The Jewish ring-shaped bread sometimes confused with a doughnut is called a bagel.
Bagels are yeasted wheat breads shaped into rings, briefly boiled, and then baked. Boiling gives the finished bread its distinctive chewy crust and dense interior. Traditional bagels may be topped with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onion, garlic, or salt.
Although both bagels and doughnuts are ring-shaped, they are prepared differently and belong to different culinary categories. A doughnut is generally fried and often sweet, while a bagel is boiled and baked and is commonly served with savory or sweet toppings.
Bagels are strongly associated with Jewish communities in Eastern Europe and later with Jewish immigrant food culture in North America. The ring shape is convenient for handling and may also have helped with transport and display on poles or dowels.