Question QUESTION: Why do the Jews hate Jesus so much?
ANSWER: Tony,
I have generally stopped accepting Jesus questions because it seems that they have all been answered most adequately by the various experts here in the Judaism section of All Experts. However, you question is somewhat novel so I will happily respond.
Let me begin the answer to your question with another question: Why do you hate the Prime Minister of Canada so much (if, by chance, you do have a legitimate beef with him/her, then please substitute any world figure whom you feel neutral about)?
Most Americans would be hard pressed to name the Prime Minister, let along cite anything personal against him/her. It is similar with the Jews and Jesus. While we are probably more aware of who he was, given that we live in a western culture dominated by Christendom, most Jews don't think about or even consider Jesus, let alone 'hate' him. We simply don't consider him one way or another.
The Jewish faith is not based upon a messiah. While we hope for his arrival, it is in a general manner that we do so. We do not look to the messiah for personal (rather national) or spiritual (rather physical) 'salvation'. We do not believe our relationship with G-d, rather than in the sense of being able to serve Him completely without hindrance, have anything to do with messiah. We also believe he will be a mortal man rather than a part of G-d or a demigod. For more information of the Jewish messiah please see:
Rather, The Jewish faith is based upon our Redemption from Egypt, our Revelation at Sinai and our relationship with G-d based upon these two (metaphorically known as the Holy Land, "a land of milk and honey"). In a country dominated by Christians, our disbelief in Jesus as the messiah may seem our major difference with your faith. However, consider the same question, on difference, in a Muslim of Buddhist country and you will quickly realize that we should be characterized by what we do believe rather than what we don't believe.
That Jews hate Jesus is simply a falsehood perpetrated upon the world by the evangelicals of various stripes as yet another excuse to condemn us. What we do object to is being missionized by Christians and by them telling us what our Scriptures say or how they are to be interpreted. This is true hubris indeed.
Hpe this helps. Shalom!
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Would it be fair then to say that what separates Judaism from Christianity is not Jesus?
Answer Not exactly. It is indeed Jesus (or probably better said the writings of Paul) that separates our religions, but lack of belief in Jesus as messiah is not what defines Judaism.
Think of it this way: Is what makes you a Christian the fact that you don't believe in the Prophet Joseph Smith? Perhaps if you were located in Salt Lake City that difference might be more obvious (akin to Jews in a nation composes of primarily Christians), but you would be hard-pressed to find a Christian who agrees with this definition, that a Christian is one who doesn't accept the Mormon prophet. Most would probably note very quickly that Christianity predates Mormonism by over a millennium and that their religion is based loosely on your own (both of which we would say 'ditto' concerning the relationship between Christianity and Judaism).
What we believe should define us, not what we don't believe.
