#i’m goyish so this may not be my place to speak

[2500ji]

the scariest thing about the current state of zionism discourse (which should have never left the jewish community, as it is a jewish discussion to be had) is that so many leftists have been radicalized with literal nazi ideology and do not even realize it. if you say you want all zionists dead (which can only mean you want an overwhelming number of jews dead) you will get hundreds of thousands of notes with people agreeing and cheering for the death of zionists jews. you want jews to die. saying it’s zionists instead of jews does not change that zionists are, and can only be, jewish.

[benevolentbirdgal]

A “brief” reference guide to modern Jewish denominations / Jewish Writing Advice / Jewish Identity / Jewish Reference Guide [graphic at bottom]

Writing a Jew or Jewish family? Aware that Judaism is not a monolith and want to honor that? Great! Need help with that? 100% cool - I’m here as your friendly (virtual) neighborhood Jewish professional to help. Just want to know more about Jewish denominations in comparison to one another? Also great! Fair warning - this is a long one. At least I included a graphic at the bottom?

Quick notes to acknowledge: As always, this is an American and Americanish perspective (and denominations as discussed here are MOSTLY relevant in the U.S. anyways). Additionally, the modern denominations as we think of them today really sprung from Ashkenazi communities in the 19th and 20th centuries. Most extant U.S. synagogues, day schools, and groups follow Ashkenazi customs and align with a denomination born of Ashkenazi tradition (aligning with the approximately 90% of Jewish-Americans who are Ashkenazi or Ashkenazi plus another community). Sephardi, Mizrachi, and other Jewish communities have their own traditions and jurisprudence. Most organized non-Ashkenazi communities in the U.S. identify as nondenominational but most closely compare in practice to orthodoxy, and many non-Ashkenazi Jews (especially outside of major population centers that may have other specific subgroup’s synagogues) are members of and very involved in Ashkenazi-originating movements, institutions, and synagogues. 

For the purpose’s of today’s discussion, we’ll start in the 19th century, because Karaites vs Pharisees vs Sadducees is a (his)story for another time. This also isn’t a history of how these denominations came to be-with the exception of some ultraorthodox groups, which may have sprung from the shtel a little earlier, all the below movements popped out of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. I’m also going to list approximate percentage of the American Jewish population, and I’m going to (kinda) go in order from most to least strict/traditionally observant. 

Ultraorthodox (aka Haredi): The strictest, more traditional and expansive observance of the Torah, Talmud, and minhagim (customs). About 1% of American Jews are ultraorthodox. Ultraorthodox is not a unified movement. 

1a. Haredi, Satmar, and most other groups generally isolate themselves from the wider Jewish world and secular world.

1b. Chabad is also ultraorthodox, but specially seeks to interact with less observant Jews. I wouldn’t call it proselytizing, because they don’t seek to make gentiles Jewish, but they do try and find less observant Jews and bring them closer to Judaism, also establishes small synagogues around the country and world in isolated place. 

1c. Ultraorthodox are the most visibly Jewish attired group, wearing Kippahs for all men and boys and tichels (headscarves) and/or wigs for married women. Very modest attire for all. In Ashkenazi Ultraorthodox communities, men also tend to only wear black and white, hats in addition to their kippah (for grown and married men), and wearing tzitzit (a garmet with four corners with strings attached worn under a shirt with the threads sticking out). 

1d. Most likely to speak Yiddish or Hebrew as first language.

1e. No gender equality, very strict kosher, and intense community adherence to particular brand of Judaism.

1f. Communities generally led by a Rabbi and a Rebbetzin (Rabbi’s wife) as pair (rabbis are generally expected to be married).

1g. No female Rabbis, same-sex marriage, or intermarriage. Lots of children. Pretty much all boys have Bar Mitzahs, rarely do girls have Bat Mitzvahs. 

1h. Services entirely in Hebrew (except maybe the sermon).

