If one says he/she is Jewish, is that a religion only; or is there a blood line ancestry/ethnicity?

Question

When someone says they are Jewish, is that their religion or is that their ethnicity/ancestry such as someone may be Italian as their ethnicity but being Catholic is their religion?

Answer 1

One is Jewish either by being born to a Jewish mother or undergoing conversion according to Jewish Law.

Thus, there is a blood line, but outsiders can join.


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Answer 2

I am NOT an expert by any means, but I believe that generally when someone says they are Jewish it is an ethnicity/bloodline thing as much as it is a religious thing. It is my understanding that if you are born of a Jewish mother, you are Jewish, but that if your Father is Jewish and your mother is NOT, then you are not considered Jewish.

Mind you this is my limited knowledge gleaned form knowing a handful of Jews.

You can also convert to Judaism and be considered a religious Jew.

Interesting question, intelligent even - so rare in this category.

Answer 3

It is both, since a person is Jewish if her/his mother is Jewish, or if he/she converts to Judaism in accordance with Jewish law.
Jews come in all colors/races and from all patd of the world, so you cannot wquate being Jewish with being Italian or American or Polish.
Additionally, Judaism is more a way of life than a religion.

Answer 4

It's a bit of both.
If a person is born to Jewish parents, they're a Jew for life. Even if they convert or become athiests, they're still considered Jews according to Halacha (Jewish law). So you could say they're still Jews by ethnicity.
But anyone born a non-Jew can join by converting. So a convert would have to be Jewish by religion.

Answer 5

it is thier culture as well.

most jews tend to identify with thier traditions as a part of thier family traditions and thier family's family traditions.

even if you take out the religious jargon and psycobabble, at the end of the day there is definately a "jewish culture" that extends from the family and the community much in the same way there is a "chinese" or "african" or "indian" culture.

Answer 6

It is their religion. Their ethnicity is usually referred to as Hebrew or Semitic, though the terms are frequently used interchangeably.

Answer 7

Racism !

Answer 8

religion only.

Answer 9

religon