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samboct -> RE: USA and The Third Reich (2/8/2010 5:34:57 PM)
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"The fact is that most Jews weren't wealthy or even successful. They lived much like, and in most cases side by side with, their christian neighbors. "
Sorry- but there are a bunch of misconceptions in this thread that need to be straightened out. Let me try to answer some of the question based on my knowledge of the history and as a personal example of being a very reformed Jew at Brandeis University and coming into contact with Conservative and Orthodox Jews.
In terms of whether Jew resembled their neighbors- hardly. They were a merchant class for several reasons through the middle ages-
1) Jews weren't allowed to own land in many countries- thus they weren't farmers like most of their neighbors.
2) Rates of literacy amongst Jews were very high- probably the inverse of the rest of the population- somewhere around 90%.
3) Christians weren't allowed to be moneylenders- but it was an occupation open to Jews.
Hence- Jews handled most of the commerce of the Middle Ages, and not surprisingly, got wealthier than their neighbors.
Jews also lived in ghettos- walled cities. Ghetto was not considered a pejorative term originally since it was used to help keep the rabble out.
Jewish interactions with their neighbors can best be described as intolerant in all likelihood. Yes, I know this isn't PC, but like any tribal people that seek to maintain an independent existence, the religion/culture had strict rules about fraternization and lack thereof. Jews, like a lot of others in this situation, considered themselves the "Chosen". Jewish men weren't supposed to sleep with non-Jewish women because they were considered "unclean"- always a good characterization of somebody that's just not quite as human as you're supposed to be. Needless to say, Jewish women also weren't supposed to be touched by non-Jewish men. There's a lot of these strictures wrapped up in the Kosher dietary laws. In practice- let's say your good Christian neighbors did the normal welcome to the neighborhood bit- and brought over food- perhaps something they'd baked- a chicken- whatever. Didn't matter- never mind that pork was right out- basically anything was out because it might not have been dealt with in a kosher fashion under strict rabbinical supervision. You know how it feels when you try to welcome someone and they won't accept your food, your wine, even your hand? It gets you pretty annoyed with them in short order. I know this first hand, because the kids I went to school with said I wasn't a Jew since I didn't follow the same rules as they did, and I felt that kind of anger. Who were they to tell me I wasn't a Jew? Who were they to look down their noses at me because I didn't believe in not drinking water and taking a shower on Yom Kippur? Deal with the Hasids in New York, and you'll get pretty aggravated with them in short order in all likelihood.
So a big chunk of the reason why Jews have been singled out through the years has to do with their non-intercourse policy with non-Jews. Couple this with the envy that Jews basically made easy money, and you've got a group of people that's ripe for segregation and open warfare.
Reform Jews didn't hit the scene till the 1800s IIRC and they became rapidly assimilated in the cultures they joined. They just weren't as observable as the more orthodox Jews. I'd lay long odds that during the Holocaust, the reform Jews were hidden more often than the Orthodox, because they'd become friends with other people in the community, whereas the Orthodox would not. Its the kind of culture where if you don't follow the rules, the other people in the culture shun you- cast you out. The movie Witness casts the Amish in a largely favorable light, but there's a high price to be paid in lack of freedom and condescension toward others for being in such a group that you can pick up in the movie.
It's easy to keep hatred and persecution alive when there's no first hand experience to counter the propaganda. Hitler was never very popular in Berlin, and there were a number of Jews that survived the war in Berlin. In comparison, in the countryside where the Jews probably kept to themselves, or there were no examples of Jews- anti Semitism thrived. There were plenty of anti Semites in the US as well- Henry Ford and Charles Lindbergh come to mind readily. Hitler loved to scapegoat, but let's not forget that he was no paragon of tolerance when it came to gays, lesbians, artists, clergy, Communists, gypsies, etc. Jews were the easiest target because of their self isolation, but basically, they made up only half of Hitler's victims in the death camps- six million others died as well.
In summary- I suspect that the Orthodox restrictions from mingling with their neighbors had a great deal to do with keeping anti Semitism alive and virulent through the centuries. It's not right to only blame the "Christians" for the maltreatment of the Jews- the Jews did plenty to make sure that they remained a target.
HTH
Sam
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