1i. Only count matrilineal Jews and converts-Jewish father and gentile mother doesn’t count for them. 

1j. Very strict observance of prohibitions and commandments pertaining to Shabbat and holidays. 

Modern orthodox: Orthodox, but with some adaptations to modern life. Roughly 9% of American Jews. Also some division within modern orthodoxy (with some congregations being more liberal than others, particularly in regards to women and LGBTQ+ folks), but there are a couple of major organizations that most modox rabbis and congregations affiliate with one another through larger denomination movements (i.e. the Orthodox Union and the Rabbinical Council of America). 

2a. Modern orthodox Jews regularly interact with other Jews who are more liberal. They tend to live in more Jewish communities but no issues with interacting with outside world.

2b. Modest clothing and men wear kippot everywhere (when safe). Married women also usually cover their hair (with wigs or tichels). Men also typically wear tzitzit. 

2b. Gender roles, but progress being made. Handful of female rabbis emerging in 2010s/2020s. Whether women count in a minyan depends on the specific congregation and many modern orthodox shuls will have separate women’s prayer groups. The prevalence of Bat Mitzvahs also varies wildly congregation to congregation.

2c. Like ultraorthodox, communities are typically led by a Rabbi and his wife the Rebbetzin. Some acceptance of homosexual individuals as members of the community, but no same-sex marriage (some alternate ceremonies emerging). Like one out gay male rabbi. No intermarriage.

2d. Very strict adherence to kosher, would likely not eat at someone less kosher’s home.

2e. Usually have on the higher end of a “normal” amount of children. Services entirely in Hebrew (except sermon).

2f. Only count matrilineal Jews and converts-Jewish father and gentile mother doesn’t count for them.

Less traditionally observant than this is often known as “liberal Judaism” - around 90% of American Jews.

2g.  Very strict observance of prohibitions and commandments pertaining to Shabbat and holidays. 

Conservative: Brands itself as middle of the road Jewish movement. about 18% of the American Jewish population. No connection to conservative politics, most Conservative with a C Jews are liberal or moderate politically. Often called “Masorti” outside the U.S and hypothetically a unified movement under several connected organizations (i.e. the Masorti Olami and the Jewish Theological Seminary). 

3a. Gender equality. Female rabbis and LGBTQ rabbis definitely an acceptable thing, but not as common as with Reform or Reconstructionist. 

3b. Formally sanctioned ceremony for same-sex couples to wed under Jewish law since 2012 and affirmation ceremonies since 2006.

3c. Modesty in synagogues but comparable to regular American attire otherwise.

3d. Generally comparable family size to other American families.

3e. Kosher, but not as strict as orthodoxy. Many Conservative Jews have kosher homes but are willing to be more lax when eating out. Synagogues are always kosher.

3f. Services mostly in Hebrew, sermons and some prayers definitely in local language.

3g. Intermarriage is frowned upon, but many otherwise Conservative Jews will be married by a less traditional rabbi or justice of the peace to non-Jewish partners. Although Conservative rabbis do not perform interfaith marriages, many interfaith couples are in Conservative synagogues. In the 90s/2000s it was way less friendly to interfaith couples/families (laughs in having a goyish dad) but that has improved in the past 3-5 years substantially. 

3h. Observance of prohibitions and commandments pertaining to Shabbat and holidays is regulated but less strict than orthodoxy. Varies a bit by community. A good example to illustrate this is getting to synagogue on Shabbat:

By the book (not necessarily reflected by attendees): Orthodoxy says you have to walk there (no driving), Reform says it’s no issue to drive on Shabbat, and Conservative says you can drive but only to get to shul and back. 

3i. As with orthodoxy, only matrilineal Jews count. Most interfaith families with non-Jewish moms (or moms who converted post-birth of the kid), particularly those who want to participate in Conservative communities will convert the child as a baby so they can have a normal Jewish upbringing (beyond an extra blessing/prayer in the Bnai Mitzvah process and social awkwardness that oft accompanies interfaith families in Jewish spaces).

