God. The Star of David is a symbol commonly associated with Judaism. (See
figure 2-13.)
ORIGIN OF JUDAISM IN THE UNITED STATES
The earliest Jewish settlers arrived in the American Colonies around
1650. The first official Jewish congregation, Shearith Isriel (remnant of
Israel), was established in America in 1654, The first synagogue was built in
New York in 1730, and others followed soon after. These early synagogues
followed the Sephardic rite. The first synagogue to follow the Ashkenazic
rite, Rodef Shalom, was organized in Philadelphia in 1801.
Today there is an estimated Jewish population of 5,732,000 in the United
States.
BRANCHES OF JUDAISM
While the fundamental precepts of Judaism have not changed through
the years, since the Industrial Revolution some Jews have held differing
views about ritual and tradition.
The four largest branches within Judaism are Orthodox, Reform,
Conservative, and Reconstructionist.
Orthodox Judaism
o f
Orthodox Judaism
Torah Law and its
subscribes to a belief in the Divine Revelation
principles through Moses and insists upon strict
Figure 2-13.—The Star of David is symbotic of Judaism.
2-44
