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Islamic people are expected to donate at least 2.5% of their annual pay to charities

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Islamic people are expected to donate at least 2.5% of their annual pay to charities

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The founder of Islam was founded by prophet Muhammad and then was supported by many prophets later after his death

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The founder of Islam was founded by prophet Muhammad and then was supported by many prophets later after his death

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Abraham was the founder of Jewism and jews think that he was chosen by god to lead a nation

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Abraham was the founder of Jewism and jews think that he was chosen by god to lead a nation

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The Jewish house of worship, called a synagogue, also serves as a community gathering place for jews

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The Jewish house of worship, called a synagogue, also serves as a community gathering place for jews

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Islam originated in early 7th century CE

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Islam originated in early 7th century CE

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The main holy place for jew's is Jerusalem

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The main holy place for jew's is Jerusalem

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The sacred book of Judaism is the Hebrew Bible

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The sacred book of Judaism is the Hebrew Bible

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All Muslims believe that Allah their god created the universe and that humans must listen to him

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All Muslims believe that Allah their god created the universe and that humans must listen to him

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Around 1000 B.C The first holy temple was built

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Around 1000 B.C The first holy temple was built

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Followers are expected to visit the holy places  Mecca,Medina,or Jerusalem at least once in their life          

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Followers are expected to visit the holy places  Mecca,Medina,or Jerusalem at least once in their life          

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Jews believe god expressed what he expects of people in the Ten Commandments and other laws

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Jews believe god expressed what he expects of people in the Ten Commandments and other laws

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Five duties called the five pillars and is expected to be done by every follower

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Five duties called the five pillars and is expected to be done by every follower

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Click here for our calendar of Religious Festivals

What and when are the main Jewish Festivals?
Passover
Passover (Pesach in Hebrew) is celebrated to commemorate the liberation of the Children of Israel who were led out of slavery in Egypt by Moses.

It is a major eight day festival. A highlight is the Seder meal held in each family's home at the beginning of the festival, when the story of their deliverance is recounted as narrated in the Haggadah (the Telling, the Story). Matzah (unleavened bread) is eaten throughout the festival, as are other foods that contain no leaven. There is a great spring cleaning in the home before the festival to ensure that no trace of leaven is left in the home during Pesach.

Rosh Hashanah - Jewish New Year

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year festival and commemorates the creation of the world.

This festival marks the Jewish New Year and begins with ten days of repentance and self examination, during which time God sits in judgement on every person. The festival is also known as the Day of Judgement, the Day of the Sounding of the Shofar, and the Day of Remembrance.

Over the two days of Rosh Hashanah, there are special services at the synagogue. A musical instrument, called a shofar, is blown. It makes a loud piercing sound like a trumpet and reminds Jews of God's great power.

People east slices of apple dipped in honey. This is a way of wishing each other a sweet and happy New Year.

Happy New Year - 'Leshanah Tovah Tikatevy'

Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement

Yom Kippur, the most sacred and solemn day of the Jewish year, brings the Days of Repentance to a close.

As well as fasting for 25 hours, Jews spend the day in prayer, asking for forgiveness and resolving to behave better in the future.
Sukkot / Sukkoth
Sukkot commemorates the years that the Jews spent in the desert on their way to the Promised Land. Some lived in tents whilst others built huts out of leaves and branches. These huts were called sukkot.

During the festival, some Jews build their own sukkah in the garden or at the synagogue. Jews eat their meals in the sukkah for the eight or nine days of the festival.

There are rules to making the sukkah. Each sukkah must have at least three walls. The roof of the sukkah must be made of material referred to as sekhakh, which means "covering." Thie 'covering' must be something that grew from the ground and was cut off, such as tree branches, corn stalks, bamboo reeds or sticks. Sekhakh (the roof covering) should be sparse and left loose enough so that the stars can be seen.

There is a special Sukkot service in the synagogue. Everyone holds branches from three trees in their hands and a citron fruit in their right. They walk around the synagogue seven times, waving the branches.

(Sukkah is the singular, Sukkot is the plural)
Hanukkah
Hanukkah or Chanukah is the Jewish Festival of Lights. It dates back to two centuries before the beginning of Christianity. It is an eight day holiday starting on the 25th night of the Jewish month of Kislev

Hanukka celebrates the miraculous victory over religious persecution in the Holy Land and also commemorates the re-dedication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the miracle of the burning oil. This is where the oil of the menorah (the candelabrum in the temple) miraculously burned for eight days, even though there was only enough oil for one day.

