While initially mainly in German, now more and more parts of the site are also available in English, providing information about Jewish life and faith for a global audience from a European perspective.

Halacha B'rura and Birur Halacha Institute - Annotated Talmud combining and reuniting the studies of Halacha (Jewish Law) and Gemorah based upon the work started by Rabbi Avraham Isaac HaCohen Kook.

HaRav @ Torah.net - Dayan Harav Yehuda Chezner Shlita will answer your Halachic inquiries.

Harry Leichter's Jewish Stuff Page - Welcome to the best Jewish Stuff Website to find everything you could ask for. Continually being updated for your pleasure.

Jerusalem of Gold - The site is devoted to the song "Jerusalem of Gold" and refers to the song both in written sources and on the net.

Jewish Chat Live Voice - Talk live to jewish singles or fellow jewish people about Torah topics.

Jewish College Students.com - Web site for Jewish College Students

Jewish Communities of the World - Glad you could drop by to visit Harry Leichter's Jewish Communities of the World.

Jewish Community Online - Web presence of the popular Jewish Community on America Online, Keyword: Jewish. Offers a pleasant design as well as pleasant content.

Jewish Connection - Rebbe photos, Torah quiz, parsha page, info on Israel, Peace poll, pollard, hebron, har homa and more 

Jewish Family & Life - Multimedia with Meaning - Conglomerate of nearly 20 sites covering all aspects of Jewish life, including food, health, parenting, books, and more. It is published by Jewish Family & Life!, the largest producer of original Jewish online content.

Jewish Magazine - A monthly independent internet magazine featuring articles of various Jewish interest including philosophy, humor, holocaust, history, Torah and mysticism.

Jewish Net - Jewish Net offere free webspace, free e-mail, free internet access and much more including content and resources for the UK's Jewish Community

Jewish Sports Webzine - A website featuring news, columns, and profiles about Jewish and Israeli sports and athletes. It is published by Jewish Family & Life!, the largest producer of original Jewish online content.

Jewish Student Online Research Center (JSOURCE) - Cyber encyclopedia of Jewish history and culture that covers everything from anti-Semitism to Zionism.

jewish.co.uk - the UK Jewish Portal - Since 1996, the site has been the number one destination for all things Jewish in the UK and more.

JewishPath: Essays Pertaining to Self Improvement - Jewish / Judaism Torah Learning of Gematria, Mysticism, with special emphasis placed in the areas of Medos, Self Improvement, blended with stories and humor.

JGL: Jewish Genealogy Links - A list of several hundred Jewish Genealogy Links, cross-indexed by subject.

Judaic Links - In this page you will find links about judaism, religion, gastronomy and other interesting information

Judaism - Weekly articles from a Chabad perspective, with discussion areas.

Judaism Forum Frigate - Discussion forum and live chat pertaining to all aspects of Judaism and the Jewish heritage.

Judaism Site - Newest Sites, Jewish Jokes and Serious Articles (from the About.com Guide)

JVibe--A Jewish Teen Online Community - Teen site features chats, discussions, articles, and more. It aims to build a multinational community of Jewish teenagers online. It is published by Jewish Family & Life!

The Kosher Net - Kosher link to the Information Super Highway, Kosher filtered access for Jewish families & businesses, all offensive sites are restricted, the gateway for Jewish sites on the Internet.

Kresel's Korner - Jewish Women's Issues, as explained by a Jewish woman who lives it.

The Lemba People of Africa - This is the fascinating story of the Lemba tribe of Jews that left judea 2,500 years ago.

Moshiach Online - Moshiach for Dummies, Questions and Answers, Ask a Question, Books on Moshiach, Weekly Message and much more

Moshiach.Net - Moshiach in CyberSpace. Weekly audio classes. Miracles in our times. Moshiach sound bytes. Moshiach for the Blind. Questions and Answers.

Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience - Not-for-profit corporation which interprets, documents, and preserves the long and rich tradition of Jewish life in the South through exhibits, public programs, publications, historic preservation, and community outreach.

Scrolls From the Dead Sea - Library of Congress' Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit.

Shalom! Welcome to the web site of the European Bureau of Chabad Lubavitch. - Torah subjects and festival highlights. An abundance of information on many topics of interest to the Jewish community. Updated weekly.

Shamash - Central point of Jewish information and discussion on the Internet. Our mission is to provide state-of-the-art Internet tools to Jewish organizations and individuals who maintain Web sites and/or discussion forums.

The Sofer Stam - Certified sofer stam - Jewish scribe - for Torah scrolls, Tefillin, Mezuzas and Megillas Esther

soyouwanna convert to Judaism? - This is not a decision to be made lightly, and this article explains how to decide if it’s the right religion for you. Then it explains all the steps you must take for a successful conversion, including finding a rabbi to help you, learning about Judaism, and the conversion ceremony.

Sterling Silver Passover Haggadah - Sterling Silver On Royal Blue Cover Artscroll Kol Dodi Haggadah

TalkingTorah Magazine of Jewish Study - A monthly web magazine dedicated to Torah study, and Jewish faith issues in modern life.

TalmudTorah.Org - TalmudTorah.Org New Media is your source for information regarding Judaism including Jewish Tradition, current events, politics, and community happenings among others.

Temple Mount in Jerusalem, The - Highlighting scientific and archaeological research concerning the location of the first and second Jewish temples.

The Thirteen Foundations of Judaism - Translation of the 13 foundations of Judaism compiled by the Ramba'm Maimonides.

Virtual Beis Hamikdash - A 3D view of the Holy Temple

VirtualJerusalem.com - The Jewish world from the heart of Israel

Window on the Wall - A live image of the Western Wall photographed from atop the Aish HaTorah World Center in Jerusalem.

yad yosef (ave J torah center) - live audio class of rabbi sutton and rabbi ozeri, on different topics regarding torah,law,life.

The Yahrzeit Organization - Helping You Remember the Souls of the Past