ok, settle this for me once and for all, what is Jewish? religious order or nationality???

Question

it is so confusing, If Jeruselum is the "holy land" then I assume the Jewish faith sprung from that area, but there are Jews scattered through out the world and have been for centuries, most have territorial last names. example. in Germany a Jew may have the last name of "Fein" which is also a German name. etc. etc. but in Jeruselam "sic" Jews may have more of a Jewish sounding name. I know i'm rambling here and possibly not making my point, but i hope somebody can interpret what i'm trying to say and explain it to me, thx. in advance...I guess maybe i'm confusing Judaism the faith with ethnic Jews who happen to live in europe etc.. i'm getting a head ache

Answer 1

Both.

In the Bible, Isaac had a son named Jacob. Jacob ended up having 12 sons. On his death bed, Isaac re-named Jacob "Israel". Jacob's (Israel) sons became the head of their "tribes" or families. Those families eventually spread out once they made it to the promised land. The promised land became their country, or nation. They called it Israel, after Jacob, because he was the origin of the 12 sons.

They lived in that land for many years, until they were taken into capitivity. Some moved away and went to other parts of the world, most popular was Egypt. Some went to Ethiopia, some migrated north to Turkey. Now, there's a wide disapora of Jews throughout the world. Some practice the religion, some do not.

A Jew can trace his ancestory back to Jacob.
A Jew can follow the teachings of Moses.

Both can be true, or one can be true. You don't have to be directly related to be Jewish. You can convert to Judaism.

You don't have to follow Jewish religion to be Jewish-- you can be born of a Jewish mother, and that could be your connection.

Most Jews, however, are both.

It should be noted that only 2 of the 12 tribes of Israel are found-- 10 others are missing amongst the world's populations. Back 100s of years ago, the Jews started mixing with other cultures, and some of them lost their true identity (nationality). So, now, there could be many ppl of Jewish lineage walking around that have no idea that they are Jewish.

Answer 2

Being Jewish is a choice of religious persuasion. It is not a nationality. When people started calling them selves Jewish it was a tribe that wandered the middle east looking for the land God had bequothed to them. They picked up many people along the way and converted them to Judaisim. Then there was a great scattering of the Jewish people. When they fled to other lands they were forced to take names of the country they entered. Parts of rights of passage. Or, they were adopted children into non Jewish families that took up their faith after they left that new home. Particularly is the account of many Jews being forced to change their names when they entered through Elis island. A Jew that does not have personal faith or knowledge of G-d should not call themselves a Jew. If you are not blessed by reading the Torah then you are not part of the Jewish faith. Period.

Answer 3

You know I'm Hispanic but in God's eyes I'm a Jew. I'm O'kay with that.I think the Seventh Day Religion is the new Israel. Jews lost their country due to the gentiles.A prophesy given to them from Jesus. Very few Jews received Jesus.I'm not being anti-Semitic but the covenant of God was the Jews first because they received him first and the gentiles later. Saturday worship and Christianity came from Jerusalem. Most gentiles worship on Sunday to separate themselves from Jews.That change came from the Roman Catholic Church(Catholic=means Universal)brought out by Constantine at the council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. In the end God's promise of the new kingdom will be known as the NEW JERUSALEM,

Answer 4

Judaism is both a heritage (nationality-like affiliation) and a religious belief.

one can be Jewish by blood, that is, if their mother is jewish, or by conversion.

but if you are jewish by blood, (or conversion...) and you then chose to convert to a different(conflicting) religious belief, such as christianity, you are no longer jewish.

if someone converts OUT of judaism, and they really wish to adress the fact they are of jewish heritage, they could have "hebrew" as a prefix to their religion.

there are some groups of evangelical christians who deceptively claim to be jewish, under the title of "Messianic Jews" or "Jews for Jesus" but this is definitionally impossible, and these ARE christians, either deliberately, or in (an extreme display of) ignorance, lying and deceiving people as to their beliefs.

preempting the inevitable showing of these types, I'll attach a good website for that distinction, and a site that is really quite good at explaining what judaism does and doesn't believe in.

edit: to below:
>>" On his death bed, Isaac re-named Jacob "Israel". "<<

thats entirely incorrect. read the story in the book. Jacob's name is changed after he wrestles the angel.

and your also incorrect. if you do not believe in what judaism believes in, your not jewish. you can still "carry" the bloodline, but you aren't "in" it, as such.

Answer 5

Gots to pay homage to Kirk, however Patrick Stewart is among the few white guys that seem well with a bald head..... and a lovely voice Sorry however I gotta move with Picard. I wasn't born till '86 so I grew up with Next Generation.

Answer 6

judaism is like a spiritual nationality. people who are jews consider ourselves part of the nation of israel (not the modern state of israel though, some jews are israeli, many israelis are not jews), which is why our laws about who is jewish are much more similar to laws of citizenship to a nation than to laws of belonging to a religion.

Answer 7

thats a good question. its a religion for the most part. although they did and sometimes still do keep to themselves, so there are stereotypical physical features. but its not really a nationality. if youre jewish and come from israel, i would think that you would be israeli

Answer 8

Both.

One can be a Jew because your mother was Jewish, or you may convert to Judaism.

Answer 9

jewish is who has lving in his country israel or scatered all over the world practising thei religion and customs

Answer 10

its a religious order. like mormans,christians, muslims,etc.