Tisha B'av
Tisha B'av is a solemn occasion because it commemorates a series of tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people over the years

Tu B'Shevat
Tu B'Shevat is the Jewish 'New Year for Trees'. It is one of the four Jewish new years (Rosh Hashanahs).

Yom Hashoah
Yom Hashoah is a day set aside for Jews to remember the Holocaust.
Calendar of Religious Festivals

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Click here for our calendar of Religious Festivals Passover Passover (Pesach in Hebrew) is celebrated to commemorate the liberation of the Children of Israel who were led out of slavery in Egypt by Moses. It is a major eight day festival.

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The Muslim year is based on Lunar calendar.

(Ramadhan)
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and a time when Muslims across the world will fast (do not eat) during the hours of daylight.

The Muslim year is a lunar (moon) year, so Ramadan moves forward by ten or eleven days each year. The day Ramadan begins is decided by the sighting of the new moon.

Muslims believe that the gates of Heaven (Jannah) are open and the gates of Hell (Jahanam) are locked for the duration of Ramadan.

During Ramadan, Muslims celebrate the time when the verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Ramadan is a time of worship and contemplation. A time to strengthen family and community ties.

Every Muslim is expected to fast from sunrise to sunset. Muslims must not eat or drink during daylight hours. During Ramadan Muslims get up early before dawn (Fajr) and have a light meal. This time is known as Suhoor.

At the end of each day (Maghrib), Muslims traditionally break their fast with a meal called the iftar. Following the custom of Prophet Muhammad, the fast is often broken with dates, then followed by a prayer and dinner.

Ramadan concludes with the celebration of Eid al-Fitr.

(Id-ul-Fitr)- The festival for the first day after Ramadan.
Eid-ul-Fitr marks the breaking of the fast for Muslims at the end of Ramadan. Lasting three days, it is a time for family and friends to get together, for celebrating with good food and presents for children, and giving to charity.

The Festival of Sacrifice which occurs 70 days after Eid-al-Fitr.Eid ul-Adha is the second most important festival in the Muslim calendar. It is to remember the time when Abraham was going to sacrifice his own son to prove obedience to God and marks the end of the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Makkah (Mecca). It takes place on the 10th day of Dhul-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar.

Dhu Al-Hijja:
The month of pilgrimage during which all Muslims, at least once in their life, should try to make the pilgrimage to Mecca.

Al Hijra:
The Islamic New Year begins on the day Muhammad left Mecca to travel to Medina.
Calendar of Religious Festivals 2008

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The Muslim year is based on Lunar calendar. (Ramadhan) Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and a time when Muslims across the world will fast (do not eat) during the hours of daylight. The Muslim year is a lunar (moon) year, so Ramadan moves forward by ten or eleven days each year.

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Islam , transl. "Submission [to God]")[4][5][6] is an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text that is considered by Muslims[7] to be the direct word of God as it was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.[8][9] It is the world's second-largest religion with more than two billion followers,

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Judaism Beliefs

Jewish people believe there's only one God who has established a covenant-or special agreement-with them. Their God communicates to believers through prophets and rewards good deeds while also punishing evil.

Most Jews (with the exception of a few groups) believe that their Messiah hasn't yet come-but will one day.

Jewish people worship in holy places known as synagogues, and their spiritual leaders are called rabbis. The six-pointed Star of David is the symbol of Judaism.

Today, there are about 14 million Jews worldwide. Most of them live in the United States and Israel. Traditionally, a person is considered Jewish if his or her mother is Jewish.

Torah

The Jewish sacred text is called the Tanakh or the "Hebrew Bible." It includes the same books as the Old Testament in the Christian Bible, but they're placed in a slightly different order.

The Torah-the first five books of the Tanakh-outlines laws for Jews to follow. It's sometimes also referred to as the Pentateuch.

Founder of Judaism

The origins of Jewish faith are explained throughout the Torah. According to the text, God first revealed himself to a Hebrew man named Abraham, who became known as the founder of Judaism.

Jews believe that God made a special covenant with Abraham and that he and his descendants were chosen people who would create a great nation.

Abraham's son Isaac, and his grandson Jacob, also became central figures in ancient Jewish history. Jacob took the name Israel, and his children and future generations became known as Israelites.

More than 1,000 years after Abraham, the prophet Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt after being enslaved for hundreds of years.

According to scriptures, God revealed his laws, known as the Ten Commandments, to Moses at Mt. Sinai.

