Why is Israel important to the Jewish people?

Answer 1

Judaism has many beliefs. Belief in one ethical God (though interpreted in many different ways today) is a central belief, but it is not the only one.

The following short list of Jewish beliefs apply mainly to traditional Jews, but modern and liberal Jews may share a these views in a similar way, or even a very different way:

• There is one God who created the universe (understood very differently by different people).
• The Torah and all its commandments come from God
• The Jews were chosen by God to receive the Torah (a view not held by reconstructionist Jews, and greatly downplayed by Reform and many Conservative Jews.
• The Land of Israel is the Jewish homeland
• Jews have a duty to love others as they love themselves
• Jews have a duty to repair the world (Tikkun Olam)
• Jews have a duty to maintain peace within their families (Shlom Habayit)

Answer 2

Answer

Because in the basis of Judaism are three pillars:

The People

The Book

The Land

Answer

The real answer is that it is the Jewish homeland. The previous answer actually uses Muslim terminology, and doesn't really answer the question.

Answer 3

Family, tradition, cultural and religious heritage are all important. Also, as the Jewish people number less than twenty million people worldwide, for many of them it is important to keep their identity, as a people and a culture (as well as a religion) alive. This is especially significant for a (small, but historically very important) group - whose monotheistic concepts gave rise not only to Christianity, but also to Islam. After all, Abraham is considered a great prophet not just in Judaism, but also in Christianity and Islam. To this day, Abraham's resting place in Hebron (Israel) is visited on alternate days by Jews and Muslims.

Given that there are approximately 2 billion Christians (1 billion Catholics and 1 billion Protestants) and 1.1 billion Muslims in the world, but less than 20 million Jewish people, it has become more important than ever, for many Jews, to keep the traditions, religious observances, and unique cultural aspects of their heritage alive and thriving.

Answer 4

1) For Jews: It is their life and meaning. Without it, they would be one more small ethnicity, adrift in a sea of others.

See also:

Benefits of Judaism for its believers

Beliefs and practices of Judaism

2) For everyone else:

Judaism gave the world the Ten Commandments and much of Western moral structure.

See:

How has Judaism contributed to Western society?

What does Judaism teach non-adherents?

Answer 5

Here are a few things:
1) Every human being is as important as the entire universe (Mishna, Sanhedrin 4:5).
2) Our actions, thoughts and speech create ripples that spread throughout eternity.
3) Everything is a test.
4) The only temporal thing that you really own is time; and not much of that either. Every moment is golden.
5) To be Jewish, almost by definition, is to be happy, content, and optimistic.
6) Our soul (yes, humans possess a soul) - yearns for God; and this emotion won't be assuaged with food, money or pleasures.
7) The truth is much more interesting than fiction. The Torah will not only reveal its own secrets to those who study it; it will also reveal the secrets of history, and the inner workings of men's minds. See also the Related Links.

Link: Jewish beliefs

Link: Different kinds of Jews

Answer 6

The most important thig to a Jew is two things- they are both equal:

1. HASHEM- the Hebrew word for G-d

2. Torah- the Hebrew word for the Jews' Bible

Answer 7

Community, service to the community, caring for the needy, education, Torah, and God.

Answer 8

The Torah and the observances and beliefs which it contains. That is the backbone of Judaism. Everything else is (relatively) secondary.

Answer 9

The Torah. It is the source of Jewish observances and beliefs. Everything else is (relatively) secondary.

Answer 10

The Torah and its contents.

See also the Related Link.

More about the Torah