The Geography of Religion -Moriel: Judaism

Judaism, Fourth Edition presents the basic beliefs of the Jewish religious heritage and highlights the different manners in which these traditions can be upheld. Both Orthodox Judaism and the religious practices and movements within Reformed Judaism, including Reform Judaism, Conservative Judaism, and Reconstructionist Judaism, are explored in this fascinating edition. The coverage includes: introduction to the modern Jewish world; early history of the Jews and Judaism, including the diaspora; the restoration to the present; the Hebrew Bible; the branches of Judaism and their basic beliefs; rites of passage; the impact of Judaism throughout history; and, Judaism facing the future.

This intriguing and informative book provides students with an overview of the great religious tradition of Judaism. Readers learn about the covenant with God, the Bible, the Mishnah, and the Talmud. They also read about sects, messianic movements, mysticism, and the Kabbalah. Rabbinical systems of law and custom are covered as are various principles and practices, holy days, and contemporary movements in Judaism.

The origins of the Jewish faith stretch back more than 4,000 years. Judaism was the first of the world's great monotheistic religions, and its code of laws and ethics have had a great influence on western civilization. The global Jewish population is about 14 million, with most Jews living either in the State of Israel or in the United States. This book explores the history, beliefs, and practices of Judaism, examining the differences between three branches of the faith (Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform) that have emerged in the past two centuries. The Major World Religions series provides information about six of the most important religious faiths practiced around the world. More than 75 percent of the world's population-over 5.2 billion people-observes the tenets of one of these six religions. Each book in the series describes the important beliefs of a particular religion, along with information about its history, practices, and rituals. Book jacket.