That there is a need to convene the sort of conference called "Why Be Jewish" that Rabbi Stern recently did points to precisely how poor a job the institutional Jewish world has done at providing meaningful answers to why we should care about being Jewish. Too often the answer is posed merely in terms of survival: We should be Jewish so we can raise children who will keep being Jewish. Or sometimes, if the answerer is feeling more expansive: We should be Jewish so Hitler doesn’t win.
These answers were surely convincing and sufficient a generation ago, but now they are not. The fact that they were repeatedly emphasized to the near-exclusion of any other contenders explains the sad current state of affairs where many American Jews can’t offer a compelling answer of their own. As a rabbi, I am confronted with these questions all the time from Jews whose own upbringing has let them down in this regard. Here are just a few answers:
For starters, there’s these sense of belonging and connectedness that comes with knowing you are part of something bigger than yourself: a family, a community, a people, a sacred story.
There’s the way Judaism elevates the every day instead of denigrating it, encouraging us to search for holiness within the framework of our lives.
There’s Judaism’s open embrace of tension and dialectics: of not being frightened of contradiction but instead of recognizing that the truth often lies in the tension between two poles.
There’s the ethos of service, first seen in the Torah’s demands that we care for our neighbors in need but dramatically expanded through a dazzling array of institutions designed to meet real needs and repair the world.
There’s the beauty of the holidays shared with community and family, using our past to help anchor us in the present.
There’s the rich legacy of art, literature, scholarship, and humor.
There’s the unflinching insistence that each and every person is created in the divine image and, as such, is deserving of uncompromised dignity.
There’s the embrace of a middle path that elevates moderation and disdains extremes.
There’s the belief that, despite whatever evidence to the contrary, the world can be a better place.
And then there are the latkes.
In short, Judaism offers a rich and endlessly deep legacy that enriches Jews who actively identify with Judaism and embrace its values and ideals, and also offers profound wisdom to the whole world.
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Author, radio and TV talk show host, and President of CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, Brad Hirschfield is the author of 
Lady-
Many Jews see us as not just a religon but as a peoplehood
Peoplehood means a way of life which is culture. Various parts of our culture are important to various Jews.
It goes along with the Jewish religon and is very hard if not almost impossible to seperate and be understood by those who are not Jewish.
Laura
Laura,
You're right about it being hard to understand :-) Because to me, it always seems like there is more importance placed on the culture rather than on the faith. That's strange to me, because as a Catholic I see things as being about the faith, not about the culture. In other words, there are a lot of differences culturally between an Irish-Catholic and an Italian-Catholic, but both are Catholic nonetheless, and the Church unites us beyond our respective cultures.
A person who was, for example, born and raised in say China -- if they profess the faith and formally enter the Church, they are just as Catholic as a priest born and raised in Rome.
Now from what I gather, it is "in theory" the same with Judaism, but it doesn't appear to be that way in practice. I've seen "cultural" Jews who haven't been to temple in years and possess doubts about their faith, and seen them treated as "more Jewish" than someone who goes every week, adheres faithfully to all practices, but comes originally from outside the tradition.
On 8/21, Laura wrote that “Many Jews see us as not just a religon but as a peoplehood. Peoplehood means a way of life which is culture. Various parts of our culture are important to various Jews. It goes along with the Jewish religon and is very hard if not almost impossible to seperate and be understood by those who are not Jewish.” – that would leave me out since I have no ethnic/genetic heritage to the Hebrews… unless of course one believes that G-d made Adam and Eve and that all humankind came from them.
I believe that Faith is about Man’s relationship with G-d, and Religion is about man’s interpretation of
G-d’s relationship to man. Religion demeans man, thus making man less than what G-d created, and Faith exalts G-d, thus giving man the opportunity to be everything G-d intended. My Faith tells me that G-d loves me – G-d loves all of us – warts and all. When G-d created what we call “the world” it took six of what we call “days” and at the end of each day God saw that what had been created was good. The last thing that G-d created was humankind (all of us, in G-d’s likeness, with free-will) and we were given the responsibility to take care of all that G-d had created (including each other). That responsibility is the greatest gift G-d could give us… G-d trusted (and continues to trust) us. The problem arose because – though created in G-d’s likeness – we are physical beings, and there are limitations inherent to our physicality. Limitations of hunger vs greed, need for rest vs laziness, self-confidence vs bragging and false pride etc.; and, these limitations resulted in disobedience, aggression, envy and war. These behaviors caused (and continue to cause) a lessening or limiting of the good that G-d had created… Yet, G-d still loves us and messengers were (are?) sent to remind us that we are loved, we are good, we are trusted, and that if we live up to the responsibility that G-d entrusted us with, we will be happier and more fulfilled than we can imagine. We, as we realize our relationship with G-d, become models of G-d’s light in the world. By living our Faith we bring and keep G-d’s light to and in the world and bring other’s to the light. My Faith does not accept that G-d has some ethnic alliance that precludes others from G-d’s goodness or somehow makes them less worthy or important. Was not Abraham chosen to bring the knowledge of G-d to the world? True, the world he lived in was tiny compared to what was truly out there, but it was not only populated by Hebrews.
Why be Jewish? Because the core beliefs of Judaism (the Jewish Faith) – G-d IS and there is only one G-d; the purpose for those created in G-d’s likeness is all important; Justice, morality, ethics, and compassion are key in everything; and learning is part of a productive life, a life that will fulfill G-d’s plan – speak to my core (my heart and mind). I am Jewish because of my Faith and by the Grace of G-d.
TO Cully I Say AMEN
Thank you and G-d bless.. it's wonderful isn't it to have a religion that teaches what sings to your heart and makes you smile.