There are only around thirteen million Jews in the world today, or about 0.15% of the industrialized world, but in terms on world history not many cultures can compare with them. Various aspects of Judaism have entered into almost all other cultures in the world, through offshoots like Christianity and Islam, or through modern secular ideologies influence by Judaism such as liberal democracy and socialism. In the modern period, in addition, leaders in all areas of cultural advancement, including medicine, science and the arts have been Jews. The world today would be unimaginably different without the Jewish contribution.

Amongst the most important ideas that have spread from this small people and religion to all humanity are the beliefs in one loving and just G-d who transends the universe, that G-d can be encountered in history, and that G-d calls out to humanity to actualize compassion and justice in society. We now take for granted the ancient Jewish idea that as a result of G-d's transcendence the realm of nature is a unified secular realm not animated by G-ds or arbitrariness: humans must therefore preserve it and use it rationally and carefully to enhance life.