Judaism: Race or Ethnicity
The debate of whether Judaism is a “race” or “ethnicity” has always fascinated me. As a millennial, I admittedly have always based race on the basis of skin color and ethnicity on the sharing of cultural and societal norms that in fact tie individuals together within a specific tribe.
In their journal article, “It’s My Genes Biological Discourse and Essentialist Views of Identity Amongst Contemporary American Jews”, Shelly Tenenbaum and Lynn Davidman explore the debate of Jewish identity amongst non-religious or unaffiliated Jews and debate the concept of whether or not Judaism is within the confines of racial identity or retains the status of cultural prominence and similarity under the umbrella of religious context.
To explore this, Tenenbaum and Davidman explore the historical significance of when Jews were indeed more likely to identify themselves, and the world, as a race; then the changes that brought about ethnic identification in the post-holocaust era. At the beginning of their research, Tenenbaum and Davidman ask a respondent, Cheryl, what she feels she shares in common with other American Jews. “What do I have in common with other Jews? History, genetics, very specific genetics, I mean, it’s part of who I am, and it’s quite different than anybody else. I think it’s part of my whole operational system.”1 (Tenenbaum and Davidman #435). Cheryl’s mindset is quite fascinating. While historical connection to other Jews within the context of Cheryl’s identity is not surprising, her association of genetics in her identity is. While Cheryl can argue that she shares certain genetic traits to other Jews, it would seem to me that she is arguing that her way of thinking and being is genetically influenced, not ethnically.
Additionally, because of the widespread and complicated history of persecution and assimilation amongst the Jewish people, pure Jewish genetics is a rare argument, and leaves the possibility of ethnic and cultural nurturing, even choice, to be more palatable. That said, Tenenbaum and Davidman conducted further interviews with contemporary Judaic scholars who indeed shared the closer connection of tribalism within the context of Jewish historical habits perhaps assists us in shying away from skin color as the only marker of racial identity and allows us to explore others as well. An argument can be made about the prevalence of high intelligence amongst Jews, we have a record number of Nobel prize winners, philanthropists, inventors and researchers that have made a significant contribution to societal innovation.
Upon some reflection, I can appreciate Tenenbaum and Davidman’s conclusion of assigning validity to the notion of Judaism as a race. I do think that Jews, even if predisposed by genetics, need to have a strong prevalence of nurture and influence within their identity development. Jewish children, in my opinion, will not appreciate the inherent values of Jewish identity without being taught to embrace and develop them. Jewish parents need to introduce and exemplify these values in order for them to provide meaning. Arguably, Jews raised by non-Jewish parents or within foster care have a very different outlook on identity and values than those raised within a culturally cognizant Jewish environment.
Tenenbaum, Shelly, and Lynn Davidman. “It's in My Genes: Biological Discourse and Essentialist Views of Identity among Contemporary American Jews.” The Sociological Quaterly, vol. 48, no. 3, 2007, pp. 435-450.