What are Jews? Are we a race or are we a religion? The second question always follows the first question as if its answer is the answer to what Jews are. Those who say we are a race are refuted by the fact that the Jewish people are made up of so many different races of people. Those who say we are a religion are refuted by the fact we have so many Jewish Buddhists and Jewish atheists and Jewish anything-but-one-who-practices-the-Jewish-religion. Hence, the answer to the second question must be that we are neither a race or religion. So, where does that leave us? What are Jews? For some reason, we seem to be a broken record and immediately answer that we must be a race or a religion, as if one will be true if we keep asking for one to be true. Well if neither are true by now, then I don’t think either will ever be true in the future.

So, that leads us back to the original question: what are Jews? To answer that, I look at our history, our current practices and beliefs. Historically, we started out as a family. And currently we say that there are only two ways to be a Jew: either your mother is Jewish or you convert. And the only way to convert is to show the Jewish people that you really want to be one of us by believing and practicing the traditional beliefs and practices. Only then will you be welcomed into the family. However, if you are a family member, it does not make any difference what you believe or do, you are a member of the family.

Now, most families have certain rituals and practices that happen when they get together, such as where they sit at the dinner table. Or who carves the turkey. Or how to get away with taking a freshly baked cookie without the baker cutting off your hand. The family probably has a general outlook on life, though some member of the family usually goes against that belief (the black sheep of the family). And some families “adopt” people into the family and these “adoptees”, once they are accepted by the family, or treated just like family.

Does this not sound familiar? Does this not sound like the Jewish people? Could it be that we are not a race or a religion, but a family with a set of traditions and practices and outlooks on life that most of the family hold, but not all?

What are the Jews? We are a family with a long and deep tradition. And if you don’t think such a thing exists, I suggest you go talk to a few of the native American tribes.

About the Author

Shmuel Shalom Cohen spent 10 years studying Torah in Jerusalem. Six years ago, he started Conscious Torah to help Jews connect to their tradition in ways they didn’t think possible. Shmuel also started, and is the executive directory of Jewish Events Willamette-valley, a non-profit whose mission is to build Jewish community, pride, and learning. In his free time, Shmuel likes walks in nature, playing music, writing poetry, and time with good friends.