9781422279731

original monotheistic religion—the first to teach that there is only one God. Second, Jews believe the word of God was revealed directly to the prophet Moses on Mount Sinai and was writ- ten down by him as the five books of the Torah. The Torah contains many of the laws that Jews live by, such as the Ten Commandments. Third, Jews believe that God made a covenant, or agree- ment, with their ancestors, choosing them to be a “kingdom of priests and a holy people.” As part of this agreement, they believe God promised to give them an area of land that lies along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. This “Promised Land” of Israel includes the city of Jerusalem and was the site of the ancient Jewish kingdom. It roughly corresponds to the modern-day state of Israel, which was established after the end of the Second World War, in 1948. Being God’s “chosen people” does not mean that Jews consider themselves superior to others, however. Jews believe that everyone is created in God’s image. It follows from this that all people are created equal, and therefore no person or nation can be superior to any other. Jewish people believe that one day, God will send a spe- cial leader: the Messiah , who will unite people and lead the world into a new age of peace, justice, and equal rights for all. The word “Messiah” comes from the Hebrew word mashiah , which means “anointed one.” In ancient times, Jewish kings and high priests were anointed with oil when they came into power, showing that they had been chosen by God for a special purpose. Jews believe that the Messiah

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Judaism