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.

Israel’s shift from seeking approval to shaping global narrative - opinion

It took the international responses to the October 7 massacre and the vicious antisemitism, the horrors, and the deaths for Israel to mature.

APRIL 16, 2026|ByMICAH HALPERN

PLO chairman Yasser Arafat (L) waves with prime minister Yitzhak Rabin (R) and US president Bill Clinton after the signing of the Israeli-PLO peace accord, at the White House in Washington, in 1993. Israel was forced into Oslo to reduce international isolation, and it backfired, the author notes.

The campus of Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio, January 21, 2019.

As Ohio again tries to block Hebrew Union College’s restructuring, a new rabbinical school emerges

Ohio Attorney-General Dave Yost takes legal action to prevent the closure of Hebrew Union College’s Cincinnati campus, citing donor intent and history.

APRIL 16, 2026|ByANDREW LAPIN/JTA

Rain falls in mid-August in the upper Galilee

From rain to dew: Prayer and the meaning of uncertainty - opinion

The shift from rain to dew in prayer reveals a deeper message about resilience, fear, and spiritual growth.

APRIL 15, 2026|ByZACHARY PAIKIN

Rabbi Jacobson stands next to the monument in Trondheim, 1947.

How a Norwegian pastor helped Jews pray in secret during the Holocaust

A remarkable bond between a pastor and the rabbi of the Jewish community of Trondheim helped Jews through the

APRIL 14, 2026|ByYOAV ETIEL

Israel never stops bringing its soldiers home - opinion

A special forces mission in Lebanon shows the ancient promise still guiding Israel: no Jew is ever left behind.

MARCH 8, 2026ByELI BEER

Missing IAF navigator Ron Arad in captivity after his jet went down in Lebanon in 1986

From DC to Jerusalem: Larry Liss’s journey as a chef and culinary artist

A southern-born chef brings creativity and flavor to Jerusalem through home-cooked meals and culinary adventures.

MARCH 8, 2026ByALAN ROSENBAUM

Larry Liss.

Why Israel doesn’t need the world’s permission to fight Iran - opinion

The so-called “rules-based international order” has ignored the fact that an international armed conflict has long existed between Iran, the US, and Israel.

MARCH 7, 2026ByDAVID M. WEINBERG

Motorists drive along an expressway as plumes of smoke rise after a strike in Tehran on March 5, 2026.

How Mikhael Mirilashvili sees Netanyahu, Trump, and Israel’s national priorities - interview

From legal battles to Channel 14, Mirilashvili shares his perspective on politics and public life.

MARCH 7, 2026ByZVIKA KLEIN

Working in his Petah Tikva office, 2024: Watergen’s water-from-air technology is a priority.

From Shushan to Tehran: Purim’s story repeats itself - opinion

Again and again, the pattern returns: a decree of destruction, a sudden fall, a people still standing.

MARCH 7, 2026ByJONATHAN LIEBERMAN

People celebrate Purim in Mea Shearim, Jerusalem.

In the kitchen with Henny: Easy Purim, Passover dinners using what’s already in your kitchen

From Purim treats to Passover prep, turn leftovers and pantry staples into nourishing, stress-free dinners.

MARCH 7, 2026ByHENNY SHOR

Henny Shor

Echoes of Egypt: Haggadah that brings ancient Egypt to your seder

Experience a Haggadah that brings 3,000 years of Egyptian imagery to life.

MARCH 7, 2026ByMICHAEL BERNSTEIN

Close-up of the Merenptah Stele, mentioning Israel on line 27.

Parashat Ki Tisa: Fear and the choice of courage

From the golden calf to today, fear tests us, but faith and courage show the way forward.

MARCH 6, 2026ByMOSHE TARAGIN

Taking cover in Tel Aviv, March 1.

Parashat Ki Tisa: Sin of the golden calf and the test of patience

Impatience at Sinai led to the golden calf, teaching that true faith and redemption demand patience, not glittering shortcuts.

MARCH 6, 2026ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ

Impatience has led to many people losing their own private Garden of Eden.

Shabbat candle lighting times for Israel and US

See Shabbat times for your area.

MARCH 6, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

Shabbat candles