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.

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Disputation between Christian and Jewish scholars. Woodcut by Johann von Armssheim, 1483.

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Night view of Prague’s rotating ‘Head of Franz Kafka’ sculpture.

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A view shows a town nestled in a valley seen near Jerusalem in April in 2026.

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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer gives a media statement at 10 Downing Street in London, April 30, 2026.

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Shabbat (Illustrative).

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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley, and British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood speak with members of the Jewish community during a visit to Golders Green, north west London, Britain, April 30, 2026.

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On the Temple Mount.

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Photo of road in Israel

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