Why Scientists Say Jews Are Not a Race (And Why You Should Care)

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 18:25:07 +0000

Why Scientists Say Jews Are Not a Race — And Why You Should Care In recent years, the conversation around Jewish identity has become more nuanced — especially as genetics and anthropology challenge long-held assumptions about race, ethnicity, and belonging. Many scientists argue that Jews are not a “race” in the biological or racial sense, but instead a culturally, ethnically, and religiously defined group. This distinction matters more than it may seem — especially in discussions about identity, diversity, and human evolution. Understanding why Jews are not categorized as a race sheds light on the science of human variation and renews how we think about diversity in a complex world. ### The Scientific Definition of Race First, it helps to clarify what scientists mean by “race.” Biologically, race is not a scientifically valid concept. Modern genetic research shows that human genetic variation does not align with traditional racial categories. Most genetic differences between individuals occur within, not between, groups traditionally labeled by race. In fact, studies indicate that two people from the same geographic region can be more genetically different than two people from widely separated populations. Race, from a scientific perspective, is a social construct rather than a biological reality.