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.

Parashat Shlah: The absolute truth

When fear overrides faith, even truth becomes distorted; this is the lesson of the spies in the desert.

JUNE 5, 2026|ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ

Truth

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Shabbat candle lighting times for Israel and US

See Shabbat candle lighting times for your area.

JUNE 5, 2026|ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

KASHRUT CERTIFICATION at a Jerusalem eatery – will the rabbinate’s monopoly be broken?

What does the kashrut reform repeal mean, and could it raise food prices? - explainer

The reform was designed to move Israel’s kashrut system away from one controlled almost entirely by the Chief Rabbinate and local rabbinates, and toward a regulated market.

JUNE 3, 2026|BySARAH BEN-NUN

THE PARTING of the Red Sea during the Jewish nation’s escape from Egypt, an illustration from a Bible card published 1907 by the Providence Lithograph Company

A different mind, a shared covenant - opinion

I often find myself drawn to the story of Moses, who, when called, responded: "Why me?" Any of Moses’ traits might be understood in the context of autism

JUNE 3, 2026|ByDAVID GOLDFARB

Shabbat candle-lighting times for Israel and US

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MAY 22, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

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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.

How Shavuot was rescued by the Torah, and brought home by Israel - opinion

Beyond cheesecake and tradition, Shavuot carries a layered identity that links Sinai, agriculture, and Jewish history from exile to return.

MAY 21, 2026ByJONATHAN LIEBERMAN

CHILDREN MARCH through the Mea Shearim neighborhood in Jerusalem ahead of the Shavuot holiday.

Shavuot, Shabbat candle-lighting times for Israel and US

See Shavuot and Shabbat times for your area.

MAY 21, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

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Shavuot 2026: Why the Torah still matters in the age of AI and technology

One of the fundamental principles of Jewish faith is that the Torah is eternal and will never be replaced.

MAY 21, 2026ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ

TECHNOLOGY KNOWS how to make life easier, but it does not know how to make a person better.

Editor's Notes: Why some Jews are scrubbing themselves from the internet - comment

The writer who asks for anonymity has not abandoned the Jewish people. He is covering, trying to stay employable and safe in a world that has quietly decided his affiliation is a liability.

MAY 21, 2026ByZVIKA KLEIN

The real Jerry Seinfeld was never the assimilated man his show implied. Seinfeld during his visit to Israel, December 2023.