Jewish can describe a people, a religion, a culture, or some mix of all three. Different communities emphasize each of these aspects in different ways.
Jewish people
Jewish often refers to members of the Jewish people, an ethnoreligious group that traces its origins to the ancient Israelites and Judeans in the Middle East. This sense can apply whether or not someone is personally religious.
Jewish religion
Jewish can also mean connected to Judaism, the monotheistic religion, beliefs, and practices of the Jewish people. A person who converts to Judaism is also considered Jewish in the religious sense.
Who counts as Jewish
Most traditional Jewish legal views say a person is Jewish if born to a Jewish mother or if they have completed a recognized conversion. Some non‑Orthodox movements also accept people with a Jewish father if they are raised and identify as Jewish.
Word “Jewish”
The word Jewish means “of, relating to, or characteristic of Jews.” The underlying term “Jew” itself comes from “Judah,” one of the ancient Israelite tribes and kingdoms.