The unique Jewish perspective of universalism is one of its main differences with other major religions. For instance, Jews have never looked upon Christians or Moslems as "infidels," and do not require one set of beliefs over another in order to be redeemed. Judaism’s central criterion for personal redemption is the deeds and actions that each individual performs. The "gates of heaven" are open to all, regardless of religious affiliation.

As Judaism has developed, its emphasis on actions in this world, rather than living for an afterlife, has become even stronger. This central theme of Jewish tradition is one of the principal reasons Jews have been in the forefront of the quest for a democratic society, with freedom and justice for everyone.

It is no mere happenstance that disproportionately large numbers of Jews have been in the vanguard of battles to uphold freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, and equal protection of the law. It is no accident that Jews have joined with blacks in the forefront of the battle for civil rights, not only in the United States but in other countries as well, including South Africa. It is no accident that the percentage of Jews who voted for New York Mayor David Dinkins in 1990 was far higher than any other group in the white population in New York City.

The central political issues affecting women today offer some of the best examples of the uniqueness of Judaism. Jews have been leaders in the battle for equal rights for women, and there is overwhelming Jewish support for the Equal Rights Amendment. In the debate between those who would deny a woman the right to have an abortion and those who believe that a woman should have the freedom to choose, the great majority of Jews–regardless of their own personal feelings about abortion–believe that every woman should have the right to choose, guided by her own conscience and religious beliefs.

Consequently, in contrast to the strong support that some religious groups have given to the anti-abortion movement, there is virtually no support from the Conservative, Reconstructionist and Reform movements. Among Orthodox Jews (10% to 15% of all North American Jews), there is some support for the anti-abortion movement, but there are many Orthodox Jews who favor freedom of choice. A 1991 survey of B’nai B’rith Women, a woman’s organization with over 100,000 members from all branches of Judaism, showed that 92% were pro-choice.

The belief in individual freedom is deeply rooted in Jewish history which, in part, is a chronology of a people’s fight for personal freedom. The Biblical story of the Exodus, retold each year during the Jewish festival of Passover, is the oldest continuous celebration of freedom in recorded history. The well-known story of Passover recounts the enslavement of the Jewish people by the tyrannical Egyptian Pharaoh and their liberation through the leadership of Moses.

Passover not only inculcates in every Jewish woman, man and child the love of individual freedom and the responsibility of every person to ensure freedom for all, but it also exemplifies one of the most important and unique aspects of Judaism: The central role of the family and the home in the observance of Jewish holidays.

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