The Hebrews initially worshipped many gods, making sacrifices to them in order to bring good weather and good fortune, but they eventually developed a religion centered around an idea that would become key to the other great Western religions. This was monotheism, the idea that there is only one true god, or at least that if there are other gods, they're total lame-oids. The Hebrews developed a second concept that is key to their religion as well, the idea of the covenant, a deal with God. The main man in this, the big mocker, was Abraham. Not to make this too much of a scripture lesson, but it's kind of hard to understand the Jews without understanding Abraham, or Abram, as he was known before he had his big conversation with God, recorded in Genesis 17. When Abram was ninety years and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram and said unto him, I am the Almighty God, walk before me and be thou perfect. And I'm gonna make a covenant with you and a bunch of cool things will happen, like you're gonna have kids and your descendants will number the stars and you can have all the land of Canaan forever, it's gonna be awesome.