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.

Bill Aron, photographer of Jewish countercultures, gets his due in a sweeping retrospective

A trained sociologist and street photographer, Aron took iconic photos of his fellow members of the New York Havurah in its 1970s heyday.

FEBRUARY 9, 2026|ByANDREW SILOW-CARROLL/JTA

Bill Aron, whose early projects included a series on Jews living on New York's Lower East Side, discusses a new exhibit of his work at the Center for Jewish History in Manhattan, Feb. 4, 2026.

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Jerusalem Orthodox churches don’t represent all Christians - opinion

Evangelical Catholics reject claims that Christian Zionism is harmful and believe in the Jewish people’s covenant with god.

FEBRUARY 8, 2026|ByPADDY MONAGHAN

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivers a speech to members of the New York State Nurses Association union, next to U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), during a picket outside Mount Sinai West in New York City, U.S., January 20, 2026.

New York’s Jews are rightfully wary of Mamdani’s interfaith outreach. He should listen - editorial

Declining to sponsor the event was not a rejection of interfaith dialogue. It was an acknowledgment that dialogue alone is not enough.

FEBRUARY 8, 2026|ByJPOST EDITORIAL

THE ALMOND TREE has been watching over the Land of Israel for longer than we can fathom.

Hiking in the Holy Land: The almond tree, Israel's ancient clock

Spring has not arrived, yet blossoming almonds in Israel signify the arrival of Tu Bishvat, the new year for trees, a time when some seasonal quality has shifted.

FEBRUARY 8, 2026|BySUSANNAH SCHILD

Israeli voters deserve representatives they can trust - opinion

Reform is needed to make Israeli democracy meaningful as voters don't have enough influence over Knesset members.

FEBRUARY 7, 2026ByTOVA HERZL

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee meeting at the Knesset, in Jerusalem, February 5, 2026

The Epstein scandals and the collapse of moral restraint - opinion

Trust in today's world feels increasingly fragile, and Judaism offers hope that societies can recover not by lowering standards to match disappointment, but by reaffirming religious values.

FEBRUARY 7, 2026ByJONATHAN LIEBERMAN

US financier Jeffrey Epstein appears in a photograph taken for the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services' sex offender registry March 28, 2017 and obtained by Reuters July 10, 2019.

Jerusalem through Ethiopian eyes: Understanding Israel's capital through its Ethiopian communities

As Jerusalem continues to evolve, the rhythms of Ethiopian heritage shape its character in unmistakable ways.

FEBRUARY 6, 2026BySHIR PERETS

Ethiopian Jews take part in a prayer of the Sigd holiday on the Armon Hanatziv Promenade overlooking Jerusalem on November 28, 2024.

Shabbat candle lighting times for Israel and US

See Shabbat times for your area.

FEBRUARY 6, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

Shabbat candles

Parashat Yitro: Illuminating the fog

Moses understood that genuine service of God is not found in thunder and lightning but rather in the place of fog, confusion, and lack of clarity.

FEBRUARY 6, 2026ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ

The God one seeks is found precisely in the confusing, unclear place.

Parashat Yitro: Before the revelation at Sinai

Whenever people are convinced that they are acting in the name of higher goals – especially when they believe they are serving God – moral boundaries become fragile.

FEBRUARY 6, 2026ByMOSHE TARAGIN

A big ball of fire (illustrative)

The paradox of antisemitism education – and why it backfired - opinion

Antisemitism is not ordinary bigotry, and treating it like every other form of prejudice misunderstands its psychology and makes the problem worse.

FEBRUARY 5, 2026ByDANIEL ROWE

An illustrative image of a class in an elementary school.

Argentinian oleh celebrates his Bar Mitzvah, conversion to Judaism 20 years after making aliyah

Ariel Weintraub, an Argentinian-Israeli who has been living in the country for the past 20 years, decided to fully convert to Judaism after connecting with his Jewish coworkers.

FEBRUARY 4, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

An Argentine oleh (new immigrant to Israel) who made aliyah 20 years ago celebrated his Bar Mitzvah in Eilat after a long period of conversion.

Alt-New Jew: Israeli grit and Diaspora wisdom combined - opinion

Jews must combine the ways of life of both the Diaspora and the Israelis to ensure a safe, strong, and vibrant future.

FEBRUARY 2, 2026ByZACK BODNER

American and Israeli Jews [Illustrative]

Women as halachic leaders, then and now - opinion

In our generation, we are privileged to encounter women whose learning, commitment, and spiritual leadership who serve the Jewish people by answering halachic questions and issuing rulings.

FEBRUARY 1, 2026ByKENNETH BRANDER

WOMEN ARE seen studying Torah and Halacha at Midreshet Lindenbaum. Women must be given the opportunity to take the Chief Rabbinate’s exams, the writer says.