Ever since God established His covenant between Himself and the Jewish people they have been constantly oppressed and persecuted. Through the years Judaism held together and outlived Romans, Greeks, and even the Nazis. Although each of these nations were once great and powerful, the Jewish minority have managed to preserver and survive through everything from slavery, dislocation, and genocide. How have such a people managed to live through such catastrophes and still be able to keep their religion and identity? I believe that there are two basic answers to this question. Firstly, Judaism has survived because it has given the Jewish society an excellent quality of life. Secondly, an answer, which is more supernatural than logical but explains perfectly as to why the Jewish people are still a strong and thriving nation, is the influence of God. .
Traditional Jewish communities have usually enjoyed a better quality of life as opposed to the outside cultures or powers that have often made up the majority of the society in which the Jewish people have lived. For example, in many societies that Jewish communities have been a part of the literacy rate was below average, where as the literacy rate of a traditional Jewish community is one hundred percent. From the book, Living Religions by Mary Par Fisher, it is stated that; "Everyone was taught the basics of the Torah as a matter of course, but, from the age of five or six, many men also occupied themselves with the deep study of the scriptures." It was also stated that; "Literacy was highly valued for men and this characteristic persisted through the centuries even in the midst of largely illiterate societies." Literacy and education in the community would ensure the future of the community even when the community is taken over by a stronger and more powerful culture. By being educated the Jewish community has a definite advantage over the other culture.
