First Published: Unity, Vol. 4, No. 16, October 9-22, 1981.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
Copyright: This work is in the Public Domain under the Creative Commons Common Deed. You can freely copy, distribute and display this work; as well as make derivative and commercial works. Please credit the Encyclopedia of Anti-Revisionism On-Line as your source, include the url to this work, and note any of the transcribers, editors & proofreaders above.
I read Reese Erlich’s article entitled “The search for Jewish identity” on page 12 of the September 11 issue of UNITY. Finally! Was I ever flabbergasted (albeit happily). Please don’t let it stop here. More work is crying to be done. By all means, keep at it.
A little more definition is needed in the article, though. Are not Jewish-Americans then a ”nationality” (as opposed to a “nation,” a distinction put forth in the Soviet Union beginning in Lenin’s time)?
Sincerely,
A UNITY reader
Brooklyn, NY
My article was primarily a film review and thus did not go into detail about the situation of Jews in the U.S. today. Particularly with the rise of anti-Semitism and the crisis in the Middle East, many American Jews are struggling to understand our own identity. I agree with you that more study and discussion is needed.
I think we have to concretely analyze the situation of Jews in the U.S., who have a different history than those in the U.S.S.R. Jewish immigrants to this country in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s faced intense exploitation and anti-Semitism. Later generations have been assimilated into the dominant Anglo-American nation. Today some Jews still suffer discrimination at the hands of the ruling class, which is dominated by white, Anglo-Saxon Protestants.
But I don’t believe Jews are an oppressed nationality. There is a qualitative difference between the situation of Jews and that of Blacks, Latins, Asians and Native Americans. These oppressed nationalities are oppressed in every sphere of life and denied their basic political rights. They are murdered by police, suffer high unemployment or are confined to the lowest paying and worst jobs. Jews don’t face that same oppression.
I think it is more useful to see Jews as similar to other European immigrant ethnic groups such as the Irish, Italians, Poles, etc. Jews have a common ethnic identity, religion and cultural heritage. We should draw on the progressive aspects of that heritage, especially the revolutionary heritage of Jewish workers. We should participate with all workers and the oppressed nationalities in a common struggle for socialism.
– Reese Erlich