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.

Between miracle and memory: The evolution of Miriam in art over the years

Whether in medieval ‘Haggadot’ or the lithographs of Bezalel, artists trace Miriam as she emerges, tambourine in hand, to lead the aftermath of the Exodus.

APRIL 8, 2026|ByNERIA BARR

BYZANTINE MOSAIC, Abbey of the Dormition, Jerusalem (c. early medieval) – Miriam, tambourine in hand.

‘SEPARATIONS/DOME,’ Batsheva Ensemble. ‘The work began from a feeling, an everyday sensation of vulnerability.’ – Bosmat Nossan

The body continues: In war, dance becomes a way to survive

In their new works for the Batsheva Ensemble, choreographers Bosmat Nossan and Roni Chadash echo the rhythm of Miriam as a practice of necessity.

APRIL 8, 2026|ByORI J. LENKINSKI

Engraving: The Song of Miriam (1880), by William Blake Richmond.

Before the song: On Passover, Miriam leads with rhythm when the path is unclear

Miriam leads not through words or commands but through rhythm, movement, and shared presence. Her tambourine becomes a structure that others can enter.

APRIL 7, 2026|ByNERIA BARR

IT IS no accident that Song of Songs is read every Passover. The book is saturated with an explosive, summoning, and impossible to resist spring – an explosion of energy and new life

Passover and Song of Songs: What spring teaches us about freedom

HIKING THE HOLYLAND: Israel's hiking trails are quieter than they used to be. And yet – spring does not wait.

APRIL 7, 2026|BySUSANNAH SCHILD

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

A war-weary Jerusalem marks Purim one day after the rest of the world

Early morning sirens coincided with the morning of Shushan Purim, as thousands of Israelis gathered, despite a prohibition on public gatherings, to fulfill the mitzvah of hosting a Megillah reading.

MARCH 5, 2026ByTHEIA CHATELLE/JTA

A man wearing a wolf costume with his daughter dressed as Little Red Riding Hood shops at a stall in the Machane Yeduda market in Jerusalem, which was operating at limited capacity because of the war with Iran, during Purim in Jerusalem, March 4, 2026.

From Hollywood to aliyah and wartime: Diane Neal’s leap of faith

The former television star opens up about loss, Israel and why she chose to begin again during war.

MARCH 3, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST PODCASTS

Diane Neal sits down with The Post to disucss her aliyah story.