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Judaism began nearly 4,000 years ago in a place called the Middle East. This is a large area on the border of Asia, Africa and Europe.

What does Judaism teach?

Jews believe that there is only one God. They believe they have a special agreement with God called a covenant. Jews promise to obey God's laws to say thank you to him for looking after them.

Abraham

Jews believe a man called Abraham was the the first person to make a covenant with God. Abraham was a Hebrew. Jews believe God named Abraham's grandson Israel. After this, the Hebrews became known as the Israelites. Abraham is considered the father of the Jewish people and the Israelites are his descendants.

Moses

Later, a man named Moses saved the Jewish people from persecution in Egypt when he led them to safety across the Red Sea. After this, the Jews lived in the desert where God gave Moses a set of rules which they should live by, including the Ten Commandments. Moses is the most important Jewish prophet.

What is the Jewish holy book?

The Jewish holy book is known as the Tanakh or Hebrew Bible. The word Tanakh comes from the first letters of the three different parts of the book:

The Torah (T) which is the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. The Christian Bible also begins with these books, in the part which Christians call the Old Testament.

The Nevi'im (N) which are the books of the Jewish prophets such as Joshua and Isaiah.

Ketuvim (K) which is a collection other important writings.

The Torah has 613 commandments which are called mitzvah. They are the rules that Jews try to follow. The most important ones are the Ten Commandments given to Moses.

The Torah is so special that people are not allowed to touch it. It is kept in a safe place called an ark in the Jewish temple and when people read from the Torah, they use a special pointer stick called a yad to follow the words.

Where do Jews worship?

Jews worship God in a synagogue. Jewish people attend services at the synagogue on Saturdays during Shabbat.

Shabbat (the Sabbath) is the most important time of the week for Jews. It begins on Friday evenings and ends at sunset on Saturdays. During Shabbat, Jews remember that God created the world and on the seventh day he rested. Jews believe God's day of rest was a Saturday.

The services in the synagogue are led by a religious leader called a rabbi, which means 'Teacher' in Hebrew.

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Mitzvah celebrations

When a Jewish boy turns 13 years old he has a Bar Mitzvah (Son of the Commandment). Some Jewish girls have a Bat Mitzvah (Daughter of the Commandment). Where girls do have a Bat Mitzvah, this usually takes place at the ages of 12 or 13. These ceremonies celebrate a child becoming an adult in God's eyes.

In the ceremonies, the girl or boy reads aloud from the Torah in Hebrew and explains its meaning. Learning to read the Torah takes a lot of studying. The ceremony is often followed by a party.

Many Jewish boys and men wear a kippah. Sometimes they start to wear this after their Bar Mitzvah, although many boys will wear a kippah before this.

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What do Hindus believe?

Central to Hinduism is the belief in a supreme God Brahman. Brahman is present everywhere and there is a part of Brahman in everyone.

Brahman takes many forms. Especially three forms called the Trimurti.

Brahma is the creator of the world and all creatures. He is usually shown with four heads.

Vishnu is the preserver of the world. His role is to return to the earth in troubled times and restore the balance of good and evil. He has blue skin and four arms.

Shiva is the destroyer of the universe. Shiva destroys the universe in order to re-create it. Shiva has blue skin, a third eye and carries a trident.

Hindus believe that life is a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. They also believe that the next life depends on how the previous life was lived.

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What do Muslims believe?

Muslims believe that Islam was revealed over 1,400 years ago in Mekkah, Arabia through a man called Muhammad.

Muhammad is so respected that it is usual for Muslims to say 'peace be upon him' whenever they mention his name.

Muhammad is believed by Muslims to be the last prophet sent by God (Allah). They believe God sent prophets to mankind to teach them how to live according to His law.

Jesus (Isa), Moses (Musa) and Abraham (Ibrahim) are other respected prophets.

Five Pillars of Islam

The Five Pillars of Islam are an important part of Muslim life. They are five things that a Muslim must do so they can live a good and responsible life. They include:

The declaration of faith (Shahada)

Praying five times a day (Salat)

Giving money to charity (Zakah)

Fasting during the month of Ramadan (Sawm)

A pilgrimage to Makkah at least once in a lifetime (Hajj)

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Buddhism started in India over 2,500 years ago. Buddhists follow the teachings of a man called Siddhattha Gotama. He became known as the Buddha, which means 'enlightened'.

What do Buddhists believe?

Siddhattha Gotama was a prince who lived a life of luxury. When he was 29, Siddhattha went outside his palace and saw people suffering for the first time.

He decided to leave his palace and live among holy men in search of truth. His search took him six years, but he became enlightened while meditating under a fig tree.

Following this, Siddhattha became known as the Buddha, which means the 'awakened' or 'enlightened' one. From then on, he dedicated his life to spreading his teachings.

The Buddha discovered that the answer lay in what have become known as the Four Noble Truths. Buddhists try to achieve enlightenment by understanding these important principles.

Buddhists try to live a good life by following the Buddha's teachings, helping them to avoid suffering and bad feelings. They believe nothing in life is perfect and the way to avoid suffering is to follow a set of important guidelines known as the Noble Eightfold Path.

What is the Buddhist holy book?

The Buddhist scriptures are known as the Tipitaka which means 'three baskets'. This is because the original writings were made on palm leaves and stored in baskets.

The Tipitaka contains the teachings of the Buddha and his companions, comments on those teachings, as well as rules for monks. Buddhists call the teachings of the Buddha dharma which means 'truth'.

Where do Buddhists worship?

In Buddhist countries there are many temples. People bring flowers and incense for the shrine and food for the monks.

When entering a temple, Buddhists will take off their shoes, put their hands together and bow to the image of the Buddha. They may also use prayer beads called malas.

Some Buddhists may also have a shrine within their home too.

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What do Christians believe?

Christians believe there is only one God, but that he is revealed in three different forms:

Christians model themselves on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Jesus taught people to love God and love their neighbour.

Christians believe that God sent Jesus to live as a human being in order to save humanity from the consequences of its sins - the bad things humanity had chosen to do which had separated them from God.

Christians believe that through the death and resurrection of Jesus this broken relationship with God is restored.

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Muhammad

According to Muslims, in 610 an angel told Muhammad that Allah had chosen him as a prophet. Throughout his life, Muhammad continued to receive messages that he believed came from God.

This idea that there is only one God was unusual for Arabs at the time. Many people in Muhammad's hometown of Mecca disliked the new religion because of that belief. To avoid their hostility, Muhammad encouraged his followers to move to the nearby city of Medina. Muhammad's journey to Medina ended on September 24, 622, which is considered the starting point of Islamic history.

Division and Spread of Islam

Muhammad eventually persuaded most of the people of Arabia (including Mecca) to practice Islam. But after his death in 632, Muslims disagreed as to who should lead them. Muhammad's son-in-law ʿAli became the Muslim leader, or caliph, in 656. But he was murdered in 661. Some Muslims maintained that Muslim leadership belonged to ʿAli's descendants alone. They formed the Shiʿite branch of Islam. The Muslims who disputed this claim became the Sunnis.

During the 600s and 700s, Islam spread far beyond Arabia, from the western Mediterranean region to Central Asia. Holy wars called jihads were fought to gain political control over societies so that they could be run using Islamic principles.

In the 11th century the Turks began their rise as an Islamic power. A group called the Seljuk Turks conquered vast territories in the Middle East. In 1071 they captured Jerusalem. Jerusalem is a city that is important to Christianity and Judaism as well as Islam. It is part of an area known as the Holy Land. Over the next two centuries, Muslim powers fought off Christian attempts to win back the Holy Land in a series of wars known as the Crusades. In the 1200s another group of Muslim Turks, the Ottomans, began an empire. The Ottomans eventually ruled over North Africa, the Middle East, and southeastern Europe for hundreds of years.

