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from the scriptures written on it (Mezuzah); a perpetually burning light (Ner Tamid), and an 'ark' (Aron), a cupboard containing hand-written scrolls of the Torah. Jews cover their heads during prayers and wear a prayer garment (tallit) for some prayers.
Jewish communities employ rabbis to teach and to preach, to take on pastoral duties and advise the community on Jewish law. Orthodox communities have only male rabbis, whereas progressive communities employ both men and women rabbis. Rabbis are well educated, require ordination and are paid a salary by the congregation. To administer Jewish law, a judge (Dayan) is appointed.
Judaism has four main divisions: orthodox, conservative, reform and liberal. The reform movement began in the early nineteenth century as an attempt to accommodate Judaism to the modern world. The orthodox constitutes only a small minority of the world's Jewish population today.
Jainism and Judaism: It is difficult to establish a basis for comparing these two faiths, which have very different understandings of the universe and very different histories. Both traditions teach reverence for life, though there is no concept in Judaism quite as all embracing as ahimsaa is in Jainism. In the modern world, the Jain and Jewish communities have similar social and economic profiles. Both exert economic influence out of all proportion to their numbers and both groups are significantly represented in the modern 'professions' such as medicine, law, accountancy, finance and business, for example in the international diamond trade.
Christianity
Christianity originated as a sect from within Judaism nearly 2,000 years ago, following interpretations from the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is believed by some that Jesus was born in Bethlehem of a virgin mother, Mary, generated by the Holy Spirit, as the promised Messiah of Jewish tradition. Jesus was condemned to death by the Roman authorities, by crucifixion, a commonplace capital punishment for a criminal in those days, but the blasphemous claim was vindicated by his resurrection from the dead three days after his execution.
The boyhood life and early history of Jesus remains a mystery. The Gospel of St Mark describes his baptism in the River Jordan, his journey to Jerusalem accompanied by twelve disciples, his entry into the holy city and his cleansing of the Temple, his arrest, appearance before the High Priest, trial before Pilate, crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection. It also catalogues instances of Jesus's healing miracles. The belief in a Messiah dying and rising again was central to early Christian preaching.
St Paul, a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia and one time persecutor of Christians, became the most prominent apostle of Christ, and made an outstanding contribution to the growth of Christianity. He preached that redemption was open to any person who subscribed to Christ by faith and baptism, whether Jew or Gentile. Salvation could be attained through Christ alone, not by any moral or legal precepts.
Christians at first suffered harassment at the hands of fellow Jews. St. Stephen was the first martyr, and the Roman Emperor Nero from 64CE persecuted the Christians. Sporadic persecution continued until the fourth century when the last and most systematic took place under Diocletian, who abdicated in 395 CE. A policy of toleration was adopted by Constantine the Great (274 or 288-337CE), who became a convert, and
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