3j. Most dress comparably to others in geographic area (synagogue notwithstanding, see my other post). Men on the higher end of observant might also wear kippahs all the time as well. Outside of explicitly Jewish contexts, similar lifestyles to surrounding populations. Around the same number of children as in gentile families. 

Reform: Not at all traditionally observant. About 35% of American Jews. More or less a cohesive movement linked by organizations (i.e. Women of Reform Judaism and the Union for Reform Judaism).

4a. Reform Judaism is the largest group. It generally views Judaism through the lens of social justice, repairing the world, and cultural heritage as opposed to religious mandate. 

4b. Very big on personal choice in what one observes, I like to call it “choose your own adventure” Judaism. 

4c. Keeping kosher is uncommon. Some shuls aren’t even kosher.

4d. Reform services use the least Hebrew, although this is changing in some places. 

4e. Reform’s standard of Jewishness is 1+ Jewish parent(s) and raised doing Jewish things, regardless of which parent is Jewish. 

4f. Very feminist/egalitarian and welcoming to LGBTQ+ folks. Highest number of not-straight rabbis and female rabbis. 

4g. Intermarriage very common and can be performed by Reform rabbis. 

4h. Reform Judaism was way ahead of the curve in terms of LGBTQ+ rights and religion. The movement has had members advocating for homosexual rights (protection in housing, employment, civil marriage, and other nondiscrimination protections) since 1965 (finally passing formal resolutions in 1977), began proactively including/welcoming out gay rabbis in 1990, created same-gender marriage Jewish ceremonies in 1996/7, and has made resolutions explicitly including bi and trans people as well since 2004 (stuff earlier than that generally specified “gay and lesbian”). An additional resolution was passed in 2015 regarding trans and nonbinary inclusion, alongside guides to help congregations do so. 

4i. See #3j - also applies here. 

Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform, are the biggest and “standard” movements people will most typically list and identify with, most likely to appear in surveys and studies, are older than everything listed below. Modern Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform all started in the 19th century and some Ultraorthodox groups trace back further than that. I’ve outlined some practical differences, but the basic theoretical difference is that Orthodox considers traditional Jewish law (Halacha) binding and you can’t change it, Conservative believes it it’s binding but the community can change it, and Reform believes that it’s nonbinding. 

Some smaller movements: 

Reconstructionist - Newest even remotely well-known and organized movement, founded in the 1920s as an offshoot of the Conservative movement. I would describe it as “build your own adventure but Halacha matters (or at least some of it).” The first thing almost every recon Jew I’ve ever met has told me when describing reconstructionism is that they invented the bat mitzvah in 1922, which basically translates to “tradition matters but also egalitarianism.”

Maybe 2%-5% of American Jews today self-ID as Reconstructionist, but I would argue that a lot of nondenominal practitioners have philosophies fairly aligned with the recon ethos. 

Jewish Renewal: very small and relatively disorganized movement started in the 1960s. Attempts to bring Jewish tradition and modern sensibilities, hippie Jews who care about Halacha. Big on mysticism and music, doing Jewish enthusiastically, and a tendency towards more traditional observance in conjunction with progressive politics. Kind of the laid-back cousin of reconstructionism, although neither sprung from the other. 

(Cultural) Humanistic Judaism: “Non-theistic” Judaism for atheist Jews who still want a connection to their history, culture, and celebrations. 

Nondenominational - Nondenominational and post-denominational Jews are the fast growing group. Variety of liberal/non-traditionally observant beliefs and practices, but most will still contextualize themselves around the denominational scale.

