I hope you’ll read more than just this answer, but if you only have a few minutes, this is a great place to start! This question might seem simple, but it’s complex because Jewish people really don’t have formal ideas that one must absolutely believe in order to call themselves Jewish. Most Jewish people simply strive to adhere to the 10 Commandments, but perhaps the best list of beliefs adhered to by most religious Jews are Rambam’s 13 Principles of Faith. Rambam, more commonly known as Maimonides, was a 12th century Jewish scholar who is responsible for writing the Mishneh Torah, a code of Jewish religious law. The 13 Principles are: God God is one and is unique. God is immaterial. God is eternal. Prayer is to be directed to God alone. The words of the prophets are true. Moses’ prophecies are true, and Moses was the greatest of the prophets. The Written Torah (first 5 books of the Old Testament) and Oral Torah (teachings in other Jewish holy books) were given to Moses. There will be no other Torah. God knows all of the thoughts and actions of people. God will reward the good and punish the wicked. The Messiah will come. (Jesus was not the Messiah.) There will be a resurrection of the dead.** **George Robinson, Essential Judaism: A Complete Guide to Beliefs, Customs, and Rituals (New York: Pocket Books, 2000), 416-417; www.jewfaq.org.