Islam in Modern Times

During the 1800s and 1900s, Western powers established colonies in Muslim nations for the purpose of trade. Islamic leaders lost political power. However, Muslims drew together more as a community in the face of colonization. In the 1900s this sense of unity helped many Muslim countries in their struggles for political independence.

In the late 1900s, Islam became one of the fastest-growing world religions. Some Muslims have resisted the influence of the West, which they view as leading to a loss of traditional Muslim values. In Iran a revolution brought Islamic religious leaders to power in 1979. Islam has had a strong influence on the governments of other countries as well.

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Jesus and Followers

Christianity grew out of Judaism in the Middle East. In about 29 ce a Jew named Jesus began to preach in Galilee. He attracted many followers because of his healing powers and his religious teachings. But people in power feared that he might lead an uprising, and they put him to death. The Bible holds that Jesus rose from the dead three days after being put to death, spent 40 days on Earth, and then was taken up to heaven.

For many years, Jesus' followers continued to practice religion in the same way as Jews, except they believed that Jesus was a savior sent from God. In the 1st century ce a missionary named Paul helped separate Christianity and Judaism into two distinct religions.

Spread of Christianity

To help spread Jesus' teachings, some early Christians wrote about him. Writings by four men-Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John-were chosen as the standard account of Jesus' life and teaching. These four narratives now form part of the New Testament.

In the early days of the church, the Roman Empire controlled most of the Mediterranean region. Life was difficult and dangerous for Christians living within the empire. They were treated harshly for their beliefs. In 312 ce, however, the Roman emperor converted to Christianity. By the end of the 300s, Christianity was the empire's official religion. This power helped secure Christianity's place in the world.

Christianity in the Middle Ages

Christianity continued to gain strength during the Middle Ages, a period from about 500 to 1500. Its leaders became powerful and wealthy, and the church was the chief cultural institution in Europe.

But as Christianity expanded, it could not remain unified. In 1054 the Eastern church at Constantinople separated from the Western church in Rome because of differences in beliefs and practices. This split created the Eastern Orthodox churches and the Roman Catholic church.

Another major development was the Crusades. In the 11th century a Muslim Turkish empire conquered Southwest Asia, including many places associated with Jesus. Over the next two centuries, armies of European Christians fought Muslim forces in the Middle East, partly in an attempt to recapture the Holy Land.

Modern Period

In the 1500s a German priest named Martin Luther began to question certain practices and teachings of the Roman Catholic church. Luther's criticism helped bring about the religious revolution known as the Reformation. As a result, various reformers eventually founded the first Protestant churches.

As Christianity flourished in Europe, Christians came to believe that their religion should be taught to people in other lands. Beginning in the 16th century and continuing into the 21st, Christian missionaries brought their faith to parts of Africa, Asia, and North and South America. These efforts helped make Christianity the most widespread religion in the world.

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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...

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Hinduism is not only a religion but also a way of life. Hinduism is widely practiced in South Asia mainly in India and Nepal. Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world and Hindus refer to it as Sanātana Dharma , "the eternal tradition," or the "eternal way," beyond human history.

Scholars regard Hinduism as a combination of different Indian cultures and traditions, with diverse roots.

Hinduism has no founder and origins of Hinduism is unknown.

What we now call Hinduism have roots in cave paintings that have been preserved from Mesolithic sites dating from c. 30,000 BCE in Bhimbetka, near present-day Bhopal, in the Vindhya Mountains in the Madhya Pradesh.

Hinduism as a religion started to develop between 500 BCE and 300 CE, after the Vedic period (1500 BCE to 500 BCE).

Hinduism contains a wide range of philosophies, and is linked by the concepts, like rituals, cosmology, Texts, and pilgrimage to sacred sites. Hindu texts are divided into Śruti ("heard") and Smṛti ("remembered"). These texts discuss philosophy, mythology, Vedic yajna, Yoga, agamic rituals, and temple building, and many more. Major scriptures in Hinduism include the Vedas and Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Agamas.

There are 4 goals or aims of human life, namely Dharma (duties), Artha (prosperity), Kama (desires/passions), Moksha (liberation/freedom/salvation); karma (action, intent and consequences), Saṃsāra (cycle of rebirth), and the various Yogas (paths or practices to attain moksha). Hindu rituals include puja (worship) and recitations, meditation, family-oriented rites of passage, annual festivals, and occasional pilgrimages. Some Hindus leave their social world and become sanyasi to achieve Moksha. Hinduism prescribes the eternal duties, such as honesty, non-violence ( ahimsa), patience, self-restraint, and compassion, among others. The four largest sects of Hinduism are the Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism and Smartism.

Hinduism is the world's third largest religion, There are approximately 1.15 billion Hindus which are 15-16% of the global population. The vast majority of Hindus live in India, Nepal and Mauritius. Hindus are also found in other countries.

Hindu beliefs include (but are not restricted to) Dharma (ethics/duties), (the continuing cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth), Karma (Every action has a reaction), Moksha (liberation from samsara or liberation in this life), and the various Yogas (paths or practices).

Purusharthas (objectives of human life)

Hindism have accepted four proper goals or aims of human life: Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. These are known as the Puruṣārthas:

Dharma (righteousness, ethics)

Dharma is considered one of the most important goal of a human being in Hinduism. Dharma is considered Important because it is dharma which makes running of Universe and life possible, and includes duties, virtues and "right way of living". Hindu Dharma includes the religious duties, moral rights and duties of each individual, as well as behaviors that enable social order, right conduct, and those that are virtuous. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad states it as:

Nothing is higher than Dharma. The weak overcomes the stronger by Dharma, as over a king. Truly that Dharma is the Truth ( Satya); Therefore, when a man speaks the Truth, they say, "He speaks the Dharma"; and if he speaks Dharma, they say, "He speaks the Truth!" For both are one.

-Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, 1.4.xiv

In the Mahabharata, Krishna says it is Dharma which is holding both this-worldly and other-worldly affairs. (Mbh 12.110.11). The word Sanātana means eternal, perennial, or forever; thus, Sanātana Dharma means that it is the dharma that has neither beginning nor end.

Artha (livelihood, wealth)

Artha is second goal of life in Hinduism which means pursuit of wealth for livelihood, and economic prosperity. It includes political life, diplomacy and material well-being. The Artha includes all "means of life", activities and resources that enables one to be in a state one wants to be in, wealth, career and financial security. The aim of artha is considered an important aim of human life in Hinduism.

Kāma (sensual pleasure)

Kāma ( Sanskrit, Pali; Devanagari: काम) means desire, wish, passion, pleasure of the senses, the enjoyment of life, affection or love. In Hinduism, Kama is considered an important and healthy goal of human life when pursued without sacrificing Dharma, Artha and Moksha.

Mokṣa (liberation, freedom from samsara)

Moksha ( Sanskrit: मोक्ष ) or mukti ( Sanskrit: मुक्ति) is the ultimate, most important goal in Hinduism. In one school Moksha means liberation from sorrow, suffering and saṃsāra (birth-rebirth cycle). In other schools of Hinduism, such as monistic, moksha means self-realization,"realizing the whole universe as the Self".

