Judaism is a living religion, it is a religion of life and light and first and foremost, it is a religion of action. You see, it’s not enough to believe in G-D, to study Torah, or pray, you must live a life of holiness, you must give Tzedakah, you must keep the Shabbat/Sabbath holy, you must help others when you can, you must be a good human being. Words of prayer are good, they are sweet to the ears of Hashem, but without action put behind them, they are hollow and devoid of meaning.

Think of it like being in a relationship with someone, you can tell them you love them every day, but if you don’t show them such, your words are meaningless. Jews do not for one moment believe you can do horrible things, simply believe in anything, tell a random person what you did, or attend a service once a week, and be absolved of your choices, sins, and bad behavior. We must take accountability for what we’ve done, try to make amends for our transgressions, and seek forgiveness from those we’ve wronged, and only then can we seek Hashem’s forgiveness. 

It is only through our actions, that we can live a holy life, only through our actions that we can keep the covenant with Hashem, and stand in its grace/blessings. We must live a moral life, we must serve Hashem, and truly study and live the Torah every moment of our lives (or attempt to, to the best of our abilities). That is one of the key elements to being  Jewish!

it’s not enough to read Torah and Talmud, you must live it, it’s not enough to know, you have to do. Jews are often called, “The people of the book,” not just because they read and study the Jewish bible, but because it is integral to their everyday lives. Jews are as much a part of Torah, as Torah is a part of them!