Are Jews "white"? Comic Sarah Silverman

Sarah Silverman (Jimmy Kimmel Live!, 8/11/21); Laugh Tracks Legends of Comedy; Jewish Unpacked, 5/31/23; Shauna Schwartz, Sheldon S., Ashley Wells (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

If anyone thought it was only Amber Heard who S's on herself, meet sassy Sarah Silverman.

Are Jews white?

(Jewish Unpacked) While some Ashkenazi (Germanic European) Jews may appear white and identify as white, the concept of "whiteness" is a social construct. It's complex. (It doesn't have a scientific definition because race is not a scientific category, but it is a social one).

Sarah Silverman looks like a white, enjoys the privileges of being a white,

quacks like a white, so she must be whatever conservatives say she is.
Is she a racist pro-Semite complicit in Israel's racism and war crimes?

Historically, Jews were considered a separate and inferior race and yet, over time, antisemitism, assimilation efforts, and rising socioeconomic status [getting rich] have influenced the perception of “Jewish whiteness.”

However, this categorization overlooks the experiences of Jews of color and non-Ashkenazim and further perpetuates the ongoing antisemitism Jews face today.

CHAPTERS

• 00:00 Intro
• 00:33 Global Jewish communities
• 00:44 Do Ashkenazi Jews identify as white?
• 01:03 What does it mean to be white?
• 01:25 Origin of whiteness
• 02:06 Definitions of whiteness
• 02:56 European Jews were not white
• 03:14 Racial discrimination against Jews in America
• 04:46 Antisemitism and Jewish racial ambiguity
• 05:33 Failed attempts by Jews to be accepted as white
• 06:27 Jewish-black interracial tensions
• 06:50 GI Bill benefits and white collar jobs
• 07:09 American Jews achieve "whiteness"
• 07:20 Jews (and non-Jews) reject Jewish white identity
• 07:58 Jews don't fit into a racial box
• 08:35 Conditional whiteness is oppressive

• VIDEO: Crazed Jewish IDF veterans lashes out at Knesset who set him and his fellow war criminals up to commit crimes against humanity

ABOUT Explainers: From ancient Jewish traditions to the modern state of Israel, Explainers explains it all. Diving into anything and everything related to Jewish culture, history, and even religion. It used to be a religion, right? No it's an identity. Understand Jewish holidays, Israeli politics, Jewish diasporic communities, and more. Learn about Judaism in pop culture, debunking myths about Jews, and explore obscure Israeli landmarks. It’s about asking questions as basic as “What is the Talmud?” and as obscure as “How did hip-hop boost Kosher wine sales?” and everything in between.

ABOUT Unpacked: Unpacked provides nuanced insights by unpacking all things Jewish. People are complex and complicated — yet we’re constantly being pushed to oversimplify our world. At Unpacked we know that being complex makes us more interesting. Because of this, we break the world down with nuance and insight to drive your curiosity and challenge your thinking. #Jewish #antisemitism #conspiracy

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