Karma and samsara

Karma means action, work, or deed, and also the vedic theory of cause and effect". The theory is a combination of (1) causality that may be moral or non-moral; (2) moralization, that is good or bad actions have consequences; and (3) rebirth. Karma theory means ''Whatever experience currently a man have is due to his/her past work''. These actions may be in a person's current life, or, in some schools of Hinduism, actions in their past lives. This cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth is called samsara. Liberation from samsara through moksha is believed to ensure lasting happiness and peace. Hindu scriptures teach that the future depends on the current action and our past deeds.

The ultimate goal of life,according to Hinduism is moksha, or samadhi, but is understood in different ways in different schools.For example, Advaita Vedanta says that after attaining moksha a person knows their "soul, self" and identifies it as one with Brahman (Ultimate reality or cause of everything). The followers of Dvaita (dualistic) schools,state that after attaining moksha a person identify "soul, self" different from Brahman but very close to Brahman, and after attaining moksha one will spend eternity in a loka (higher planes). According to theistic schools of Hinduism, moksha is liberation from samsara, while for other schools such as the monistic school, moksha is possible in current life and is a psychological concept.

Concept of God

Hinduism is diverse and Hinduism include monotheism, polytheism, panentheism, pantheism, pandeism, monism, and atheism among others; Basically it depends on individuals choice and that's why sometimes Hinduism is referred to as henotheistic (i.e., involving devotion to a single god while accepting the existence of others), but any such term is an over generalization.

Hindus believe that all living creatures have a soul. This soul or true "self" of every living being is called the ātman. The soul is believed to be eternal. According to the monistic/pantheistic (non-dualist) theologies of Hinduism (such as Advaita Vedanta school), this Atman is indistinct from Brahman. The goal of life, according to the Advaita school, is to realise that one's soul is identical to supreme soul, that the supreme soul is present in everything and everyone, all life is interconnected and there is oneness in all life. Dualistic schools (see Dvaita and Bhakti) sees Brahman as a Supreme Being separate from individual souls. They worship the Supreme Being variously as Vishnu, Brahma, Shiva, or Shakti, depending upon the sect. God is called Ishvara, Bhagavan, Parameshwara, Devadu or , and these terms have different meanings in different schools of Hinduism. Devi is typically used when refereeing to a female goddess.

The Hindu scriptures refer to celestial entities called Devas (or in feminine form; used synonymously for Deva in Hindi), which in English means demi- gods or heavenly beings.

The devas are an integral part of Hindu culture and are depicted in art, architecture and through icons, and stories about them are related in the scriptures, particularly in Indian epic poetry and the Puranas. They are, however, often distinguished from Ishvara, a personal god, with many Hindus worshipping Ishvara in one of its particular manifestations as their iṣṭa devatā , or chosen ideal. The choice is a matter of individual preference, and of regional and family traditions. The multitude of Devas are considered as manifestations of Brahman.

Main traditions

Hinduism has no central doctrinal authority and Hindus do not claim to belong to any particular sect or tradition. Four major sects in Hinduism are: Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism and Smarthism.

Vaishnavism is the tradition that worships Vishnu and his avatars, such as Krishna and Rama. The people of this sect are generally non-ascetic, monastic. These practices include community dancing, singing of Kirtans and Bhajans, with sound and music believed by some to have meditative and spiritual powers.

Shaivism is the tradition that focuses on Shiva. Shaivas are more attracted to ascetic individualism, and it has several sub-schools. Their practices include Bhakti-style devotion but they leaned to philosply such as Advaita and Yoga. Some Shaivas worship in temples, but some practice yoga, striving to be one with Shiva within. Shaivas visualize god as half male, half female, as a combination of the male and female principles (Ardhanarishvara). Shaivism is related to Shaktism, wherein Shakti is seen as wife of Shiva. Shaivism is mainly practiced in the Himalayan north from Kashmir to Nepal, and in south India.

Shaktism focuses on goddess worship of Shakti or Devi as cosmic mother, and it is mainly worshipped in northeastern and eastern states of India such as Assam and Bengal. Devi is depicted as in gentler forms like Parvati, the consort of Shiva; or, as warrior goddesses like Kali and Durga. Community celebrations include festivals, some of which include processions and idol immersion into sea or other water bodies.

Smartism worship all the major Hindu deities like Shiva, Vishnu, Shakti, Ganesha, Surya and Skanda. The Smarta tradition developed during the (early) Classical Period of Hinduism around the beginning of the Common Era, when Hinduism emerged from the interaction between Brahmanism and local traditions. The Smarta tradition is very much same as Advaita Vedanta, and consider Adi Shankara as its founder or reformer, who considered worship of God-with-attributes (saguna Brahman) as a journey towards ultimately realizing God-without-attributes (nirguna Brahman, Atman, Self-knowledge).

Hindu texts

Hindu text are world's oldest and had been written in Sanskrit and Tamil. The oldest Text is Rig Veda which is about 4000 years old.Hindu Texts can be divided in two parts:

Shruti (what is heard)

Smriti (what is remembered)

Shruti or Shruthi (Sanskrit: श्रुति; IAST: Śruti; IPA/Sanskrit: [ʃrut̪i]) in Sanskrit means "that which is heard" These ancient religious texts comprising the central canon of Hinduism includes the four Vedas including its four types of attached texts - the Samhitas, the Brahmanas, the Aranyakas and the early Upanishads

Smriti (Sanskrit: स्मृति, IAST: Smṛti), means "that which is remembered" are a body of Hindu texts. Smriti were the texts which were remembered and were spread through mouth from generation to generation. Smriti includes (the Mahābhārata and Rāmāyana), the Dharmasūtras and Dharmaśāstras (or Smritiśāstras), the Arthasaśāstras, the Purānas, the Kāvya or poetical literature.

There are many Hindu Festivals celebrated throughout the world but mainly in India and Nepal. These festivals include worship, offerings to deities, fasting, rituals, fairs, charity, celebrations, Puja, etc. The festivals mainly celebrate events from Hindu mythology, changes in season, changes in Solar System. Different sects celebrate different festivals but festivals like Diwali, Holi, Shivratri, Raksha Bandhan, Janamashtmi etc. are celebrated by the majority of Hindus.

Periodisation

Hinduism can be divided in following ages

Prevedic religions (pre-history and Indus Valley Civilisation; until c. 1500 BCE);

Vedic period (c. 1500-500 BCE);

"Second Urbanisation" (c. 500-200 BCE);

Classical Hinduism (c. 200 BCE-1100 CE);[note 20]

Pre-classical Hinduism (c. 200 BCE-300 CE);

"Golden Age" (Gupta Empire) (c. 320-650 CE);

Late-Classical Hinduism - Puranic Hinduism (c. 650-1100 CE);

Islam and sects of Hinduism (c. 1200-1700 CE);

Modern Hinduism (from c. 1800).

The origins of Hinduism are unknown but the earliest traces of Hinduism come from Mesolithic in the sites such as the rock paintings of Bhimbetka rock shelters dating to a period of 30,000 BCE or older, as well as neolithic times. Some of the religious practices can be considered to have originated in 4000 BCE. Several tribal religions still exist, though their practices may not resemble those of prehistoric religions.

According to one view, the Varna, which later transformed into caste system during the British rule, shows how strongly many have felt about each person following his or her dharma, or destined path. Many Hindus say it goes against the true meaning of dharma. However, Varna plays a big role in Hindu society. It's later transformation as Caste system by the British rule of India lost favor and became illegal after the independence of India.

Puja (worship) takes place in the Mandir (temple). Mandirs vary in size from small village shrines to large buildings, surrounded by walls. People can also visit the Mandir at any time to pray and participate in the bhajans (religious songs). Hindus also worship at home and often have a special room with a shrine to particular gods.

