If jews aren't a race,an ethnic group and most do not practice Judaism,then what exactly are they?

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Maya

Just a small - in global terms - group claiming all sorts of extravagant "rights". Territorial claims,immunity from criticism,one could do the whole list but why bother. We all know what they are like. It's everyone's business. These are not Ceylonese. They generate a great deal of turbulence and since obtaining control of a nation they have consistently exhibited their atavistic cruelty. Basically,there are only 6 million of so jews in the religious sense. The rest are mere descendants. They were constant trouble in the pagan world and nothing has changed. They have always been a source of discord and unrest.

..::mrajbones::..

I'm not sure, a political party maybe?

EU Citizen

Actually I think most do practice Judaism. Sure there are alot of atheist jews but they are by no way a majority.

Being jewish is a relgion and an ethnic group not to be confused with a race.

elltea

humans just like the rest of us

Bosco

People who practice Judaism and people who do not but whose ancestors did...for whatever that's worth.

brainless banana

Some people may be more religious than others. I am a Christian, a very moderate one, who doesn't agree with fundamentalism. I go to any number of churches on occasion and not on a regular basis. Doesn't matter to me if someone is Orthodox, Catholic, Baptist, Protestant or anything else. I get tired of listening to people on t.v. bash Mitt Romney for being Mormon. They also bash Barak Obama for having Muslim relatives. This is ridiculous. It has nothing to do with their qualifications.

As for the issue of Judaism, it is a personal matter as well as one for the community and family. I can't get into that. These debates don't concern me. (e.g. Should you marry a non-Jew? Orthodox vs. Reconstructionist/Reform? Who is a Jew under Jewish law?) Let the Rabbis ponder that. It is not my concern.

Ambivalent can haz Arc Light!

I think this is a good question. It's had a lot of highly inaccurate answers. Jews are NOT an ethnic group or race, as you correctly say (some responders still seem to dispute this). Anyone can, and has, converted to Judaism at various points over the last 3000+ years. Individuals have converted. Whole groups have converted. Indian Jews look Indian. Ethiopian Jews are black and look like other Ethiopians. Because of the historic pressure on young Jews to marry other Jews, there have been strong physical characteristics that have been passed down among the German/Polish/Russian group of Jews, who were themselves descended from more Mediterranean stock. This has given rise to the myth of a Jewish ethnicity. It has led to certain diseases being more common among Ashkenazi Jews, but this doesn't mean they're an ethnic group.

And you also rightly say that the majority of people who identify as being Jewish are not religiously observant. However - and it's a big however - a very large number of these people will still observe certain aspects of Jewish practice, such as having a Friday night family meal or getting the family together from all over the place (sometimes all over the world) for a Passover seder. Part of the reason that this all tends to be rather hard to understand, for non-Jews, is that Judaism is a completely different sort of entity from Christianity. When your notion of what a religion is has been formed by Christianity, you tend to assume that other religions are similarly constructed. Well, Judaism just isn't. It's much more of a cultural entity, with strong emphasis on intellectual study, family connection etc etc.

So I guess you might describe as a loosely affiliated range of cultures. Perhaps it could be thought of in the same way as being British. We are decidedly not an ethnic group and few of us practise Christianity, yet we all get together for Christmas. There's a wide range of different cultural groupings and ways of thinking - but we all think we're British. Jewishness is sort of similar.

shalhevet613

1. Jews are NOT a RACE, as anyone can become Jewish through conversion, unlike, say, a white person trying to become black.

2. Jews ARE an ETHNICITY, which means they are a group of people sharing cultural background and history. You CAN adopt a new ETHNICITY by completely embedding yourself in a new culture and adopting it (and its cultural history) for yourself. Sometimes that seems weird, but it's possible. In this case, it's much easier because of the religious backbone which allows an opening that some people might more or less understand for trying to change the cultural heritage you acknowledge and participate in. If I started a family over in China, my family would probably adopt a Chinese ETHNICITY with time and work to assimilate with everyone else. But we would NOT suddenly turn asian.

e.g. - "Dances With Wolves" where the girl ends up living with the Indigenous Americans. Do you REALLY think she identified with the pioneers after being a part of that other culture? No, she adopted it. She knew she wasn't like her tribe members, but she had definitely adopted the culture and history.

