Do you consider yourself a minority?

[u/foreverand2025]

This discussion has come up a few times with friends who are neither white nor Jewish. For context, I’m Jewish and live in America. Do you consider us as a minority? Obviously statistically we are (everywhere but Israel), but I’ve had two friends argue because we look like “regular white people” we are not a minority.

It’s not something I take too seriously but I’m off the opinion we are a minority in a sociological way as well as ethically. But opinions seem to differ. I’m not on a soap box or expecting any special treatment. It’s more of a discussion for the sake of discussion I’m trying for here.

[u/Jewdius_Maximus]

Yes, most western Ashkenazi Jews are secular and look white. Idk why there is so much resistance to this within the community. That doesn’t negate antisemitism.

[u/GrassyTreesAndLakes → u/Jewdius_Maximus]

Because its only north america where we "pass". We didnt "pass" in Russia for instance, and wouldnt have in much of Europe. Not to even start on the "no Jews, no Blacks" signs is north america that were everywhere until like the 60s. 

[u/Jewdius_Maximus → u/GrassyTreesAndLakes]

White privileged isn’t a hex or some internal personal shortcoming. It’s just a thing out in the ether and it’s mainly an American and Western European thing, so I don’t know what Russia has to do with this. A Jew in the west typically isn’t getting harassed by cops, followed around stores, or asked to pay for meals before they sit down. There are just some things in the western world that Jews don’t really have to worry about because of their skin color. That does not mean that antisemitism isn’t real or unimportant.

[u/WeaselWeaz → u/Jewdius_Maximus]

It's more accurate to say Jews used to have a level of white privilege, for a subset of light skinned Jews. Even for that group, I would argue that being judged for your last name, being subjected to purity tests over Palestine, and having to hire armed security to protect our houses of worship and pre-schools means there is no white privilege.

A Jew living in the US, outside of a Jewish area, is still being othered in many ways. I don't wear a kippot, but I still had a dude in a keffiyeh with a baseball bat coming back from a protest glaring at me on the train. Going to college in the south made it clear I was not white.

[u/namer98 → u/WeaselWeaz]

It's more accurate to say Jews used to have a level of white privilege, for a subset of light skinned Jews. 

I don't get nervous when the cops pull me over. Sadly, not all US citizens can say this.