Jewish identity: Ethnicity first, religion second

Jewish people are a diverse people.

Some are assimilated and live much like their neighbours. Others wear black clothes with distinct black hats and preserve what they call a Torah-observant life. There are Liberal Jews, Conservative Jews, Charedi Jews, atheist Jews, and every kind of Jew in between. Some are very religious, others not at all. But they are all Jewish.

The focus of this article is on that one word: are - meaning, their identity is not determined by their beliefs. They are Jewish regardless of what they believe or practice. To be Jewish is an ethnicity first and a religion second.