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While some Ashkenazi Jews may appear white and identify as such, the concept of whiteness is complex. Historically, Jews were considered a separate and inferior race and yet, over time, antisemitism, assimilation efforts and rising socioeconomic status 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 Subscribe and turn on your notifications so you don’t miss future uploads! Recommended video—Are Israelis White? We have merch! – Let’s connect: Website — Instagram — Twitter — TikTok — @jewishunpacked Facebook — ----------- Image and footage credits: Thomas E. Watson United States Holocaust Memorial Museum ----------- Executive Producer: — Barry Skolnick Co-Executive Producer: — Shmuel Katz Silver Level: — Sephardic Community Alliance ----------- About Explainers: From ancient Jewish traditions to the modern State of Israel, we explain it all. Diving into anything and everything related to Jewish culture, history, and even religion. 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. We’re 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: We provide 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