[daz4i]

i posted a quick thing abt it earlier but now i’m posting a whole rant. tw antisemitism as well as mentions of terrorism under the cut. i would actually appreciate it if my goyishe mutuals try to read it despite the length

it’s actually making me really angry how easily antisemitic lies are spread on this site, especially under the guise of leftism. you’re using people’s good will to further a destructive agenda, and every time a jewish person speaks up against it we’re brushed off as aggressive, racist (bc correcting goyim about their misinformation is apparently the same as hating palestinians?? for some reason??), or literally attacked for *checks notes* saying we actually don’t want to be murdered or hate crimed in some other way

it’s especially common with american or british goyim to apply the logic of their own countries to the israeli-palestinian conflict and refuse to listen to anyone pointing out how it’s way more nuanced than just “big country steals land from natives just to get stronger” even if that’s what you see on the surface, and part of it is because of said antisemitic lies

there is historical - not that far history either, we’re talking 70, maybe 80 years ago, there’s people still alive who went through this - context to it all, most of it being THE LITERAL HOLOCAUST, YOU KNOW, A GENOCIDE JEWISH PEOPLE WENT THROUGH, 6 MILLION OF US DIED, WE STILL HAVEN’T REACHED THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WE HAD BEFORE IT SINCE THEN BECAUSE IT WAS THIS DESTRUCTIVE TO OUR PEOPLE, that’s the reason why israel even exists in the first place. that’s not even considering hate crimes and other cases of terrorism targeting jews still happening around the world.

people saying zionism isn’t tied to judaism are either lying or are severely misinformed. zionism’s whole point is wishing for jews to be able to live and practice their religion in the country promised to them by god, aka zion, aka israel. that’s literally it. don’t let goyim make you think otherwise, don’t let them make you think it has nothing with religion, this is antisemitic propaganda and you are falling for it. (this whole rant started bc i saw a post of someone talking about how dumb and for some reason racist it is to say antizionism is antisemitism and i wanted to bite someone fr bc i KNOW they’re not jewish they’re just an antizionist and didn’t like being called antisemitic for it so they demonized the jewish people who called them out on it. please don’t put shit like that on my dash thank you)

i will admit that the modern definition of zionism slightly changed - not to most jews tbh, more to a very loud (and dangerous) minority within us, and that’s how we got to the current situation of oppressor-oppressed. i am more than willing to admit the israeli government is committing awful acts driven partially by racism and thirst for more power, especially with how right leaning it’s been for years now. we shouldn’t ignore this either.

however, hating israeli people for committing the awful crime of... being born... in a place........ IS antisemitic. i won’t blame palestinians who hate us, but i will definitely call out anyone else for that. do you hate every american person for simply being born in america because of what the actions of their government? no? okay, then what’s different about the israeli people? 🤔 hmmm really makes you think 

if your argument is “but you all serve in the military and therefore taking part in the oppression” i’ll have to remind you that:

military service is mandatory at 18 years old for 2-3 years

refusing to serve with no actual reason for it (like a disability of some sort for example) means you go to prison as well as get a huge stain on your future in general, so obviously almost all 18 y/os would prefer to serve and just get it over with rather than risk it

most of the soldiers in the idf are teenagers who may have gotten some basic training, a good majority of them probably doing office/computing jobs or stuff more similar to volunteer works but in uniform rather than going on the field and engaging in any form of violence 

which like. i can’t tell you what your opinion should be obviously but i think these are some things you should consider when you form one, not about the conflict itself but about the idf or israeli individuals 

also automatically assuming every israeli person supports the government no matter what is just dumb. we’re not a hive mind. our last prime minister and trump’s ex-bestie netanyahu stayed in power for this long by taking advantage of political loopholes basically (and tbh that’s how our current racist prime minister got the role too) rather than fair democratic elections (also even if he just got elected that doesn’t mean every single israeli person agrees with him, that’s just how democracy works. his supporters aren’t even a majority because we’ve got so many parties in every election cycle - another reason why you shouldn’t apply american or british standards to this country). viewing us as this one being that just wants to kill and steal land is antisemitic

