The History Of Judaism
The Development Of Judaism
Judaism is one of the world’s oldest religions, and its adherents believe in the worship of one God and the belief in the existence of multiple gods. The Israelites, also known as the Hebrews, were the first people to practice Judaism thousands of years ago in the Middle East, with Abraham regarded as the founder of their religion (Scheindlin, 2000). In Judaism, the concept of monotheism, the covenant between God and His chosen people (the Israelites), the existence and power of God’s law, and the existence and force of God’s word are all basic beliefs. The Torah contains several references to and explanations of these commandments. It is true that Jews believe that their God created the cosmos and that each Jewish person is entitled to have a personal contact with Him.
The relationship between God and the Jews, according to Scheindlin (2000), is a covenantal relationship in which God demands something from the Jews in exchange for which the Jews become a witness to God’s benevolence to the rest of the world Orthodox Judaism, Reform Judaism, Conservative Judaism, and Messianic Judaism are some of the different types of Judaism that exist (Atkinson, 2009). Orthodox Jews are distinguished by their stringent observance of Jewish rules and traditions, which is a hallmark of the religion. The Jews who adhere to Reform Judaism believe that their Jewish faith is progressive and that the ethical components of rigorous observance of Jewish law are preferable than the legal aspects of observance of Jewish law. Conservative Judaism is a branch of Judaism that falls between between Orthodox Judaism and Reform Judaism in terms of its beliefs. Thirdly and lastly, Messianic Judaism integrates components of Christianity as well as their beliefs in Judaism – this means they think Jesus is the Messiah while yet adhering to Jewish customs and traditions (Scheindlin, 2000).
Persecution of the Jewish people has occurred throughout history because of their religious beliefs. The first crusade is one example of an event in which the Jewish people were persecuted. Another example is the Holocaust. Some Western European soldiers attempted to retake Jerusalem from Muslim authority during the First Crusade (Scheindlin, 2000). The Christians and Muslims were both involved in a succession of holy wars, with thousands of Jews being killed as a result of the conflict. In fact, the vast majority of Jews were coerced into becoming Christians during the Holocaust. Another notable event that had an impact on the Jews was the 1066 Granada Massacre, in which a Muslim mob broke into the royal palace in Granada and slaughtered numerous Jewish families, according to Jewish tradition (Scheindlin, 2000). Furthermore, the mob executed one of the Jewish viziers to the Berber King Joseph ibn Naghrela, who was crucified alongside him. Another important incident in which Jews were subjected to persecution was the Spanish Expulsion, in which the Spanish monarchs issued a royal decree declaring that all Jews who refused to convert to Christianity would be driven from their homeland (Scheindlin, 2000). According to estimates, around 200000 people were driven from Spain, with many more dying while attempting to reach safety.
The Holocaust, the most well-known deed of modern history in which the Nazi regime murdered more than six million Jews, is the most recent type of persecution that the Jewish people have endured. The Holocaust is the most recent kind of persecution that the Jewish people have endured (Atkinson, 2009). Despite the numerous persecutions by various governments around the world, Jews have always found a way to return to their ancestral homeland of Israel in large numbers, regardless of the circumstances. Following the Holocaust, Jews were able to return to their ancestral homeland in the Middle East, in a territory known as Palestine. The Jews who had been relocated in the newly founded state of Israel embraced Zionism as a movement that included the establishment of a Jewish nation and the return of all Jews to their ancestral homeland. The year 1948 marked the official establishment of Israel as a sovereign state, an event that was hailed as a triumph by the Jewish people, who had long petitioned for a state in their ancestral homeland (Atkinson, 2009). However, much like in medieval times, there have been continuous tensions between the Jews and the Arabs who have lived in Palestine since Israel became a state in 1948 and have continued to this day.
