Download Word of Caution: This snapshot is presented for an in

Snapshot of Judaism
Word of Caution: This snapshot is presented for an in-class learning activity. As a snapshot it is not meant to represent the
entirety of the religion or its individual adherents, amongst whom there is much diversity. In our interfaith
work, further research to build an accurate understanding is necessary to practice sensitivity and build
relationships; and, of course, the best source for what a person believes is that person him/herself.
What Do Jews Believe?
Judaism 101 - http://www.jewfaq.org/beliefs.htm
This is a far more difficult question than you might expect. Judaism has no dogma, no formal set of beliefs that
one must hold to be a Jew. In Judaism, actions are far more important than beliefs, although there is certainly a
place for belief within Judaism.
13 Principles of Faith
The closest that anyone has ever come to creating a widely-accepted list of Jewish beliefs is Rambam's thirteen
principles of faith. These principles, which Rambam thought were the minimum requirements of Jewish belief,
are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
G-d exists
G-d is one and unique
G-d is incorporeal
G-d is eternal
Prayer is to be directed to G-d alone and to
no other
6. The words of the prophets are true
7. Moses' prophecies are true, and Moses was
the greatest of the prophets
8. The Written Torah (first 5 books of the Bible)
and Oral Torah (teachings now contained in
the Talmud and other writings) were given to
Moses
9. There will be no other Torah
10. G-d knows the thoughts and deeds of men
11. G-d will reward the good and punish the
wicked
12. The Messiah will come
13. The dead will be resurrected
As you can see, these are very basic and general principles. Yet as basic as these principles are, the
necessity of believing each one of these has been disputed at one time or another, and the liberal
movements of Judaism dispute many of these principles. … There is substantial room for personal
opinion on all of these matters, because as I said before, Judaism is more concerned about actions than
beliefs.
Judaism focuses on relationships: the relationship between G-d and mankind, between G-d and the
Jewish people, between the Jewish people and the land of Israel, and between human beings. Our
scriptures tell the story of the development of these relationships, from the time of creation, through
the creation of the relationship between G-d and Abraham, to the creation of the relationship between
G-d and the Jewish people, and forward. The scriptures also specify the mutual obligations created by
these relationships, although various movements of Judaism disagree about the nature of these
obligations. Some say they are absolute, unchanging laws from G-d (Orthodox); some say they are laws
from G-d that change and evolve over time (Conservative); some say that they are guidelines that you
can choose whether or not to follow (Reform, Reconstructionist). …
Tzedakah: Charity
"Tzedakah" is the Hebrew word for the acts that we call "charity" in English: giving aid, assistance and
money to the poor and needy or to other worthy causes. However, the nature of tzedakah is very
different from the idea of charity. The word "charity"
suggests benevolence and generosity, a magnanimous
 Helping the poor and needy is a duty
act by the wealthy and powerful for the benefit of the
in Judaism
poor and needy. The word "tzedakah" is derived from
 Jews are among the most generous
donors to charities
the Hebrew root Tzadei-Dalet-Qof, meaning

Jews do not limit their generosity to
righteousness, justice or fairness. In Judaism, giving to
Jewish charities
the poor is not viewed as a generous, magnanimous
 Rambam classified ways of doing
act; it is simply an act of justice and righteousness, the
tzedakah by their level of merit
performance of a duty, giving the poor their due.
The Obligation of Tzedakah
Giving to the poor is an obligation in Judaism, a duty that cannot be forsaken even by those who are
themselves in need. Some sages have said that tzedakah is the highest of all commandments, equal to
all of them combined, and that a person who does not perform tzedakah is equivalent to an idol
worshipper. This is probably hyperbole, but it illustrates the importance of tzedakah in Jewish thought.
Tzedakah is one of the three acts that gain us forgiveness from our sins. The High Holiday liturgy
repeatedly states that G-d has inscribed a judgment against all who have sinned, but teshuvah
(repentance), tefilah (prayer) and tzedakah can alleviate the decree. See Days of Awe.
According to Jewish law, we are required to give one-tenth of our income to the poor. …
The obligation to perform tzedakah can be fulfilled by giving money to the poor, to health care
institutions, to synagogues or to educational institutions. It can also be fulfilled by supporting your
children beyond the age when you are legally required to, or supporting your parents in their old age.
The obligation includes giving to both Jews and gentiles; contrary to popular belief, Jews do not just
"take care of our own." Quite the contrary, a study reported in the Jewish Journal indicated that Jewish
"mega-donors" (who give more than $10 million a year to charity) found that only 6% of their megadollars went to specifically Jewish causes. ...
Levels of Tzedakah
Certain kinds of tzedakah are considered more meritorious than others. The Talmud describes these
different levels of tzedakah, and Rambam organized them into a list. The levels of charity, from the least
meritorious to the most meritorious, are:
1. Giving begrudgingly
2. Giving less that you should, but giving it
cheerfully.
3. Giving after being asked
4. Giving before being asked
5. Giving when you do not know the recipient's
identity, but the recipient knows your identity
6. Giving when you know the recipient's identity,
but the recipient doesn't know your identity
7. Giving when neither party knows the other's
identity
8. Enabling the recipient to become self-reliant
Read more about Judaism in America at Pluralism.org. Read more about Orthodox Judaism at Jewfaq.org.