Jews, Israelis, and Zionists: Understanding the Differences

The terms “Jews,” “Israelis,” and “Zionists” are often used interchangeably in public discourse, but they refer to very different concepts—one relating to religion and ethnicity, another to nationality, and a third to a political movement.

Understanding these distinctions is crucial for accurate communication.

Jews

A “Jew” refers primarily to a person born to a Jewish mother (or someone who has formally converted to Judaism).

Jews belong to the Jewish people, an ethno-religious group indigenous to the region of Judea.

Judaism, based on the Hebrew Bible, is the religion of the Jewish people and can be a central aspect of Jewish identity, but not all Jews are religious. Jewish identity can also be cultural, ethnic, or simply ancestral.

Due to persecutions, pogroms, wars, and the Holocaust, there are only 15.8 million Jews worldwide, with about half living in Israel.

Judaism traces its origins around 4,000 years ago with the covenant between Abraham and God.

Christianity (emerging around the 1st century CE) and Islam (emerging in the 7th century CE) are later religions based on Judaism.

Israelis

“Israeli” refers to a citizen of the modern State of Israel, established in 1948. Israelis can belong to any religion or ethnic group; the population includes Jews, Arabs (Muslim and Christian), Druze, and others.

While most Israelis are Jewish, being Israeli does not necessarily mean being Jewish.

Being an Israeli is a legal statues.

Zionists

A “Zionist” is someone who supports the Jewish homeland in the historic land of Israel.

Zionism reflects the Jewish longing to return to Zion, as expressed in Psalm 137:1: “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down and we wept, when we remembered Zion.” This psalm was composed during the Babylonian exile (586 BCE), when many Jews were taken from the Kingdom of Judah to Babylon.

In the late 19th century, Zionism developed as a practical movement with the goal of finally decolonizing and recreating the Jewish state, which ultimately led to the founding of the State of Israel in 1948.

A Zionist can be Jewish or non-Jewish, Israeli or non-Israeli. Zionism is based on values of inclusivity, democracy, equality, and the recognition of the indigenous rights of the peoples of the Mediterranean region

Common Misunderstandings

• Not all Jews are Israelis. Many Jews live outside Israel and may have never been to the country.

• Not all Israelis are Jews. Roughly 20% of Israel’s population is Arab or belongs to other minority groups.

• Not all Zionists are either Jews or Israeli. Anyone can be a zionist. Being a Zionist is a personal opinion.