Modern Orthodox Judaism

Judaism (from the Latin Iudaismus, derived from the Greek Ioudaismos, and in the long run from the Hebrew , Yehudah, Judah12 in Hebrew , Yahadut, the distinctive characteristics of the Judean ethnos)3 is the religion, philosophy and way of life of the Jewish people. 4 A monotheistic religion originating in the Hebrew Bible (also known as the Tanakh) and explored in later texts such as the Talmud, Judaism is considered by religious Jews to be the expression of the covenantal relationship God established with the Children of Israel. 5 Rabbinic Judaism holds that God revealed his laws and commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai in the form of both the Written and Oral Torah. 6 Historically, this assertion was challenged by various groups such as the Sadducees and Hellenistic Judaism during the Second Temple period the Karaites and Sabbateans during the early and later medieval period7 and among segments of the moderne reform movements. Liberal movements in modern times such as Humanis tic Judaism may be nontheistic. 8 Judaism claims a historical continuity spanning more than 3,000 years. Of the major world religions, Judaism is considered oneness of the oldest monotheistic religions. 910 The Hebrews / Israelites were already referred to as Jews in later books of the Tanakh such as the Book of Esther, with the term Jews replacing the title Children of Israel. 11 Judaisms texts, traditions and values strongly influenced later Abrahamic religions, including Christianity, Islam and the Bahai Faith. 1213 Many aspects of Judaism have also directly or indirectly influenced secular Western ethics and civil law. 14 Jews are an ethnoreligious group15 and include those born Jewish and converts to Judaism. In 2010, the world Jewish population was estimated at 13. 4 million, or roughly 0. 2% of the total world population. About 42% of all Jews house in Israel and about 42% reside in the United States and Canada, with most of the remainder living in Europe. 16 The largest Jewish religious movements are Orthodox Judaism (Haredi Judaism and Modern Orthodox Judaism), Conservative Judaism and Reform Judaism. A major source of difference between these groups is their approach to Jewish law. 17 Orthodox Judaism maintains that the Torah and Jewish law are portend in origin, eternal and unalterable, and that they should be strictly followed. Conservative and Reform Judaism are more liberal, with Conservative Judaism for the most part promoting a more traditional interpretation ofJudaisms requirements than Reform Judaism. A typical Reform position is that Jewish law should be viewed as a square off of general guidelines rather than as a set of restrictions and obligations whose observance is required of all Jews. 1819 Historically, special courts enforced Jewish law today, these courts still exist barely the practice of Judaism is mostly voluntary. 20 Authority on theological and legal matters is not vested in any one person or organization, but in the s acred texts and rabbis and scholars who interpret them. 21