Te purpose of studying other religions is not to arm ourselves to be judgemental and dogmatic but to be equipped to have an intelligent conversation with people of other faiths in order to influence them towards Christ.
What is Jew? Or, what makes someone a Jew? Is it a race? A nationality? A religion? Yes. No. Maybe? You can be Jewish and not an Isreali (you don't have Israeli citizenship). You can convert to Judaism and become a Jew, and you can be an American 'non-practicing' Jew. The word 'Jew' means all these things. For the purposes of our conversation, when I say 'Jew' you say 'religion'.
Judaism is the oldest monotheistic religion in the world. They are (as an ethnic group, nation and religon) descended from Abraham and their scripture is the Tanakh and they especially venerate the Torah (the first 5 books, given to Moses). It is also the Christian Old Testament.
In the 12th or 13th century, Rabbi Rambam put together a list of 13 Jewish Principles that Jews (I say 'Jews', you say '________' ) believe:
1. God Exists
2. God is Eternal
3. God is One and Unique
4. God is Incorporeal (invisible)
5. Prayer is to God
6. The words of the prophets are true
7. Moses' prophecies are true and he was the greatest prophet
8. the written Torah (the first 5 books) and the Oral Torah (Talmud) were given to Moses
9. There will be no other Torah
10. God knows the thoughts and deeds of man
11. God will Punish the wicked and reward the Good
12. The Messiah will come
13. the dead will be ressurrected
There are 4 types of Jews:
Orthodox Jews - believe the Torah is to be followed today (1o% of the Jews in US). These are going to be the ones who keep kosher laws, beards uncut, sideburns, tassels, etc.
Reform Jews - follow principles rather than specifics (they are considered 'Liberal'). They might tend to see the Torah as guidelines and principles rather than actual laws to follows. (35% of the Jews in US).
Conservative Jews - They fall somewhere in the middle between the other two. The believe Torah came from God but has a human component to it. (26% of the Jews in the US)
Messianic Jews - Jewish Christians. There are 47,000 worldwide.
The main differences between Judaism and Christianity is their relative stances on the deity of Christ. Jews will either say Jesus was a good man, or a heretic. The do not think that Jesus is God, as that would violate beliefs 3, 4, and twelve. They acheive salvation from doing good deeds, not from the saving grace of Jesus.
Here is a story that I didn't have time to share in class: "I tried no to stare as a bearded man three rows ahead of me stood up and began winding a long leather strap around his arm. He was observing a daily custom - binding small boxes called 'teffilin' to the forehead and arm. The boxes contain parchment with Dueteronomy 6:6-8 on it. As he wound it around himself, I could hear him speaking in Hebrew, quoting Hosea 2:19-20, " I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord." Sitting next to me was a young girl who when she wasn't sleeping, was reading her scripture and praying, rythmically rocking back and forth as she read and meditated. This is a practice called 'davening', a way of expresssing that one's whole self: body and soul, is caught up with God."
These are powerful examples of the tradition and devotion that defines their faith. It is a faith based on discipline and practice, but they have a zeal and fervent devotion that is enviable.
