1. JUDAISM
Judaism is a tradition defining both religious culture and lifestyle of
the Jews , consisting of the descendants of the Israelites from the
ancient land of Israel and the few minorities who joined the
conversion and s' being mixed with them throughout their diaspora
two millennia ,
. Jews are an ethnoreligious group and include those
born Jewish and converts to Judaism. In 2010, the world Jewish
population was estimated at 13.4 million, or roughly 0.2% of the total
world population. About 42% of all Jews reside in Israel and about
42% reside in the United States and Canada, with most of the
remainder living in Europe. Judaism has religious elements but is not
limited as it contains, in addition to codes of conduct, laws, rites,
and not specifically religious customs. Judaism is not a homogenous
religion, and embraces a number of streams and views. Today, Rabbinic Judaism is the most numerous
stream, and holds that God revealed his laws and commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai in the form of
both the Written and Oral Torah.
Judaism is one of the oldest religious traditions of monotheism exclusive still practiced today. The values
​​and history of the Jewish people are the source of the other two Abrahamic
religions, Christianity and Islam . However, it is not at the base of Samaritanism , which is a very distinct
early Israelite tradition of Judaism in Jerusalem, nor of Zoroastrianism , itself derived from Zoroastrianism .
ABOUT THE SYMBOL:
The symbol of Judaism is the Star of David (Magen David) whose literal translation Shield of David. The 6
pointed star is the symbol that King David had put on his shield and that protected during his fights. It
therefore symbolizes the Jews protection. The most ancient symbol of Judaism is the menorah , the
seven­branched candlestick, which stood in the Temple of Jerusalem .

2.
Places of Worship
The term Synagogue refers to places of worship and Jewish study. This role has so characterized the
synagogues in the world Ashkenazi they are called in Yiddish shul. Synagogues usually have separate
rooms for prayer (the main sanctuary), smaller rooms for study, and often a part for the community meeting
(hence the name) or educational tasks. There is no predetermined plan, and architecture, both exterior and
interior, varies greatly.
Who is a Jew? According to traditional Jewish
Law, a Jew is anyone born of a Jewish mother or converted to
Judaism in accordance with Jewish Law. American Reform
Judaism and British Liberal Judaism accept the child of one
Jewish parent (father or mother) as Jewish if the parents raise
the child with a Jewish identity. All mainstream forms of Judaism today are open to sincere converts,
although conversion has traditionally been discouraged since the time of the Talmud. The conversion
process is evaluated by an authority, and the convert is examined on his or her sincerity and
knowledge. Converts are given the name "ben Abraham" or "bat Abraham",
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judaism