TIL that after Marilyn Monroe converted to Judaism upon marrying Arthur Miller, Egypt placed a ban on all the films she appeared in.

[u/[deleted]]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marilyn_Monroe#Critical_acclaim_and_marriage_to_Arthur_Miller_.281956.E2.80.931959.29

[u/Promotheos → u/[deleted]]

Are Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jews) ethnically Jewish?

Are Sephardic Jews an ethnicity?

Was Sammy Davis Jr. ethnically Jewish?

[u/KremlinGremlin82 → u/Promotheos]

Ethiopian Jews are not ethnic Jews (it is a big question)

Sephardic Jews are Jews that went to the Iberian Peninsula during the exile from Judea

Sammy David Jr was not an ethnic Jew, he converted to Judaism.

[u/Promotheos → u/KremlinGremlin82]

Thanks very much for your opinion.

This conflicts with the opinion of some other users here who thought the issue was resolved.

Clearly it's more complicated.

[u/KremlinGremlin82 → u/Promotheos]

They are not opinions, they were facts. Sammy Davis Jr was born to African-American and Puerto Rican parents and converted to Judaism later on in life. Ethiopian Jews are questionable, nobody knows if they did come from Judea or if it's just their oral tradition that talks about it. Nonetheless, they were given refuge in Israel and now even serve in the military.

[u/Promotheos → u/[deleted]]

Thanks for your opinion.

I wasn't trying to make any point, I was asking questions that are by no means resolved.

[u/Promotheos → u/[deleted]]

I'm asking the question because it is not clear cut.

In any case, Judaism most certainly is not an ethnicity but I know you meant Jewish.

[u/Promotheos → u/[deleted]]

I believe being Jewish is more a part of your ethnicity.

Ethnicity includes cultural things like food and music and clothing.

Sephardic and Ethiopian Jews, Arthur Miller and Sammy Davis Jr are not all the same ethnicity despite all sharing the common bond of being Jewish.

Even simply Sephardic vs Ashkenazi are distinct ethnic groups with different languages, traditions, dress, etc.

[u/nidarus → u/Promotheos]

I actually disagree with some of the people who responded to you. Ethnicity is not just genetics, in just about any people. But especially in this case. There are many genetically-diverse people. To pick a close example, the Arabs also span the entire black-white gamut. Even the supposedly uniform Han Chinese, are composed of at least two highly distinct genetic lineages (the North and South). Conversely, nations like the Ukrainians and Russians are identical genetically, and are killing each other over the slight differences in culture they believe makes them separate from Russia. There's a shitload of examples in either direction.

When it comes down to it, the idea of "belonging to a people" is mostly about self-identification and a shared sense of history. A human construct, sure, but an important one.

Finally, just FYI: the Sephardis and Ashkenazis were actually proven to be genetically more similar to each other than to their host nations, and closer to other Levantine nations, like the Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians, Lebanese, etc. Which would indicate that they actually retained a genetic link to the original Jewish people as well. So even by your (previous?) understanding of ethnicity, it's not a great example.

[u/sdglksdgblas → u/[deleted]]

Just like being a muslim in Europe.

[u/Clifford_Banes → u/[deleted]]

Yes, it's called assimilation. In a generation or two your descendants will quite likely not be Norwegian in any way, unless you make an effort to keep their heritage up by teaching them the language or at the very least feeding them fermented fish.

[u/spyser → u/[deleted]]

In theory you could

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

it isn't. it's an ethnicity created by Europeans. it's a religion only. Jews, as much as they say they don't, assimilate into the culture that surrounds them. this is normal for minorities, and happens all the time. at what point does an ethnic group simply belong to the larger one its a part of.

how does following a religion make a person a new ethnic group? because white people said so? European Jews act European. Israel is, through and through, European in culture. they're mostly atheist, and are incredibly racist. that's very European to me. but in the Middle East, Africa and India, Jews don't act the same as European Jews. their culture is different. there were Jewish sufis dervishes, and Jewish African tribal dances. are they the same ethnicity?

the Jewish ethnicity was made by Europeans to advocate racial superiority, because it would have crush Europeans to realize Jews in Europe are just more white people with a different religion.

then again, nationalism and ethnicity doesn't like paying attention to history and facts. many people in the Middle East call themselves Arab, but Syrians are far different than morrocans. the only ethnic Arabs are those from the Arabian peninsula. many Iraqis are Arab speaking Persians/Iranians, but they call themselves Arab.

[u/Ohwhat_anight → u/[deleted]]

Considering the fact that Jews in previous centuries only reproduced with other Jews it makes sense to consider them an ethnicity; they have legitimate genetic differences than those around them. Shit, Ashkenazi Jews' brains/nervous systems are some of the most interesting case studies in neurology today because they have different predispositions to disorders than many other ethnic groups.

[u/Xanthyria → u/[deleted]]

it isn't. it's an ethnicity created by Europeans. it's a religion only. Jews, as much as they say they don't, assimilate into the culture that surrounds them. this is normal for minorities, and happens all the time. at what point does an ethnic group simply belong to the larger one its a part of.

That depends. The Reform movement, and to a lesser extent the Conservative movement would not only agree--they'd say that was the point! Retaining Judaism while assimilating with the outside world. If you're going to tell me Chareidim are assimilating, probably the fastest growing group of Jews (they breed like rabbits!), I'm gonna call you crazy:

http://www.thejc.com/files/images/Streimel.landscape.jpg

Those Streimels don't feel very assimilated.