Judaism has a range of beliefs about the afterlife, and there isn’t a single dogmatic answer across all communities. Most Jewish thought emphasizes life here and now, with various teachings about what happens after death. Key ideas you’ll find in Jewish sources

• Olam Ha-Ba (the World to Come): A flexible term for the afterlife or the ultimate era after the messianic age. It can refer to a spiritual realm for souls or a future era for the righteous. Different traditions interpret its exact nature in different ways.

• Gan Eden and Gehinnom: Gan Eden is often described as a heavenly reward for the righteous, while Gehinnom is viewed as a temporary place of purification or punishment for some souls. The duration and nature of Gehinnom vary by tradition.

• Resurrection of the dead (techiyat ha-metim): A traditional belief in which the dead will be revived in the messianic era or at a future time, depending on the interpretation. This is more prominent in classical rabbinic sources.

• Diverse perspectives: Some modern, Reform, and other progressive communities emphasize ethical living and the idea that the here-and-now impact—how lives are measured through acts of kindness and memory—constitutes a form of continuity after death. This can be framed as “the afterlife is here on earth” or as a personal legacy rather than a fixed destination.

What this means for “where Jews go when they die”

• Traditions differ by community and era. In many traditional frameworks, the soul advances to Gan Eden or experiences a period of purification in Gehinnom, with ultimate reunion of body and soul in the World to Come. In more modern or pluralistic streams, the focus may be less on a precise geography and more on ongoing influence, memory, and ethical living.
• Some sources describe a non-physical continuation in the World to Come, while others emphasize resurrection or reconstruction of the body in a future era. The exact beliefs are influenced by rabbinic interpretations, mystical writings, and contemporary Jewish thought.

If you’d like, I can tailor a concise primer for a particular denomination or community (Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, or Jewish mysticism) and give you recommended readings or passages to explore.