on that note, the whole “thieves” thing ppl have abt israel is also antisemitic. for some more historical context, jews have been called thieves for centuries and we’re constantly blamed for most problems as well as for “taking over” everything because a lot of jews worked in banks and took care of money in many countries in europe, so when people had problems they dumped it on us. that’s part of where the whole lizard people conspiracy theory started from, too (on that note, don’t joke about it, yes not even about mark zuckerberg no matter how much you hate him, i hate him too but that’s no reason to make antisemitic jokes about a jewish man) 

even today, jewish people face violence and terrorism. just two weeks ago in chicago a jewish man was assaulted and synagogues and jewish schools were vandalised and sprayed with swastikas, for example. you can’t pretend antisemitism is irrelevant to this - the reason israel even exists, the reason the un decided it should exist, is to avoid cases like this. i’m only 23 years old but i remember when i was in like, middle school, there was a surge of french jews moving here after a wave of antisemitic hate crimes. this is still an issue and yes, this affects the conflict, because these people - as well as anyone being born here - need to live somewhere, obviously. you can’t talk about how we need to be kicked out of this country when this is what happens when we live anywhere else. you can’t say “never again” but then ignore what needs to be done for jews to actually be safe (i DON’T mean wars and killing palestinians or kicking them out of their homes, on god no one take me out of context and assume i’m implying something like that. i mean finding a place for jews to live and be safe). you can’t say “punch nazis” but constantly fall for their propaganda, they WILL use your good will to trick you into hating us. 

basically, i’m just asking you to pay attention, and to think before you keep spreading misinformation or sometimes even purposely malicious propaganda. 

is the person saying what does and doesn’t count as antisemitism actually jewish? no? probably propaganda, or best case scenario, a misguided person who thinks too highly of themselves. either way don’t engage with what they say and i’d say even block them, even if you think they make some good points.

is this post talking about the israeli government, or about israeli people? if it’s the latter, it’s antisemitic. at the best case scenario, it’s a person not thinking their words through, but this is still spreading dangerous ideas. don’t spread them even further. 

is a post condemning an israeli individual (most obvious example: gal gadot) for serving in the army? if you’ve read this post you already know it’s a little more nuanced. as i said, make your own opinion on the matter, but let it be an informed one rather than hating someone for something they didn’t have much of a choice in. 

also while i’m at it (didn’t know where else to put this rant sorry it’s a little off-topic), thinking all jews/israelis are white is racist - there’s more historical context like the holocaust and years before it that i’m not even sure i can explain (find any post complaining abt mother gothel’s design in tangled it’ll surely do a better job than me), but there’s a more obvious thing: a lot of jews are just. not european. honestly when it comes to ancestory, i’d argue no jew actually is (bc we’re originally from israel, aka the middle east) but obviously after so many years of assimilation it’s not exactly how it works and like everything regarding humans, it’s not black or white. still, most people in israel especially are a mix of multiple ethnic origins from across the world and it’s just unfair to brush it off to, again, apply western logic to a country that’s fundamentally different to justify your hate as being “woke”.

just. everything about this is very nuanced and complicated, because that’s how humans are. blind hate will get you nowhere. educate yourself if you can (i’d say start with the basics, read about the holocaust first, why and how it started and what led up to it). apply critical thinking before spreading infromation you’re not educated about and consider who posted and why they did it. talk to more jewish people, israeli or not. and stop putting antisemitic bullshit on my dash please i am begging you this shit is shortening my lifespan- 

[lcnelyinthesky]

pairing: akaashi keiji x female reader

genre: fluff!!, TLFY!au

warnings: none :>

word count: 1249

synopsis: you come home from a horrible day at work to your boyfriend akaashi, who has his heart set on telling you a little story.

author’s note: chapter six of lily and i’s “the last five years” collab! i remember being super proud of this when i wrote it, so enjoy!!

“Keiji, I’m really not up for your antics right now.” Your tone had a slight bite to it after having a horrible day at the bar you were employed by. The big dreams you had weren’t working as planned and today had been a tipping point, and while you love your boyfriend, he could sometimes be a bit overbearing with his ideas.

