Estimate from Pew Research Center — The Future of World Religions↗ (opens in a new tab).
Overview
Torah, Prophets and Writings together make up the Hebrew Bible, described by Sefaria as Judaism’s foundational text.1 Alongside it stands a long tradition of rabbinic literature, beginning with the Mishnah, the first major work of that literature, compiled around 200 CE and documenting a multiplicity of legal opinions in the oral tradition.2
History and origins
The Talmud records generations of rabbinic debate about law, ethics and Bible, structured as commentary on the Mishnah with stories interwoven.3 Midrash gathers interpretations and elaborations upon biblical texts, including stories, parables and legal deductions.4 Chasidut, a spiritual revival movement founded in the 18th century, focuses on communion with God and divinity in the material world.5
Law, prayer and mysticism
Halakhah comprises legal works providing guidance on all aspects of Jewish life, rooted in past sources and growing to address changing realities.6 Liturgy covers the prayers, poems and ritual texts, such as the Siddur and the Haggadah, recited in daily worship or at specific occasions.7 Kabbalah gathers mystical works addressing topics such as God’s attributes and the relationship between God’s eternality and the finite universe.8
Jewish thought
Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah, a fourteen-volume compendium of Jewish law, established him as the leading rabbinic authority of his time and quite possibly of all time.9 It systematises all the commandments as set forth in the Talmud, and tries to show that every law serves a rational purpose and that nothing is given for the sake of mere obedience.10 On his account, all of Jewish law aims at two things: the improvement of the body and the improvement of the soul.11
References
- “Torah, Prophets, and Writings, which together make up the Hebrew Bible, Judaism's foundational text.” — Sefaria, source page↗ (opens in a new tab)
- “First major work of rabbinic literature, compiled around 200 CE, documenting a multiplicity of legal opinions in the oral tradition.” — Sefaria, source page↗ (opens in a new tab)
- “Generations of rabbinic debate about law, ethics, and Bible, structured as commentary on the Mishnah with stories interwoven.” — Sefaria, source page↗ (opens in a new tab)
- “Interpretations and elaborations upon biblical texts, including stories, parables, and legal deductions.” — Sefaria, source page↗ (opens in a new tab)
- “Spiritual revival movement founded in the 18th century, focusing on communion with God and divinity in the material world.” — Sefaria, source page↗ (opens in a new tab)
- “Legal works providing guidance on all aspects of Jewish life. Rooted in past sources and growing to address changing realities.” — Sefaria, source page↗ (opens in a new tab)
- “Prayers, poems, and ritual texts, like Siddur and Haggadah, recited in daily worship or at specific occasions.” — Sefaria, source page↗ (opens in a new tab)
- “Mystical works addressing topics like God’s attributes and the relationship between God’s eternality and the finite universe.” — Sefaria, source page↗ (opens in a new tab)
- “The Mishneh Torah , his 14-volume compendium of Jewish law, established him as the leading rabbinic authority of his time and quite possibly of all time.” — Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Maimonides, source page↗ (opens in a new tab)
- “Not only does this work systematize all the commandments as set forth in the Talmud, it tries to show that every law serves a rational purpose and that nothing is given for the sake of mere obedience.” — Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Maimonides, source page↗ (opens in a new tab)
- “all of Jewish law aims at two things: the improvement of the body and the improvement of the soul” — Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Maimonides, source page↗ (opens in a new tab)
Individual sourced statements
Statements recorded one at a time, each shown with the words it rests on. They sit alongside the account above rather than beneath it.
The Union for Reform Judaism states that Reform Judaism's contribution has been to enable innovation while preserving tradition, and to affirm beliefs without rejecting those who doubt.
“The great contribution of Reform Judaism is that it has enabled the Jewish people to introduce innovation while preserving tradition, to embrace diversity while asserting commonality, to affirm beliefs without rejecting those who doubt, and to bring faith to sacred texts without sacrificing critical scholarship.”
The Union for Reform Judaism states that as part of the Sh'mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah celebration, the Torah scrolls are taken from the ark and carried or danced around the synagogue seven times.
“As part of the celebration, the Torah scrolls are taken from the ark and carried or danced around the synagogue seven times.”
Masorti Judaism (UK) states that, as a synagogue-based movement, it recognises the unique importance of musically and spiritually inspiring tefilah, Jewish prayer.
“As a synagogue-based movement, we recognise the unique importance of musically and spiritually inspiring tefilah – Jewish prayer.”
Masorti Judaism (UK) states that since services in most of its communities are lay-led, it is vital to invest in developing well trained, highly literate leaders of prayer (shlihei tzibbur).
