What Is Judaism? And Who Is A Jew? The Simple Obvious Answers Are Here!

I can *assuredly* tell you this much: A Jew and Judaism are not just effing titles! Regardless what some in these Western nations believe among us, who are either uninformed or sadly improperly taught to believe, Judaism is not *just* a religion. It is an ethno-religious way of living, that either you follow (in some way!) or you do not. This is Judaism, period! Our derech, life path, is *not* for everyone!

Out of the world’s major religions, only Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism can make the claim of being an actual true religion. As an ethno-religion, Judaism cannot (honestly), by its very nature, make this same claim. Nor is Judaism entirely a bloodline, as some Jewish sons and daughters that are anti-religious (the devout atheists) would like all of us to believe. And, absolutely, *nor* is Judaism a particular skin color, despite the ghettoization of certain Jewish families in Europe (Jew and Gentile in the Western nations fall for this one everytime)! For without the Jewish textline, the family bloodlines mean *absolutely* nothing in this world – regardless how much one protests everything else!

So, if Judaism is not just a religion and is not entirely a bloodline, then what is Judaism *exactly*? Judaism is an ethno-religious “way of living” that is defined by the Jewish people who maintain this ethno-religious way of life path. Judaism is a living and ever-evolving ethno-religious culture that is preserved in the lifestyles of all the different Jewish families around this world. Families that share a common set of rituals and traditions among them (a common textline!), the rituals and traditions having their origins in Ancient Near East (ANE) Judean thoughts and way of life.

Judaism is a theistic experience for some Jews, where an ancestral YHWH god governs every moment of your life with divine laws from the heavens. Judaism is a non-theistic experience for other Jews, who understand the mythology of our gods (YHWH to El and his wife) and embrace cultural encouragement and the human authority needed over the maintenance of our Jewish way of living. And, absolutely not is Judaism some form of “Humanism” (a Christian derived religion), despite the wishes of a blind Jewish few trying to be human “universal.” But, Judaism is the ever-evolving Torah-based lifestyle of ethicalism. Judaism as an ethno-religion, whether theistically or non-theistically approached, can be “practiced” by Jews along with the religious tenets of other non-theistic religions (like Humanism).

Judaism is the Hebrew language for many who speak it, love it, and teach it. Judaism is the archaeological demonstrable history of the three millennia of Jewish people, and the preserved writings of the Jewish people that are studied and taught by Jews. Judaism is lifecycle rituals that we Jewish people engage in, whether theistically or non-theistically, on a daily, weekly, monthly, yearly basis, … and so forth. Judaism is the wearing of our common ancestral garments and ritual items – things *uniquely* Jewish – that are passed on to the children and to their children without *any* shame or fear.

Whether it be prayer Judaism or cultural Judaism, Judaism is – in uncompromising determination – never allowing our unique ethno-religious way of living to be usurped and taken from us as a people! Whether it be by a proselytizing religion, or a form of universal secularization of humanity. (Hence the dislike by the religiously faithful of Christianity and Islam, which capitalizes on just this proselytizing purpose!) Judaism is valuing intimately *Jewish* education, for the sake of continuing *our* ethno-religious ways. Judaism is the interpretation and performance of uniquely *Jewish* mitzvot. Judaism is not a singular ideology that one must have “faith” in (only certain theistic sects have adopted that belief). But the more passion for Judaism that Jews have, the more vibrant and healthy our Judaism is!

So, what is a Jew, then? We Jews are a family-nation or, perhaps more accurately said, we are a nation of many diverse families and skin colors – originating in the Levant, but now arriving from around this world! A Jew is one who is born into or adopted into a Jewish family and raised with *Jewish* identity. A Jew is one who has married into and/or been adopted as a Jew by a legitimate Jewish community (a community actually started by a Jew) and lives a life learning about *Jewish* identity. A Jew is one who *lives* Judaism, as explained above, within his life as an active member of the Jewish nation of families – contributing to our survival as an ethno-religious people (one of the last and most stubborn remaining, since the proselytizing conquests of Christianity and Islam upon this world). Both, with a nation and without, but (count our blessings!) more numerous in numbers than the surviving First Peoples on this so-white-called “American” continent.

Every Jew is valuable and needed within our Jewish nation of families. No Jew or “movement” of Judaism is superior to the other. We *ALL* need each other and, when we do as Jewish Israelis do, sit together at the table by the same bookshelves and study together – despite one’s stance on the spectrum of dati, religious, to chiloni, secular, (without pre-conceived judgements about the other’s motives) – we learn immensely what it *means* to be Jewish!!! If you claim to be a Jew and disparage those *being* Jewish in their lifestyle behavior and way of expressing, can you honestly call yourself a Jew?!

Okay. Questions time! Please, inbox me! Anyone? I will post the questions below, with my answers following. I (and I hope *we*) truly mean what we say: We “unite the world,” both Jewish and Gentile! May all learn to love and live in sanctity. Aloha v’shalom! L’Chayim!!!