Temple construction in India started nearly 2000 years ago. The oldest temples that were built of brick and wood no longer exist. Stone later became the preferred material. Temples marked the transition of Hinduism from the Vedic religion of ritual sacrifices to a religion of Bhakti or love and devotion to a personal deity. Temple construction and mode of worship is governed by ancient Sanskrit scriptures called agamas, of which there are several, which deal with individual deities. There are substantial differences in architecture, customs, rituals and traditions in temples in different parts of India. During the ritual consecration of a temple, the presence of the universal all-encompassing Brahman is invoked into the main stone deity of the temple, through ritual, thereby making the deity and the temple sacred and divine

Alternative cultures of worship

The Bhakti schools

The Bhakti (Devotional) school takes its name from the Hindu term that signifies a blissful, selfless and overwhelming love of God as the beloved Father, Mother, Child, or whatever relationship finds appeal in the devotee's heart. The philosophy of Bhakti seeks to tap into the universal divinity through personal form, which explains the proliferation of so many gods and goddesses in India, often reflecting the singular inclinations of small regions or groups of people. Seen as a form of Yoga, or union, it seeks to dissolve the ego in God, since consciousness of the body and limited mind as self is seen to be a divisive factor in spiritual realization. Essentially, it is God who effects all change, who is the source of all works, who acts through the devotee as love and light. 'Sins' and evil-doings of the devotee are said to fall away of their own accord, the devotee shriven, limitedness even transcended, through the love of God. The Bhakti movements rejuvenated Hinduism through their intense expression of faith and their responsiveness to the emotional and philosophical needs of India. They can rightly be said to have affected the greatest wave of change in Hindu prayer and ritual since ancient times.

The most popular means of expressing love for God in the Hindu tradition has been through puja, or ritual devotion, frequently using the aid of a (statue) in conjunction with the singing or chanting of meditational prayer in the form of mantras.

Devotional songs called bhajans (written primarily from the 14th-17th centuries), kirtan (praise), and arti (a filtered down form of Vedic fire ritual) are sometimes sung in conjunction with performance of puja. This rather organic system of devotion attempts to aid the individual in connecting with God through symbolic medium. It is said, however, that the bhakta, through a growing connection with God, is eventually able to avoid all external form and is immersed entirely in the bliss of undifferentiated Love in Truth.

Altogether, bhakti resulted in a mass of devotional literature, music and art that has enriched the world and gave India renewed spiritual impetus, one eschewing unnecessary ritual and artificial social boundaries. See bhakti yoga for more.

According to the most famous Western Tantrik scholar, Sir John Woodroffe (pseudonym Arthur Avalon): "The Indian Tantras, which are numerous, constitute the Scripture (Shastra) of the Kaliyuga, and as such are the voluminous source of present and practical orthodox 'Hinduism'. The Tantra Shastra is, in fact, and whatever be its historical origin, a development of the Vaidika Karmakanda, promulgated to meet the needs of that age. Shiva says: 'For the benefit of men of the Kali age, men bereft of energy and dependent for existence on the food they eat, the Kaula doctrine, O auspicious one! is given' (Chap. IX., verse 12). To the Tantra we must therefore look if we would understand aright both ritual, yoga, and sadhana of all kinds, as also the general principles of which these practices are but the objective expression." (Introduction to Sir John Woodroffe's translation of "Mahanirvana Tantra.")

The word " tantra" means "treatise" or "continuum", and is applied to a variety of mystical, occult, medical and scientific works as well as to those which we would now regard as "tantric". Most tantras were written in the late Middle Ages and sprang from Hindu cosmology and Yoga.

Important symbolism and themes in Hinduism

Ahimsa and the cow

Many Hindus are vegetarians (do not eat meat) because of their respect for life. About 30% of today's Hindu population, especially in orthodox communities in South India, in certain northerly states like Gujarat, and in many Brahmin areas around the subcontinent, are vegetarian.

Most Hindus who do eat meat do not eat beef. Some do not even use leather products. This is most likely because many Hindus have relied so heavily on the cow for all sorts of dairy products, tilling of fields and fuel for fertiliser that its status as a willing 'caretaker' of humanity grew to identifying it as an almost motherly figure. Thus, while most Hindus do not worship the cow, and rules against eating beef arose long after the Vedas had been written, it still has an honored place in Hindu society. It is said that Krishna is both Govinda (herder of cows) and Gopala (protector of cows), and Shiva's attendant is Nandi, the bull. With the stress on vegetarianism (which is usually followed even by meat-eating Hindus on religious days or special occasions) and the sacred nature of the cow, it is no wonder that most holy cities and areas in India have a ban on selling meat-products and there is a movement among Hindus to ban cow-slaughter not only in specific regions, but in all of India.

Hindu symbols

Hindus use many symbols and signs. The two most important symbols used by Hindus are the " Aum" and the " Swastika (Hinduism)".

Forms of worship: murtis and mantras

Contrary to popular belief, practiced Hinduism is neither polytheistic nor strictly monotheistic. The various Hindu gods and avatars that are worshipped by Hindus are understood as different forms of One truth, sometimes seen as beyond a mere god and as a formless Divine Ground ( Brahman), akin but not limited to monism, or as one monotheistic principle like Vishnu or Shiva.

Whether believing in the One source as formless (nirguna brahman, without attributes) or as a personal god (saguna Brahman, with attributes), Hindus understand that the one truth may be seen as different to different people. Hinduism encourages devotees to describe and develop a personal relationship with their chosen deity (ishta devata) in the form of a god or goddess.

While some censuses hold worshippers of one form or another of Vishnu (known as ) to be at 80% and those of Shiva (called Shaivaites) and Shakti at the remaining 20%, such figures are perhaps misleading. The vast majority of Hindus worship many gods as varicolored forms of the same prism of Truth. Among the most popular are Vishnu (as Krishna or Rama), Shiva, Devi (the Mother as many female deities, such as Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kali and Durga), Ganesha, Skanda and Hanuman.

Worship of the said deities is often done through the aid of pictures or icons ( murti) which are said not to be God themselves but conduits for the devotee's consciousness, markers for the human soul that signify the ineffable and illimitable nature of the love and grandeur of God. They are symbols of the greater principle, representing and are never presumed to be the concept or entity itself. Thus, Hindu image worship is a form of iconolatry, in which the symbols are venerated as putative sigils of divinity, as opposed to idolatry, a charge often levied (erroneously) at Hindus. For more details on this form of worship, see murti.

Hindus use several prayers and group of words. Some group of words are called mantras. These words are said to give the speaker a deeper concentration and understanding, thus coming closer to Brahman. A well known mantra is om or aum. It symbolizes Brahman, and is often the opening word in many prayers. To pronounce a mantra well, you should say it slowly, and in a deep voice.

Geographic distribution

The nations of India, Mauritius, and Nepal as well as the Indonesian island of Bali have more people who are Hindus than people who are not Hindus.In these nations, specially Nepal and India Hinduism is very popular. These countries also have many Hindus:

There are also strong Hindu communities in the countries of the ex-Soviet Union, especially in Russia and Poland. The Indonesian islands of Java, Sulawesi, Sumatra, and Borneo also have big native Hindu populations. In its Yoga stream, Hinduism is even more widespread all over the world with 30 million (less than one percent can not be 30 million for US population) Hindus in the United States alone.

Images for kids

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Hinduism is not only a religion but also a way of life. Hinduism is widely practiced in South Asia mainly in India and Nepal. Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world and Hindus refer to it as Sanātana Dharma , "the eternal tradition," or the "eternal way," beyond human history.

