The Assumptions YOU Project on Jews are what they become to YOU: Think of them as Good, and they become Excellent - The Reverse is True
Historically, Jews have been cast as an inward-looking people[1]. The Jew, throughout the Diaspora sticks to his group and always reverts to his group[2]. From the days of Moses some 3,300 years ago to the consolidation of the core elements of Judaism some 1,900 years ago, the Jewish people have been distinct. The concept of “holiness” in Judaism, Kedushah, is steeped in the notion of being "set apart" for "special responsibilities."[3]. It has little to do with being privileged or better than the next person. It is all about responsibility. Thus, the Jew is rarely heard of as openly trying to fit into society or go beyond their designated space. This has been the way it has been for thousands of years. This essay examines the core elements of Jewish thought and conduct, and the external projections placed on Jews which often evolve into Antisemtism that harms everyone - including the perpetrator.
Internal Locus of Control & Jewish Thought
When something bad happens in any community, there are two likely reactions. One reaction is based on the question – “who did this to us?”. The other line of thinking is, "What did we do wrong for this fate to befall us?".
Judaism is based on a series of obligations. The Jew from cradle to the grave, and from sunrise to sunset has obligations based on religious traditions. This has been coded into the minds of Jews from antiquity. Thus, there is always something to do as a Jew. This element of the DNA of Jews has found its way into the lives of modern Jews – including those who have denounced the religion of their forefathers.
Hence, the Jew is always preoccupied. There is a strategic path laid down for every Jew even before they are conceived. From birth, they have to follow through. And it is a lot of work! Grasping a single page of Talmud requires stretching your brain so wide that the most renowned scholars in secular disciplines might be found wanting when they try. To engage in most of the sacred Jewish texts, one must learn not just Hebrew but also Aramaic and the many terms and concepts that the earliest Rabbis internalized into their discussions from Egyptian, Babylonian, Greek, Roman, and other civilizations.
However, Jews have done this for centuries in Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and all over the world. For many generations, Jews simply excluded themselves and chose to live in ghettos or isolated farming communities in Eastern Europe, Russia, Galicia, and other places, only to learn ancient Jewish texts. That is because once you get to understand and appreciate the depth of these ancient discussions, the goals and aspirations to engage in the ocean of Jewish knowledge become endless.
Today, when one examines the standard obligations, each individual Jew has, it requires immense efforts made on a full-time basis. The least engaged Jew still has a lot to do, and this is reflected through family values, communal requirements, and many others.
Then, there is the “psychological intensity."[4] that is encoded into the DNA of the Jew based on generations of learning; they have a deep understanding of fields and disciplines that are peculiar to other nations and people. Jews in Vienna at the age of modernism became more Viennese than those whose grandparents were born and raised in Vienna. Jews who secretly converted to Catholicism in Spain during the Inquisitions became top priests.
It is all because the Jew has to live with limits imposed upon them at birth and also stay mindful of their obligations. Thus, the Jew always engages with the question – "what are my responsibilities?". Judaism is a religion of responsibility. Holiness or being "set apart" is about responsibility – not rights or privileges. Rights were virtually unknown in Jewish communities until Napoleon conquered Europe. Even then, some Jews supported Napoleon, while others hated him for introducing rights that would inevitably draw Jews away from the Torah.
Putting it all together, the Jew is a custodian of a heritage handed down to them from infancy. This is a heritage every Jew grows to love and cherish. Being Jewish is about guarding this great heritage that no outsider can fully understand or grasp – it is only by living it that one understands!
Hence, when something happens to a Jew, the natural question is, "What did I do wrong to merit this?". It is not a question of "Who did this to me?" It is a question of "What did I do wrong? As such, the lived experiences of most Jews are driven by an internal locus of control. This makes the Jews non-interfering in the communities they live in. Jews may not assimilate. On the contrary, they grow deeper into their internal systems. This is why the Jew always goes back to his roots. It is a path that does not change.
Subjective Perception of the Jew by the Outsider
As a non-interfering person, driven by his own rules and standards, the Jew is ‘different’. He has his own motives and special days. As a religion that does not actively seek converts, Jews never speak openly about their Faith or beliefs. They keep it to themselves. A person from a religion that values expansionism will deem this as a weakness.
