Judaism (Civ5)/Civilopedia

Judaism is the religion of the Jews, who were originally a tribal people concentrated in the Middle East region surrounding Jerusalem. As one of the oldest religions still in practice today, it is believed that Judaism first appeared some 3500 years ago, as one of the earliest Monotheistic religions. Despite their inherent differences, many aspects of Judaism are closely tied with both Christianity and Islam, as they are all considered "Abrahamic" religions, meaning they are descended from Abraham.
Central to Judaism is the Torah, the name given by the Jews to the first five books of the Bible. Said to have been given to Moses at Mt. Sinai, the Torah outlines the means by which the Jews can live according to God's will. Although Judaism's core doctrines have been debated by scholars for centuries, the Jews believe they are the Chosen People, selected by God to be in covenant with him, and that God will send a messiah to bring all of the chosen back to Israel.
Although the Jews have been persecuted throughout history and scattered across the world, Judaism as a religion has prevailed, and the Jews' continued faith in God has not been broken despite the atrocities committed against them.