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Study: Ashkenazim feel superior to Sephardim
Tzvi Zinger
Published: 19.06.06, 17:07
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85 Talkbacks for this article
1. Why is YNet encouraging racism among Jews?
Kyle ,   Southpark, CO, USA   (06.19.06)
What is the purpose of this article, other than to incite hatred between different groups of Jews? Sephardic food is the best!
2. This article is total BS
Modern Israeli ,   Tel Aviv   (06.19.06)
No body in Israel cares today about this issue. It's a non-issue. Especially since a huge and growing number of Israelis have parents and grandparents from both. These days if someone says they're Iraqi they usually mean they have great food at home. (and they do). Ashkenazi, Sephardi, it's all so passe. In the next generation, these references will be totally obsolete. All cultures are beautiful and have blended into one fantastic Israeli culture. Everyone should enjoy it!
3. I dont buy it. We are ALL Jews, different and the same.
David ,   Boston, USA   (06.19.06)
While I am Ashkenazi, I practice some Sephardic traditions and speak Hebrew with Sephardic pronunciation. Bottom line is We are all Jews, Ashekanzi, Sephardic, Religious, Secular. It doesnt matter, or more importantly, it makes us stronger because we have so much in common and still have differences. I consider this to be a strength of the Jewish people. Being Ashkenazi does not make me better or superior, just a little lighter is skin color and with some different traditions. Judaism is wonderful because it is a blend of traditions and similarities and it has been that way for millenia. Dont change it, stress the positive of it! Israel is homeland to all of us!
4. A study says this ... but
Yeled ,   USA   (06.19.06)
There is a lot of sex going on between Ashkenazim and Sephardim. I think that says far more than any singular study. Plus, the two groups work together, attend university together, serve in the IDF together, etc., productively. Let's be cautious about one study. However, we cannot totally ignore that there are elements to this story which are true. The entire world is constructed upon color lines, and some Jews have gotten caught up in it. In Lebanon, many people in the Chrisitian community see themselves as more French than Arab, it happens. Therefore three things are needed: 1) For Israel to stop trying to identify itself as somehow being part of Europe (which always seemed ridiculous to me anyway), and to represent itself as the Mediterranean gateway between Europe, Africa and Asia; 2) To stress that all ethnic Jews are indigenous to the Middle East, meaning that they originate from, and have maintained ancestral ties to, there (stressing common roots); and 3) For Israel to focus its efforts on unifying its population, starting with the education system. Jews have a long history of acting as bridges between East and West, as traders and scholars and assistants (e.g. Jews of Cyprus, Turkey, Tangiers). Jewish unity in Israel should build upon this history to incorporate various elements of the Jewish diaspora experience into one cohesive future.
5. Jewropean
Abraham ,   Jerusalem   (06.19.06)
I am a white, blue eyed, kippa wearing Jew who's ancestors fled Israel after the Roman massacre in 70ad then lived in a long list of european countries until returning home to Jerusalem in 1957. I am Israeli which is a mix of all Jewish cultures that survived the brutal diaspora. I may look european but i am middle eastern in nature. In other words: I look like geffilte fish but taste like felafel. I dont hate anyone unless they deserve it.
6. what have the Ashkenazim done for us?
Avi ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (06.19.06)
Are we talking about the same Jews who can not tell rice flour from wheat flour at Pesach so they do not eat rice or rice products? Is this the same mob who are not sure who they dislike more; Hasidim, Mitnagdim, Maskilim, Zionsist, Bundists, Reform Jews?? Is this the group that invented long black coats and big black hats as a mark of religiosity rather than their personal behavior? Are these the same people who interpret their culture and beliefs as black and white, either/or, religious or secular, with no shades of grey between? Is this the same group of extremists who are always searching for a new "chumra" or stricter interpretation of the Law to show how holy they are, or a more annoying and in your face way of showing their secular contempt for their tradition? If I was Anskenazi (and I am….), I would keep quiet and try not to draw too much attention to myself, certainly not in comparison to the Sephardim and Adot Hamizrach. Gefilte fish certainly has its place, but only alongside kube and cigarim.
7. culture is culture
Joy Springreen   (06.19.06)
If there was peace in the wider middle east then im sure the Sephardi, Mizrachi and Falasha would be far more expresive as their cultural links and heritage would also be established. Much like the Ashkenazy relationship with Europe. Maybe thats part of the issue. The wider middle east knows that if there IS peace with Israel then 50% of its population will be expressing through Israeli culture. This would completely devaildate the claim that Israel is European Colnialism. After Judaism is Zionism....and more. Isnt it time to just be jewish Israeli and if youre anything else as well, then its A BONUS!. Personally i enjoy a Sephardi Seder as much as an Ashkenazy one. (Ive never been keen on Gefilte Fish anyway.)
8. This is not how I feel
Shai ,   Israel   (06.19.06)
This is not true of me, and not true of ANY of the Ashkenazim I know.
9. Division
Yitzi ,   Jerusalem   (06.19.06)
Yea Ynet, stir the pot! Lets drive Jews apart further. What poor taste. We are one nation, one blood, one people. Just as any of our enemies they kill all of us without distinction. While I am Ashkenaz, I an many many other Ashkenaz love Sephardi food and culture and have huge respect for the great many Sephardic Rabbis who wrote many of the most important works in the Torah world. You really blew it with this article.
10. STOP all this nonsense
Steve ,   Tel Aviv, Israel   (06.19.06)
I refer to myself as a Jew /Israeli not Ashkenazim. I think that the intellectuals at the Van Leer Institute have too much time on their hands and want to make mischief.
11. Respect your fellow Jew............
Avraham ,   Netivot   (06.19.06)
As an Ashkenazi Dati Jew living in a predominately Sephardic area I can tell you that my fellow Askenazim have a lot to learn from their Sephardic brothers. Respect for their fellow Jew is just one of the many things to start with.