“Since services in most of our communities are lay-led, it’s vital to invest in developing well trained, highly literate shlihei tzibbur – leaders of prayer.”
Sefaria describes the Tanakh as the Torah, Prophets, and Writings, which together make up the Hebrew Bible, Judaism's foundational text.
“Torah, Prophets, and Writings, which together make up the Hebrew Bible, Judaism's foundational text.”
Sefaria describes the Mishnah as the first major work of rabbinic literature, compiled around 200 CE, documenting a multiplicity of legal opinions in the oral tradition.
“First major work of rabbinic literature, compiled around 200 CE, documenting a multiplicity of legal opinions in the oral tradition.”
Sefaria describes the Talmud as generations of rabbinic debate about law, ethics, and Bible, structured as commentary on the Mishnah with stories interwoven.
“Generations of rabbinic debate about law, ethics, and Bible, structured as commentary on the Mishnah with stories interwoven.”
Sefaria describes Midrash as interpretations and elaborations upon biblical texts, including stories, parables, and legal deductions.
“Interpretations and elaborations upon biblical texts, including stories, parables, and legal deductions.”
Sefaria describes Halakhah as legal works providing guidance on all aspects of Jewish life, rooted in past sources and growing to address changing realities.
“Legal works providing guidance on all aspects of Jewish life. Rooted in past sources and growing to address changing realities.”
Sefaria describes Kabbalah as mystical works addressing topics like God's attributes and the relationship between God's eternality and the finite universe.
“Mystical works addressing topics like God’s attributes and the relationship between God’s eternality and the finite universe.”
Sefaria describes Liturgy as prayers, poems, and ritual texts, like Siddur and Haggadah, recited in daily worship or at specific occasions.
“Prayers, poems, and ritual texts, like Siddur and Haggadah, recited in daily worship or at specific occasions.”
Sefaria describes Jewish Thought as Jewish philosophy and theology, ranging from medieval to contemporary, analysing topics like free will and chosenness.
“Jewish philosophy and theology, ranging from medieval to contemporary, analyzing topics like free will and chosenness.”
Sefaria describes Tosefta as companion volumes to the Mishnah, containing laws and discussions that were not included in the Mishnah's redaction.
“Companion volumes to the Mishnah, containing laws and discussions that were not included in the Mishnah’s redaction.”
Sefaria describes Chasidut as a spiritual revival movement founded in the 18th century, focusing on communion with God and divinity in the material world.
“Spiritual revival movement founded in the 18th century, focusing on communion with God and divinity in the material world.”
Sefaria describes Musar as virtue-based instruction for moral and spiritual character development, ranging from medieval to contemporary.
“Virtue-based instruction for moral and spiritual character development, ranging from medieval to contemporary.”
Sefaria describes Responsa as answers and decisions written by rabbinic leaders in response to questions, demonstrating the application of Jewish law to actual cases.
“Answers and decisions written by rabbinic leaders in response to questions, demonstrating the application of Jewish law to actual cases.”
Sefaria describes the Second Temple category as works compiled around the time period of the Second Temple, which stood for several centuries and was destroyed in 70 CE.
“Works compiled around the time period of the Second Temple, which stood for several centuries and was destroyed in 70 CE.”
Every quotation above was checked against its source on 5 September 2026.
1 further statement is withheld because the supporting quotation could not be confirmed on the source’s last check.
Authority
Judaism has no central authority.
No body speaks for all Jews. The Hebrew calendar itself is fixed and arithmetic, so dates are computable, but movements differ on observance — notably on the second day of festivals in the diaspora.
Movements
How these dates are worked out
This is the part that decides whether a date in your rota is right. Every observance below is computed from a published rule rather than copied from anyone’s list, and the rule is what explains why a date moves, why two calendars can disagree, and how far ahead you can safely plan.
A lunar or lunisolar calendar
- What sets the date
- The date is fixed in the tradition's own calendar and converted into the Gregorian one. Where that calendar is lunar, its year is about eleven days shorter than the solar year.
- Why it falls where it does
- A purely lunar year drifts backwards through the seasons, which is why an Islamic observance falls earlier each Gregorian year and works its way round the seasons over about thirty-three years. A lunisolar calendar such as the Hebrew one inserts a leap month to stop that drift, which is why its festivals stay in roughly the same season while still moving by weeks.
- What that means for planning
- Where the start of a month depends on a sighting rather than a table, the date can differ by a day between countries and is not certain until an authority announces it. The site marks those dates estimated and resolves them per country.
Observances in 2026
Sources
No expert review. Accuracy here rests on continuous machine verification of every quotation against its source. Spotted an error? Corrections are answered within five working days.