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Buddhism originated in India, based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, later known as Gautama Buddha. A Buddha is one who is said to be awake to the truth of life. Buddha is a Pali word which means "the awakened one." According to Buddhism, there were countless Buddhas before Gautama Buddha, and there will be many Buddhas after him.

Over the centuries, Gautama Buddha's teachings spread from Nepal to Central Asia, Tibet, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, China, Mongolia, Korea, Japan, Europe, North, and South America. Theravada Buddhism is most common in South Asia; Mahayana is most common further north. Buddhism exists in many different strands today, but all versions share basic ideas. About seven percent of the people of the world are Buddhist.

While many people see Buddhism as a religion, others see it as a philosophy, and others as a way of finding reality.

Background and Buddhist concepts

Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 BC) began life as the infant prince of a small kingdom in what is now the southern part of Nepal. As an adult, he left wealth and status behind to search for truth. The Buddha spent the next 45 years of his life traveling and teaching in the northern part of India. He died at the age of 80.

The Buddha focused much of his teaching on how to overcome suffering. He saw that all living things suffer. He taught that by overcoming suffering, a person will be truly happy.

He began teaching holy men or monks the Four Noble Truths of Life and the Eightfold Noble Path (see below). These teachings identify the causes of suffering and their cure. The Buddha taught that there are three marks of existence: He said life is best understood as being impermanent (everything changes), unsatisfactory (left on our own we are never truly happy), and interdependent (all things are linked).

In discussing suffering, the Buddha identified the "three poisons" of desire, anger, and stupidity, and he showed that we could end our suffering by letting go of desires and overcoming anger and stupidity.

The complete letting go of negative influences is called Nirvana, meaning "to extinguish," like putting out the flame of a candle. This end of suffering is also called Enlightenment. In Buddhism, Enlightenment and Nirvana often mean the same thing.

The Buddha taught that living in balance is the best way to live. He called this "the middle way." He also recommended meditation as a way to train the mind to see the world as it is.

The Buddha taught that actions have consequences for good or bad. People who make good decisions will be happier and have more peace of mind. This is called karma.

Another teaching of Buddhism is reincarnation - the idea that when people die, they will be reborn as someone or something else. They live their life the best they can in hopes of reincarnating as something better until they eventually reach enlightenment.

Buddhists would not say whether or not there is a God or gods. Buddhists do not believe that people should look to gods to save them or bring them enlightenment. Instead, they believe individuals should work out their own path the best they can. Many of the Buddha's ideas are found in other Indian religions, especially Hinduism.

Beliefs of Buddhism

The three jewels

Buddhists respect and treasure the Three Jewels, which are the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.

The Buddha refers to the awakened one, the Dharma to the Buddha's teachings, and the Sangha to the people who follow the Buddha and his teachings.

Buddhists say "I take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha." They find comfort in these jewels or treasures.

Four Noble Truths

The Buddha's first and most important teachings are the Four Noble Truths.

1. Life is suffering.

2. The reason for this suffering is that we want things to be a certain way.

3. The way to cure suffering is to rise above this desire.

4. The way to rise above desire is to follow the Noble Eightfold Path, practices which help us change our minds and understanding.

Noble Eightfold Path

The Buddha told people to follow a special way of life called the Noble Eightfold Path if they want to understand the Four Noble Truths. These are:

1. Appropriate views. Know and understand the Four Noble Truths.

2. Appropriate thought. Turn your mind away from the world and toward the Dharma.

3. Appropriate speech. Tell the truth, don't gossip, and don't talk badly about others.

4. Appropriate conduct. Don't commit evil acts, like killing, stealing, or living an unclean life.

5. Appropriate livelihood. Earn your money in a way that doesn't harm anyone.

6. Appropriate effort. Work to make your mind more good and less evil.

7. Appropriate mindfulness. Remember the Dharma and apply it all the time.

8. Appropriate meditation. Practice meditation as a way of understanding reality.

Five precepts

Buddhists are encouraged to follow five precepts, or guidelines:

1. I will not hurt a person or animal that is alive.

2. I will not take something if it was not given to me.

3. I will not engage in sexual misconduct.

4. I will not lie or say things that hurt people.

5. I will not take intoxicants causing heedlessness.

If a person wants to be a monk or nun, he or she will follow other precepts as well.

Interesting facts about Buddhism

The term "Buddhism" was invented by Western scholars in the 1830s. Buddhists don't refer to their religion as "Buddhism."

The Buddha founded an order of monks and nuns known as the Sangha who have preserved his teachings.

Because of its emphasis on meditation and mindfulness, Buddhism is often considered to be a form of psychology rather than a religion.

In Buddhism, there is no single holy book.

Buddhists do not believe in a supreme being or creator God.

A Buddha is a person who has reached enlightenment.

Buddhist monks and nuns shave their hair.

In Buddhism, each person must work their way to enlightenment.

Related pages

Images for kids

An aniconic depiction of the Buddha's spiritual liberation ( moksha) or awakening ( bodhi), at Sanchi. The Buddha is not depicted, only symbolized by the Bodhi tree and the empty seat.

Living at the root of a tree ( trukkhamulik'anga) is one of the dhutaṅgas, a series of optional ascetic practices for Buddhist monastics.

A section of the Northern wall mural at the Lukhang Temple depicting tummo, the three channels ( nadis) and phowa

A Buddhist triad depicting, left to right, a Kushan, the future buddha Maitreya, Gautama Buddha, the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, and a monk. Second-third century. Guimet Museum

Frontispiece of the Chinese Diamond Sūtra, the oldest known dated printed book in the world

In Spanish: Budismo para niños

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Judaism ( Hebrew: יהדות) is the world's oldest Abrahamic religion. It is almost 4,000 years old. There are about 15 million followers. They are called Jews. It is the oldest monotheistic religion. The Torah is the most important holy book of Judaism. The laws and teachings of Judaism come from the Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible and oral traditions. Some of these were first oral traditions and later written in the Mishnah, the Talmud, and other works.

Both Christianity and Islam are similar to Judaism. These religions accept the belief in one God and the moral teachings of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), which includes the Torah or "תורה."

Basic beliefs

The three main beliefs at the center of Judaism are Monotheism, Identity, and covenant (an agreement between God and his people).

The most important teachings of Judaism is that there is one God, who wants people to do what is just and compassionate. Judaism teaches that a person serves God by learning the holy books and doing what they teach. These teachings include both ritual actions and ethics. Judaism teaches that all people are made in the image of God and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.

The main teachings of Judaism about God are that there is a God and there is only one God and that god is Yahweh. Only God created the universe and only He controls it. Judaism also teaches that God is spiritual and not physical.

Jews believe that God is one - a unity: He is one whole, complete being. He cannot be divided into parts and people cannot say how He looks in words; they can only say how He is and what He does..

Jews believe that all goodness and morality is from God. God is interested in what people do and He watches what they do.

Judaism teaches that all people are made in the image of God. This is why people must be treated with dignity and respect. A person serves God by being like God. This means that they must do what is fair and just, show mercy, and behave with kindness and love for people.

Judaism says that God exists forever, that He is in every place, and that He knows all things. He is above nature ("supernatural") but He is in the world and He hears people who pray to Him and can answer them. God is the main power in the universe.

Judaism teaches that God allows people to choose what to do - this is called " free will." Free will is the freedom to do whatever a person wants to but must be responsible of his own actions. A person is responsible for their actions. God rewards people who do good actions and punishes people who do bad actions. God gives a person a reward or a punishment in this world, but He gives the final reward or punishment to the soul of the person after they die.