On the other hand, when the Jew is forced to give up his Legacy, that is when he shows his true strength and faithfulness to his Faith and ancestors. Jews will never be disposed of their religion. And they will never be bullied. This is where a lot of Antisemitism originates – the weak-looking, humble, simple Jew who has given up everything for something no one sees or appreciates turns out to be tougher in his convictions than we imagined. A lot of hate has its roots in the underestimation of the otherized.
Left alone, Jews thrive and can make meaningful contributions. In the pre-democratic and modern world of justice, those in power saw the hidden strength of the Jew as a threat. Thus, from Ancient Egypt, Jews were limited for generations till the end of the Second World War. Wherever they were allowed to engage equally, Jews excelled. This also created new problems for Jews because their success was an invitation for hatred. Today, Jews in Israel are hated because their enemies who threaten to destroy them are not successful – Israel is more successful in defending its territory. That in itself is a cause of hate!
The Chinese Parable of the Lost Ax
A popular Chinese folk story tells of a Farmer who lost an ax. He suspected his neighbor’s son of stealing the ax. The more he observed the young man, the more convinced he became that he had stolen the ax. The way the neighbor's son walked, his appearance, facial expression, and manner of speech portrayed him as the thief.
Not long afterwards, the Farmer found the ax accidentally as he dug through his cellar. All of a sudden, his perceptions changed. The next time he saw his neighbor's son, nothing in his appearance, walking, or facial expressions resembled a thief. Nothing about him indicated that he had stolen the ax.
All along, the lost ax was the Farmer’s problem.
The constructs of suspicion and signs of thievery in the boy were all in the Farmer’s mind.
In almost every case, hatred for Jews is what the world projects on Jews. Many have little to no firsthand knowledge of Jews, how they live, or who they are. They form opinions of Jews from external observations and subjective conclusions.
Oftentimes, Jews never protest nor fight back until it is necessary. Thus, a lot of lies, disinformation, and slander about Jews go on. This shapes subjective opinions and views that tend to be not just false but highly destructive to those who hold these views.
Most psychological treatments get people to reframe their minds about things they experience that are not real, or things outside them that they cannot control. In the very least, Jews try not to be a burden to anyone. If the world was to desist from conjuring and impressing negative stereotypes on Jews, they would not be a problem. Building a constructive notion of the otherized can help one live above Antisemitism and also build healthier lifestyles in their day-to-day relationships.
Conclusion
What you project on the Jew is what you will see. If you project evil on the Jew and assume Jews are all evil, they will appear evil to you. If you view them as good, you will see the excellence Jews exude and the unlimited positivity they bring into the world. The Jew is the custodian of a timeless heritage. This comes with obligations that take all the time, emotions, and resources of the Jew. Ultimately, honoring the responsibilities of being Jewish leaves the Jews with no time to engage in other things or defend themselves where they do not have to. In their journeys through the sands of time in the Diaspora, Jews have remained passive and excluded – all because they want to be left alone to engage deeper with their heritage, which they love dearly. Where they are invited to contribute, Jews reach the highest levels of excellence in every field in which they function. But where they are excluded, they coil back into their shells and enjoy their tradition and its richness. All in all, the Jew returns to who they are and contribute to a divine vision their ancestors have pursued for almost four millennia.
[1] Kevin B. MacDonald. Understanding Jewish Influence: A Study in Ethnic Activism. (Washington Summit Press, 2008) p3
[2] Gideon Bohak. "Ethnic Continuity in the Jewish Diaspora in Antiquity" Jews in the Hellenistic & Roman Cities (London: Routledge, 2002) pp175-192
[3] Alan Mittleman. "Holiness – Kedushah" St. Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology. Published: July 4, 2024. Available at: https://www.saet.ac.uk/Judaism/HolinessKedushah
[4] Kevin B. MacDonald. Understanding Jewish Influence: A Study in Ethnic Activism. (Washington Summit Press, 2008) p37