12. well....
someone ,   TA   (06.19.06)
When I went to the Ministry of interior to change my last Ashkenazi name to a Morrocan/Sephardi name, the employee said" why in Heaven's sake would you want to change your name to a Morrocan/Sepahardi name???? She almost didn't want to do it, I had to explain why I wanted to change my in her eyes so beautiful last name to a Sephardi name....
13. ashkenaz
av ,   london   (06.19.06)
this lot is not semites there for they are not jewish. this people are from eastern europe who have infiriority conplex from there germans cousins .the real jews are shepharades if they ashkenaz like or not
14. Stop this
Neal ,   Los Angeles   (06.19.06)
This is silly we are all Jews we dont need anymore division anymore.
15. Product of the "Haskala"
David ,   New York   (06.19.06)
this is a remnant of the cultural poison produced by the Haskala and the loss of torah values by the European Jews over the 2 Centuries preceeding the rise of our State.
16. BS article...nobody in israel is divided based on such thing
(06.19.06)
17. Askenazim & Sephardim are inferior
zaq ,   ranaana   (06.19.06)
All are inferior to the dominant culture of America..... baseball, blue jeans, pasta you name it all comes from america lets face it everyone wants to be american
18. I am Ashkenazi and I love
Dan   (06.19.06)
Sephardic food, customs, and the services. I particularly love the Passover customs of carrying the Seder plate over the heads of everyone present at the meal. I don't care what the survey says, I don't feel that way.
19. we are all jews in the end! we need to unite!
am ehad ,   Israel   (06.19.06)
20. i have never met a single Sepharadi...
1/2sefardi1/2askenaz ,   Israel   (06.19.06)
who was embaressed of his roots!!! morroco is the best! no theres nothing like tunisian food. where as ashkenazim are just "ashkenazim" they dont say oh i im from such and such area, like algerians who are proud to be from Constantine or syrians from Halab (aleppo). by ashenazim your either a Yekke or not. this article is not in touch with reality! everybody should be proud!!! we are all jews, this is whats beautiful, all the different traditions. Ashkenazim try going to a Henna, sefardim try eating gulash/ paprikash.
21. to # 3, David
who cares ,   Tel Aviv   (06.19.06)
Its obviously that you don't live in Israel...here everybody hates everybody, the Sephardic and Ashkenazim can't stand eachother, some hate the Russians, some hate the Ethiopians, the secular and the religious can't stand eachother etc...etc...not even talking about all those dossim that hate the non-jews, arabs, homosexuals etc...Israelies are the most racist people in the world....welcome to israel ;)
22. Just a note to all idiots who say Ashkenazim are not Semites
Efi ,   Tel Aviv, Israel   (06.19.06)
http://www.jewishaz.com/jewishnews/000519/study.shtml "Jews are single ethnic group coming from the Middle East. Ashkenazim, Sephardim share same Middle Eastern origin" "Even if you look like another European with blue eyes and light skin, your genes are telling that you're from the Middle East," says genetic scientist.
23. Prejudice
Sandra Moskowitz ,   Wayne, PA, USA   (06.19.06)
I always am amazed and disappointed in the amount of racism among Israelis -- Jew to Jew. As an American who deals with racism and anti-Israel/anti-Jewish feelings on a daily basis, I would hope Israel and Jewish Israelis would rise above this.
24. YNET's favorite type of sensationalimt-Dividing Jews
Jenny   (06.19.06)
This is the 3rd divisive article I have seen in under 24 hours on this site! At a time like this when we are under attack from every direction they decide to print this drivel. I am Ashkenaz and believe me we do not feel superior, we know we are ALL Jews and all equal and anyone who says different is a complete #(*%**&^.
25. ahh but can the ashkenazi jews make better food?
go sephardi   (06.19.06)
Dafina Terit Armundigas Horisa Couscous beat that with your chicken soup and smoked salmon bagels you culinary pagans!
26. These two words
yakov shani ,   IL   (06.19.06)
should be stricken out of our lexicon, heritage, language and deleted from our psyche.
27. A shame
frankie ,   Tel Aviv   (06.19.06)
The arrogance of some Ashkenazim is a shame.The Mizrahim (Sephardim) as a whole are more emphatic, family-oriented, warm hearthed.I'm myself an Ashkenazi, of ""Litvak" origin, but I'm for absolute moral & factuAl equality between these two subgroups of the Israeli Jewish people.
28. acheinu kol beit Yisrael!
yehudi ,   Israel   (06.19.06)
29. yemenite is the way to go.
(06.19.06)
gotta tell ya....i'm an ashkenazi and i married a yemenite girl, it's the best thing in the world, great food, great family, great values, great woman. 20 years of marriage and g-dwilling 100 more to come.
30. #21 "Israelis are the most racist people in the world"
Daniel Krygier ,   Israel   (06.19.06)
What a load of crap. Either you are not really living in Israel or/and you have never travelled in the world. "Sophisticated" and "tolerant" Europe has committed more massacres and developed racist ideologies than any other place in the world. The Arab/Muslim world today worships Hitler's Mein Kampf. Even in the melting pot, USA, there are a lot of tensions between different ethnic groups. Israel with all its problems ahead to be solved, has in half a century absorbed Jews from 100 countries from very different backgrounds and has managed to unite them overall to one people. In what other country besides perhaps the US can an immigrant become a Prime Minister (Shimon Peres, Golda Meir, Yitzhak Shamir), immigrants become Defense ministers (Shaul Mofaz, Peretz) or Presidents (Herzog, Katsav)? In how many European countries will you find so many minorities including hostile elements in the parliament as in Knesset? If you do't like Israel's flaws you can always move to the Arab world or to Europe.
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