Page "Judaism" Paragraph 3

Jews are an ethnoreligious group and include those born Jewish and converts to Judaism.

In 2010, the world Jewish population was estimated at 13. 4 million, or roughly 0. 2 % of the total world population.

About 42 % of all Jews reside in Israel and about 42 % reside in the United States and Canada, with most of the remainder living in Europe.

The largest Jewish religious movements are Orthodox Judaism ( Haredi Judaism and Modern Orthodox Judaism ), Conservative Judaism and Reform Judaism.

A major source of difference between these groups is their approach to Jewish law.

Orthodox Judaism maintains that the Torah and Jewish law are divine in origin, eternal and unalterable, and that they should be strictly followed.

Conservative and Reform Judaism are more liberal, with Conservative Judaism generally promoting a more " traditional " interpretation of Judaism's requirements than Reform Judaism.

A typical Reform position is that Jewish law should be viewed as a set of general guidelines rather than as a set of restrictions and obligations whose observance is required of all Jews.

Historically, special courts enforced Jewish law ; today, these courts still exist but the practice of Judaism is mostly voluntary.

Authority on theological and legal matters is not vested in any one person or organization, but in the sacred texts and rabbis and scholars who interpret them.