Schmuel would work 'til half-past ten at his tailor shop in Klimovich

Get up at dawn and start again with the hems and pins and twist

Forty-one years had come and gone at his tailor shop in Klimovich

Watching the winters soldier on, there was one thing Schmuel missed

“Oh come on y/n!! I made this just for you. It’s just a little Christmas story, I call it ‘The Story of Schmuel, Tailor of Klimovich,’ please, just relax and listen.” Akaashi grabbed your hand and led you to the couch in your living room. The whole space, albeit small, was decorated to the brim with Christmas decorations. Every wall was adorned with colored lights and the small, green tree on the coffee table had a star on the top that was far too big for it. He stood in the center of the room, making his already tall body just a bit taller with a step stool as a stage. He continued to speak in a funny voice

"If I only had time," old Schmuel said "I would build the dress that's in my head. A dress to fire the mad desire of girls from here to Minsk. But I have no more hours left to sew.”

Akaashi’s eyes began to light up more and more as he got into the story.

Then the clock upon the wall began to glow… And the clock said: "Na na na na, na na na, oh Schmuel, you'll get to be happy! Na na na na, na na na, I give you unlimited time! Na na na na, na na na, So Schmuel, go sew and be happy!"

Something about his passion always fascinated you. He was reserved and quiet as a person, but that let him be far more meticulous than most. He could see every single thing and he remembered them all. There was no getting past Akaashi Keiji, but he wasn’t necessarily stubborn. 

But Schmuel said, "No, no, it's not my lot. I've gotta make do with the time I've got."

You had grown to know him better and better through the time you’ve been together. He opened up to you and you did to him. If you told anyone that your quiet boyfriend was telling you a very animated story about an old man, they wouldn’t believe you for a second.

But you knew Akaashi. You trusted him, and he trusted you. You two worked in a way none of your relationships had before. 

Schmuel was done at half-past ten and he said, "Good night, old Klimovich!" Put on his coat to go, but then the clock cried, "Wait! Not yet! Even though you're not wise or rich, you're the finest man in Klimovich! Listen up, Schmuel – Make one stitch and you'll see what you can get!"

He was a goofball under the stoic, silent facade. He was playful and passionate and open, and you thanked fate every day for letting you see that side of him. 

But Schmuel said, "Clock, it's much too late. I'm at peace with life, I accept my fate..."

But the clock said, "Schmuel! One stitch and you will unlock the dreams you've lost!"

Akaashi’s face was lit up.

So Schmuel, with reluctance, took his thread. He pulled a bolt of velvet and he said:

"I should take out my teeth and go to bed! I'm sitting here with talking clocks instead!"

His eyes were glistening.

And the clock said: "Na na na na, na na na, oh Schmuel, you'll get to be happy! Na na na na, na na na, I give you unlimited time! Na na na na, na na na, just do it and you can be happy!"

He was in his element.

So Schmuel put the thread through the needle's eye, and the moon stared down from a starless sky

And he pushed the thread through the velvet black, and he looked, and the clock was turning... back!

So he grabbed his shears and he cut some lace as the hands moved left on the old clock's face!

And his fingers flew and the fabric swirled – It was nine-fifteen all around the world!

And you were so thankful to be a part of that.

Every cut and stitch was a perfect fit as if God Himself were controlling it! And Schmuel cried, through a rush of tears, "Take me back! Take me back all forty-one years!"

You sat there and giggled as he got so into his story. His face had curled into the biggest smile as he watched the glee enter your eyes. You grabbed the blanket from over the back of the couch and covered yourself in it, finding a mug of tea on the table next to you that presumably Akaashi had made before you came home--it was still warm. You sipped and filled yourself with warmth, feeling the horrendous parts of the day melt right away. Akaashi’s tone quieted down as he told the next parts of the story.

