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May 10, 2024 · Delve into the depths of Jewish heritage by learning its principles, origins, and practices with these Judaism facts. 01 There are between 14.5 to 17.4 million Jews in the world today. 02 Judaism is the 10th largest religion in the world today. 03 Only 43% of Jews live in Israel.
Judaism is the name of the religion, and its followers are known as Jews. Judaism began around 4,000 years ago when the Prophet Abraham received a vision from God. Jews believe that there is...
- Myth: Jews, Israelites & Hebrews Are Different People
- Myth: Mitzvah Means “Good Deed”
- Myth: There Are Different Denominations of Jews
- Myth: David Invented The Star of David
- Myth: The Jewish G‑d Has A Long Beard and European Accent
- Myth: There Are 613 Mitzvahs to Do
- Myth: You Can Be Half-Jewish
- Myth: Jews Don’T Believe in Heaven
- Myth: Judaism Is A Race
- Myth: People with Tattoos Cannot Be Buried Among Jews
The Torah refers to our people mostly as “Sons of Israel” (Israelites) and occasionally as Hebrews. On the other hand, most English speakers today refer to us as Jews. This has led some people to believe that the Jews are not the same people as G‑d’s chosen people in the Bible.
One of the most common words one hears from Jewish people is mitzvah, which is commonly translated as “good deed” or “act of kindness.”
A person may sometimes say, “I don’t need to do this mitzvah or celebrate that holiday because I am [insert name of denomination here],” perpetuating the myth that there are different classes of Jews for whom different sets of rules and traditions apply.
The six-pointed star (hexagram) is often associated with Jews and the Jewish religion. Referred to as a Magen David (“Shield of David”) it is a favorite decoration on synagogues, Jewish gravestones, and jewelry. In times past, antisemitic regimes (most notoriously the Nazis) forced Jews to wear these stars as a mark of shame. Judging by its common ...
Many Jewish (and probably non-Jewish) children grew up with the image of G‑d being an old man with a long white beard, peering down from a jewel-encrusted throne in the sky, keeping tabs on our deeds and rewarding and punishing us accordingly. Perhaps taking its cue from the archetypical rabbi or cantor of previous generations—seen as G‑d’s de fact...
Another common deterrent for fully embracing Jewish practice is that people feel overwhelmed by its magnitude, claiming that 613 commandments are far too many for any person to observe.
The child of only one Jewish parent will often refer to him/herself as “half-Jewish.” Such a person may sometimes also practice a hybrid of Jewish traditions meshed with the religion of their non-Jewish parent.
Scripture says virtually nothing about the afterlife, and there is a commonly repeated refrain that Judaism does not believe in the afterlife.
The blight of social Darwinism upon the 20th century culminated in the Nazi attempt to purge the imaginary Aryan race of perceived malignant strains of humanity. Jews were defined as one such undesirable race, and, despite their enormous contribution to German culture, science, and civilization, were systematically extracted and eliminated by inhum...
(This one is a favorite of people who like to expose myths, and we are including it in our list mostly to save them the effort of writing comments pointing out the omission. So here goes:) It is often said that Jews with tattoos may not be buried in Jewish cemeteries.
1 day ago · The Jewish Alphabet, the Jewish calendar, the books of the Jewish cannon—here’s your place to get the fundamental facts of Judaism.
What Do Jews Believe? By Nissan Dovid Dubov. From the Sichos in English Collection. « Previous. Introduction. Next » Middot — Character Development. Fundamental Jewish Beliefs. What do Jews believe in? The Rambam —a great Jewish rabbi and philosopher—summarized the Jewish faith in 13 principles.
Jun 12, 2009 · Last updated 2009-06-12. This article is a short overview of Judaism and includes some basic facts, statistics and history. On this page. Print this page. Judaism at a glance. Judaism is...
