What is a Jew

[Kanamori]

Since I haven't noticeda cultural argumentation against Pindar's position, as I understand it, I will put it forward. There is no denying that someone who believes in the old texts and Yaweh is a Jew. There is also the afore mentioned differnece between a Jew and a Hebrew: "Jews follow Judaism, a religion. Hebrews are a race of Semites." - Insane Apache. There is, however, a difference between being a Jew and being Jewish. There is a Jewish culture -- a culture of or resembling the Jews. When you, Pindar, say, "Further, the culture of an Ethiopian Jew and a Russian Jew are not the same," it seems to be an argument in preparation of an assertion such as my own. Of course, Russian Jews and Ethiopian Jews have different cultures, there is no way around it. This, however, does not mean that their cultures are not distinctly Jewish, again of or resembling the Jews. Although they are disparate in their qualities, they share the distinction that their culutures developed the way they did, under a simialr model if you will, because of their religion. Also there is distinct Jewish quisine. All Jewish quisines are not the same from the different regions Jews inhabit, but they all share the same origin. Saying cultural things are Jewish is saying that they originated under the same model, more specifically: because of their religion, the culuture of different Jews changed as they moved or were forced into other areas and were exposed and entered -- assimilated isn't the right word ;) -- into existing socities and cultures. As those cultures encouter the Jewish cultures, portions of them rub off, such as Jewish quisine and habits. You can be Jewish without being a Jew. Some of the culture of New York City comes to mind as a case in point.