Rel/Ed Corner January ’24

I believe that Judaism is a religion based on belief. 

Judaism is a monotheistic religion with a belief that there is only one God. It is one of the first things a Jewish child is taught, when we learn to say the Shema, שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָד

Listen Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.  We are taught that God created the earth and gave us the Torah to live by. We have never been able to see God nor have we seen an image of God. We can only see things created in the image of God. 

Now understanding that we have never seen God, how is it that myself and so many people are able to believe that God exists?

This is a challenging question that has many answers but the simplest for me is that I need there to be a God. As human beings in this world it is so hard to grasp the concept of there not being something else out there that the idea of God is one so important to our wellbeing. Even though I am not able to see an image of God, I believe in God because it’s what helps me explain the world and helps me understand myself and others.  God was not only important to at the very beginning of creation, but is possibly even more important to me now. My belief in God gives me hope, even when times are tough. 

Penina Berger 

International Religion Education Vice President