is being Jewish a religion or a race?

Question

I was born in South America but live in the US raised Catholic. When asked what my ethnicity is I don't say I'm Catholic.

Answer 1

Judaism is a religion. I have always found it very interesting that people don't realize that it is not a race of people. As a military Hebrew linguist I went through extensive language training with people who were natives of Jerusalem and low and behold they too spoke of themselves as if there were of a different race!! Crazy!! I mean no matter what color, religion, creed however you'd like to see someone we are all in the HUMAN RACE. Great question!!

Answer 2

Judaism is a religion.
It cannot be an ethnicity or a race because Jews come from many different parts of the world and look very different from each other. Most Jews in America can trace their ancestry to Eastern Europe, but there are also Jews from Yemen, India, Egypt, Syria, Ethiopia, and Peru, to name a few other places.

According to Judaism, a person who is born Jewish is always a Jew, even if they no longer believe in Judaism or convert to another religion.
And many Jewish people do not feel a religious connection to Judaism, but rather a cultural connection. Even if they don't observe many parts of the religion, they still feel connected to it and define themselves as Jews. And this makes absolute sense to me, but can confuse people into thinking that Judaism is a race.
(By the way, the whole notion of race and ethnicity is socially constucted, and not biological.)

Answer 3

I am Jewish. Being Jewish is not racial - any person of any race can be Jewish. Being Jewish is a religion, but it is not only a religion. Being Jewish is being part of a people (the Jewish people). As a people we have more than faith. We have a culture, languages (Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino), history - we are a civilization. Also you can be a Jew, and not believe in G-d as long as you have not converted to another religion, you are still a part of the Jewish people.

Of course, you don't say your ethnicity is Catholic because being Catholic is only a religion - it is not an ethnic group or being part of a people.

I hope my answer is clear and helps you.

Answer 4

Judaism is a religion with genetic components (which allows people to see it as a "race" when it is not). Judaism is passed matrilineally but someone is allowed to convert in (and most Ashkenazic communities and some Spehardic ones accept the convert as 100% Jewish -- conversion has deep roots throughout the bible and the ones who don't accept conversion do so only under a 20th century ruling to avoid insincere conversions).

If someone converts and is accepted, her children are completely Jewish as the matrilineal descent kicks in. So there can not be a strictly racial requirement or conversion would not be allowed, but Judaism is not simply a religion or it could be changed by a change in personal belief, and Judaism does not recognize anyone's ability to convert out -- that would be like changing your DNA...

Answer 5

Abraham of the Old Testament was not "Jewish" to begin with. But according to the Scriptures, God called Abraham out of the land of Ur and He told Abraham that he would have a son and through this son, Isaac, a great nation would arise. Isaac then had a son called Jacob. Jacob's name was later changed to "Israel" and from there is where the "Jewish" nation was born as the twelve tribes of Israel. There are Jewish people who are Orthodox Jews and Jewish people that are Christians too.
God knows how and when to call His children.
The Holy Bible says that Israel is the "apple of His eye"

Answer 6

It's both. It's impossible to practice Judaism and not to be a part of Jewish nation. Moreover, any Jewish born person who converts to another religion, is still considered a Jew to the end of his life.

Answer 7

It's both. Jews are of the tribe of Judah. The tribe of Judah is one of the 12 tribes of Israel. The Levites were the priests of the land. Their race would be Israeli. But Judah was the only tribe whose ancestry linage survived the Babylonian exile. Least that is my understanding.

Being Catholic is like mixing apples and oranges. Catholic means "universal". It is a faith that can be spread over many races and peoples. Whereas the Jewish faith... tends to identify the people of Judah... a tribe of Israel.

Answer 8

it refers to both

Jew·ish ( P ) Pronunciation Key (jsh)
adj.
Of or relating to the Jews or their culture or religion.

Jew ( P ) Pronunciation Key (j)
n.
An adherent of Judaism as a religion or culture.
A member of the widely dispersed people originally descended from the ancient Hebrews and sharing an ethnic heritage based on Judaism.
A native or inhabitant of the ancient kingdom of Judah.

Answer 9

Jewish is a race, Judaism is a religion. A non-Jew can belong to Judaism, a Jewish person can be a Christian.

Answer 10

in reference to micki's answer, i don't think that those who "convert" are religiously considered actual jews, but then it allows their children to be born jewish. You'd have to ask an orthodox Jew person for a better explanation, though.

The cool thing about Islam is that you don't have to be born into a certain family blood line to be Muslim and that has nothing to do with who is Muslim or not. Christianity is similar I understand.