On Wednesday, November 14, 2007 I was asked the following question:

Dear Rabbi Dan,

I have often heard Jews referred to as a race. Are we?

This was my response:

We've been referred to as a race, a nation, a religion, a people, and some not-so-endearing terms as well.

I see "race" as encompassing all mankind...We are the human race as opposed to any "alien" life form that may or may not coexist in the universe.

We are, of course a nation and a people as well as a religion that has endured thousands of years and attempts to put an end to us.

At the core of it all, if only people would see it that way, we are all on a path to reuniting with our Creator; who created each of us as equal...There is no commentary whatsoever in Torah that Hashem created the Jewish people...just people in general who, along the way, have chosen to follow different ways of the same religious/spiritual teachings. Then, of course, there are those among us who choose to read their own biases into everything and have "their G-D" different from the 1 G-d of all mankind.

Gmar Chatima Tova
Rabbi Dan

If you have questions about a personal matter, or jewish practices and customs, you can submit them to me by e-mail. I answer all queries directly, or through this column, when the question is informative to our community.

Thank you for your kind attention and this opportunity to share with you,
Rabbi Dan S. Wiko
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