With the FBI’s Hate Crime report from 2014 identifying the Jewish community as the biggest target of hate crimes, it’s time to consider why people target Jews. Jews are often stereotyped because of generalizations of their religion. Here are some common stereotypical characters from the Jewish community. If you make decisions based on these characteristics, you may be guilty of anti-Semitism. It’s important to look at the heart of an individual, not stereotypes.
Economic Anti-Semitism
Jews are often portrayed as money lenders or usurers. This is not because they set out to control the financial markets. In the Middle Ages, Christians were forbidden to loan money while charging interest. Many Jews went into money-lending because of the legal restrictions. Shakespeare and Charles Dickens reinforced the Jewish stereotypes in their works. The character of Fagin in “Oliver Twist” is an archetypal Jewish villain, which Dickens regretted after publication. Although in today’s culture this stereotype is waning, there are still people who believe that “all” Jews are greedy.
Jewish Women
Jewish women have been the attention of many jokes. Younger women are portrayed as being over-indulged by parents or lazy and materialistic. Even Sarah Silverman, a Jewish comedienne, has made jokes about this stereotype. These girls supposedly want weak men who can be controlled and who will spend a lot of money on them. Herman Wouk and Philip Roth are both authors who perpetuated this myth of the spoiled Jewish-American princess.
One could write a whole book about Jewish mothers, who are portrayed as being smothering and overprotective, even overbearing as a mother and wife. Some are unsure when these stereotypes began, but many believe it was in American culture in the early 1900s when many immigrants came to America. Literature and film made Jewish women into stock characters, almost caricatures, of what they may or may not really be.
Jewish Men
The male Jewish community is not without its stereotypes. The nice Jewish boy or Jewish lawyer are two common typecasts. The nice Jewish boy is an emasculated version of the all-American sports hero. He may be a sissy, who can’t get the girl. However, his sensitivity and gentleness are representative of a scholar, which in the Jewish community makes him a more attractive marriage catch.
A Jewish attorney may be portrayed as exploitative, clever, or dishonest. Some are given characteristics of being excessive or having a lack of morals. An example of the Jewish attorney can be found in today’s television and movie culture. In “Breaking Bad” and its sequel, “Better Call Saul,” Saul Goodman pretends to be Jewish-American because he thinks it makes him appear more competent as an attorney. Although these caricatures seem to be related to more current pop culture, a greedy, Jewish lawyer is a holdover from the Middle Ages.
Overcoming Stereotypes
Practically every race and religion have their own stereotypes within the group. For literature and movies, this can help characterize the protagonist more quickly, but in relationships between people, stereotypes often are walls that are barriers to good communication. It takes years, sometimes decades or even centuries, to change perceptions of stereotypes, but there are things that can be done to check yourself and educate your children. Here are five ways to begin change.
- Examine the stereotype and ask yourself “Why and where did you get this assumption.”
- Look at why a particular stereotype is so powerful. Is it a miscomprehension or misunderstanding between two cultures?
- Look at a different perspective. Just because many believe something, it may not be correct. Find out more about someone’s actions.
- Be accepting of others, especially the differences between people. To overcome stereotypes, it takes tolerance and acceptance when someone is not acting in a normal manner.
- Consider the stereotypes you believe. You can only change your own behavior and attitudes. It begins with you. Don’t judge someone based on what you think you know.