Judaism is a monotheistic religion that developed among the ancient Hebrews. It is characterized by a belief in one transcendent God who revealed himself to Abraham, Moses, and the Hebrew prophets and by a religious life in accordance with Scriptures and rabbinic traditions. However, Judaism does not have a formal mandatory set of beliefs that one must hold to be a Jew. In Judaism, actions are far more important than beliefs, although there is certainly a place for belief within Judaism. The closest that anyone has ever come to creating a widely-accepted list of Jewish beliefs is Rambams thirteen principles of faith. These principles, which Rambam thought were the minimum requirements of Jewish belief, include the affirmation of Gods existence, the unity of God, and the divine origin of the Torah.
According to a survey conducted by Pew Research Center in 2021, three-quarters of U.S. Jews say they believe in God or some spiritual force in the universe, including 26% who say they believe in “God as described in the Bible” and about twice as many (50%) who believe in some other spiritual force. Most Jews by religion identify with either Reform (44%) or Conservative (23%) Judaism, and fewer say they do not belong to a particular denomination (15%) . Among American Jews, being Jewish is as much about ethnicity and culture as it is about religious belief and practice.
Jewish people believe in the Torah, which was the whole of the laws given to the Israelites at Sinai. They believe they must follow Gods laws which govern daily life. Judaism is based on a strict monotheism, and a belief in one single, indivisible, non-compound God. The Shema Yisrael, one of the most important Jewish prayers, encapsulates the monotheistic nature of Judaism: "Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God; the LORD is one". Most Jews believe that God is the creator of the universe.
In summary, Jewish beliefs are diverse and complex, and there is no one set of beliefs that all Jews hold. However, most Jews believe in God or some spiritual force, and they follow Gods laws as outlined in the Torah.
