My last name doesn’t define me.
Johnathan Neufeld Canada Throughout my entire life, people have judged me because my last name is German and Jewish. People have simply assumed that I...
Yes, he is my biological son.
Naomi Raquel Enright Brooklyn, NY My father was Jewish-American of Eastern European ancestry and my mother is from Guayaquil, Ecuador of African, Spanish, and Native...
Oh wow, you don’t LOOK Jewish.
Anonymous, Austin, TX I’ve always found it troubling to see the look on people’s faces when they find out I’m Jewish, as if I had...
Terrified my toddler will become Trayvon.
Safra Altman Savannah, GA I was pregnant with my black, white, Jewish, Gullah-Geechee son when Trayvon Martin was killed. Our son is 9 months old.
What does a Jew look like?
Ashley Roth Elon, NC People always tell me I don’t look Jewish. Is that supposed to be a compliment or something?
You’re Jewish? You don’t look Jewish.
Corey Schutzman Exeter, NH Here in southern New Hampshire I seem to be the anomaly as opposed to where I grew up in northern New...
That’s funny, you don’t look Jewish.
Audrey Friedman Minneapolis, MN Said to me many times during my life. I never knew how to reply to that statement.
Disagreeing with Obama makes me racist?
Cynthia Ruccia Columbus, OH I am white but Jewish, and I grew up in a time when the Jews were barred from many many things...
White AND Jewish is challenging too.
Katherine Kraff Denver, CO I tend not to take negative comments about (race), religion or ethnicity personally (esp from children), but when I was teaching...
When did your family come here?
Mitzi Zohar Outside USA I would reply that my mother’s mother was sixth generation Canadian. Growing up in a wealthy WASP enclave my questioners wouldn’t...
Jewish: No longer a race. Right?
Jessamyn CT My parent’s generation lost relatives in Europe for being part of the “Jewish race.” In America, they dealt with antisemitism and quotas until...
