This is an experiment with concise, direct, persuasive writing. In 1 or 2, or maybe as many as 3, paragraphs, formulate a thesis and support it with evidence in response to the following prompt. Make sure your thesis is interesting and your writing clear and organized:
Prompt:
Is Judaism a religion, a culture, a race or something else? Defend you answer.
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I think that Judaism is first and foremost a religion. Religion is a large part of culture, and the Jewish identity is strongly based on cultural aspects and common themes among people of the Jewish faith. In the most biblical sense Jewish people are all supposed to be descended from the same group of people, which could also classify themselves as a race or ethnicity. All three aspects, religious beliefs, culture, and race seem to come into play here. Religion informs culture, and birth sets religious precedent for most people. Therefore, people who practice a certain religion because they were born into it and raised around it tend to be of similar origin. These similarities may give rise to a secular culture, which may or may not have its roots in the religion such people practice.
Of course, the line here is not black and white. People can convert to the Jewish faith without being “ethnically” from “Jewish” origin. Many born Jews reject the religious aspects of their lives, but still identify with Jewish culture or the characteristics of many people of similar descent. Practicing Jews could also reject the cultural elements surrounding their religion. Because the origins of Judaism stretch back thousands of years, it is virtually impossible tell if modern Jews are really descendents of Isaac, or even what parts of the Old testament are accurate, but the fact that the religion has survived so long shows that viability of Judaism purely from a religious perspective.
In general, I believe that Judaism is a religion. Though Judaism has aspects of it that make it partially a culture and a race, it began as an interaction with God. Further, its holy scriptures, such as the Torah, consist of stories involving God and God's contact with the Israelites. What make up a large part of Judaism are the laws and rules that God commands the Jews to follow. Usually, religions have rules and guidelines that the followers must practice and observe, thus Judaism can be considered a religion. There are other aspects of Judaism, however, that allow it to be called a culture and a race as well.
The customs that have evolved around Judaism help to classify it as a culture. Cultures consist of various food customs, the language used, dances performed, and many other customs. Because Judaism has food traditions (that are related to religion), uses the Hebrew language, and has dances and songs specific to Israel and Judaism, it can be grouped as a culture. In addition, the idea, mentioned in the Pentateuch, that Judaism is hereditary through the mother says that it is somewhat like a race. Because one can only be Jewish if one's mother is Jewish (or if one converts), Judaism is passed down through generations like an ethnicity.
Overall, I think that Judaism is a religion, around which a culture has been formed. I think that the customs associated with Judaism are a part of the culture that Jews have created to celebrate and keep their religion alive. Though many Jews do not believe in the religious rules and principles of Judaism, they still consider themselves Jewish, and identify with the Jewish culture. At the foundation of Judaism is religion, a belief in one God, and a belief that Jews must obey and worship this God.
Judaism is difficult to classify. Is it a culture, a race, or a religion? Judaism has elements of all three designations. Judaism began as a culture, thus the first Jews were of a specific race. But Judaism is no longer a culture or a race; due to Diaspora Jews are part of many different cultures and races around the world. The single element that unites all Jews is their religion.
Because of the fact that Judaism is first and foremost a religion many conflicts arise as to who is Jewish. Since Judaism is not specifically a culture or a race the common stereotypes of dark hair and large noses are not necessarily correct. There are many eastern European Jews who may not look stereotypically Jewish but worship Judaism in the same ways that a Jew living in Israel might. The belief in Judaism that Judaism is hereditarily passed through a mother furthers the question of who is really Jewish. This tradition also suggests that Judaism is much like a race in which a common identity is passed from mother to child. There are many different levels of worship, but all qualify someone to call themselves Jewish. Jews can have vastly different cultures and racial backgrounds but worship in the basic traditions of Judaism qualifies anyone to call themselves Jewish.
I'm going to say that Judaism is a little bit of all three. The term can be used to mean a religion, a culture, or a race, or any combination thereof, so it must be inferred from the context what someone means.
Yes, it is a religion, and it is implied therefore that in order to be Jewish one must practice, or at least believe in the religious tenets of Judaism. However, in God's covenant with Abraham, He said "I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you." That was really long and redundant, but the point is clear: God's covenant is hereditary. Whether or not they believe it, according to this story, all the descendants of Isaac are JEWISH. Regardless of their beliefs, the people who are descended from Isaac are racially Jewish.
I think Judaism is definitely a culture too, though not as easily defined. If someone chooses to identify as being Jewish because he was raised in a culturally Jewish household, that makes perfect sense to me. If someone is adopted into an Italian family, is he not culturally Italian? Jews have customs and traditions and language like any other ethnic group, so I don't see any reason why they should be considered different. Religion is implied but not necessary, as Hispanic families are often Catholic, and Afghan families are often Muslim. If you're bothered by the religious implications of the word "Jewish," then call them Israelites.
Judaism can be classified at first as a religion but not entirely;I think it is rather in between religion and ethnicity/race. Since Judaism is born with the belief in God, it is indeed a religion. From Patriarch and Exodus, the idea is based on the belief and faith on the God. However, Judaism is unique because in the first place it specifies the people involved in this "religion" as one specific ethnicity. Usually, religion is formed by "interactions with God and human" and God of course does not really mention about races. Or it is assumed among us that God does not discriminate people because He is above everyone; it is easier to accept a European converted into Buddhist, an Asian Christian, or a White person converted into Muslim: but not an African Jewish. This Judaism basically believes that the God only saves the specific race. So it is essentially impossible for other race to "believe" in Judaism, unless it wants to be abandoned and jeopardized. Therefore, Judaism is hardly categorized as a mere religion, but in its own definition and belief it involves ethnicity.
But Judaism doesn't entirely define a race either, because if a posterity of Isaacs is NOT involved in Judaism because he/she does not believe it. There definitely are "atheist Jewish" --of which I never knew the existence until I took this course-- who can't be said to be involved in Judaism. In short, there is a Jewish race not believing in Judaism. Also, technically, since it started thousands of years ago, no one is sure how exactly much portion of a Jewish here is actually Isaac's posterity. Therefore, it would be the most appropriate to say Judaism is defined as intermediate b/w a religion/blief and an ethnicity/race.
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