[lukskiwlker]

Are the teachings of Jesus Christ recognized in Judaism?

Are there any prophets in Judaism who have significance similar to Jesus Christ?

Are there any Gentiles who have played a role in the development and the expansion of Judaism?

Christianity and Islam seem to place emphasis on converting others to become members of their faith. Does Judaism encourage non-Jews or Jews who are not active in the Temple to join the synagogue?

Finally, is it offensive to refer to someone as a Jew? Is it more appropriate to say that the person is Jewish? Does it matter?

[ETWolverine]

Hi, Luke.

Let me see if I can answer your questions.

Are the teachings of Jesus Christ recognized in Judaism?

This is a difficult question to answer, because it is unclear what is meant by "the teachings of Jesus".

What Jesus SEEMED to be teaching people is Monotheism... beliefe in the One G-d. That much is surely recognized in Judaism.

But either he or his followers also taught that the Old Testament law no longer applies, and that the New Testament law has taken its place. That much is NOT recognized by Judaism.

Are there any prophets in Judaism who have significance similar to Jesus Christ?

First of all, Jesus has no significance in Judaism as a prophet. In fact, he has no significance in Christianity as a prophet. In Judaism, he was seen at most as a teacher, not a prophet who received messages from G-d. And in Christianity he is not considered a prophet, but rather he is considered god himself. That's an important difference.

There are many significant prophets in Judaism. These include:

1. Avraham (Abraham)
2. Yitzchak (Isaac)
3. Yaakov (Jacob)
4. Moshe (Moses)
5. Aharon (Aaron)
6. Yehoshuah (Joshua)
7. Pinchas
8. Elkanah (father of Shmuel)
9. Eli
10. Shmuel (Samuel)
11. Gad
12. Nosson
13. David Hamelech (King David)
14. Shlomo Hamelech (King Soloman)
15. Aidoin the Golah
16. Micha Ben Yamla in the time of Achav
17. Ovadiah (Obediah)
18. Achiah Hashiloni
19. Yehu Ben Hanani in the time of Asah
20. Azaryah Ben Oded in the time of Yehoshaphat from Divrei Hayamim
21. Haziel from Bnei Masni
22. Eliezer his cousin
23. Morishah
24. Hoshea
25. Amos in the time of Yeravam Ben Yoash
26. Micha in the time of Yosam
27. Eliyahu (Elijah)
28. Elisha
29. Yonah Ben Amitai (Jonah)
30. Yeshayah in the time of Menashe in the time of Yoshea
31. Yoel (Joel)
32. Nachum
33. Habakuk
34. Zephaniah
35. Uriah from Kiryat Yearim
36. Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah)
37. Yehezkel (Ezekiel)
38. Daniel
39. Baruch
40. Neriah
41. Sharyah
42. Machsiyah
43. Hagai
44. Zecharyah
45. Malachi
46. Mordechai
47. Oded
48. Hanani Haroeh
49. Sarah
50. Miriam
51. Devorah
52. Hannah (mother of Shmuel)
53. Avigail (who became a wife of David Hamelech)
54. Huldah (from the time of Yirmiyahu)
55. Esther

The greatest of these is Moses, who was able to have actual conversations with G-d and INITIATE those conversations, whereas the others only received messages at a time of G-d's choosing.

Are there any Gentiles who have played a role in the development and the expansion of Judaism?

Yes, quite a few. One that comes to mind immediately are Yisro (Jethro) the father-in-law of Moses, who was not Jewish. He developed the judicial system of the Jewish people. (See Exodus chapter 18). Another is Herod the Great who renovated the Great Temple in Jerusalem in 20 BCE. These are just two examples of Gentiles who helped the Jewish people at the cultural and religious level.

Christianity and Islam seem to place emphasis on converting others to become members of their faith. Does Judaism encourage non-Jews or Jews who are not active in the Temple to join the synagogue?

No. In fact, we actively DISCOURAGE conversions to Judaism.

Christianity and Islam both believe that only through their beliefe system can one go to heaven. Therefore, it is in their best interests to convert people, so that those people can go to heaven.

Judaism does NOT believe that the only way to go to heaven is through Judaism. Judaism is unique in its beliefe that you have to be Jewish to go to heaven. In fact, according to Jewish beliefe if it easier for a NON-JEW to get to heaven than it is for a Jew to get there. According to Jewish beliefe, there are 613 commandments that a Jew must observe listed in the Torah. However, a non-Jew only has to observe 7 laws in order to be worthy of heaven. These 7 law, known as the Noachide Laws are:

1. Do not commit idolatry or worship false gods.
2. Do not murder.
3. Do not steal.
4. Do not commit any of a series of sexual prohibitions, which include adultery, incest, bestiality and male homosexual intercourse.
5. Do not curse God's name.
6. Do not eat flesh taken from an animal while it is still alive. Kill it first.
7. Set up and live by an effective judiciary system to enforce laws fairly.

Since according to Jewish beliefe any person can go to heaven whether they are Jewish or not, there is no need for people to convert to Judaism. Therefore, conversion is NOT a part of our beliefe system or our religious practices.

Finally, is it offensive to refer to someone as a Jew? Is it more appropriate to say that the person is Jewish? Does it matter?

As long as there are no nasty epithets or pejoratives attached, we're good with either one.

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask for any clarifications.

Elliot