Question
Why is the Jewish religion called Judaism, instead of being called Israelism?
Answer
You won’t find the word Judaism anywhere in G-d’s Hebrew Scriptures. It’s a term that was coined later, and it is anglicized. That is, Jewish royalty has been given over by G-d to the Tribe of Yehudah (Judah). Yehudah is anglicized as Judah. The name seems therefore to have developed from the leader of the Jews. Perhaps we should call it Yehudaism, although “ism” is also an add-on.
Regards,
Eliahu Levenson