The origins of the Jewish faith stretch back more than 4,000 years. Judaism was the first of the worlds great monotheistic religions, and its code of laws and ethics have had a great influence on western civilization. The global Jewish population is about 14 million, with most Jews living either in the State of Israel or in the United States. This book explores the history, beliefs, and practices of Judaism, examining the differences between three branches of the faith (Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform) that have emerged in the past two centuries. The MAJOR WORLD RELIGIONS series provides information about six of the most important religious faiths practiced around the world. More than 75 percent of the world's populationover 5.2 billion people observes the tenets of one of these six religions. Each book in the series describes the important beliefs of a particular religion, along with information about its history, practices, and rituals. Each title in this series includes color photos throughout, and back matter including: an index and further reading lists for books and internet resources, a timeline and organizations to contact. Key Icons appear throughout the books in this series in an effort to encourage library readers to build knowledge, gain awareness, explore possibilities and expand their viewpoints through our content rich non-fiction books.