Orthodox Jews and Muslims

 Orthodox Jews and Muslims share some similarities in terms of religious practices and beliefs, which can sometimes create a sense of closeness between the two communities. 

In theory - Islam is great! Orthodox Judaism views Islam basically the way Islam views Judaism: if someone isn’t going to just admit that our religion is right, this is the second-best option.

Islam isn’t quite acceptance of the divine will as Judaism perceives it, but it’s strictly monotheistic, and Muslims keep all of the commandments that Judaism believes non-Jews are supposed to follow and then some. Plus, there are a lot of similarities in our lifestyles (daily prayers, fast days, kosher/hallal food, Europeans think we dress funny… ).

In practice, there tends to be a fair amount of fear of anti-Semitism. Not that orthodox Jews think all Muslims are anti-Semites, but in recent generations most of the countries that are most hostile to Jews have been Muslim countries (not that there aren’t Jew-friendly Muslim countries, there are).

Plus, many if not most orthodox Jews are Israeli, and many Muslim countries don’t recognize Israel, so there’s that.

Basically, if I meet a (non-Israeli) Muslim, I’m kind of wondering “so what do you think of Israel?”

Religious Jews don’t consider Islam as idolatry.

Of course , they believe that Muhammad was not a prophet and that Islam is not the true faith of Abraham.

The orthodox Jews , however , view the muslim faith in a better way than they view Christianity. Rabbis allow Jews to pray in a mosque but not in a church.The reason for that lies in the fact that Christianity , unlike Islam . deifies a human being and negates the oneness of God by believing in a Trinity. Also , european Jews were severely persecuted , in the name of Jesus , for hundreds of years by fanatic christians. Jews living in muslim lands were considered as people of the book and were not persecuted for their faith..Most Jewish rabbis consider Christianity as idolatry and Jesus as a heretic.

Similarities:

Both Orthodox Jews and Muslims adhere to strict dietary laws. For example, Jews follow the laws of Kashrut (keeping kosher), while Muslims follow the dietary laws of Halal.

Both faiths observe specific rituals and practices related to prayer, fasting, and religious holidays.

Both communities place a strong emphasis on family, community, and charity.

Differences:

The core beliefs and theological foundations of Judaism and Islam differ significantly, particularly concerning the nature of God, the prophets, and religious texts.

The religious calendars, holidays, and practices of Orthodox Jews and Muslims are distinct from each other.

The cultural and historical contexts of Judaism and Islam have shaped the traditions and customs of each community differently.

While there may be instances of cooperation and mutual understanding between Orthodox Jews and Muslims, there have also been periods of tension and conflict, often related to political issues in the Middle East. It's important to approach discussions about the relationship between these two communities with sensitivity and respect for their differences and shared values.