Judaism

• Modern Orthodox Jews


  Largest branch of Judaism in Britain. Believe God gave the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai and Jews must uphold it as closely as they can in modern life. Faithful to Jewish teachings but embrace modern culture also.

  
• Reform Jews

  Faithful to many traditional Jewish customs and beliefs, however, believe Judaism must be in harmony with modern lifestyles which means not all ancient practices can or should be followed. Some beliefs also differ to Orthodox Jews.
• Ultra Orthodox Jews

  Very traditional in their beliefs and practices and stick closely to the Torah commandments. Fast-growing group in Britain as they have a very high birth rate. Separate themselves from the majority of society and shun modern life such as technology.
• Synagogue

  House of assembly; building for Jewish public prayer, study and assembly.
• Shekhinah

  The place where God's presence rests and can be felt.
• Shabbat


  Day of spiritual renewal and rest. Beginning at sunset on Friday and closing at nightfall on Saturday.
• Kosher

  Means "fit" or "proper". Foods that are permitted to be eaten according to Leviticus 11. It is also used to refer to the purity of ritual objects such as Torah scrolls.
• Torah

  The five books of Moses [Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers & Deuteronomy]. Regarded as the holiest books of the Tenakh.
• Mitzvot


  The term has a mix of meanings. It is often used to refer to duties {such as the 613 in the Torah} and good deeds. "Commandments".
• Messiah


  The anointed One who Jews believe will bring in a new era or age for humankind. This will include rebuilding the Temple and bringing in an age of Universal Peace.
• Covenant

  A promise or agreement between two parties. Covenants were made between God with Noah, Abraham and Moses.
• What do Jews believe?

  • God exists, is perfect and created everything in existence
  • God is One ("God's unity")
  • God does not have a physical body and so is not affected by the same needs as humans
  • God is eternal
  • Only God should be worshipped
  • God communicates with people through prophets
  • Moses is the most important prophet
  • The Torah was given to Moses by God
  • The Torah is God's Law and cannot be changed
  • God is all‐knowing and knows everything that is going to happen
  • God will reward good and punish evil
  • The belief that the Messiah will come
  • The dead will be resurrected
• Monotheistic


  The belief in one God
• God is a single, whole being that cannot be divided.
• God is ever present in people's lives; every sight they see, every sound they hear, and experience they are aware of is regarded as a meeting with God.
• God alone has the power over all things. He is almighty.
• God is everlasting and beyond something that humans can understand because of how great God is.
• Shema prayer

  A prayer said at least daily by most Jews (often at morning and night) and it reflects the belief in monotheism (God is One). It is made up from passages in Deuteronomy and begins with the all‐important line: "Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one"

  
• The design of Jewish synagogues also highlight that God is One ~ they contain no statues or representations of human beings ~ God alone should be worshipped
• God as Creator

  God is the One Creator of the entire Universe and He created it out of nothing just as He wanted it to be. The very first words of the Torah point to this: "In the beginning God Created heaven and earth" (Gen 1:1)
• God has a major effect and influence on the world and people's place within it.
• God expects loyalty from his people for giving them the gift that is earth and because he sustains the world in which they live.
• The majority of Jews DO NOT take the Genesis story of Creation to be literal… but rather to show that God was responsible for Creation and everything in it.
• Ultra‐Orthodox Jews believe the story of Creation to be literal fact ~ that god created the Universe within six days.
• Every week, Jews celebrate Shabbat which remembers the fact that God rested after Creating the Universe. Shabbat is a celebration or Creation!
• God as Law‐Giver

  God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses after he rescued the Jewish slaves from Egypt, probably in the thirteenth century BCE. In providing the Ten Commandments and the 613 Mitzvot (laws) in the Torah, Jews believe that God has set the basis of his relationship with his people, and that is the purpose of God being the law giver. God gave laws to help people exercise their free will in the correct way.
• God as Judge

  For Jews, God is a God of Justice. This means that He is fair and treats everyone with equality. Humans may not fully understand God's judgements, but we can be sure that He takes no pleasure in judging people wrongly or unfairly.
• The festival of Rosh Hashanah

  Celebrates The Creation. Jews believe that at Rosh Hashanah, God judges everyone on how they have kept his laws and commands.
• The teachings of the Rabbis actually speaks about how God weighs our good deeds on the scales against our bad deeds!
• There is a period of ten days after Rosh Hashanah before the festival of Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement). In this time, Jews can try to make up for any bad deeds and ask for forgiveness.

  
• Shekhinah


  Refers to the PRESENCE or "DWELLING" of God on Earth. Originally the Shekinah would be found in the Temple, but after its destruction in 70AD, there are differences about where it rested.
• Times when Jews believe Shekhinah to be present

  • In the Ark in every synagogue (the place where the sacred scriptures are kept)
  • When Jews are studying together as a group of ten or more
  • When Jews are praying and worshipping together as a group of ten or more (such a group is called a minyan)
• Jews believe that Shekhinah accompanied them on the Exodus journey
• Shekhinah


  The PRESENCE or "DWELLING" of God on Earth
• Times when Jews believe Shekhinah to be present

  • In the Ark in every synagogue
  • When Jews are studying together as a group of ten or more
  • When Jews are praying and worshipping together as a group of ten or more
• Jews believe that Shekhinah accompanied them on the Exodus journey and was sometimes imaged as a pillar of fire
• On experiencing the presence of Shekhinah, many Jews speak of feeling empowered, content, blessed and peaceful
• Mashiach

  Hebrew for Messiah, meaning "anointed"

  
• Jewish beliefs about the Messiah

  • Orthodox Jews believe the Messiah will be a physical man, an ideal ruler
  • Reform Jews believe "Mashiach" is not an actual figure, it refers to the good actions of God's people bringing about the Messianic Age

  
• When might the Messiah come?

  • Orthodox belief: God has a specific date that the Messiah will arrive / Some Orthodox believe the world will first need to get better to be ready for the Messiah and then he will come / Other Orthodox believe that the world will get worse and then the Messiah will come and put it right
  • Reform belief: Don't believe that the Messiah is a physical being, place little focus on any timings for Mashiach, the main focus is Jews looking forward to the messianic Age and working hard themselves towards that goal