[ElenaEvgeevnaa]

old news. I think I even read about them here at Poly maybe a year ago

[ChrisGoldstein]

I think it is pretty safe to assume that they don't consider themselves as being Jews.

Unless...

Maybe it's like..."All jews are evil, except us. And our friends. Hitler would've been my good pal if I'd just had a few minutes to explain how much I admired him."

Or maybe..."Hitler had so many good ideas and I love him so much...maybe he just needed to meet some really nice jews who hated other people as much as he did?"

...or "National Socialism without all the icky anti-semitism. It's the kinder, gentler Nazism. If Hitler lived today, he wouldn't have cared about jews"

the possibilities are endless!

[DumErrory]

They're Russian Jews. Many of those are in a problematic situation: They aren't neccessarily seen as Jews by others. They have hard to adapt to Israeli life and to integrate. Not surprising that those youth go to extremes, but nevertheless sad...

[alias]

In Sweden, one of the most infamous neo-nazis is black. So much for white power. He's in jail for bank robbery & police murder. He has also been sentenced for war crimes in ex-Jugoslavia.

[saerensenatljn]

I found the thread: http://apolyton.net/forums/showthrea...hreadid=170056

Originally posted by Solver
That's not the problem, Nikolai. The problem is that they do not see themselves as Jews. They must be of Jewish heritage, if they immigrated into Israel as Jews, but they do not consider themselves to be such. I seem to recall reading last year that these people saw themselves as members of the supreme Slav race and not as Jews.
I read about some of those dickheads who vowed not to reproduce, doing their part that the Jewish race doesn't grow. I can't help but agree that they made a good choice...

[Keendwainge]

It's both.

[tevyrefficy]

Originally posted by Wernazuma III
old news. I think I even read about them here at Poly maybe a year ago Yeah, we had a thread on this. Damn, Markos is making duplicate threads.

[Nafheense]

I have to imagine the existence of black, white and other Jews throws a wrench into that position.

Genetic conditions will affect you regardless of your chosen religion.

[caseferter]

Heritage is akin to culture. Not race.

[myspauyijbv]

Are all Jews from Ashkenazi families?

You are ascribing a genetic problem that some jews experience as proof of race. It proves the opposite as all jews don't fit the subgroup (race).

edit - If I convert to Judaism tomorrow does my chance of contracting Tay Sachs increase?

[Qnpqbpac]

Originally posted by Wezil
Are all Jews from Ashkenazi families? 70% are. But that's really irrelevent to the point at hand which was to illustrate that choice wrt religion doesn't negate one's ethnicity.
edit - If I convert to Judaism tomorrow does my chance of contracting Tay Sachs increase? Would you be ethnically Jewish if you did? If not I fail to see the point of the question as I never said it was only a race and specifically said otherwise.

[obegeLype]

Your claim is b/c a subset of a particular religion's adherents are susceptable to a particular disease then the religion must be a (quasi) race.

To me it is a convenient argument for jews (once a jew always a jew) but ignores the choice of religion. The atheist you mentioned earlier doesn't suddenly become a jew again if he contracts a particular disorder. The disease has nothing to do with what mythical beings he does (or doesn't) subscribe to.

[gfkasjhfg]

Once again: Judaism and jewish ethnisity is closely linked. Not exclusively, but nevertheless closely linked.

[dasneycomrov]

Perhaps. The Jews have some 1700 years head start though. Since they almost closed their orders that is.

[2puO4Rhf]

Judaism and Jewish ethnicity are loosely linked in Russia. Most Jews here are either secular (don't forget for example that many of the Old Bolsheviks were Jews) or Christian.

[somasideff]

Okay, and when does ethnicity equal religion?

The wiki article on tay Sachs is fascinating. I never knew there were so many Jews in Quebec and Louisianna.

edit - correct my bad.

[Gorlummm]

So then we are in agreement. Jewishness is a religion that provides an ethnic tie. Some may be of the same race but not necessarily.

[jhfsdhf]

What onodera said.

There's alot of confusion because the same term is used for religion, ethnicity and heritage/nationality.

Religion - someone who believes in Judaism is of Jewish faith, but many people won't say he's "Jewish"

Ethnicity - someone who is descendant from european or african/asian jewish people, and is presumed to be descended from the hebrew nation of 3000 years ago.

Heritage/Nationality - many non-religious "ethnical" jews consider themselves jews even if they are of mixed ethnicity (say, half-jewish half-somethin else,) depending on the strength judaism and jewish heritage played in their upbringing. There is generally a strong sense of shared fate among practicing and non-practicing jews, and a commitment to one another as 'a people' what ever that is.