Fact 1

Monotheistic religion

Jewish people believe that God is all-knowing, all-powerful, just, and merciful.

Christians and Muslims are also believers in an all-knowing, all-powerful, just, and merciful God.

Fact 2

The Jewish religion teaches that people have free will and are responsible for their choices.

The Christian and Muslim religions also teach this

Fact 3

The Torah (Holy Book) is the primary document that reveals God’s instructions to the Jewish people.The Torah is the first five books of the Old Testament from the Bible.

It has 613 Commandments of which the 10 Commandments are considered to be the most important.

Fact 4

Jewish people share a belief in the Old Testament with Christians.

Jewish people are waiting for the Messiah to come for the first time to claim the righteous.

Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Messiah who will come to earth the second time to claim the righteous.

Jesus is an important prophet to the Jewish faith, but not the Messiah.

Fact 5

Jewish people recognize that Muslims and Christians worship the same God as they do.

The Jewish religion teaches that all righteous people go to heaven regardless of their religion.

Fact 6

Traditional Judaism uses matrilineal descent to determine who is Jewish.

For example: If your mother is Jewish and your father is not, you are considered Jewish.

If your father is Jewish, but your mother is not, you are not considered Jewish.

Depending in the type of Judaism, this rule may or may not be recognized today.

Fact 7

The Jewish day of rest is called Shabbat. It is the most important ritual observance

named in the 10 Commandments. All Jewish days begin and end at sunset;

therefore, the Shabbat begins on Friday night at sundown and lasts until Saturday at sundown.

Jewish people are not supposed to carry money or ride in cars on Shabbat. Many people will park their cars a few blocks from the synagogue and walk because of the long distance they might have to drive to worship.

Fact 8

Synagogue is a Jewish house of worship, also know as shul or temple depending on the branch of Judaism.

Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox are the three main branches. Orthodox is the strictest.

Orthodox Jews separate the seating of the men and women in the synagogue.

Magen David – Star of David represents the shield of King David. It is a relatively new symbol of Judaism.

In the 17th century, it was used to identify synagogues.

In 1897 it was adopted as the emblem of the Zionist Movement (push for Jewish homeland)

Today it is a symbol of the country of Israel, and on its flag.

Fact 9

Fact 10

Israel is tied to Jewish law. Living outside of Israel is considered an exile for the Jewish people.

In 1947 the United Nations divided Palestine into Jewish and Arab sections. In 1948, the Jewish people declared Israel a nation, and it was recognized by many western nations.

One-third of the world’s Jewish population lives in Israel.