How do Jews live?

Question

How do Jews live?

Wiki User · Answer

Jews live virtually the same way all people live. They live in houses, apartments, flats, townhouses, maisonettes, villas, cottages, and other places.

Answer:

Of course there are many kinds of Jews and lifestyles and they can't be described in a short article. But the typical religious Jew - probably the majority of them - tends to be a white-collar worker who, in addition to a regular job, attends synagogue services morning and evening each day (see attached Related Link "Jewish community life"). Many of them also attend a daily "Daf Yomi" class in which one page of the Talmud is taught each day.

Religious Jews tend to get married relatively young (early twenties) and have large families - six to ten children is commonplace - and family life is paramount in importance, with the parents deeply involved in the education of their children. The parents foot the bill for private-school education for the children because of this importance.

Daily life in the home is replete with mitzvah-observances; blessings are said over all foods and drinks, Torah-festivals and Sabbath are observed in the home (see attached Link), and the children are taught portions from the Torah on a daily or weekly basis.

Though conversation is typically in English, it is seasoned with hundreds of Hebrew and Yiddish expressions, many of them expressing religious concepts. The kosher diet is adhered to. Clothing will be more or less Western (modern) in style (depending on the particular Jewish community), but it is always modest in style.

Religious Jewish women have a tightly-knit community of their own; each woman has a close circle of friends who constantly share and help each other. Many women attend weekly classes in various subjects of Torah or outlook.

Wiki User · Answer

It depends on the branch of Judaism they practice

Orthodox Jews try to do everything according to the Torah and Jewish law

Reform Jews take a personal approach to interpreting the laws and traditions.

Wiki User · Answer

It depends if they are religious or not. Irreligious families will live more or less like their non-Jewish neighbors, though in most cases they will maintain some Jewish customs. They may hold a Passover Seder, for example. This is particularly true in Israel .

Wiki User · Answer

Just like other ethnic and religious groups that are widely spread through the world, Jews have a wide variety of lifestyles.

Torah-observant Jews tend to marry young (early twenties) and have a large family. In terms of livelihood, Jews do most things that everyone else does: office jobs, stores, labor, etc. Some observant Jews work in Torah-related fields such as religious education. Orthodox Jews adhere to a kosher diet, their day includes praying, and their year includes the Sabbaths and festivals. See also the attached Related Link.

Wiki User · Answer

By keeping all the hundreds of mitzvoth (commands), principles and beliefs of the Torah. Though it may have an associated culture and one or more associated languages, the traditional definition of Judaism is the observance of the Torah, which is why dictionaries define Judaism as "the religion of Moses." In this sense, the word "Torah" is meant in its wider meaning, which includes the Tanakh, the Talmud, and other classical Jewish texts.

The philosophy of Judaism is that this world is a purposeful creation by God, in which all people are tested concerning their use of free-will. We possess a soul which lives on after the body dies and is held responsible for the person's actions.

Some examples of the commands:

Putting on Tefillin (phylacteries) in the morning (Deuteronomy 6)

Saying the Shema-prayer, stating that God is One (Deuteronomy 6:4)

Sitting in the sukkah (arbor-canopied booth) during the Sukkot festival (Leviticus 23)

Avoiding leavened products during Passover (Exodus 12)

Keeping kosher (Deuteronomy 14)

Not eating on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement; Leviticus 23)

Not working on the Shabbat (Exodus 31)

Paying workers on time
Marital rights for one's wife
The Ten Commandments

Helping someone who is in danger
Counting the days of the Omer (from Passover to the Shavuot festival; Leviticus 23)
Returning lost objects when feasible (Deuteronomy 22)
Wearing the tzitzith-garment (Numbers ch.15)

Affixing a mezuzah (small parchment scroll) to the door (Deuteronomy 6)

Learning Torah

Keeping our rules of ethics

Marrying and having children
Educating one's children in Judaism
Giving tzedakah (charity)
Honoring one's parents

And many more.

The laws have various reasons. Some (such as the Passover) serve to reenact or remember events of our history.

Some (such as saying the Shema-prayer) serve to reiterate our belief in God.

Some of the laws (such as those of ritual purity and kosher food) serve to sanctify us.

Some (such as the laws of torts) serve to maintain an orderly and just society.

Some (such as the law against breaking a vow) serve to prevent bad character traits.

Some (such as the command to offer help) serve to engender good character traits.

And all of the commands serve to subjugate us to God's will (especially those commands for which no explanation is easily apparent).

Note that the Torah "as is" isn't exactly what Judaism observes. Rather, it's the Torah together with the details provided in the Talmud, which is the Oral Law that was handed down together with the laws of Moses. Otherwise, the verses of the Torah often lack enough detail to be fulfilled as is.

Wiki User · Answer

Religious Jews tend to be white-collar workers who also attend synagogue services morning and evening each day. They get married young and family life is paramount in importance. They foot the bill for private-school for the children because of the importance of a Jewish education.
The kosher diet is adhered to. Clothing will be more or less Western (modern) in appearance (depending on the particular Jewish community), but it is always modest in style.

Wiki User · Answer

The Torah provides knowledge, guidance, inspiration, awe and reverence, advice, comfort, history, ethics, beliefs, and more. The Torah is a source of national pride for us (see Deuteronomy 4:6-8).

Religious Jews live by the Torah, by obeying its commands and beliefs. Link: Jewish beliefs
Some examples of the commands: