Ask The Rabbi!!

[Mr. Ed]

Here's one that's always been on my mind:

Do you consider Jews as an ethnic group?

Whenever I bring up my ethnicity I say that I am Jewish and Russian (my father is an ethnic Russian), but most people are quick to point out that 'Jewish' is not an ethnicity.

I know it was the law in the Soviet Union(both my Soviet birth certificate and passport say my ethnicity is Jewish) and is still common in the former USSR . Over the last year I've travelled to Russia and have recently returned from a trip to Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic countries as well as Poland and Germany and have found Jews are still considered as an ethnic group in the former USSR (I'm not aware of the national or legal definition of ethnicity in these countries).

Thanks,
Ed