I - "Shema Yisrael Adonay Elohaynu Adonay Echad" "Listen, Israel: Adonay our God, Adonay is Echad"(Deuteronomy 6:4)
The essence of the Jewish belief about God relates to Echad: "one-ness," "unity," "a unifying power, force or being" and/or "interconnectedness."
There are many Jewish ways to perceive God. How Jews see God has evolved and changed over the centuries, differs from person to person, and changes in ourselves as we move through life and life's stages.
Some relate to God as a Being with direct involvement in human life, some have perceived God intellectually as the collective natural laws of the universe, others see God as a broader concept of a connective energy in the universe or a set of lofty values to which we strive.
As we learn from our central teaching in the Shema, whatever our belief may be, within its core must lie the concept of interconnection among all living beings. Jews believe that there is a central One-ness to the universe that includes each and every one of us.
II - We relate to God in a variety of ways.
How we relate to/connect with God changed radically after the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple two thousand years ago. Early in our history, we primarily connected with God through the priestly rituals of the Temple but a radical shift became necessary after the Temple, the priesthood, and sacrifices came to an end with a massive Roman strike in 70 CE. Relating to God through avodah - physical sacrificial offerings - was no longer possible.
Our post-Temple acts of avodah - of engaging with God through service - include communal Jewish worship, private prayer, studying Jewish texts with others, and performing a variety of mitzvot (Jewish religious responsibilities).
III - Jews are hopeful about the future.
We believe that the world is evolving in a positive way and each of us is part of that growth. Jews disagree on exactly how this works and how it will play out, but we all believe in the process, the future, and in the goodness that will always be part of life.
IV - Olam Ha-ba ("the world-to-come")
Jews have no single clear idea on what olam ha-ba - the world/life of a future time - might entail. Some believe there will be a physical resurrection of all who have previously died, others believe that everyone/thing lives on in a spiritual or metaphorical sense. Perhaps we live on in the ways we have affected others. Since we believe that there is a Unity that encompasses everything in the universe, we know that, no matter what form the human spirit may take in the future, nobody can be isolated from the core Godliness/Holiness that binds all life.