Plenty have hoped and dreamed and prayed, but they can't get out of Klimovich

If Schmuel had been a cute Goyishe maid, he'd've looked a lot like you

“Wait. I'm Schmuel? Why am I Schmuel??” You looked into the light blue eyes of your boyfriend, who was now kneeling in front of you on the couch. He held both of your hands in his and spoke right to you.

“Oh yeah you are, dear.” Akaashi giggled when he spoke, getting ready for his explanation as you scoffed jokingly. He may have just compared you to an old man, but you couldn’t help but feel loved in his presence.

Maybe it's just that you're afraid to go out on to a limb-ovich

Maybe your heart's completely swayed, but your head can't follow through

He winked at you and got up, walking to the other side of the room again, ready to continue the story with as much passion as before.

But shouldn't I want the world to see the brilliant girl who inspires me?

Don't you think that now's a good time to be the ambitious freak you are?

Say goodbye to wiping ashtrays at the bar! Say hello to Cathy Hiatt, big-time star!

He then grabbed some things off a nearby table, all wrapped lightly in white tissue paper and a pale yellow ribbon. 

Here's a headshot guy and a new BackStage where you're right for something on every page –

Take a breath. Take a step. Take a chance… Take your time.

He set the things down in your lap as you shifted to place your feet on the vinyl flooring. Akaashi knelt down in front of you again, putting his hands on your knees and looking intently into your eyes. Vulnerability and honesty and love was plastered all over his face. His features softened and he took his right hand up to push a piece of your hair behind your ear. He placed a kiss on your forehead when you moved your head down slightly.

Have I mentioned today how lucky I am to be in love with you?

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[aimmyarrowshigh]

Natalia Portman being white isn’t complicated at all. She’s white, full stop. She may be Jewish, and yes, the concept of ethnicity vs. spiritual practice in the Jewish community is complex, but the VAST majority of Jews who appear to be white are, in fact, white. They’re just also, incidentally, Jewish.

1) Ethnic Jews, including Ashkenazim, are genetically distinct from white people. Like, I have to say this up-top, up-front, because I know you didn’t send this in good faith and aren’t going to read anything I say, so if you only read one more sentence, make it this one: YOU ARE AWARE THAT THE NAZIS, AND THE WHITE SUPREMACIST GROUPS, INDIVIDUALS, AND POLICIES THAT EMULATE THEM, TARGET JEWS AS A RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUP, AND NOT AS A RELIGIOUS GROUP, RIGHT? RIGHT. Hitler didn’t give a shit whether Jews read the New Testament, he hated Jews for being a racial and ethnic minority group who are not genetically, or culturally, or politically, white, and that’s the same reason that antisemites in California and Pennsylvania and Paris and London today do. But, of course, the sociopolitical landscape of the world has changed since then, and with it, the construct of whiteness. And we’re not talking about Nazi Germany, since Natalie Portman never lived there and it doesn’t exist anymore, we’re talking about America, right? Right!

So, is Natalie Portman, an Ashkenazi Jewish woman, white? Well… like I said, she’s white sometimes. As much as a lot of antisemitic propaganda may tell you so, Ashkenazim are not Europeans who just happened to be Jewish; they’re Jews who happened to live in Europe. Many Ashkenazim, including myself – as I always say so when I talk about this, because even more than most Ashkenazim, I have extremely passing features for the most part – live in locations in the United States in which we can pass for white, and are afforded many or most of the political and cultural privileges of whiteness. There are no Jews, anywhere, who are afforded all of them, because:

2) You literally cannot be white and Jewish because the essence of political, cultural whiteness, by necessity excludes Jews.

Ignoring the fact that Jews are a key target, and historically the key target, of white supremacist organizations and the agenda of white supremacist politics because SOME Jews in the United States pass for white is to give those white supremacist goals more power.

