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The first source to learn the history of ancient Israelites is the first five books of the Old Testament, or Torah. In the most part, they consist of unsubstantiated stories of legendary patriarchs and prophets. According to the biblical tradition, Abraham, who left Mesopotamia and reached the land of Canaan, later called Palestine, is considered to be the forefather of the Jewish people. It was there where he made the covenant with God, in which he received the promise of numerous offspring and the state of his own, yet preceded by the period of enslavement of the Israelites in Egypt, which lasted for 400 years. According to tradition, Moses freed his people from slavery by leading them across the Red Sea due to its miraculous parting. After years of wandering, Moses led his people to God's promised land, making a covenant with him, under which the Israelites were to become the chosen people following the moral principles of the – Decalogue – written and offered by God on Stone Tablets.

As a result of the threat posed by neighbors, the 12 Jewish tribes living in dispersion decided to unite. The first king of Israel was Saul (around 1032 BC), however it was his successor, David, who finally conquered and consolidated the power of the Jews throughout Palestine. He established a new capital of the state in Jerusalem, which in time became the holiest city of judaism – the religion of the Jewish people. The successor of King David was Solomon. The ruler surrounded the capital with magnificent walls and built the first Temple in Jerusalem, in which the greatest relic, the Ark of the Covenant containing the Stone Tablets with the Decalogue, was placed.

In the 1st century BC the kingdom of Israel was conquered by Babylon, starting the so‑called period of Babylonian captivity. The next invaders were the Persians, the Greeks, and finally the Romans. Numerous uprisings against the occupiers ended in defeat and most often with destruction of Jerusalem. This was the case in the 1st and 2nd centuries, when the Israelites, defeated by the Romans, were forced to leave Palestine and live away from their homeland in diaspora. This continued until the middle of the 20th century, contributing to the strengthening of the sense of community among Jewish people, but also to their separation from others. They were distinguished not only by the monotheistic religion, but also by the rules of the kosher diet, their rituals, and celebration of the holy day – the Shabbat.

To this day, the symbols of Judaism and the state of Israel are considered to be the six‑armed star of David and the seven‑branched candle holder – menorah.