According to an essay written by Tracey Rich and published online at JewFAQ.org, Jews are a nation but not in the modern sense meaning a territorial and political entity. Jews are a nation in the ancient sense meaning a group of people with a common history. In common use, the word Jew is used to refer to all of the physical and spiritual descendants of Jacob, Abraham and Isaac. The word Judaism refers to the beliefs of Jews. Judaism as a religion is communally-oriented. Prayers are stated in the plural, and Jews are expected to pray in communal groups.
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