This communication presents a scholarly exchange between Jacob Neusner and Philip Sigal regarding the fundamental nature of Jewish identity and community structure in the diaspora. The debate centers on whether Judaism should be conceptualized primarily as a Western religious community or as a distinct ethno-national entity with unique theological characteristics. Neusner argues that Jewish religious bonds are essentially different from confessional ties of other religious groups, containing inherent ethnic and national elements rooted in concepts of Israel as God's chosen people, the sanctity of the land of Israel, and divine covenant. He contends that Judaism functions as both religion and civilization, where the Jewish people form the body of which Judaism is the soul, necessitating inclusive community approaches that embrace all Jews regardless of their level of observance. Sigal responds by asserting that Jewish identity derives exclusively from covenantal religious commitment, dismissing ethnic and national elements as historically contingent byproducts of segregation rather than essential features. The exchange reveals fundamental tensions in mid-twentieth century Conservative Judaism regarding communal boundaries, the relationship between particularism and universalism, and the theological implications of Jewish statehood for diaspora communities.