Judaism is a religion of deed, not creed. Only the Orthodox branch would see God as an eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, personal and compassionate God. The other branches tend to see God as a concept rather than a reality.

The Christian has much in common with the Orthodox. However, God has revealed himself in also the Old Testament to be three persons in one essence. Some examples are:-

“Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26)

“Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, lest he stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever” (Genesis 3:22)

“Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” (Genesis 11:7) Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8)

Almost all the Jewish people, regardless of the branch to which they belong, observe at least some of the Jewish holidays. Some examples are below:-

• Rosh Hashanah – This is the Jewish New Year and takes place in September or October. Many attend synagogue services. It marks the start of a ten day period known as the High Holy Days.
• Yom Kippur – This the most solemn day of the year on the Jewish calendar. People will attend synagogues, recite prayers of forgiveness and fast for twenty-four hours.
• Sukkot (Tabernacles or Booths) – This happens five days after Yom Kipper. Traditionally a temporary booth is constructed and fruit hung from the roof. This is not observed by many Jewish people.
• Hanukkah – This last eight days and takes place in November or December. Commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Syrian armies in 175 B.C. It is characterised by lighting a menorah (lampstand), spinning the dreidel (top) and eating latkes (potato pancakes).
• Purim – In February or March. A minor holiday but popular. It celebrates the story of the book of Esther.
• Passover – In March or April. This is the most popular of all Jewish holidays. The events of the book of Exodus are remembered through readings. Unleavened bread is eaten for the entire week.

Paul’s letter to the Colossians 2 shows the futility of being bound up in rules and fears regarding holidays, objects and certain people. Paul says for example:-

“Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.” (Colossians 2:16)

Whether you choose to celebrate traditional holidays or not, do not feel that it matters to God one way or the other. What matters to him is whether you love him with all your heart, and love your fellow man as yourself. To fall into religious bondage over these issues will result in spiritual regression and pride.

There are some distinctive lifestyle events that characterise the lives of most Jewish people. Four are mentioned below:-

• Circumcision of sons (brit milah)
• Coming of age ceremony at the age of thirteen. (Bar Mitzvah – Boys, Bat Mitzvah – Girls).
• Jewish weddings. These are typically characterised by the ceremony being under a canopy and the smashing of a glass to symbolise the destruction of the Temple.
• Jewish funerals. This includes the family mourning for seven days, although it may be fewer.

As mentioned in 2 above there is no merit in becoming spiritually proud of keeping these events. God wanted Israel to be a light to the nations. See Isaiah 42:6. The evangelism element has mostly gone from Judaism and been replaced by keeping to traditions and laws.

Most of these are practiced by those who follow Orthodox Judaism although others may choose to follow these as they attempt to connect with their traditional heritage. For example:-

• Observing the Sabbath. This typically involves abstaining from work, driving and lighting a fire.
• Wearing phylacteries – These are small black boxes, containing Scripture portions that must be wrapped around the arm and forehead. This is practiced today only by traditional Jews.
• Placing a mezuzah on the doorposts of the home. The mezuzah is a small rectangular box containing various Scripture portions. This is a traditional practice that many Jews have adopted as a way of affirming their Jewishness.
• Keeping dietary laws (kosher). E.g. No ham or mixing meat and milk at one meal.

The general Christian view is that the whole of the food laws of the Old Testament were ritualistic. If it were not, then Paul would never have told the Corinthians to eat what was sold in the meat markets at Corinth, or to consume whatever food was set before one on a neighbour’s table. See 1 Corinthians 10:25–28.

Paul said this teaching came from the Lord Himself. Christ said, “there is nothing from without a man that entering into him can defile him” (Mark 7:15). One thing for certain, Paul did not subject his Gentile converts to any ceremonial taboos concerning food. Indeed, he told them plainly: “All things indeed are pure [clean]” (Romans 14:20).

The Old Testament portion of the Bible is the Scripture of Judaism. While many Jews do not consider the Old Testament to be the inspired Word of God, it is generally accorded respect as part of Jewish tradition and history.

There are many other books, such as the Talmud, which are considered by Orthodox Jews to possess divine authority. The Talmud consists of the Mishnah and the Gemara. The Mishnah contains mostly legal rulings and the Gemara elaborates and comments on the Mishnah. Most Jewish people would consider the Talmud to be useful for ethics and instructive for life but not binding as divine authority.

Christians see the Old and New Testament as inspired by God. There are many Messianic prophecies that in the Old Testament that have their fulfillment in the New Testament. Below are a selected few of over a hundred fulfilled prophesies.

Prophecy	Fulfillment
The Messiah will be from the seed of Abraham. Genesis 18:18; 21:12; Isaiah 11:1-2 & Jeremiah 23:5-6.	“Jesus … the son of David… Jesse … Jacob … Isaac …Abraham”. Luke 3:31-33.
Born in Bethlehem. Micah 5:2.	“So Joseph also went … to Bethlehem the town of David. Luke 2:4.
He was despised and rejected by men. Isaiah 53:3.	“Those who passed by the crowd hurled insults at him …” Matthew 27:39-44.
Betrayal by a friend. Psalm 41:9	“I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me”. John 13:18
Sold for 30 pieces of silver. Zechariah 11:12.	“And said [unto them], What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver”. Matthew 26:15.
Piercing His hands and feet. Psalm 22:16.	“After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him”. Matthew 27:31.
Being crucified with thieves. Isaiah 53:12.	“Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left”. Matthew 27:38.
Piercing His side. Zechariah 12:10.	“Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water”. John 19:34
No broken bones. Psalm 34:20	These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken. John 19:32-36.
Would rise from the dead. Psalm 16:10.	“Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ,[a] that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay”. Acts 2:31 & Mark 16:6.
Ascend into Heaven. Psalm 68:18.	“After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight”. Acts 1:9.
Would sit down at the right hand of God. Psalm 110:1.	“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven”. Hebrews 1:3.

These predictions were written by multiple authors, in numerous books, over approximately 1,000 years. Messianic Prophecy is so dramatic today, because with the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the reliability of the Septuagint version of the Old Testament (both of which have been proven to exist prior to the time Jesus walked on the earth) you can be assured that these prophecies were not “conspired” after-the-fact.