The Jewish history is linked to Abraham in the Torah. The Jewish population received the first covenant from God with a promise to Abraham that his descendants shall number the same as the stars. The Jewish population then traveled through wilderness and deserts. In the process, they were also enslaved by the Egyptians. The slavery lasted for generations and Moses finally liberated them. Over time, the faith gained strength and Yahweh had given land specifically to the Jewish population. Now the Jewish population had powerful kings and the first temple was built during the reign of King Solomon. To date, King Solomon is also recognized by the Jewish population as the wisest ruler in Jewish history.
The Babylonian Era In Jewish History
The Jewish history then moves to the 6th century BC when the Jewish population is said to have lost God's favor. The Babylonians overpowered the Jewish population leading to another period of slavery. The temple built by King Solomon 410 years ago was destroyed. The slavery of the Jewish population to Babylonians lasted thirty years. A second temple was built at Jerusalem and was the Jewish world's focal centre. For 420 years in Jewish history, the Jerusalem temple had great influence over the Jewish population. The Romans then destroyed the temple following the death of Jesus.
Torah Enters Home
The first two centuries were devastating periods in Jewish history. During this period, they had yet again lost their temple, land and authority. They had to suffer Pagan and Christian rule in later years. Eventually, the Jewish population dispersed and opted to live in smaller communities. Jewish history then witnessed the emergence of Rabbinic Judaism. With the place of worship lost, the Torah entered homes of each individual. The Torah gained portability and the Jewish population could carry it wherever they went. The commands in the Torah became a way of life with the Jewish. These divisions exist to date and have integrated into the main stream society in varying degrees.
The Disintegration
The 18th and nineteenth centuries brought along modernity and reason to Jewish history. Judaism faced yet another threat. For several Jewish people the changes that were sweeping across the community were shattering. Yet, Jewish history witnessed the glitter of the secular world leading to a fourfold division among the Jewish population. Liberal, orthodox, progressive and secularized represented the four divisions. The life styles of these groups are different and some of them may not be staunch followers of the tenets of Judaism. On the other side, there are the old school Jews who hold on to the original tenets without dilution.
The Hardworking Jews
The hardworking character of the Jewish population is well known and Jewish history has witnessed an apparent expression of this during the 20th century particularly in Western Europe. The Jews have been remarkably successful in retail and banking industries. Families have been able to pass on successful business to the upcoming generations. This has greatly contributed to an improvement in the economy. But, the travails of the Jews did not end here. The World War II and the 1940 events dealt a body blow to the Jews yet again. In the aftermath of the events, Israel came into existence.