I think the best way to begin to understand Jews and Judaism is not through studying Jewish law or even the Torah, although these are essential aspects of the Jewish religion. Instead, I recommend a good overview of Jewish history, which is much easier to get into even for those not familiar with it. There are many excellent texts, but one I recommend is called A Historical Atlas of the Jewish People by Eli Barnavi. Short chapters, lots of photos, maps and other illustrations, not expensive despite being in hardback and recently updated. The author may have his biases, but the scholarship cannot be faulted. Highly rated on Amazon, for what that is worth.