Final answer:
The Babylonian Captivity led to the centralization and solidification of Jewish religious practices and beliefs, the development of strict communal laws, and the formation of a boundless conception of Yahweh, which contributed to keeping a unified Jewish identity despite geographic dispersion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Babylonian Captivity greatly influenced Jewish practices and beliefs. Following the Neo-Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE and the enslavement of the Jews, those exiled developed a deep cultural and religious identity in Babylon. They compiled earlier Hebrew writings into what would become the core of the Hebrew Bible, and embraced a version of monotheism where Yahweh became a boundless, omnipresent deity unconfined to a single temple or location.
During the Babylonian exile, strict religious customs were developed, such as marriage laws, dietary requirements like keeping a kosher diet, and the study of sacred texts. The completion of the Torah by the prophet Ezra instilled a mobile tradition in Judaism, which proved pivotal when Jews dispersed across Europe and North Africa after the Roman exile, allowing them to preserve their identity despite the lack of a stable homeland. This period also solidified many core principles of Judaism—worshiping only Yahweh, living moral lives, following Moses's laws, and engaging in specific acts of worship.