Is Jewish identity only about religion?

Judaism is a religion, and it is also a people, a culture, and a shared history. While religious practice is central for many Jews, Jewish identity is not solely defined by belief. Jews share a common ancestry, cultural traditions, and languages such as Hebrew, Ladino, and Yiddish that have existed for generations.

Throughout history, Jews have been viewed as a distinct people. Legal and cultural antisemitism targeted Jews based on ethnicity as well as religion, with discrimination persisting regardless of individual religious observance. Even before the Holocaust, many European and Middle Eastern countries enacted laws that discriminated against Jews as a group. Throughout the Ottoman Empire, as well as in Egypt, Iraq, and Iran, Jews historically lived under dhimmi status—a subordinate position in Muslim-majority societies. They faced legal and social restrictions, such as paying the jizya tax (a tax on non-Muslims) and being limited in certain public roles and privileges. In Russia, the Pale of Settlement confined Jews to specific regions and imposed severe restrictions on their movement and economic activity. These actions reflected the understanding that Jews were a separate ethnic group, not simply a religious community. This was most evident during the Holocaust, when Nazi Germany persecuted Jews as a racial group, regardless of their personal beliefs or level of religious practice.

Today, Jewish identity continues to be multifaceted. Some Jews practice Judaism as a religion, while others engage with Jewish culture through traditions, food, language, or a sense of shared peoplehood. Israel, the world’s only Jewish state, recognizes this dual identity, defining itself as both a Jewish and democratic state. Ultimately, Judaism is unique in that it functions as both a religion and a nation, shaping Jewish identity in ways that go well beyond faith.