Religion and Faith

Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. It began more than 3,000 years ago in the Middle East. The foundations of Judaism are based on the beliefs and practices of the ancient Israelites, who lived there. 

Central to Judaism is the belief in a single God. As a people, Jews have a sacred agreement with God, known as a covenant. In exchange for God’s help and protection, Jews promise to follow God’s laws in every aspect of their lives. These laws are set out in the holy text known as the Torah.  

In the first century, the Jewish people were driven out of their homeland by the Romans. They dispersed across the Roman Empire to the far reaches of Europe. In these lands, Jews continued to practice Judaism. 

Jews across pre-war Europe applied the beliefs of Judaism to their lives in diverse ways. For many Jews in Eastern Europe, Jewish identity was tied to religion. It was common to find communities who incorporated Judaism into every aspect of daily life. In these communities, religious observances shaped their days, weeks and years. They observed the Jewish Sabbath, marked the Holy Days, studied the Torah and kept the kosher dietary laws. 

However, not all Jews were religious, and even religious Jews did not all believe the same things. There were traditional and modern Jews, orthodox and progressive Jews. And being Jewish was not the only part of their identity. In pre-war Western Europe, national identity (such as being French or German) was very important to many Jews. Jewish identity was often expressed through Jewish culture rather than religious observance. A rich tradition of Jewish literature, arts, cuisine and scholarship defined this cultural identity.