Judaism and Zionist Movement - Essay Example

? Jews and Judaism Jews and Judaism Judaism describes a Zionist movement that lead to adoption of practices that influence Jewish beliefs. It is also evident that the members believed that Canaan is their ancestral home, though the movement began in Israel. Jews follow the ideologies of Judaism. According to Sand (2010), they adopted Judaism as their religion, though some of them are liberals. The interview of an old man of Jewish origin illustrates practices and elements that define Judaism. Jonah, the interviewee, is 78 years old and lives within the neighborhood. During the interview, he cites practices that differentiate Judaism from other religions as described by Jewish ideologies. After presenting the differences, he dwelled on the history of Jews as a community. There are few similarities between Jewish practices with Christianity from the explanations. The argument here is that beliefs of the Jews are slightly different because they emanate from the teachings of the Torah (Old Testament) and not the New Testament as the case with Christianity (Grabbe 2008). Additionally, the interviewee’s revelations highlighted the significance of religious practices amidst the Jews. I chose to interview the old man because I believed he had practiced Judaism for years. This is a clear indication that he was a committed Jew. Prior to the interview, he stated that he had been practicing the religious principles since he was a teenager. The expression on his face suggested that he was passionate about spreading the gospel of Judaism even to Non-Jews. Furthermore, he exuded confidence in his beliefs making it difficult to convince him to embrace an alternative religion. During the interview, the old man narrated with vigor the history of the Jewish nation, though it was difficult to separate the facts and concerns presented. The argument here is that interviewee highlighted that modernity has influenced the traditions of Jews significantly because it was difficult for the present day Jews to uphold the principles with ease (Deutsch and Avi, 2011). The interviewee was excited that authorities in non-Jewish states were planning to enact laws to recognize the rights of Jews to practice their religion without interference from the state. During the interview, the old man gave me a book containing information on the practices of the Jews. The important idea is that the book outlined the beliefs that were fundamental in the course of strengthening the relationship of believers with God (Sand, 2010). There are no specific requirements that one had to meet in order to join Jewish faith. However, just like any other religion of the world, Jews ought to uphold the doctrines of Judaism with dignity. Furthermore, Jews should stick to Judaism with the intention of receiving insights from God. As portrayed in Christianity, Judaism is equally monotheistic. The Jews believe God is mysterious. According to the old man, Israel is the first nation that God created, meaning that the land where Israelites reside is holy because God gave it to them. Jews should offer their sacrifices from the land. Consequently, Moses made an agreement with God when stepping on the land. According to Jews, God is omnipresent, and his presence is not only limited to the perception of believers. Consequently, Jews respect and obey authority as a sign of adhering to the principles of Jewish practices. The argument here is that, Jews have a different understanding of the manifestation of God in the lives of human beings (Grabbe, 2008). Sections of Jews believe that God blesses and punishes depending on the behavior of individuals. The rest believes in the autonomy of man to have control over the universe and his judgments. Prayer is integral in seeking connection with the almighty God. The interviewee indicated that Jews are obligated to pray as a way of maintaining connections with the creator. Prayer is not limited to the expression of personal needs, but it is a commitment that allows one to keep in- touch with God. Jews also believe that humankind is a reflection of divinity. This is because God made humans in his resemblance through creation. The important idea is that the old man affirmed my preposition that the Jewish are God’s creations (Deutsch and Avi, 2011). He asserted that the decision to uphold specific practices lies with humankind. According to him, God is infinity, indicating that man will experience eternity by remaining close to God. Unlike Christians who use the Bible, the Jews use the Torah when interpreting teachings of God. The book contains stories that demystify the issues of death. Besides, it presents the guidelines that direct practices of Jewish community. Furthermore, the recognition of life after death in the book signifies that it is a holy book for the Jews. The Torah contains the commandments similar to those Christians believe that God gave Moses. Unlike Christians, the Jews still uphold the commandments because they guide practices. The important idea is that Christians believe that with the coming of Christ, the commandments became one (Deutsch and Avi, 2011). According to Christianity, Christ’s love is a fundamental law meaning that people are obliged to show love to God, their neighbor and other creatures of the universe. Jews ought to remain prayerful by adhering to the covenant that their ancestors made with God. In the covenant, Jews should take care of God’s creation. Consequently, man is obliged to respect the authority meaning that such a belief resonates with Christian practices in the contemporary society. The important idea is that Jewish spiritual leaders believe in protecting their territories regardless of the risks (Grabbe, 2008). A connection exists among the Jews in different parts of the globe. For instance, a Jew in Israel has connection to a Jew in California in both spirit and practices. The important idea is that Jewish teachings in Israel are similar to Judaism in other parts of the globe (Grabbe, 2008). Christianity exudes differences in the mode of teachings. Nowadays, religious issues dominate debates on the political affairs in Israel. This is because Jews belief that religion should influence the implementation of policies by governments. Moreover, Jewish institutions stick to traditions when teaching followers of the religion. During the interview, the old man talked of the coming of the Messiah, who will come to unite. It is worth highlighting that coming of the Messiah is something that has already happened to Christians. According to Judaism, believers are early waiting for the Messiah. His chief mission will be different from the Messiah of Christians, whose main goal is preaching peace. According to the old man, the Messiah is a representative of God from the lineage of King David. This signifies that the Messiah will be a descendant of the nation of Israel. However, the argument here is that will come to rescue all nations, and not Israel only (Sand, 2010). The overall wellbeing of the society is dependent on the existence of religion, just as taught in Christianity. According to the old man, practices of Judaism date back to 5000 BC in the regions around the Middle East. Abraham is the father of Judaism because God gave him the mandate to lead the nation of Israel. Consequently, his leadership through a covenant with God marked the formation of the Jewish nation. The first people to practice Judaism lived in Canaan (the land adjacent to the Mediterranean Sea. However, it is difficult to establish the number of followers of the religion around the globe. Estimates indicate there are close to fifteen million believers around the world while Jerusalem is the capital of Judaism. Interestingly, there are very few Jewish structures in the city. As a result, the authorities are facing difficulties in their mission to turn the city into an organizational center for Judaism. There is presently limited information about the origins of the religion. However, this does not deter the believers from observing the old practices. Besides, spirituals leaders guide the believers when strengthening their relationship with God. Additionally, one understands the Jewish teaching by reading the Genesis, Exodus and subsequent three books of the Bible. The books present information on the origin of the community, its practices, and prophecy highlighting its future (Grabbe, 2008). The four categories under which the Jews belong are Orthodox, Conservatives, Reformers and Constructionist. The ability of a group to adhere to the teachings of the Torah determines the classification. Despite the differences in the practices of the Jews, certain practices bring them together. For example, they believe in the holiness of the Jewish community as a blessed nation. At the end of the interview, the old man indicated that Judaism is the oldest religion in the world. He highlighted the role of Judaism in the development of modern forms of religion by referring to the Torah. He cited Christianity and Islam as the products of Judaism by referring to the teachings of Jewish traditions in Christianity and Islam. The eminent figures who are believed to have guided the community in spreading the teaching of the religion are Jacob and Moses, as illustrated in the Torah. The Jews use the Midrash, Talmund, and Torah to spread the message of God to the Jewish nation. References Deutsch, Y. and Aronsky, A. (2011). Judaism in Christian Eyes: Ethnographic Descriptions of Jews and Judaism in Early Modern Europe. Oxford: Oxford University Press Grabbe, L. (2008). A History of the Jews and Judaism in the Second Temple Period. London: T & T Clark Sand, S. (2010). The Invention of the Jewish People. London: Verso Read More