Jewish Temples

Around 1000 B.C., King David ruled the Jewish people. His son Solomon built the first holy Temple in Jerusalem, which became the central place of worship for Jews.

The kingdom fell apart around 931 B.C., and the Jewish people split into two groups: Israel in the North and Judah in the South.

Sometime around 587 B.C., the Babylonians destroyed the first Temple and sent many Jews into exile.

A second Temple was built in about 516 B.C. but was eventually destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70.

The destruction of the second Temple was significant because Jewish people no longer had a primary place to gather, so they shifted their focus to worshipping in local synagogues.

Jewish Holy Books

While the Tanakh (which includes the Torah) is considered the sacred text of Judaism, many other important manuscripts were composed in later years. These offered insights into how the Tanakh should be interpreted and documented oral laws that were previously not written down.

Around A.D. 200, scholars compiled the Mishnah-a text that describes and explains the Jewish code of law that was previously orally communicated.

Talmud, Shabbat

Later, the Talmud, a collection of teachings and commentaries on Jewish law, was created. The Talmud contains the Mishnah and another text known as the Gemara (which examines the Mishnah). It includes the interpretations of thousands of rabbis and outlines the importance of 613 commandments of Jewish law.

The first version of the Talmud was finalized around the 3rd century A.D. The second form was completed during the 5th century A.D.

Judaism embraces several other written texts and commentaries. One example is the 13 Articles of Faith, which was written by a Jewish philosopher named Maimonides.

Shabbat is recognized as a day of rest and prayer for Jews. It typically begins at sunset on Friday and lasts until nightfall on Saturday.

Observing Shabbat can take many forms, depending on the type of Judaism that a Jewish family may follow. Orthodox and Conservative Jews, for example, may refrain from performing any physical labor, using any electrical device or other prohibited activities.

Most observant Jews celebrate Shabbat by reading or discussing the Torah, attending a synagogue or socializing with other Jews at Shabbat meals.

Judaism and Persecution

Throughout history, Jewish people have been persecuted for their religious beliefs. Some well-known events include:

1066 Granada Massacre: On December 30, 1066, a Muslim mob stormed the royal palace in Granada and killed more than 1,000 Jewish families. The group also kidnapped and crucified Joseph ibn Naghrela, the Jewish vizier to the Berber king.

The First Crusade: In the first of the Crusades-a series of medieval holy wars involving Christians and Muslims-thousands of Jews were killed, and many were forced to convert to Christianity.

The Spanish Expulsion: In 1492, Spain's rulers issued a royal edict that declared all Jews who refused to convert to Christianity would be expelled from the country. Experts estimate about 200,000 people were ousted and tens of thousands died while trying to reach safety.

The Holocaust: In the Holocaust, the most infamous of modern-day atrocities, the Nazis murdered more than 6 million Jews.

The Creation of Israel

During and after the Holocaust, many Jews returned to their homeland (in the Middle East region known as Palestine) and embraced Zionism, a movement for the creation of a Jewish state that emerged in 19th-century Europe.

In 1948, Israel officially became an independent nation. David Ben-Gurion, one of the leading promoters of a Jewish nation state, was given the title of prime minister.

This event was considered a success for the Jewish people who had tirelessly petitioned for an independent state in their homeland. However, tensions between Jews and Arabs living in Palestine escalated in the years since Israel became a state and are still ongoing today.

Orthodox, Reform and Other Types of Judaism

There are several sects in Judaism, which include:

Orthodox Judaism: Orthodox Jews are typically known for their strict observance of traditional Jewish law and rituals. For instance, most believe Shabbat shouldn't involve working, driving or handling money.

Orthodox Judaism is a diverse sect that includes several subgroups, including Hasidic Jews. This form started in the 18th century in Eastern Europe and holds different values than traditional or ultra-Orthodox Judaism. Hasidic Jews emphasize a mystical experience with God that involves direct communion through prayer and worship. Chabad is a well-known Orthodox Jewish, Hasidic movement.

Reform Judaism: Reform Judaism is considered a liberal category of the religion that values ethical traditions over strict observance of Jewish laws. Followers promote progressive ideas and adaptation. Most of the Jews living in the United States follow Reform Judaic traditions.

Conservative Judaism: Many people consider this form of Judaism somewhere in between Orthodox and Reform Judaism. Typically, conservative Jews honor the traditions of Judaism while allowing for some modernization.

Reconstructionist Judaism: Reconstructionism dates back to 1922 when Mordecai Kaplan founded the Society for the Advancement of Judaism. This sect believes that Judaism is a religious civilization that's constantly evolving.