Now that we are over that bridge, as most people seem to not understand the difference...

3. Jews are ALSO people who have a religion, language, history, culture, and law system (if they observe).

4. It is common for a Jew to have more emphasis in one or two areas, rather than all areas. So a person may be religiously culturally Jewish, but not know Hebrew. A person might know Hebrew and Jewish history, but never go to synagogue.

Juadism's complicated because it's more than just a religion.

As far as I know, most Jews actually DO practice Judaism, they just go to synagogue very little like many Christians do.

ianmoniq

I don't know, but they're certainly a gullible and tolerant group. Faced with thinly disguised hatemongering from the dregs of society that hunt in packs on the Internet, they still take the time to form thoughtful answers.

I'd wager that if "Ultra N" was leading Israel, there wouldn't be rockets showering down on Israel maiming and terrorizing their children right now.

Gillian

We are a family. We share a common history and a common language. We pray as individuals as well as an entire, united family.

â€œTo be a Jew is to be commanded to take actions because they are right, not for material gain or comfort. Had Abraham wanted tranquility and prosperity, he would have carried on his fatherâ€™s idol business. To be a Jew is to open oneâ€™s tent on all four sides so that any stranger in need can enter from every direction. To be a Jew is to believe that the world can be redeemed. To be a Jew is to be carried by the current of the ancient Jewish river that keeps on flowing.â€ Arthur Hertzberg.

In Judaism, we are taught to think, to ask questions, and to be skeptical; we are encouraged not to accept things on faith, but to look for proof. This constitutes one of the biggest differences between Judaism and Christianity. While faith plays a vital role, Judaism places great emphasis on learning and education.

Trout

I thought they were a sub class of semetic persons

Arabs and Jews - semetic making the whole Palistinian Arab Iran conflict with Israel a family affair

I say it is none of our business

I am a celt wake me up when Europe or the UK is threatened - Other than that - Let god decide which branch of the semetic race he likes or hates

Freedom F

Jews are followers of a religion. They are not an ethnic group. You can come from any race or country and practice Judaism.

All Jews practice Judaism. If you do not practice the religion, then you are no longer Jewish.

It is important to understand that a political movement called zionism, is encouraging this smearing of the true meaning of Judaism. The purpose is to infiltrate; and cloak themselves with a religious, and historical backdrop, to legitimatize the pantomime of ownership; of the Palestinian homeland.

Zeno

Basically the world's largest mutual-aid society. Less than half would qualify as "Jewish" in the religious sense. They are descendents of Jews who claim all sorts of special entitlements on that ground. Which is very shaky ground indeed. I take sharp issue with Trout of the idea it 'taint nobody's business what they are. Their "special" identity gimmick is wreaking havoc throughout Palestine,which is now considered the world's longest-running (70 years) human rights disaster. Ask the people being bombed in the Gaza if they think the question is nobody else's business.

Jay

Don't be snotty.

There is an actual ethnicity ("race"), in fact. How pure it is, that's another story.

Jews share a common history, at the very least.

Ali

Sounds like you have some research to do about Judaism. They are an ethnic group, they are a religion, they are a race, and they have social clubs, but they are not organized specifically as such. Look it up.

Scott A

Jews are a race, as there is Jewish DNA.
http://tinyurl.com/3hu6o
http://tinyurl.com/2kjeg9
http://tinyurl.com/278zdb

However, you can join The nation of Israel (Not the state) if you convert. And if you marry Jewish, and your children marry Jewish, eventually they will have some of the Jewish DNA as well.

Anna M

Jew [ joo ] (plural Jews)

noun
Definition:

1. believer in Judaism: somebody whose religion is Judaism

2. member of Semitic people: a member of a Semitic people descended from the ancient Hebrews, sharing cultural and religious ties based on Judaism

3. somebody from ancient Judea: somebody who lived or was born in ancient Judea

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