The degree to which even very white-passing Jews are afforded the privileges of whiteness varies enormously by… a lot of factors, which you probably don’t care about, but location is a huge-huge-huge factor in whether any given Jew can pass for white at any given moment. I live in an area that has the third-highest per-capita concentration of Jews outside of New York City and Israel, and I like 98% of the time pass for white and am afforded 98% of the privileges of American whiteness. If I were to have to move down to, I don’t know, Alabama? I would probably pass for white with many fewer people, and in many fewer situations, and would be afforded fewer of the privileges of whiteness as a result. That’s why Jewish Americans talk about conditional whiteness. I can’t speak to the experience of white-passing Jews in modern Europe, or what it takes to be considered white-passing as a Jewish person in contemporary Europe, because that’s not where I live and the political and cultural definitions of whiteness in Europe are different than they are in America.

But until like, the late 1980s? When the Iron Curtain fell and the remaining living Jews from the former USSR were able to emigrate to America, Canada, or Israel (as the three main destinations; obviously some went other places, and some remained)? Jewish people were point-blank not considered white, period, ANYWHERE. It’s a VERY new thing for Jewish people, no matter how fair-skinned or small-nosed, to be considered even able to pass for white. And it’s largely because white Americans and Canadians saw these immigrants as Soviets first, and Jews second, and Soviets are white. But again, this is a SUPER NEW VIEWPOINT, and is ONLY applicable to America and Canada. (And also, like, very much not Everywhere in America or Canada, either. And with fewer places and less consistency every week, it seems like.)

In Eastern Europe, Jews are 1000% still not white, and do not have the same political and cultural privilege afforded to their goyishe neighbors, even when or if they look pretty much the same. It is violently horrible for Jews in Eastern Europe. And part of that is because the political concept of whiteness – because that’s all whiteness is, is a sociopolitical construct – is pointedly different than in America, because they do not have to grapple with America’s history of antiblackness, which is a huge, huge, huge part of what creates American whiteness, and what defines the degrees to which all non-Black but also non-White groups are granted access to whiteness in America. Jews are granted more access to whiteness when we can be used as a cudgel against Black people, and that’s bullshit, and it sucks, and it’s a completely intentional and insidious choice by white supremacy and American whiteness, and it’s something that everyone – white, Black, Jewish, and otherwise – needs to be aware of in the propagandist framing of interactions of our communities. White supremacy works REALLY HARD to use non-white communities as chess pieces against each other (see also: East Asians in America and the “model minority” myth, which is wielded as a weapon against SEA, Black, and Latine communities – not by East Asian-Americans, but by white Americans and white supremacy.)

The only group that benefits from white privilege is the group able to grant or cede it, and that’s white people (WASPs, or White Anglo-Saxon Protestants, although Irish and Italian Catholics in the contemporary U.S. are just straight-up white, too, because at least in America they are non-Black non-Jews first, and Italian or Irish second.)

But even living in Los Angeles, if Natalie Portman hadn’t changed her name from Neta Hershlag, her life experience, her career, the responses of people to her work, and the privileges that her white-passing appearance affords her by grant of the white people around her, would be different. The Hasidim in Brooklyn who are attacked on the street in increasing numbers because they CAN’T pass for white, despite many having fair skin, are not afforded whiteness by their goyishe neighbors. My dad and my sister, who don’t have my “good nose,” are not afforded the same amount of whiteness that I am.  I’m white, because I can very easily hide by Jewishness when necessary. My dad can’t. My aunts and cousins can’t. Natalie Portman, because she chooses not to be Neta Hershlag, chooses to perform whiteness in her professional life.

So, am I saying that Jews are people of color? No, except for people who are just literally Jews of Color, whose dual-axis of oppression can’t be summed up by either “race” or “Jewishness” alone. Otherwise, Jewish people are not people of color, but Jews also aren’t white. We’re neither. We’re just Jews. And lumping Jewish people – even highly privileged, fair-skinned Jewish people like Natalie Portman – into the American construct of whiteness, even though a fucking lot of whiteness is built on antisemitism, does not help to dismantle white supremacy. At all.