[Moon_Glow]

Originally Posted by coelacanth

I'm also Jewish and I feel frustrated with some of the misinterpretations that get thrown around by Gentiles sometimes. Judaism is not Christless Christianity. "Judeo-Christian" is a uniquely American fallacy. Our moral, legal, and spiritual heritage are very different from yours. We have more in common with Islam than anything else.

You're not entirely correct, though, about Jews not believing in Hell. Some interpretations of Judaism (such as more Orthodox ones) absolutely include a Hell, but it's not the same as the Christian one, since it has more elements of reincarnation. Basically, after a person dies, their soul is judged for the acts they have committed during their life. If they have accomplished their soul mission and have not sinned, they are accepted into the World to Come; but if they have committed many sins, they are sent to Hell to be cleansed and eventually reincarnated or brought to the World to Come. However, this cleansing period is not supposed to last longer than 12 months, except for the most severe sins (such as murder). Judaism has nothing like the Christian ideas of salvation and eternal damnation. People of all faiths have the potential to go to heaven or hell, depending on their actions.

Also, we don't really believe in Satan as a major force in the world. He is just one of G-d's angels. Nobody believes in dybbuks nowadays, except for a few extremists, and the modern cases have been exposed as frauds.

I very much like this idea - the part that's bold. Where can I find more information?