WHAT IS JUDAISM?
When most people hear the word "Judaism", they think of religion. In today's world, Judaism does not mean the same thing as it did in the past. In a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, the majority of self-identified Jewish people articulated that Judaism represents a cultural and ancestral group rather than a religious group. They are aware of their heritage and traditions, but they do not often participate in them.
There are different subsets of the Jewish community as well. The most religious Jews belong to the Orthodox community, followed by Conservative Jews, Reform Jews, and Jews who simply do not have any religion. These groups differ in how often they attend religious services, the amount of religious holidays they celebrate (and to what extent), and how central the role of the Jewish religion is in their lives. These groups are also fluid- just because someone is born into one group does not mean they can switch over into another group in their adult lives.
There are different subsets of the Jewish community as well. The most religious Jews belong to the Orthodox community, followed by Conservative Jews, Reform Jews, and Jews who simply do not have any religion. These groups differ in how often they attend religious services, the amount of religious holidays they celebrate (and to what extent), and how central the role of the Jewish religion is in their lives. These groups are also fluid- just because someone is born into one group does not mean they can switch over into another group in their adult lives.