Jews believe that God made an agreement called a "covenant" with Abraham, the ancestor of the Jewish people. The Bible says that God promised to bless Abraham and his descendants if they worshipped God and were faithful to him. God made this covenant with Abraham's son, Isaac, and with Isaac's son, Jacob. God gave Jacob another name, Israel. This is how Jacob's descendants got the name the "Children of Israel" or " Israelites." God later gave the Torah to the Israelites through their leader, Moses. The Torah told the Israelites how to live and build their community. God gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments and other laws in the Torah.

The Jews are sometimes called the " Chosen People." This is because the Bible says God told them "you will be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:6) and "For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord chose you to be His own special nation out of all peoples on the earth" (Deuteronomy 14:2). Jews understand this means that they have special duties and responsibilities commanded by God. For example, Jews must build a just society and serve only God. Jews believe that this covenant works in two ways: if they follow God's laws, He will give them his love and protection, but they are also responsible for their sins - bad actions - and not doing what God told them. Jews believe that they must teach other people that God exists and that God wants all people to do good actions. Jews believe that their job in the world is to be "a light to the nations" (Isiah 49:6) by showing the people of the world ways to make the world a better place.

Jews believe that God has given them a special job to repair the world. Their job is to make the world a better place with more good in it. They must use the things in the world to increase good and come closer to God. They call this " tikkun olam" - repairing the world. Jews see themselves as God's partner to repair the world in any way they can - to find ways to lessen suffering of people and animals, to make more peace and respect between people, and protect the earth's environment from destruction.

Jews do not try to convince other people to believe in Judaism. Jews believe they have a special job to show all peoples that God exists, but people do not have to be Jewish to follow God. All people can serve God by following the Seven Commandments (rules) given to Noah. But, Judaism accepts people who choose to change their religion to Judaism.

Jews believe that God tells them in the Torah the way of life that they must follow. The Torah says God wants the people of Israel to walk in His ways, to love Him, and to serve Him, and to keep God's commandments (Deut. 10:12-13). Actions are more important than beliefs and beliefs must be made into actions.

These actions are called " mitzvot" in Hebrew (singular: a mitzvah מִצְוָה). Sometimes they are called " laws," "rules" or "commandments". Many people think of a mitzvah as "a good act," or "a good thing to do." There are 613 mitzvot in the Torah. Jews believe that the Torah gives mitzvot for all people; all people must keep seven laws that were taught to Noah and his children after the flood. The Jews must keep 613 mitzvot, which are listed in the Torah. The rabbis counted 365 mitzvot that Jews must not do ( negative mitzvot), and 248 mitzvot that Jews must do ( positive mitzvot). Some mitzvot are for everyday life, and some are only for special times, such as Jewish holidays. Many of the 613 mitzvot are about the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and cannot be done now, since the Temple was destroyed.

Some of the mitzvot are about how people must act to other people. For example, they must give charity to a poor person, or help a person who is in danger. They must not steal or lie. These are ethical and moral mitzvot.

Some mitzvot are about how people must act towards God. For example, they must respect God's name, or not work on the Sabbath. These are religious or ritual mitzvot. Jews believe that God tells them to do both ethical and religious acts.

Jews see mitzvot as acts that sanctify - bring holiness - to the world and bring people and the world closer to God. Jews do the mitzvot to sanctify the physical world and the things in it, such as food and drink, clothing, and natural activities such as work, or seeing beautiful sights. Before doing many acts, such as eating, Jews say a blessing - a short prayer - that God makes and gives a person the things that they need for life. In Judaism, life is most holy and important. A Jew must stop doing other mitzvot of the Torah to help save another person's life.

Jews believe that they must do the mitzvot with happiness and joy because the Bible says "Serve God with joy; come before God with singing" (Psalms 100:2). Doing a mitzvah helps a person come close to God and that makes the person happy. A group of Jews called the Hasidim say this is the best way to live. They say that worrying takes people away from joy and they will not see the beauty and good in the world.

Many mitzvot in the Torah are about the Land of Israel. The Talmud and later books call these mitzvot "commandments connected to the Land" because Jews can only do them in the Land of Israel. For example, Jews give gifts to the poor or the priests from their fields every year, take fruit or animals to the Temple in Jerusalem, and must stop working on the land every seven years (the "shmittah" - sabbatical year).

The Land of Israel

The Land of Israel is holy in Judaism. A Jewish belief is that God created the Earth from Mount Moriah in Jerusalem in the Land of Israel, and He is always closest to this land. Jews believe that this land is where God told the Jewish people to build a society to serve Him, and many mitzvot ( commandments) in the Torah are about the Land of Israel.

The Jewish people believe their history as a nation begins with Abraham. The story of Abraham in the Torah begins when God tells Abraham to leave his country. He promises Abraham and his descendants a new home in the land of Canaan. This is now known as the Land of Israel. It is named after Abraham's grandson, Jacob, who was also called Israel and who was the father of the twelve tribes. This is where the name "Land of Israel" comes from. The land is also called "the Promised Land" because in the Torah, God promises to give the land to the children of Abraham (Gen 12:7, Gen 13:15, Gen 15:18, Gen 17:8).

The rabbis of the Talmud understood from the Torah (Num 33:53) that it is a "mitzvah" for Jews to live in the land of Israel. They saw living outside of Israel as not natural for a Jew. Jews often called the land outside of Israel "galut." This is usually translated as " diaspora" (a place where people are scattered), but the word more closely means " exile".

The Messiah and Saving The World

The story of leaving Egypt, called the Exodus, is very important in the way the Jewish people understand the world. The Torah tells how God took a group of slaves, the Israelites, from slavery, and tells them how to be His partner to build the world. Jews see this story as a model for the whole world. In the future, the whole world will change, and all the people of the world will serve the one God. This will be God's kingdom on Earth. They believe the whole of Jewish history, and world history, is part of this process.

The prophets taught that God would send a person to the world who would help all the people of the world see that God is the maker, king of the world and has supreme power. This person is called the Messiah. The word Messiah comes from the Hebrew word mashiah, which means "the anointed one". The Book of Isaiah says the Messiah will be a just king who will unite the Jewish people and lead them in God's way. The Messiah will also unite all the people of the world to serve God. People will act with justice and kindness, and the whole world will be filled with peace.

Jews still wait for the Messiah to come. They believe that this will be a person. Other Jews believe in a future time when justice and peace will come through the cooperation of all people and the help of God.

Jews believe that to know what God wants them to do, they must study the books of Torah and its laws and do what they teach. These include both laws about how to behave to other people and how to serve God.

The two most important groups of books in Judaism are the Bible and the Talmud. The beliefs and actions of Judaism come from these books. Jewish teachers and scholars wrote more books, called commentaries. They explain and say more about what is written in the Bible and Talmud.

The Torah is the most important of all Jewish writings. The first five books of the Hebrew Bible (known to Christians as the "Old Testament") make up the Torah. The Torah contains the basic laws of Judaism and describes the history of the Jews until the death of Moses. Jewish tradition says that God told Moses what to write in the Torah, which is also called the Five Books of Moses. Religious Jews believe that Moses brought the Ten Commandments and the Torah down from Mount Sinai. The Ten Commandments are special because they were heard by all of the Jewish people at Mount Sinai. However, in traditional Judaism, all of the 613 mitzvot in the Torah are equally important.

