is jewish an ethnicity as well as a religion?

Question

trying to win an arguement

Answer 1

Yes, it is. I, for example, am a Jew, even though I do not practice or believe in any aspect of the Jewish religion. I am an "ethnic Jew", not an adherent of the religion called Judaism.

Although historically ethnic and religious Jews have been largely one and the same, which explains why it was never seen as necessary to devise a new term for one or the other, in recent times there have increasingly been more and more ethnic Jews who do not practice the Jewish religion. It is still perfectly acceptable to call such people "Jews", even though they may be members of any other religion, or of no religion at all. Likewise, in recent times, the number of non-ethnic Jews who have become religious Jews has risen greatly.

Here are some example of "ethnic Jews" who are not religiously Jewish.

Christian Jews: Madeleine Albright, Paul of Tarsus, Benjamin Disraeli

Non-religious Jews: Woody Allen, Isaac Asimov, Lewis Black, Irving Berlin, Noam Chomsky, Seth Green, Karl Marx, Carl Sagan, Albert Einstein, Billy Joel, Sigmund Freud.

Answer 2

particularly, i imagine we've a confusing time with this question because we do not have any body of reference.there is not any different faith that began because the descendants of one family members. there is not any different family members (so some distance as i understand) which could hint it truly is roots again 4000 years. there is not any different those that lost their position of starting place and were spread global, adapting to and adopting truly some the subculture of their international locations, yet yet keeping it truly is unique id . there is no longer different u . s . that permits conversion. So that is what we do understand: a million) Judaism is a faith. G-d gave the Torah to the Jewish human beings 3320 years in the past and that Torah is the starting place of all issues Jewish. 2) Judaism isn't an ethnicity. There are Jews of each colour and race. 3) maximum Jews are descended from one family members (That of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) 4) Judaism has continuously popular converts who particularly favor to serve G-d as Jews. 5) Jewish isn't a nationality, yet maximum Jews experience a connection to our historic position of starting place. 6) there is truly some study on the "Jewish DNA" and that i do not understand lots about it. even as it truly is been watered down for thousands of years, there are apparently some very solid connections.

Answer 3

Yes. Usually they are the same thing, traditionally people practising the Jewish faith also married only other practising Jews. However, the term can be used interchangeably. You can (believe it or not) convert to Judaism and become Jewish only by religion. And people born to families whose ancestors were practising Jews still call themselves "Jewish" even though they don't practise the religion.

Answer 4

No. There is a difference between being part of the Jewish faith and being a Israelite. Anyone can convert to Judaism but only ancestors are considered Israelites.

Groups with a proven Lineage
Bene Israel
Cochin Jews

Groups with a claim that has yet to be proven
Beta Israel
Bnei Menashe
Mormonism
Bene Ephraim
Black Hebrew Israelites
Lemba Tribe

You can be raised in the Jewish faith the same as you can be raised Catholic. Saying Jews are a race of people is like saying Catholics are a race.

Answer 5

Yes you are absolutely correct. There are Jewish people that take on any faith they want. In fact, the first Christians were Jews!

And then there is JUDAISM which is the Jewish faith!

But I can see how some people would get confused.

Answer 6

Yes

Answer 7

I am jewish, but blonde, nordic. So I would have to say religion. My grandparents were Jews, Red straight hair, from France. Jews come in all shapes and sizes. Sammy Davis Jr. was jewish. He was not a jew, obviously. But most Israelis are not of the Jewish religion.

Answer 8

Jews are a race. Judaism is traditionally the religion most Jews practice.

I have a friend whose cousin follows Judaism... well is really Messianic Judaism... but never the less these people are not Jewish.

Answer 9

Yes

Answer 10

Natural Jews are the direct descendants of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham. But not all Jews are natural Jews. Some Jews are atheists, some are Presbyterians, etc.
So the answer is YES, they are Jews no matter what their faith, maybe.