Draft on Judaism. Final Copy. Jessica Barnum

Judaism is the religious culture of the Jewish People and is one of the world's oldest religions. Judaism makes up the cultural system of Jewish law, custom, and practice of the whole individual and community. It is a system in which everyone is under God's rule. Judaism originated in the Middle East and has spread throughout all parts of the world because of both voluntary migrations and forced exile or expulsions. The total world Jewish population is about 15 million, most of whom live in the United States, Israel, and the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republic. Judaism is a monotheistic faith, meaning that Jews believe there is only One God. Often this God is beyond our ability to comprehend, but God is nevertheless present in our everyday lives. How individual Jews choose to understand this manifestation of the divine varies. Some connect with God through prayer, others see the divine in the majesty of the natural world, others may not think about God on a daily basis. Each individual's relationship with God is unique and personal. For example there are many different kinds of Jews such as Sephardic Jews; these Jews are from Spain and the Middle East. The word "Sephardim" comes from the Hebrew word for Spain, Sepharad. It is believed that Jews have been living in Spain since (c.965-930 B.C.E.), the Era of King Solomon. However, many Jews fled during the Spanish inquisition. Many settled in Portugal as well as other Middle Eastern countries. Hasidic Jews are a sub -group of Haredi Jews. This category is more about mysticism rather than it is about learning. This movement began in Poland during the 18th century, and was almost completely wiped out during the Holocaust. The last two groups are Reconstructionist and Humanistic Jews. They are