Can a Jew also be an atheist?
- Of course
- For sure
Why?
Because you're a Jew if you are
around people you feel connected to
and an atheist is not being
connected to who is above us
Rawan and Gala
Tel Aviv
Are you Christian or Muslim?
I am atheist
Are you a Christian atheist
or a Muslim atheist?
Those who are Muslim and Christian claim
that you stop being a Muslim 
once you are an atheist
but with the Jews it is different
Right?
It is true if you define
Judaism as a nationality
but if you define Judaism as 
only a religion
then you stop being a Jew the
moment you decide you are an atheist
Any religion, you can decide 
not to live according to it
so then you are an atheist
Do you have something to add?
What does it matter?
True, that is a different thing
No, I have nothing to add
David
Jerusalem
The definition of a Jew is
not what he believes
rather by his lineage
meaning it depends if his mother is a Jew
then he is also a Jew
Judaism is not just a religion
religion means a belief system
Judaism is more than just a belief system
it's a nationhood
it's a family
To Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
It's been passed from 
generation to generation
Can a Jew be an atheist?
Ilana and Yonatan
Jerusalem
someone who doesn't believe at all
Of course
- Yes
Why?
From the moment he is born
he is a Jew
until he changes his religion
he is a Jew
He can be an atheist or not
So someone who says
"I don't believe in anything"
he is still a Jew?
Of course. He was born a Jew
to a Jewish mother
That person will always keep
some tradition
Let's say that he keeps none
Even if nothing, he is still a Jew
because he was born to a Jewish mother
so automatically he is a Jew
Can a Jew, not believe at all
atheist
Yaakov
Jerusalem
is he still a Jew?
Of course he is still a Jew
- How?
He can change...
He can change himself
That he is a Jew
The fact that he is a Jew
So he
It doesn't matter where he is
whether an atheist or not
Is it something...
you didn't say it but
is it connected to birth?
Connected to belief?
Judaism
That is Judaism
In Judaism, you see the 
positive in everything
the good in people
So he can one day believe
Let's say he is 99 years old
and doesn't believe. Is he still a Jew?
Does he die a Jew?
Of course
It doesn't matter if he believes or not
A Jew remains a Jew
It doesn't matter what he believes
He can change himself to something else
He still stays a Jew
A Jew is always a Jew
In your opinion
Rami
Bat Yam
Can a Jew not believe in God?
Yes, it can be
How?
Every Jew believes
there is something small...
a small part of his heart
that believes that
God exists
Let's say someone like me
I don't believe at all
There is a place
that you do believe
I believe that you do believe in God
No, I don't have any belief
But am I still a Jew?
That is the question
You are a Jew
How am I a Jew?
There are others outside Israel
that say that can't be true
You are a Jew and it can be
we can examine this
and see that you are really a Jew
and that you believe
There are ways
to get that out of you
that you are a Jew and believe
But let's say that I don't believe at all
Am I still a Jew?
You are a Jew
Of course you are a Jew
If someone is a Jew
and doesn't believe at all in God
is he still a Jew?
Is he still called a Jew?
Menachem
Beitar (West Bank settlement)
The Rambam said
in connection to
to a person
it says that if he doesn't fit in
he does not keep the Sabbath sacred
you don't beat him
even if he says he doesn't want
even if he doesn't want to keep
the Sabbath sacred
Why?
The Rambam said in these words
"Compel him until he says I want"
until he says "I want"
So it is known from this Rabbi
how can you
when in reality, the person doesn't want
How do you force him to want to (believe)
meaning he will say he believes only
because you are beating him
not because it is his inner truth
So the Rabbi (Rambam) explains
that every Jew has a Godly soul in his heart
that believes in the Creator, blessed by He
without any conditions
even if his logical brain says
he doesn't want
he doesn't want to believe
Let's say his entire life...
he dies at 120
without believing in God at all
is he still a Jew when he dies?
Transgressions are created by 
external cuts
He will receive punishment for that
That's for sure
but that is not the way
We know that...
But do you still think of him as a Jew
Of course
A Jew can never lose his religion
He is a Jew because he was
born to a Jewish mother
God chose him to be a Jew
he receives his soul from his Jewish mother
and we believe in him as a Jew
That is what the Torah has to say
Our holy Torah
The Torah of truth
eternal
and that is also the view of the Rabbi
(Rabbi Menachem Shneerson)
who says to love every Jew
until the end of the world
to bring each Jew closer (to religion)
through love
and we believe that the Messiah
will come soon
Can a Jew be an atheist?
Atheist? Of course
Why?
Firstly, he was born to a Jewish mother
Rivka and Alfons
Akko
No, an atheist is someone 
who doesn't believe
Atheist is someone who doesn't
beleive in religion
But we believe
We are not religious
They (atheists) do believe
and my children
are atheists
Hold on
You believe
Jewish and believe
Your children don't believe?
They will see us on tv
This isn't tv. It is the internet
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00:07:03,89 --> 00:07:03,790
Ok
You don't need to speak about your children
if you don't want to
The question is, if someone Jewish
can still call himself a Jew
if he doesn't believe?
Yes
He is an Israeli Jew
Let's say he is not Israeli?
- the same
Can a Jew be an atheist?
Yes
Why?
Explain to someone who is not...
There are many Muslims and Christians
who say "that can't be true"
"there is no such thing"
"everyone lives according to his beliefs"
I am an atheist
I am a Jew
I think I am more of a Jew
than any of the religious in this neighbourhood
(filmed in a very religious neighbourhood)
We are in Bnai Brak
Yes, yes
I am more of a Jew than them
What does that mean
a Jew that doesn't believe?
For you
I believe in my ten fingers
what I can do with my ten fingers
that is what I believe in
All the rest, for me is nothing
Give me an example of your ten fingers
Everything I have in my life
is entirely by what I did
built, bought and worked
I never woke up in the morning
and there, on the branch of a tree
someone sent me money
I never expected it either
I did everything with my ten fingers
I think that
every person needs to believe in something
to decide that I don't believe in something
is a belief
in my view
If you ask if a Jew can be 
someone who doesn't believe
you immediately take it to a place of being
religious or not religious
but of course there are people 
who believe in their God
beleive in something that exists
that manages everything
What about those who don't 
believe in that at all?
I am an example. I don't believe
there is anything above us
Nothing
Yes but you were born...
But am I still a Jew?
Of course, because you were born a Jew
You are a Jew
It's your choice
- You have no choice
No, you have no choice here
You were born a Jew
The fact is that you were born
from a Jewish mother, right?
So you had no choice
True
You can choose...
If I am Christian and decide
one day that I want to be a Jew
But that's not his question
Does anyone have a veto? 
A veto on your religion?
A veto on Judaism?
But that is not his question
His question is if he can be a Jew
and not believe
- Yes
Yes, you were born a Jew
And actually you can choose whether
to believe or not
And again I am saying to you
not believing, is also a belief
that is also a thought 
that guides you
