Probably every reader of the Bible has encountered the terms "Israelites" and "the chosen people". We commonly assume that today's Jews are descendants of biblical Israelites, especially as they claim the same.  As individuals and as a people, Jews have had a great impact on civilization, contributing to ideas and culture in almost every field. Judaism was a parent religion to Christianity and Islam. Judaism was the first religion based on monotheism, the belief in one God. Judaism is the religion of the Jews. There are an estimated 14 million followers of the Jewish religion around the world. Most of the world's Jews are concentrated in three countries: the United States (6 million), Israel (3.7 million), and the Soviet Union (2.5 million). 

People usually say "Jesus was a Jew, as were his disciples". But, isn't very strange that also communism, the "exterminator" of religious people (including Jews) was created by Jews Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels? Another prosecutor of Jews, Adolf Hitler thought he was Jewish. Before them, the Grand Inquisitor Torquemada and his Spanish king Ferdinand expelled Jews from Spain in 1492 although both had Jewish ancestry. In the same year, another Jew Cristobal Colon (better known as Christopher  Columbus) left Spain to discover America. 

Taking in account good and bad in their contribution, there is a question to be answered: Were they chosen by God or devil? To find the answer, we should look in the Holy Books of main religions and amazing discoveries in biblical land by archaeology and science. After many nights on Internet, I have found the following theories most interesting:

The Hebrew Scriptures were the foundation of Christianity. Jewish law was accepted as a guide to ethics and morality based on the concept of individual conscience. Islam incorporated the Jewish concept of one God, the Scriptures, and Jewish prophets. The major body of Jewish law is found in the Torah, which consists of the Five Books of Moses (also known as the Pentateuch) and which forms the first part of the Old Testament. This law has been supplemented by oral law and interpretations of the law which comprise the Talmud.

The word "Jew" actually never appears in the 5 books of Moses (whose name is actually non-Jewish but  Egyptian for "child of the lake") and he and other patriarchs like Abraham, Isaac (the name means "he laughed") and Jacob were never referred as Jews. The word "Jew" is used first time in the Book of Esther around 2,300 years ago.

Zionist leader and founder of the State of Israel, once wanted to convert Jews to Christianity: Theodor Herzl wrote in Spring of 1895: "About 2 years ago, I wanted to solve the Jewish Question, at least in Austria, with the help of the Catholic Church, I wished to gain access to the Pope and say to him: Help us against anti-Semites and I will start a great movement for the free and honourable conversion of Jews to Christianity."

The Ten Commandments are not called that in the original Bible. In rabbinic literature they are called "Asereth Hadibroth" which means 10 SAYING or 10 WORDS. The first saying is in every translation just an assertion: "I am the Lord thy God". All others are positive or negative moral precepts. They are not the first as according to traditional Judaism, God gave Noah and his family seven commandments to observe when he saved them from the flood. These commandments, referred to as the Noahic or Noahide commandments, are inferred from Genesis Ch. 9, and are as follows: 1) to establish courts of justice; 2) not to commit blasphemy; 3) not to commit idolatry; 4) not to commit incest and adultery; 5) not to commit bloodshed; 6) not to commit robbery; and 7) not to eat flesh cut from a living animal.

There is total of 613 commandments included in the Torah, which also includes the "Ten Commandments." These 613 commandments govern Jewish law covering such areas as philanthropy, sacrifices, prayer, ritual purity, dietary laws, and observances of the Sabbath and other holy days. The Jewish system of law, also referred to as Halacha, includes a civil and criminal justice system which is followed by observant Jews. Halacha regulates Jewish life, such as marriage and divorce, burial, relationships with non-Jews and education.

The six pointed Star of David is not historic symbol of Israelites. Every of 12 original Tribes in the Land of Israel had its own symbol: none had Star of David as it was used as a magical sign in Mesopotamia, India, Iberian Peninsula and even in Britain (see more in Encyclopaedia Judaica) from the Bronze age some 4,000 years ago. It became the emblem of Jewish people in 1897 when Zionist conference chose it as the sign of the new Zionist movement. The oldest known use of the star by Jews is on the ruins of synagogue on the shores of Sea of Galilee. It's used there together with swastika as a symbol of peace. There is also one Star of David on the mosaic floor in Ramle near Tel Aviv (discovered in 1973) but this floor is Moslem and not Jewish. Also, In 2,000 old Jewish catacombs in Rome there is no single Star of David but there is, again. one swastika between other symbols like menorah, ark, shofar, lulav, esrog, various birds (including chickens), cows, rams, scrolls, trees....

The Wailing or Western Wall (remainder of Second Temple in Jerusalem) which is the holiest Jewish place today was actually built by king of Arab and not Jewish descent Herod. Same apply to Massada the most symbolic place in Israel. Herod's mother Cypros was the daughter of an Arabian chief of Nabateans and his father Antipater was an Idumean - a tribe traced to Ishmael who is the father of all Arabs according to Bible.

Italian pizza was actually first made more than 2,000 years ago when Roman soldiers added olive oil and cheese to unleavened Jewish bread of Passover. 

The most popular Christian songs "White Christmas" and "Easter Parade" were written by Russian Jew Israel Baline who changed his name ti Irwing Berlin. Although he wrote 3,000 songs, 30 Broadway shows and 17 musicals, although he never had any formal musical training, he can't read music and can't play piano properly.