I keep reading articles saying that Jesus was against religion (traditions of man)
Jesus was not against religion or traditions of man. In modern Christianity, there is a popular movement away from being Christian...
It's true that Christianity is essentially having faith in Jesus as your savior. But, keeping laws (not sinning), praying, fasting, going to church, and so on, are all part of being a Christian.
Someone who says he is good but doesn't do anything good is not good. Someone who say he has faith in Jesus, but doesn't live as a follower of Jesus, is not someone who does have faith in Jesus.
Romans 6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in
a new way of life.
Again, Jesus was not against religion. He was against the religious HYPOCRISY of the Jews of his day. Religion doesn't "bind you up in guilt". What does that even mean? That you'll feel guilty if you go to church on Sunday? Ridiculous.
If you do something wrong, you should feel guilty, and then you should repent.
Someone might tell you that all you have to do is love your neighbor, but if you're love isn't perfect, then you're going to fail. How do you love your neighbor? By not lying, by not murdering, by not coveting... also, by helping him when he's in need.
Jesus also said you must love God. How do you love God? By praying, by going to church to worship Him, by fasting... also by loving your neighbor, which is where the previous command comes from.
BTW, Jews are not God's chosen people.