Difference Between Arabs and Jews

February 2022 · 3 minute read
Difference Between Arabs and Jews

Arab

Between Arabs vs. Jews

Arabs and Jews are two people that descended from the Semitic people. The Semitic people are a collection of people that mostly lived in the Middle East and North Africa. Many ancient and modern people are part of this collective group.

As terms, “Arab” and “Jew” are often used as descriptions in any connection to each of these respective people and cultures.

To define an Arab and a Jew is a difficult task. The word “Arab” is usually associated with a person who had connections or was born in Arabia. He does not necessarily have to be a follower of Islam or a practitioner of Muslim traditions to be an Arab. On the other hand, Jews are not necessarily considered a race; it is more the combination of an ethnic, national, and religious identity. Both Arabs and Jews have a close relationship to the place they call home, the Arab Peninsula for the Arabs, and Israel for the Jews.

The term “Arab” means a person that hails from Arabia. Likewise, the term “Jew” originated from a place, particularly the Kingdom of Judah, one of the kingdoms mentioned in the Jewish Talmud and the Old Testament of the Christian Bible.

Another point of difference is their professed faith. Arabs are predominately Muslim with small minorities belonging to Christianity and Judaism. In a similar fashion, Jews are predominantly practitioners of Judaism, but some Jews have embraced Christianity, the religion that was formed after Judaism.

It is interesting to note that both people practice monotheism or the religion of one Supreme Being. For the Jews who practice Judaism, their Supreme Being is Yahweh, while the same Being is called Allah by Muslim Arabs. The place of worship also differs – the synagogue is the place of worship for Jews, while the mosque functions as the worship place for Muslims.

Difference Between Arabs and Jews-1

Jews

Both people also rely on their respective holy books. The Koran serves as the authority and collection of teachings with regard to the Muslim faith; the Talmud functions in the same manner for the Jews.

Arabs, in their history, tend to be concentrated in the Arabian Peninsula or in neighboring regions. However, the Jews are often referred to as the “wandering people” due to their exile from Israel, their promised land, and the struggle to find a permanent settlement. In addition, Jews are often persecuted in their foreign settlements in the duration of their diaspora.

In terms of speech and communication, Arabs have their own language, while the Jews use Hebrew as their main language. There are other Jewish languages that are further categorized into language families like: Indo-European, Afro-Asiatic, Turkish, Dravidian, and Kartvelian.

The Persians primarily influenced the Arabs. Meanwhile, European and East Asians influenced the Jews.

Summary:

  • Both Arabs and Jews are groups of people who share a unique culture, tradition, and religion. Both Arabs and Jews are part of the Semitic people.
  • As two separate people, the Arabs are associated with the Arabian Peninsula, the place where their name was coined. On the other hand, the term “Jew” was lifted from the Kingdom of Judah, a historical place mentioned in the Holy writings.
  • The majority of Arabs are Muslims, while the predominant religion of Jews is Judaism. Both practice monotheism or the belief in one Supreme Being. For Muslims, that Being is Allah; Jews call their God Yahweh.
  • The places of worship and sacred books – Jews follow their history and practice their religion by learning the Talmud, while Arab Muslims do the same with their Koran. Jews have synagogues as their place of worship; on the other hand, Muslims have their own mosques.

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