Judaism is a monotheistic religion, meaning it believes in one God. It is one of the oldest religions, dating back to 1300 BC in Mesopotamia. Although monotheism was very rare at the beginning of Judaism, Jews believe that God revealed himself to Abraham, the first ancestor of the Jews. Jews believe they are God's chosen people chosen to set an example of holiness and ethical behavior to the world. Jewish life is primarily focused on community, and there are many activities that Jews are expected to do as a community. For example, the Jewish prayer book uses we and our in their prayers instead of using I or mine. The Jews were first known as Hebrews or Israelites, but later became called Hebrews. God saved the Jews from slavery in Egypt and led them through the desert to the promised land. While in the desert, God revealed the Ten Commandments to Moses, leader of the Israelites. The Ten Commandments, also followed by Christians, are a set of rules given by God that instructs His people on how to live. Along with the Ten Commandments, Jews believe that God instructs them with a set of laws known as the Torah. The Torah is the main set of laws followed by Jews. Many of the guidelines known as mitzvahs in the Torah place great emphasis on ritual purity and the importance of remaining separate from surrounding polytheistic cultures. The Jewish religion is made up of approximately fourteen million people. Most of the Jewish population declines in the regions of Israel, Europe and some United States of America. The three different sects of the Jewish religion consist of Reform Jews, Conservative Jews, and Orthodox Jews. Orthodox Jews are the most conservative sect. They believe in s...... middle of paper ......ist. He can do anything. He is merciful and always listens to his children, working on some of them in unexpected ways. The biggest difference between the Christian relationship and the Jewish religion is Jesus. Christians believe that God sent his one and only son Jesus Christ to save the world from our sins while Jews believe that Jesus is not the Messiah but simply a prophet. Jews believe that the Messiah is yet to come. Works Cited “Judaism”. Religious facts. February 25, 2014. Web. April 8, 2014."Judaism". BBC News. nd Web. 8 April 2014. "Religious Library: Judaism." Origins of Judaism, history of Judaism, beliefs of Judaism. nd Web. 8 April 2014. “Judaism 101: What do Jews believe?” Judaism 101: What do Jews believe? nd Web. April 8, 2014. “Taking a Look at Jewish Religious Beliefs.” - For dummies. nd Web. 13 April. 2014.