Jews divide the Hebrew Bible into three parts and call it the Tanakh. The three parts are the Torah, which is the first five books; the Nevi'im, which are the books of the prophets; and the Ketuvim, meaning the Writings, which are other books of history and moral teachings.

Rabbinic Jews also believe that there is another part of the Torah besides the five books of Moses. It is called the Mishnah, also called the Oral Torah or Oral Law. It explains how to follow the laws written in the 5 books. There is a commentary (explanation) of the Mishnah, called the Gemara. Together, the Mishna and the Gemara make up the Talmud. But Karaite Jews believe that there is no additional Torah besides the five books of Moses.

Traditional Jews believe that God gave the written Torah and the oral Torah to Moses and that Moses told it to the Jewish people, and that it is the same today as it was back then. Traditional Jews also believe that all of the commandments must still be followed today.

Liberal Jews believe that the Torah was inspired by God but written by human beings. Liberal Jews believe that all of the ethical laws in the Torah must still be followed, but many ritual laws do not need to be followed today.

It is considered good in Judaism to talk about the commandments and to try to understand how to follow them. The Talmud has many stories about Rabbis who argued about the commandments. Over time, some opinions have become the rule for everyone. Some rules are still being argued about. Jews praise logical argument and looking for truth.

There is no single leader of Judaism who can decide how to follow the commandments or what to believe. Even though Jews believe different things and they disagree about the rules, they are still one religion and one people.

Daily way of life

Kashrut: Jewish food laws

Jews who follow the religious rules called "kashrut" only eat some types of food that are prepared by special rules. Food that a Jew can eat is called kosher food.

Traditional Jews are very careful about kashrut. They usually cannot eat many foods in non-kosher restaurants or in the home of someone who does not keep kosher. Sometimes, this makes it hard to visit people or to do business. It is important to understand that this is part of their religion. People help avoid this problem by choosing to dine with Traditional Jews in a kosher restaurant or serve them kosher food in their home.

Liberal Jews are not so careful about kosher, although some of them may keep some rules.

Kosher foods

Jews can eat any fresh fruit or vegetables that do not have any insects on or in them.

Jews can eat any fish that has scales and fins. This includes fish like salmon and tuna. They cannot eat seafood like shrimp, lobster, or mussels.

Jews can eat meat of any animal that chews its cud (food which has already been partly digested), and has split hooves. For example, cows, sheep, deer, and goats. However, the meat must be slaughtered and prepared in a specific way to be kosher.

Jews can eat many common birds such as chickens and turkeys and duck. The birds must also be slaughtered and prepared in a specific way. Jews can't eat birds of prey, like vultures.

Foods sold in stores or restaurants must be checked by a Jew who is an expert in Kashrut. The name for this person is "mashgiach," or kosher overseer. He makes sure that the kosher rules were kept. Foods bought at the store often have a symbol called a hechsher on them to tell the customer that the food have been checked. Many everyday foods have a hechsher.

Honey is an insect product made by bees, but it is kosher.

It is a well-known myth that kosher food must be blessed by a rabbi, a rabbi cannot bless a food and make it Kosher.

Non-kosher foods

Some call non-kosher foods "Treifah," meaning "torn." This is because the Torah says not to eat an animal that has been killed or torn by another animal.

Jews cannot eat animals that do not have split hooves or animals that do not chew their cud. Unlike cows and sheep, pigs have split hooves, but do not chew their cud and are therefore not kosher.

Jews cannot eat rodents, reptiles or amphibians.

Jews cannot eat any sea animal that does not have scales and fins. For example, sharks, eels, crabs, shrimp and lobsters are not kosher.

Jews cannot eat birds that eat meat like vultures, which are mentioned in a list in the Torah.

Jews cannot eat any insects, except for a few types of crickets or locusts.

Other kosher rules

There are other rules for kosher food as well.

Animals must be killed in a certain way, including using a fast strike across the neck with a very sharp blade which makes sure that the animal dies quickly.

All the blood must be removed from an animal before the meat is eaten. This is done by soaking and salting the meat.

A Jew cannot eat a meal that has both meat and milk in it. This comes from the rule (in the Torah) that a Jew must not cook a young goat in its mother's milk. Because of this, Jews use separate dishes and utensils for foods that have meat in it, and foods that have milk in it.

After eating meat, many Jews do not drink milk products before a time period between 1 to 6 hours has passed.

Kosher food must be cooked in a kitchen for actual kosher food. If the kitchen has been used to cook non-kosher food, such as rabbit and pig then the kitchen must be cleaned in a special way before it can be used to cook kosher food.

One of the commandments is to keep the Jewish Sabbath, or Shabbat. Shabbat starts every Friday at sunset and ends on Saturday at nightfall. Shabbat is a day of rest to thank God for making the universe.

The tradition of resting on Shabbat comes from the Torah. According to the Torah, God created the world in six days and on the seventh day, Shabbat, He rested. Many Jews go to their temple or synagogue to pray on Shabbat.

Religious Jews follow special rules on Shabbat. These rules require Jews not to do creative work on Shabbat. One reason for this is to give people a break from all the things that make them busy during the week. This helps them focus more on appreciating God, their family, and the rest of creation. Also it reminds people that God is the creator and ruler of the world; and no matter how great a person's creative power is, it cannot compare with God's creation of the universe and everything in it. Many of these categories of creative work include actions that people might not think of as work. For instance, on Shabbat a Jew cannot:

Traditional Jews are very careful about Shabbat. It is a special day. They clean their houses and prepare special food for Shabbat. They dress in their nicest clothes. They sing beautiful songs and say extra prayers in the synagogue. They have dinner and lunch with their families. Many families also invite guests for dinner and for lunch. They eat special delicious food, and sing together traditional Shabbat songs. On Shabbat afternoon people study Judaism together or just visit friends.

Liberal Jews do not follow those rules. Some do go to synagogue, visit friends, or have special meals. But they may also talk on the phone, drive cars, and go shopping.

Important points in a Jewish life

Birth

Brit Milah (for boys) a circumcision ceremony when a boy is 8 days old. It includes naming the baby. Some non-Orthodox Jews practice Brit Shalom, a baby naming ceremony for Jewish boys without circumcision.

Pidyon haben (for boys) is when a father does a special ceremony to redeem his wife's first son from the Temple, as originally all firstborn boys were sent to serve in the Temple. Levites (a tribe of Israel) and Cohanim (priests) do not do this ritual.

Bat Mitzvah (for girls) a 'coming of age' ceremony when a girl turns 12 (13 for some Jews). Bat Mitzvah means "daughter of the mitvah" or "daughter of the commandments" in Hebrew. Once a girl turns 12 (or 13), she is considered a woman and is expected to follow Jewish law. A ceremony is not required. Bat Mitzvah not only refers to the ceremony, but also to the girl herself.

Bar Mitzvah (for boys) a 'coming of age' ceremony when a boy turns 13. It includes reading the Torah and special prayers. Bar Mitzvah means "son of the mitzvah" or "son of the commandments" in Hebrew. Once a boy turns 13, he is considered a man and is expected to follow Jewish law. A ceremony is not required. Bar Mitzvah not only refers to the ceremony, but also to the boy himself.

Having Children

Death

Kinds of Judaism

For a very long time, most Jews in Europe believed the same basic things about Judaism. Jews in other lands had different beliefs and customs than European Jews. About 200 years ago, a small group of Jews in Germany decided to stop believing in many parts of Judaism and try to become more "modern" and more like Germans. Those Jews were called Reform Jews.

