WIP especially around organization
But here’s an older writeup I had on this.
Core Beliefs
Jews believe that there is one almighty creator God, Yahweh, who formed the heavens and the earth from nothing. Despite man’s many failings, God appeared to Abraham and to Jacob and called a people apart to be His holy covenant in the world.
Later God freed this people from bondage in Egypt and gave them the Laws (the Torah) and many Prophets to guide them in righteousness and justice. He also promises a coming Messiah who will save them from the tragedies and scattering they’ve been subjected to since.
Scriptural Texts
Jewish doctrines and the stories and teachings of their faith are written down in several collections of scriptures. The core of this is the Torah, which contains the central basis of the Law.
Practices & Rituals
With the loss of the appropriate Temple, Jews observe their normal worship in houses of prayer (Beit Tefilah) and study (Beit Midrash) - commonly called Synagogues.
This is further expounded by study, both by learned clergy and laymen. Some of this study includes expounding of practices (for worshipping God, living obedient to the commandments of the Law, and living charitably in community) which can appear esoteric or baffling to outsiders. These include solitary and communal prayers, special clothing, dietary restrictions, and ritual purity/cleansing practices.
The most noticeable practices involve the circumcision of infant (and convert) males, strict dietary laws (Kashrut) and the practice of resting from nightfall Friday to nightfall Saturday (for the day of Shabbat, or Sabbath).
Festivals & Holy Days
Some of the most visible and key holy days in the Jewish calendar are:
- Passover (or Pesach), celebrating the release from slavery in Egypt. It is celebrated for several days in the spring according to the Jewish lunar calendar, and for some Christian creeds is used as a marker for the timing of the Christian Paschal feast.
- Shavuot or the Feast of First Fruits - which marks the (spring/summer - the first wheat in Palestine) harvest.
- Sukkot; a seven day celebration commemorating the forty year wandering before the Israelites passed into the Promised Land
- Rosh Hashanah, marking a time for making amends in the new year and marked with the blowing of the ram’s horn (shofar) - after 10 days of solemnity it is followed by Yom Kippur, a day of fasting and prayer.
- Purim, a day of celebration, often with costumes, charity, and carnivals - celebrating the deliverance of the ancient Jews recorded in the Book of Esther.
Clergy
There’s been no official clergy among the Jews since the Temple fell and the last Nasi (“Prince”) of the Sanhedrin died in 425. The old priesthood (Kohanim) no longer have a role - rather prayers may be led by any learned man.
Some prayers and religious studies are held by Rabbis1 (“Masters”) - scholars of the Torah - and Chazzan (“Cantors”) - music and prayer leaders. These also don’t have any formal ordination (they are instead acclaimed and chosen by their communities).