Jewish people I have a question?

Question

My daughter asked me a question that I can't answer & it's been on my mind ever since Could you help? She has a friend & they were talking about what heritages they were Polish Italian etc. but the girl said she was Jewish. Isn't that a religion like being Catholic? How can someones religion be their nationality? I'm sorry if this is a stupid question but if I don't know I can't explain it to her Thanks for any help that you can give

It's really good to ask questions sometimes, I'm learning alot Thank you

Answer 1

It's not a stupid question. It's a bit confusing, that's all. Being Jewish is both an ethnicity and a religion. Most Jewish people have heritage that goes back to ancient Israel, and so they are an ethnic people, just like Italian or Polish. One with this Jewish heritage can leave the traditional religion of that people and choose any other religion, but they are still "Jewish." They are Jewish ethnically. So one could be a Buddhist Jew, or a Christian Jew, or an Atheist Jew, or whatever.

But "Jewish" also refers to the religion which is most often practiced by the ethnic group identifying as Jews. However, one can be black, Italian, Chinese, or any other ethnicity and convert to Judaism. In that case, they would be Jewish religiously, but not ethnically.

I hope I did not confuse you more.

Answer 2

Judaism has elements of both nationality and religion. The Jewish people are called a 'nation' many times in the Holy Scriptures and historically, Jews have never been included into other national entities, always considered a group apart.


It is also a central belief in Judaism that all Jews will one day be restored to their ancestral homeland, Biblical Israel. Hence, Jews retain a national identity of which Judaism is a major part.

Answer 3

While Jews resided in Europe for centuries, during many of those years they were not accepted as citizens in the countries where they resided. The most obvious of those countries is Germany. Jews had lived there and considered themselves German as much as any other Germans, but they were not accepted by the majority culture. The same thing happened during the Inquisition when Jews were confined to ghettos and had to have permission from "real" citizens (Christian Italians, Spaniards, Poles, etc.) to leave the confines of the ghettos. Christians insisted on keeping the Jews separate from themselves and then came to resent them for being separate. If they had welcomed them into the community, Jews would have assimilated long ago. I'm sorry that more Christians have never learned more about their own history. I commend you for teaching your daughter. While you're at it, you might mention to her that Jews don't believe that Jesus was the messiah. I was amazed to learn how many Christians don't understand that either.
.

Answer 4

Alot of people confuse Jewish with being an ethnic heritage. I never knew why though. There are Jews from all ethnic backgrounds (Polish, German etc). I am guessing because many Jews are raised believing all Jews are from one "nation"..the Jewish nation.

Answer 5

well, jewishness isn't a nationality since "jewish" isn't a country. But, it nevertheless is similar. Firstly, jews often -- especially in the past -- did not have much in common with their host countries. secondly, we have been so often shuffled around because of persecution, that we often didn't associate with any particular host country since we just got there and were sure to leave soon thereafter! and thirdly, we have more regard for our rich tradition of morals, rituals, etc. etc., that we often don't relate much with our host country.
I feel sortof half-and-half with mine. While I appreciate it very much, I feel somewhat alien to it.

cheerio

Answer 6

Being Jewish is both ethnic and religious. There are many Jewish people who do not practice Judaism but are still Jews by blood. And there are those who are not Jewish by blood who are Jews by religion, like Sammy Davis, Jr. and others like him who converted.

Answer 7

Since we're a self-contained gene pool, and were a self-contained community, Polish Jews have a different culture from Polish, etc.