Humanistic Judaism: Rabbi Sherwin Wine founded this denomination of Judaism in 1963. Humanistic Jews celebrate Jewish history and culture without an emphasis on God.

While there are various denominations of Judaism, many Jews don't identify with a particular classification and simply refer to themselves as Jewish.

Jewish Holidays

Jewish people observe several important days and events in history, such as:

Passover: This holiday, which typically occurs in March or April, lasts seven or eight days and celebrates Jewish freedom from slavery in Egypt. Specifically, Passover refers to the biblical story of when the Hebrew God "passed over" houses of Jewish families and saved their children during a plague that was said to have killed all other first-born babies in Egypt.

Rosh Hashanah: Jews celebrate the birth of the universe and humanity during this holiday, which is also known as the Jewish New Year. It generally falls during the months of September or early October.

Yom Kippur: This "Day of Atonement" is considered the holiest day of the year for Jews who typically spend it fasting and praying. It also falls during the months of September or October.

High Holy Days: The 10 days starting with Rosh Hashanah and ending with Yom Kippur are also known as the High Holidays, the Days of Awe or Yamim Noraim. The High Holy Days are considered a time of repentance for Jewish people.

Hanukkah: This Jewish celebration, also known as the "Festival of Lights," lasts eight days during late November or December. Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabees defeated the Syrian-Greeks over 2,000 years ago.

Purim: This is a joyous holiday, occurring in the month of March, that celebrates a time when the Jewish people in Persia were saved from extermination.

Sources:

Religion: Judaism. BBC.
Ancient Jewish Texts. My Jewish Learning.
The Jewish Denominations. My Jewish Learning.
What is Judaism? Chabad.org.
Jewish Sacred Texts. Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Jewish Population. Judaism 101.

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Judaism is the world's oldest monotheistic religion, dating back nearly 4,000 years. Followers of Judaism believe in one God who revealed himself through ancient prophets. History is essential to understanding the Jewish faith, which is embedded in tradition, law and culture.

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Islam is one of the world’s major religions. Its founder was Muhammad. The religion has about 1.6 billion followers worldwide. Most of the followers of Islam, called Muslims,…

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Abraham

Judaism is thought to trace back to about 2000 bce. A man named Abraham is considered the founder. According to the Torah, God told Abraham to leave his home in Mesopotamia (now Iraq) and take his people to Canaan ( Palestine). God promised that if Abraham obeyed, he and his offspring would become a great nation in this new land. This is the first covenant, or agreement, that God made with the Jews.

Moses

Long after the days of Abraham, a famine caused the Israelites to move to Egypt. They were later turned into slaves there. After more than 400 years, the Jews were freed from slavery under the leadership of Moses in about the 1200s bce. As instructed by God, Moses led the Israelites back to Canaan. Jews believe that God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and promised that if the Israelites followed these rules, he would look after them.

Rise and Fall of Israel

Over the next several centuries, Israel became a fairly powerful nation in the Middle East, particularly under its first three kings-Saul, David, and Solomon. David conquered Jerusalem and established it as the capital city. His son, Solomon, built the first great Temple of Jerusalem in the 900s bce.

In the 700s bce the Assyrian Empire captured northern Israel. Early in the 500s bce, Babylonians conquered southern Israel, destroyed the Temple, and sent some of the Jews away into slavery. This event marked the beginning of the Diaspora, which means "scattering." From then on, the Jewish people were no longer together in one place.

Some Jews later returned to their homeland and rebuilt the Temple. But the region remained under the control of one foreign power after another, including the Roman Empire. Jewish revolts against the Roman Empire in the 1st and 2nd centuries ce were unsuccessful. During this period the Romans destroyed the second Temple.

Establishment of Modern Israel

In the late 1800s a movement called Zionism began in Europe. This was led by people who wanted to create a nation for the Jews in the region of Palestine. The movement grew stronger in the early 1900s as Jews escaping harsh conditions in Europe began moving to Palestine.

This Jewish immigration increased greatly when Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany in the early 1930s. Hitler and his Nazi Party thought Jews were evil. First the Nazis made life hard for Jews, and later they decided to kill them. This massacre became known as the Holocaust. The Holocaust ended with the defeat of Germany in World War II in 1945. Three years later the modern country of Israel was founded as a homeland for the Jews.

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The religion of the Jewish people is Judaism. Judaism has more than 14 million followers throughout the world, more than a third of whom live in the United States. Many other...