Ethan Rock

Mr. Warwick

World Religions

15 November 2017

What does it mean to be Jewish?

Being Jewish you have to follow Judaism’s laws. The main principle of Judaism is God,

who created the world. According to Who are the Jews?, Jews were also often been referred to

the “Chosen People”. The people in Judaism believe that a Messiah is coming and they will unite

with the Jewish people to lead them to the Kingdom of God, bring peace, and justice to

everyone that is on earth. Jews do not fully agree with conversion, as in bringing people into the

religion from a different one or people that weren’t in a religion, but they would let them come

into the religion. God also made a covenant, which is a two way promise with God and yourself,

the covenant was with Abraham. The covenant gave the Jews blessings with God’s love and

protection if they remained true to the religion and faithfully. You should also be accountable for

the sins you have done against God and his laws. Jews believes that they were out among all of

the older people to receive God’s laws and his blessings that he has in store for us.

The Jews were also chosen to be his servants even though God is the Creator of all life.

One way to be Jewish is to “believe in God[,] divine affirmation is the foundation of Judaism[,]

[and] everything else comes after”(What does it mean to be Jewish). They should also have a

honorable life, be proud of your Jewish heritage, involve yourselves with a community of jews,

emphasize on education, feel empathy on the poor, think the Jewish ways, and to carry out the

Jewish tradition. They also recognize that there is an “afterlife” as in heaven or hell. Judaism is

traditionally transfers central power to the local government. In judaism there is a Pope that
makes world wide decision-making that determines the religious practice. Jews have to be

responsible for their own affairs and usually is led by religious leader called a rabbi. Rabbis are

trained in seminary that was established to teach religious items. The different sects of Judaism

are Conservative, Orthodox, Reconstructionist, and Reform. The sects has its own place to train

their rabbis in the United States. The sects congregations should maintain their own practices,

traditions, and the way they see the Jewish law.

Jews are one of the most spiritual people. Who Are the Jews?: A Psychologist’s

Response say that, “We are a spiritual people – a spiritually hungry people, a spiritually forgetful

people. We are messengers who have forgotten the message. We are in exile and sometimes we

don’t even know it. Our alphabet goes from right to left. Our calendar is lunar, not solar. We feel

alienated but don’t know why. We are the epitome of ‘strangers in a strange land.’” Jews are

really spiritual and they want to remember the religion that they have forgotten the message.

When someone is really spiritual it will be hard to change that person since they strongly believe

it.

The Jewish law, does refer to Halacha, which includes a civil and criminal justice system

which is followed by quick to notice type of Jews. Halacha restricts Jewish life, the main things

are marriage and divorce, funerals, relationships with others that are not the same religion and

education. These beliefs are the way Jews live in the world. These beliefs also help them to do

anything in their lives when they need help. When you follow Judaism laws you can be

considered Jewish. Their sacred texts are called the Torah. The Torah has 613 commandments

that they should follow. Out of all of those commandments includes “The Ten Commandments”.

Some of the commandments are Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt bear false witness, and Thou

shalt not steal. These 613 commandments governs the Jewish law goes over these things: the
desire to promote the welfare of others, sacrifices, prayer, ritual purity, what you eat, what is

good and bad for you, and to keep the Sabbath holy.