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.

Bill Aron, photographer of Jewish countercultures, gets his due in a sweeping retrospective

A trained sociologist and street photographer, Aron took iconic photos of his fellow members of the New York Havurah in its 1970s heyday.

FEBRUARY 9, 2026|ByANDREW SILOW-CARROLL/JTA

Bill Aron, whose early projects included a series on Jews living on New York's Lower East Side, discusses a new exhibit of his work at the Center for Jewish History in Manhattan, Feb. 4, 2026.

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Jerusalem Orthodox churches don’t represent all Christians - opinion

Evangelical Catholics reject claims that Christian Zionism is harmful and believe in the Jewish people’s covenant with god.

FEBRUARY 8, 2026|ByPADDY MONAGHAN

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivers a speech to members of the New York State Nurses Association union, next to U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), during a picket outside Mount Sinai West in New York City, U.S., January 20, 2026.

New York’s Jews are rightfully wary of Mamdani’s interfaith outreach. He should listen - editorial

Declining to sponsor the event was not a rejection of interfaith dialogue. It was an acknowledgment that dialogue alone is not enough.

FEBRUARY 8, 2026|ByJPOST EDITORIAL

THE ALMOND TREE has been watching over the Land of Israel for longer than we can fathom.

Hiking in the Holy Land: The almond tree, Israel's ancient clock

Spring has not arrived, yet blossoming almonds in Israel signify the arrival of Tu Bishvat, the new year for trees, a time when some seasonal quality has shifted.

FEBRUARY 8, 2026|BySUSANNAH SCHILD

Compassion vs halacha: UK assisted dying bill sparks Jewish debate

RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS: Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Romain and UK Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis answer questions on the religious and ethical implications of assisted dying as the UK passed a law on the matter.

JANUARY 24, 2026ByMATHILDA HELLER

"There is nothing sacred about suffering," argued Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Romain, who told the ‘Post’ that Jewish values of compassion should guide end-of-life care.

Secular Manhattan private school holds annual Shabbat gathering post-October 7

At the Town School, officials and parents say, the entire school community has embraced the Shabbat celebrations alongside the other special events held to honor students’ traditions.

JANUARY 24, 2026ByJACKIE HAJDENBERG/JTA

Students and parents at the Upper East Side's Town School celebrate the school's third annual Shabbat.

Zionism is not failing - it is paying the price of long neglect - opinion

October 7 did not create the crisis: It removed the insulation. What Zionism needs now is not another campaign. It requires a re-founding.

JANUARY 24, 2026ByADAM SCOTT BELLOS

A silhouette of Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism, is displayed near a flag of the state of Israel on a building in Jerusalem.

Ghetto Fighters’ House: World's first Holocaust museum keeping memory, message alive

The Ghetto Fighters’ House brings rare archival artifacts and stories to Givatayim for International Holocaust Remembrance Day, linking past resilience to today’s changing world.

JANUARY 23, 2026ByBARRY DAVIS

Janusz Korczak motivated the children in his care by giving them jolly cards.

Jerusalem highlights: January 23-29

What's new to do in Israel's capital?

JANUARY 23, 2026ByHAGAY HACOHEN

A charity donation box is seen in this illustrative photo taken March 22, 2023

Parashat Bo: Jeremiah’s timeless promise to Israel

Empires crumble, pain persists, yet Israel survives; Jeremiah’s words offer reassurance across generations.

JANUARY 23, 2026ByMICHAEL FREUND

Exodus from Egypt (Edward Poynter)

After October 7, IDF commanders visit Poland for Holocaust lessons and battlefield reflections

The Jerusalem Post interviewed Col. Yoni Dahan and Col. Nati Keren, who have been serving during the war, about the importance of a trip to Poland.

JANUARY 23, 2026ByESTHER DAVIS

IDF commanders visit Auschwitz as part of their training.

Parashat Bo: The world is catching up, again

'The Protocols of the Elders of Zion' was a crude forgery that peddled the myth of a clandestine Jewish cabal manipulating institutions under the guise of doing good.

JANUARY 23, 2026ByMOSHE TARAGIN

Gold.

Parashat Bo: Promises must be kept

Keeping promises is the foundation of trust between people, of educating children, and of building a moral future.

JANUARY 23, 2026ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ

Promises.

Shabbat candle lighting times for Israel and US

See Shabbat times for your area.

JANUARY 23, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

Shabbat candles