What are the main ideas of the Jewish religion?

Question

I have never met anyone who is Jewish, so I don't understand the pratices. Please, someone tell me about the rituals and Holidays and the basic information I need to know so I will not offend anyone some day.

Answer 1

Principles of Judaism( what ever i beleive or not or it is true or not) :
Rambam's thirteen principles of faith is the most widely-accepted list of Jewish beliefs.
1-God exists.
2-God is one and unique.
3-God is incorporeal.
4-God is eternal.
5-Prayer is to be directed to God alone.
6-The words of the prophets are true.
7-Moses was the greatest prophet, and his prophecies are true.
8-The Torah was given to Moses.
9-There will be no other Torah.
10-God knows the thoughts and deeds of men.
11-God will reward the good and punish the wicked.
12-The Messiah will come.
13-The dead will be resurrected.
and sure every one of them has more details but sure Jewish has a different of this when you read bible or Quran you find them really was good for a while but then they start in the distortion and they someday worshiped to golden calf.

Answer 2

Essentially, it is summed up in the shema: "Hear O Israel, the Lord is G-d, the Lord alone!" These words are supposed to be the first words a baby hears, the last words heard before death and the first words spoken every day. Judaism brought monotheism to the world and this belief is the core of Judaism.

What does a Jew do in response to this knowledge? "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." Why? Because the Lord rescued us out from slavery and made us his own people, not just our ancestors, all of us. How is this love shown? By learning and following the decrees of the Lord, the rules set up to enable humans to live good lives. These are the first five books of the Bible. Jews call these decrees Torah, which is usually translated "Law", but that is a poor word to describe what it truly is. One could say that Torah represents God's presence in the world. Without intending to offend, Jews regard Torah perhaps in the same way Christians regard Jesus. Study of Torah is considered the most noble occupation, bringing the student closer to the mind of God. The mark of Jewish adulthood is the bar or bat mitzvah, when a young man or woman cants a passage from Torah in Hebrew before the assembly.

Of course, study is only half the duty. There is also action. There are actually 613 commandments in Torah. Some involve worship, some involve diet, some involve relationships and dealings with others, in fact every aspect of life. Some Jewish practices may seem strange to gentiles, such as the separation of meat and dairy foods, the clearing of leaven (yeast) throughout the house just before Passover, and the refusal of certain foods entirely, the avoidance of certain activities from Friday evening to Saturday afternoon, or the unfamiliar clothing and accessories some Jews wear for prayer, but these are Torah. They are observed out of respect and care for G-d. The kosher laws may also have been hygenic safegards in the days before refrigeration.

Jewish holy days are not any mystery. The new year, celebrated in September, is a time to review the past and contemplate the future, followed by Yom Kippur ("Day of Atonement"), when Jews review their sins and resolve to make amends. Several celebrations, such as Sukkot, Passover and Shavuoth, commemorate events from the Exodus, the passage from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. After all, the rescue of Israel from slavery by G-d and the gift of Torah are the central Jewish "salvation" event. There are fast days to commemorate the destruction of the Temple and feast days (Hannukah, Purim, Passover) to celebrate victories over adversity. As one joker had it the recurring theme is: "They tried to kill us. We survived. Let's eat!"

Some Jews are very strict observers of Torah. You are probably unlikely to meet them. Others are less literal and hard to pick out of a crowd. But all Jews are quite used to living in a world that is not quite familiar with them. An attitude of sincere, respectful curiosity should be all you need to get along.

Answer 3

they adhere to their religious beliefs more than almost all of the rest. they have a basic credo in the form of their book of rules, the torah, and live it. it has seen them through2000 years of ridicule and harassment, and by some of the answers here, they still need it. they believe in the old testament, the god of harsh justice, but it serves them well. it has stood the test of time and persecution and has brought the jewish people through any number of 'hells' and they all of this earth
they are not the only religion that we accept that do not accept that jesus has been born yet. they too await a messiah

Answer 4

A good Jewish is the one who believe in One Only God. Good Jews pray most of the time and have no time for money or politics.

Answer 5

Big guy in sky will beat the crap out of you if you don't sit down, shut up and do as your leader tells you to.

Answer 6

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judaism

that will give you all the basics, its alot to type!

They believe in the Torah, not Jesus and celebrate High Holy Days. Like every faith, some keep it and some dont.

Blessings
David

Answer 7

You meet them more often than you think, they just dont let anyone know that they are jewish because people dont trust them.

Answer 8

Just look at the old book of the bible!

Answer 9

Try

http://www.aish.com

and

http://www.chabad.org

Answer 10

apperently stubborn denial even unto the words and guidance of thier GOD.