Core Beliefs of Judaism

MONOTHEISM  Jews believe in only one God.  The sacred name of God is YHWH, pronounced Yahweh.  Yahweh is…  Creator of everything  Everywhere (omnipresent)  All powerful (omnipotent)  All knowing (omniscient)  Eternal

CHOSEN PEOPLE  Jews believe that God has chosen them as his special people and established a covenant with them.  This means…  The Jewish people have the special responsibility of receiving the Torah  Jews are responsible for passing the ethical message of the Torah to the world  And does NOT mean…  Jews think they are better than other people  Jews think non-Jews need to convert

MESSIAH  In the time of the prophets, people began to believe that a Messiah (annointed one) would come  Jews believe the Messiah will…  Be a human (NOT divine)  Be a descendant of King David  Be an observant of Jewish Law, a righteous judge, and a great military leader  Begin a time of peace (Messianic Age)  Return all Jews to Israel and rebuild the Temple of Jerusalem

MITZVOT  Commandments which guide Jewish religious practice and ethical behavior  There are 613 Mitzvot in all  Some of the most famous Mitzvot are…  Prayer  Charity (Tzedakah)  Dietary Laws (Kashrut)  The Sabbath (Shabbat)