Underdogma: Jews Aren't a Minority in Higher Education

Jews make up only 2.2 percent of the US Population, but they account for 30% of the student body at Colombia University. Ivy League schools on average have 22% Jewish students. Jews consistently make up more than 20% of those listed on the Forbes 400 Richest People list. 30% of Nobel Prize Winners in science are Jewish. Three out of the nine Supreme Court Justices are Jews.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan,both Jewish

These are facts, and yet, speaking of Jewish success is taboo. Case in point: there are plenty of photo ops where all of the female Supreme Court Justices pose together, but you'll never see a picture of the Jews on the court aligning themselves like that. The overrepresentation of Jews in film, education, and the business world often makes people exceptionally uncomfortable. There are worries that being outspoken about Jewish success breeds contempt, and that, like in Nazi Germany, when Jews are seen as having a disproportionate amount of resources, others will push back in drastic and dangerous ways. 

That’s complete bullshit. Jews embody the American Dream. They’re an immigrant population in America, who came here fleeing persecution. In spite of all the prejudice they faced, Jews “pulled themselves up by their bootstraps,” and achieved a great deal. Yes, there used to be quotas at major universities that limited the amount of Jews that could enroll, but those don’t exist anymore, and we’ve clearly more than made up for those limitations.

It’s time to stop talking about Jews like we’re a persecuted minority in America. We’re doing more than fine. 

I think arguments could be made that Jews are part of a new hegemony. Certainly here at AJU the over-represented main stream point of view is a Jewish one. In the media, too, some of the strongest voices are Jewish ones (Jon Stewart, anyone?) We try to have it both ways, and maintain a sort of minority elitism. We talk about discrimination against Jews, but as a community we actively discriminate. Whenever I mention that I’m dating someone new, on this campus, the response is always: “Is he Jewish?” 

There’s a vast, networked, Jewish community. Look at the success of Hillel at Universities across America. That community is a structure of power, one that I would argue is as strong or stronger than any other racial or religious group in the United States. This isn’t a bad thing. Success, power, and an appreciation for hard work and education are good things. I’m just arguing that it’s time to stop pretending that we’re underdogs: we’re not.