According to the Encyclopedia Judaica - Judaism is a "religion, philosophy and way of life of the Jews".  It's written origins date back to the Hebrew Bible and later in the Talmud.  According to Judaism, God revealed his message to Moses on Mount Sinai in the form of both the written and oral Torah.  Judaism is the oldest monotheistic religion, dating back approximately 3,000 years.  One aspect of Judaism that separates itself from the other major Abrahamic religions (Christianity and Islam) is that Jews are considered an ethno-religious group.  This means that the term "Jews" includes those born Jewish and converts to Judaism.  There will be more information about this further down this section.

There is often much confusion about who exactly is "Jewish" and who is not.  Unlike Christianity and Islam, where there is a clear distinction between religion and ethnicity, Judaism does not recognize the difference.  Therefore, most modern forms of Judaism accept a child as Jewish as long as he or she has one Jewish parent and was raised with a Jewish identity.  They also accept converts.  According to older and more traditional Jewish Law, one is Jewish if he or she was born of a Jewish mother or converted to Judaism. 

Traditional Judaism maintains that a Jew - whether by birth or conversion - is Jewish forever.  Therefore, a Jew who claims to be atheist or converts to another religion is considered to be a Jew until his or her death.   However, according to Reform Judaism, if a Jewish person converts to another religion he or she is no longer a Jew.

Below is a link to a short PBS video describing the lives of secular Jews, which people of Jewish heritage, but not followers of Judaism:  PBS secular Jew video

Unlike many monotheistic religions, Judaism has no dogma or formal set of beliefs.  Because of this, during the 12-century a rabbi named Maimonides composed the "13 Articles of Faith" that he believed every Jew should abide by.  While many Jews question certain articles or disagree about which articles are more important than others, these thirteen statements have been widely accepted as important Jewish beliefs. 

The 13 Articles of the Jewish Faith proposed by Maimonides are these:

1. God exists
2. God is one and unique
3. God is incorporeal
4. God is eternal
5. Prayer is to God only.
6. The prophets spoke truth.
7. Moses was the greatest of the prophets.
8. The Written and Oral Torah were given to Moses.
9. There will be no other Torah.
10. God knows the thoughts and deeds of men.
11. God will reward the good and punish the wicked.
12. The Messiah will come.
13. The dead will be resurrected.

1.  Orthodox Judaism:  Followers of this type of Judaism believe that both the Written and Oral Torah were divinely revealed to Moses, and that the laws within it are binding and unchanging.  There are two sub-types of Orthodox Judaism:

• Modern Orthodox Judaism: Members of this sect of Judaism believe in strict observance of religious laws and commandments but have an outlook that emphasizes living in a non-Jewish or secular environment.  Modern Orthodox women are gradually becoming more involved in Jewish ritual practice, which is not allowed in "Haredi Judaism, the second sub-type of Orthodox Judaism.

• Haredi Judaism: This type of Judaism is very conservative. The life of a Haredi Jew centers around religious study, prayer and strict religious observance.  Hasidic Jews, known for there black coats and fur shtreimels are a sub-set of Haredi Judaism.
  

2.  Conservative Judaism: This sect of Judaism was founded during the 1800s by rabbis and scholars who were not satisfied with either Reform or Orthodox Judaism as responses to the Enlightenment.  It is characterized by a commitment to following traditional Jewish laws and customs, while taking a positive attitude toward modern culture. 

3.  Reform Judaism:  This type of Judaism was founded in Germany in response to the Enlightenment.  It's followers believe that Judaism should be modernized and compatible with modern culture.  Many branches of Reform Judaism state that Jewish law should be interpreted as a set of general guidelines rather than hard and fast rules about what Jews can and cannot do. 

The Torah is the name of the Five Books of Moses. They comprise all of Judaism's founding legal and ethical religious texts.  The titles of the five books are: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.  The Torah contains a range of literaly genres, including allegories, historical narrative, poetry, genealogy, and the exposition of several types of law.  Jews believe that through divine inspiration Moses composed the Torah.  Christians accept the Torah as part of the Bible, believing that is comprises the first five books of the Old Testament. 

A rabbi is a religious teacher.  Although their duties differ somewhat, rabbis' duties are similar to Christian ministers. In all types of Judaism except Orthodox Judaism, women can be ordained as rabbis. 

A synagogue is a Jewish place of worship.  Synagogues usually have a large hall for prayer, smaller rooms for study and sometimes a social hall and offices.  Some even have a separate room for studying the Torah, known as beth midrash.  It is important to note that a synagogue is not necessary for Jews to worship, however. 

Here is a link to an interactive tour of a synagogue: http://www.chabad.org/generic_cdo/aid/365929/jewish/The-Synagogue.htm

Here is a relatively short educational video created by the Chicago Police Department to help people gain knowledge and understanding of the diverse populations within the city.

To view the gallery, click on one of the thumbnails below: