Judaism

Judaism is the oldest monotheistic religion in the world, having originated in the Middle East more than 3,000 years ago with patriarch Abraham.

As the first Abrahamic religion, Judaism has played a major role in shaping the history of the world, having greatly influenced the development of Christianity and Islam, despite having always had a relatively small amount of adherents by comparison.

The religion itself is built off of the "written Torah" of the Bible, known in Judaism as the Tanach, and the "oral Torah" of the Mishna, Talmud and other great works of leading rabbis throughout history.

Judaism itself has no single leading figure, and is divided into multiple streams, such as the ultra-Orthodox (haredi), Orthodox, Conservative and Reform. Further differences also exist along the lines of historic Diasporic communities, such as Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jewry.

Today, the largest concentration of adherents of Judaism can be found in Israel, with the US having the second-largest.

Danny, my child of the year

Who is the wide-eyed boy who stands at the window every morning at Mishpacha Ukraine in Odessa, and what is the story behind him - a story no one planned to tell.

SEPTEMBER 15, 2026|ByIN COOPERATION WITH MISHPACHA UKRAINE

Danny with his personal caregiver, Mushki.

Direct from TLV: Manila, Buenos Aires & Seoul

Direct from TLV: Manila, Buenos Aires and Seoul

Over the next few months, three new major routes will open, providing direct access from Israel to the Philippines, Korea, and Argentina.

SEPTEMBER 15, 2026|ByJERUSALEM POST PODCASTS

A man performs the ancient Jewish ritual of kaparot

Six Israeli cities ban live chickens for Yom Kippur kapparot, animal rights org. urges more to join

Animal rights group Let the Animals Live says Tel Mond, Yeruham, Mevaseret Zion, Yavne, Kiryat Bialik, and Rishon Lezion have joined the initiative to ban live chickens for kapparot.

SEPTEMBER 14, 2026|BySHIR PERETS

THE PARTHENON TEMPLE on the Acropolis in Athens. Exterior scaffolding was removed in 2025, improving the view.

Exploring Jewish history on an Adriatic cruise - review

Join a seven-night luxury cruise uncovering Jewish history in Greek caves, Game of Thrones sets, and Europe's oldest active Sephardi synagogue.

SEPTEMBER 13, 2026|ByLAURI DONAHUE

Beyond mourning: Rebuilding the Temple starts with rebuilding Israeli society - opinion

The Temple's restoration begins with restoring unity, justice, and shared responsibility in society.

JULY 11, 2026ByKENNETH BRANDER

Second Temple Model

British Jews shouldn't fear requesting kosher meals in hospitals - opinion

A kosher meal in a hospital should be boring, a footnote, one line on a dietary form swallowed up in the vast machinery of clinical care. Instead, it has become a test of nerve.

JULY 11, 2026ByJONATHAN LIEBERMAN

Shabbat candle lighting times for Israel and US

See Shabbat candle lighting times for your area.

JULY 10, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

Shabbat candles

Parashat Matot-Masei: Slow and steady

The most important movement is not always what is visible externally, but what takes place within a person.

JULY 10, 2026ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ

EVERY STATION on the slow journey plays an indispensable role.

Tzohar's kashrut license was improperly granted, but Rabbinate must act, state tells High Court

The state position said that, at this stage, there was no practical possibility for Tzohar Food Supervision to act on its newly issued kashrut license.

JULY 8, 2026BySARAH BEN-NUN

REPRESENTATIVES OF the Chief Rabbinate of Israel cross Jaffa Street in Jerusalem as they deliver a kosher certificate to a local restaurant.

High Court sets Tuesday deadline in Tzohar kashrut-license dispute

Tzohar’s kashrut division head told The Jerusalem Post that its standards follow the Chief Rabbinate's procedures and that it would continue operating under the license it received.

JULY 7, 2026BySARAH BEN-NUN

A Tzohar kashrut sticker in a window

Israel’s Armenia decision could cost it its closest regional friend - opinion

Israel’s recognition of the Armenian genocide may carry diplomatic costs that reach beyond Turkey.

JULY 7, 2026ByROMAN GUREVICH

Azerbaijani civilians killed during the Khojaly Genocide in February 1992, when Armenian armed forces, with the support of the former Soviet 366th regiment, seized the town of Khojaly in Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Why "Mazel Tov" endures as the Jewish World's Favorite Blessing

JULY 7, 2026ByIN COLLABORATION WITH JAMES EVANS

The tradition of “Mazel Tov” and the belief in luck and fate continue to accompany Jewish life from its ancient roots to the modern world.

Education Ministry establishes guidelines guaranteeing students' rights to lay tefillin in schools

The directive aimed to establish clear, uniform rules and provide school principals with a guided framework to facilitate the policy's implementation throughout the public school system.

JULY 6, 2026ByJONAH DAVIDOV

A man puts on a tefillin in Washington Square Park in Manhattan on June 19, 2026 in New York City. Tefillin are a Jewish traditional ritual object, believed to be an approximately 2000 year old tradition.

Like Moses, Israel needs leaders who understand different perspectives - opinion

Moses defined the quality every great leader needs: the ability to understand every human spirit.

JULY 5, 2026ByMOSHE TARAGIN

Rav Aharon Lichtenstein, learning at the Har Etzion yeshiva he led, 2014. He was awarded the Israel Prize in Jewish Religious Literature that same year.