The Jewish religion is based on religious traditions. These traditions are divided into written (Torah) and oral teachings (Mishnah, Talmud, etc.). Although Judaism is not a large religious community with around 13.5 million followers, it is spread all over the world. Aachen has one of the oldest Jewish communities in Germany. There is reliable evidence of Jewish settlements dating back to the time of Charlemagne. Charlemagne, for example, sent a Jewish interpreter from Aachen on a political mission to the Caliph Harun-al-Rashid in Baghdad.
The written doctrine
According to Jewish religious tradition, Moses received the entire Torah from God at Sinai. This consists of the written and oral teachings. The written Torah (also known as the "5 Books of Moses") describes the covenant that God made with mankind and in particular with the Jewish people. According to Jewish doctrine, this covenant contains 613 commandments (mitzvot, of which the Ten Commandments are a part). These mitzvot determine the entire life of a pious Jew.
The oral teaching
According to Jewish belief, Moses not only received the Ten Commandments at Sinai, but also the oral teachings. This teaching was passed down orally by scholars for centuries and was not recorded by rabbis in the Mishnah until around 220 AD. This Mishnah forms the basis of the Talmud, in which discussions on the Mishnah were recorded by rabbis over several centuries. This part is called Gemara in the Talmud. In addition to the Talmud (which consists of Mishnah and Gemara), all other later works by rabbis are also counted as oral teachings.
The Jewish year
Based on the Torah, the years in Judaism are counted based on the creation of the world. The Jewish calendar is based on the moon when counting the months (lunar calendar).
The holidays
The Jewish year begins with Rosh HaShanah (New Year's Day), which is followed by Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). Four days after Yom Kippur, the Jews celebrate Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) and then, in spring, Passover (Passover, Exodus), the festival of the Exodus from Egypt, which is followed after seven weeks by Shavuot (Weeks). These holidays are all based on the Torah. There are also holidays such as Purim (the casting of lots, the festival that commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in the Diaspora) and Hanukkah (consecration).
Jewish life
On the eighth day after the birth of a boy, he is circumcised and this Brit Mila (covenant of circumcision) is solemnized. Girls have a naming ceremony in the synagogue instead.
Boys celebrate their Bar Mitzvah on their 13th birthday and girls celebrate their Bat Mitzvah - their religious coming of age - on their 12th birthday. From this moment on, they are obliged to attend all the mitzvot they have been introduced to up to that point.
A Jewish wedding consists mainly of the ketubah (marriage contract) and the ceremony that takes place at the handover. The bride and groom meet under the chuppah (canopy) and the groom, accompanied by seven brachot (blessings), presents the bride with the ketubah and a golden wedding ring. A glass is then broken in memory of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and the ceremony begins. The separation of a marriage ends with the death of one of the partners or with a so-called letter of divorce from the husband, which he hands over himself or has handed over by an envoy.
When a Jew dies, the Chewra Kadischa (funeral brotherhood) takes care of the deceased and arranges a funeral as quickly as possible, preferably on the same day. This is followed by a 30-day mourning period, which allows the relatives to slowly say goodbye to the deceased. This mourning period is divided into a seven-day section, the so-called sitting days, and a subsequent 21-day mourning period. During these days, the closest relatives (husband/wife, parents, children, siblings) spend time at home in memory of the deceased. Accompanied by visits from friends, acquaintances and more distant relatives. After the death of the parents, the mourning period is extended until the first anniversary of the death.