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.

'Persia will fall': rabbis cite ancient texts as Iran’s crisis deepens

A senior Israeli rabbi published a biblical-style prayer calling for the downfall of Iran’s clerical regime.

JANUARY 11, 2026|ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

People take part in a rally in solidarity with protesters in Iran, on January 11, 2026 in London, England.

Shofarim. Illustrative.

The return of the lost Jews - and the ‘great shofar’

'On that day, a great shofar shall be sounded, and those lost in the land of Assyria and those who were cast off in the land of Egypt shall come, and they shall bow to the Lord in Jerusalem.'

JANUARY 11, 2026|ByMICHAEL FREUND

Statue of Spinoza by Nicolas Dings in Zwanenburgwal, Amsterdam, with the inscription ‘The objective of the state is freedom,’ quoted from his ‘Tractatus Theologico-Politicus.’

'Why Am I a Jew?' A sincere attempt at addressing big questions about Judaism - book review

Rosner’s book was written primarily for non-practicing Jews perplexed by Judaism in general and by apparent contradictions between Jewish and Western values in particular.

JANUARY 11, 2026|ByABIGAIL KLEIN LEICHMAN

Shabbat, a day for 'unplugging.'

Why I can’t live without Shabbat

The beautiful chaos of our crew around a table covered with challah, wine, and probably too much food... Our table almost always holds more. Friends stop by. Guests join.

JANUARY 11, 2026|ByJAMIE GELLER

Rebranding Zionism, unifying Jews: Rabbi Doron Perez on his plans as WZO president - interview

JEWISH WORLD AFFAIRS: Rabbi Doron Perez, in his role as WZO president, aims to unify Jews and rebrand Zionism as a force for good

JANUARY 10, 2026ByMICHAEL STARR

‘THE WORLD Zionist Organization is an ideal platform to play a unifying role.’ WZO President Rabbi Doron Perez holds a picture of his son Daniel, a tank commander who fell in battle on October 7, and whose body had been abducted into Gaza until finally being returned in a ceasefire deal in October.

Somaliland’s lost and forgotten Jews: Inside Horn of Africa's Jewish past - opinion

Beyond the politics, Israel’s recognition of Somaliland reveals a hidden Jewish past, from ancient cemeteries to the origins of the Yibir tribe.

JANUARY 10, 2026ByMICHAEL FREUND

Residents wave Somali flags as they attend a rally denouncing Israel’s recognition of the breakaway Somaliland region, during a gathering calling for Somalia’s territorial unity, in Mogadishu, Dec. 30.

Dr. Irene Aue-Ben-David: Preserving the history of German Jewry - interview

Jerusalemite of the Week: A conversation with Leo Baeck Institute director Dr. Irene Aue-Ben-David on preserving German Jewish history.

JANUARY 10, 2026ByAARON REICH

Irene Aue-Ben-David

From pop stars to tefillin pop-ups, Oct. 7 changed how some Israelis practice Judaism

The spiritual jolt of those first weeks has not fully faded, and increased religious practice has become part of the country’s daily rhythm.

JANUARY 10, 2026ByDEBORAH DANAN/JTA

The Israeli TV host Ofira Asayag is secular but lit Shabbat candles on air in 2024, during the Israel Hamas war reflecting a trend among Israelis.

How a Jew and an Arab made a comedy about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

A bold new Jewish-Arab comedy, “Bella,” uses humor to explore shared pain.

JANUARY 9, 2026ByHANNAH BROWN

A scene from ‘Bella.’

Parashat Shemot: Learning God

The divine cannot be reduced to scientific explanation or empirical inquiry. God exists beyond the categories through which human beings normally understand reality.

JANUARY 9, 2026ByMOSHE TARAGIN

The encounter at the burning bush lays the bedrock of monotheism. Illustrative.

Shabbat candle lighting times for Israel and US

See Shabbat times for your area.

JANUARY 9, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

Shabbat candles

Parashat Shemot: The continuity of the world

The victory of the midwives over Pharaoh was the beginning of Israel’s triumph over Egypt.

JANUARY 9, 2026ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ

The numerical rise of the Israelites aroused fear in Pharaoh. Illustrative.

Hungarian textbooks portray Jews positively, contain unbiased coverage of Holocaust - IMPACT-se

IMPACT-se released new research that found that Hungarian school textbooks include informative depictions of Judaism and empathetic, deep coverage of the Holocaust.

JANUARY 8, 2026ByMATHILDA HELLER

Rabbi Tamas Vero plays the Jewish shofar during the annual "March of the Living" to commemorate victims of the Holocaust, in Budapest, Hungary, May 5, 2024

Beyond the Headlines: A medical milestone, a shared vision - opinion

A weekly glimpse into the Israel you won’t read about in the news.

JANUARY 6, 2026BySIVAN RAHAV MEIR

A Medical Milestone and a Shared Vision

Rabbis after Google: Jewish leadership must be reimagined - opinion

Judaism has always evolved. In a world of instant access and fading institutions, rabbinic leadership must evolve with it.

JANUARY 6, 2026ByADAM GINDEA

Chief rabbis of Jerusalem, Rabbi Shlomo Amar and Rabbi Arye Stern