One of the oldest major religions of the world, Judaism teaches belief in one God. It is the religion of the Jews. Both Christianity and Islam developed from Judaism.
Basic aspects associated with the religion
- The basic laws and teaching of Judaism come from the Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew
- According to the text, God first revealed himself to a Hebrew man named Abraham, who became known as the founder of Judaism.
- The Talmud is a collection of legal and ethical writings, as well as Jewish history and folklore.
- God is believed to have given the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai, which explained how Jews should live.
- Jews believe God communicates to believers through prophets and rewards good deeds while also punishing evil.
- Shabbat is recognized as a day of rest and prayer for Jews. It typically begins at sunset on Friday and lasts until nightfall on Saturday.
- India has two Jewish speaking communities- the Malayalam speaking Cochinis and the Marathi-speaking Bene Israel. Jewish refugees came and settled on west coast of India nearly two thousand years ago.
- Jewish people worship in holy places known as synagogues,and their spiritual leaders are called rabbis. The six-pointed Star of David is the symbol of Judaism.
Practice questions
- Trace the contribution of Buddhism and Jainism to Indian culture
- Highlight the main teachings of major religions in India and the relevance of these teaching in the present circumstances.