Today there are three main kinds of Judaism: Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox Judaism. There are also kinds with a smaller number of people, such as Reconstructionist Judaism, and Karaite Judaism. Each group has its own practices according to how it understands the Jewish laws. For example, Reform (also called Liberal or Progressive) Judaism encourages people to choose the ways to be Jewish that mean the most to them based on the traditions. Reform Judaism teaches Jews to focus on the ethical laws of Judaism. Conservative Judaism developed after Reform Judaism. The leaders of Conservative Judaism felt that Reform Judaism was too radical. They wanted to conserve (protect) Jewish tradition instead of reforming (changing) it. Orthodox Jews do not believe that Reform or Conservative Judaism are correct because they believe that the laws given by God are timeless, and can't be changed.

In the most recent survey of Jews in the United States in 2000-2001, it was found that 35% of American Jews say they are Reform, 27% say they are Conservative, 10% say they are Orthodox, 2% say they are Reconstructionist and 25% do not say what type they are.

In Israel, almost all Jews go to Orthodox synagogues. There are very few Reform or Conservative synagogues, but there has been a steady increase since 2009. In Israel, Jews do not call themselves Reform, Conservative, or Orthodox. Instead, they mostly call themselves "Haredi" (completely religious) "Dati" (basically religious), "Masorati" (traditional/conservative) or "Chiloni" (secular). Surveys suggest about 20% of Israelis say they are secular, 25% say they are Dati or Haredi and 55% say they are traditional.

Names of God

Names are very important in Judaism. Many Jews believe that a name not only tells you who someone is, but also tells you something about them. Names of God are very special in Judaism, so Jews do not write them or speak them fully but use other words instead. That is why some Jews write G-d, with a "-" instead of an "o."

HaShem Means "The Name". It is the word Jews use most often when not praying to talk about God.

Adonai means "My Lord." This name tells Jews about God's position. God is the King of the World, and his name Adonai lets us know that.

Elohim means "one who is strong enough to do everything." This name is used when talking about God's power to create or God's justice. This tells us that God is the creator and that God rules the world with just laws.

The two names above are so special that Orthodox Jews use these names only when they pray and read the Torah. When they are not praying or reading the Torah, they say "Hashem" (The Name) or "Elokim".

God - Some Jews write "God" by replacing the "o" with a dash, like this: "G-d". They do this because God's name is very holy so they are not allowed to throw away a piece of paper with "God" written on it. However, if by accident "God" is written, then the paper can be disposed of in a special way and buried in a special place. Others say that "God" is just an English word, not Hebrew, and so it is not holy.

YHWH ("Yehovah"/"Yahweh") is the most sacred name of God in Hebrew, and is not pronounced by most Jews. No one knows where the name came from, or what exactly it means. It looks like the Hebrew word "hayah," which is the verb "to be." (According to Hebrew scripture, when Moses asked God who God was, God told Moses I am that I am/I am who I am.) Jews believe that the name YHWH shows that God is endless. Instead of trying to say it, most Jews say " haShem", which means "The Name." Some people pronounce this name as Yahweh, or Jehovah. Scholars of religion sometimes refer to "YHWH" as the Tetragrammaton, from Greek wo.

Images for kids

In Spanish: Judaísmo para niños

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Click the link to find out more about the Diwali: https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/pages/article/diwaliFestival of Lights

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Learn about India's biggest holiday of the year.

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Click to read about "Songkran". A Buddhist New Year Festival in Southeast Asia.

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Get the scoop on this splashy spring festival in Thailand.

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Click to find out more about the festival, Ramadan!

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Lights blink on in homes as night falls on a community. The scent of food begins to waft into the evening air. It smells extra delicious to the people in the homes, who haven't eaten all day. They're observing Ramadan, a sacred month in the religion of Islam. And the darkened sky is a signal that it's time to feast!

Ramadan is the ninth month on the Islamic calendar, which marks important holidays and events for Muslims (people who practice Islam). During Ramadan people fast, or refrain from eating and drinking, while it's light outside. Once the sun sets, families meet for big meals that may include stew, rice, dates, lentils, and more. People also have a morning meal before the sun rises.

For the hundreds of millions of Muslims around the world who observe Ramadan, the month is a time to focus on their faith and also perform generous acts. People raise money and donate supplies to help others in need. And many fast to remind themselves about those in the world who don't have enough to eat.

After the last day of Ramadan, a three-day festival is held. Families and friends gather together to celebrate. They sometimes decorate homes with lights and exchange gifts. As for food, people eat all sorts of things including candies and pastries-and during this time, fasting is not allowed.

(Learn about Ramadan at National Geographic.)

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Learn about this sacred month in the religion of Islam.

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Click to find out more about the festival, Hanukkah.

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The Jewish festival of lights, called Hanukkah, is celebrated around the world today. But the inspiration for the holiday dates back thousands of years in what is today the country of Israel.

In 175 B.C., King Antiochus, whose ancient kingdom included Judea (located in present-day Israel), made it against the law for people who lived there to practice their religion, called Judaism. Instead, he wanted Jews to worship Greek gods. When they refused, he ordered his troops to destroy the Temple of Jerusalem, an important place of worship for Jews. He replaced the Jewish symbols with an altar dedicated to Zeus, the king of the Greek gods.

The Jews, led by Judah the Maccabee, rebelled against King Antiochus. Many historians believe that they battled for about three years to become an independent region so they could practice their religion. Finally, around 164 B.C., the Maccabees, as they were called, defeated King Antiochus and his troops.

When the Maccabees returned to their ransacked temple, they found only one jar of oil-just enough to light the temple's candles for one day. But according to the Talmud (one of Judaism's holy texts), the oil miraculously burned for eight days-enough time for the victorious Maccabees to find more oil for their sacred candles.

Restoring the temple and driving out King Antiochus didn't end the conflict. His followers continued to battle with the Jews for more than 22 years. Finally, in the year 142, the warring groups signed a peace treaty, and the Jews formed their own independent region.

How it's celebrated today

Hanukkah starts on the 25th day of Kislev, the ninth month of the Hebrew calendar. (It's also called the Jewish calendar and is used to track religious dates.) Because this calendar follows the lunar (or moon) cycle, the holiday begins on a different date each year on the calendar you use the most, which is based on the sun cycles. Usually, Hanukkah starts in late November to mid-December.

In 2023, Hanukkah starts the evening of December 7 and ends on December 15.

To celebrate the ancient miracle of the oil burning a candle for eight nights, Jews celebrating Hanukkah light a candleholder called a menorah for eight nights. The menorah holds nine candles-one for each night plus a candle called the shamash used to light the other candles.

On the first night, one candle is added to the menorah and lit. On the second night, another candle is added and lit. The adding and lighting of candles continues for eight nights. During these moments, people recite special blessings and prayers, sing songs, and exchange gifts to celebrate the miracle in the temple more than 2,000 years ago.

Hanukkah foods and fun

Traditional Hanukkah foods include deep-fried jelly donuts called sufganiyot and potato pancakes called latkes. Both dishes are fried and represent the long-lasting lamp oil.

After they've feasted on rich foods, families gather to take turns spinning a top called a dreidel. Players can win chocolate gelt, or coins, if the top lands the right way.

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Lasting eight days, the joyous Jewish holiday celebrates a miracle from more than 2,000 years ago.

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Check out these Buddhism artefacts!

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Buddhism Vocabulary

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Read this story to find out about the life of the Buddha.

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Check out these artefacts that are part of Hinduism!

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Important Information about Judaism

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What is Judaism?

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Jewish Artefacts

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Judiasm Fact Cards

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Find out more about the Torah

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Pebble Go Rosh Hashanah