Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Ashkenazi Jewish'

This thesis explores the increased risk of genetic breast cancer for Ashkenazi Jews who are at significantly increased risk of carrying three specific mutations in the high risk breast cancer genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2. The Ashkenazi Jewish population has the highest known risk of genetic breast cancer and are the most well researched in relation to genetic disease. They are believed to have a particularly supportive and unique relationship with genetics, despite also having a history of discrimination that includes claims of biological inferiority. The use of racial or ethnic groups in genetic research is highly contentious and the implications for those populations being studied are usually assumed to be negative. There is also significant discussion about the potential of new genetic knowledge to transform individual and collective identity and alter how individuals conceive of themselves and the groups to which they belong. This thesis contributes to both of these areas of debate by exploring the implications for individuals of knowing that they are at increased risk of genetic breast cancer because they are of Ashkenazi Jewish origin. It specifically addresses whether being at increased risk has an impact on how Ashkenazi Jewish women feel about their own Jewish identity, whether they have concerns about current genetic research related to them, and if they are particularly supportive as if often claimed. Evidence is provided principally from qualitative interview material with Ashkenazi women at increased risk of genetic breast cancer as well as non high risk individuals. The qualitative data is supplemented by a quantitative survey. Ethnic identity can be an important mediating factor for the ways in which genetic knowledge is interpreted and genetic medicine can become intertwined with culturally specific issues. Ashkenazi Jews conceive of themselves, their history and their future in ways that are compatible with new genetic knowledge. While it is important not to assume there are necessarily damaging or transformative consequences for those populations that are the subjects of genetic research, there were implications for Ashkenazi women and their disease was interwoven with their identity in complex ways.

The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, are chronic inflammatory diseases predominantly affecting the gastrointestinal tract. They are of unknown aetiology; however, there is a significant genetic component. A multitude of studies have identified common genetic variants associated with these diseases; however, they only account for a proportion of the disease heritability. The study of large families with many affected individuals is theoretically a powerful method for identifying rare disease causing variants that might contribute to this ‘missing heritability’. To date, this approach has not been successfully employed in IBD owing, in part, to the moderate size of families identified. This thesis describes the ascertainment, phenotypic and genomic characterisation of two extended multi-plex Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) kindreds with over 50 and 25 cases of IBD, respectively. An interrogation of the possible mechanisms underlying this familial aggregation highlighted a partial role for common disease associated variants. Linkage analysis was employed in an attempt to identify loci segregating with the disease. A novel method for reconstructing haplotype flow information across extended pedigrees is described and implemented in these kindreds demonstrating the absence of a single locus shared by all affected individuals. Exome sequencing a cohort of unrelated AJ individuals and cases from the families permitted the prioritisation of a number of candidate variants however, these did not reach an empirical significance thresh-old as defined using a Monte Carlo gene-dropping approach. It is possible that the analyses of these data in combination with those from additional families may yield significance. However it is clear that even in extended families with many affected individuals, the genetics of IBD remains complex.

The objective of this study was to determine whether formal, primary education could increase the level of ethnicity in children. One hundred Jewish children completing grade 6, and their parents, were measured on a series of instruments designed to evaluate their level of ethnic identity. Half the children had received their full education in private, parochial schools, while the other half had attended public, secular schools. The two samples were further sub-divided so that each sample consisted of 25 children of Ashkenazi descent and 25 of Sephardi descent. The data were subjected to a multivariate analysis of covariance wherein the variance attributable to the parents was partialled out. The results indicated that formal, parochial education does not effect an increase in the level of ethnicity, and that parental and community factors are the primary determinants of a child's ethnic identity. The results also demonstrate that the Sephardi children, despite their affinity to the Jewish people, have a less positive image of the Jewish community when compared to the Ashkenazi majority. The Conflict Theory model, which views the school as a mirror of the forces in society at large, was seen as the best explanation of the data.

Introduction: Tay Sachs Disease (TSD) is a fatal genetic disorder with autosomal recessive inheritance, occurring more frequently in Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) populations. No cure or effective treatment exists. Carrier couples have a 1 in 4 risk that a baby will have TSD. The desire to prevent TSD inspired the first pre-conception genetic screening programs. The development of assisted reproductive technologies and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis of embryos has broadened reproductive options available for carrier-couples to avoid having a child with a serious genetic condition. Aim: My aims were to discover: • The allelic distribution of HEXA mutations in the Australian AJ community • The accuracy of TSD carrier risk self-determination in AJ individuals aged 20 to 40 years when questioned by health professionals • Evidence that TSD carrier screening prevents cases • Evidence of reported access to TSD screening • Evidence to make recommendations for primary care clinicians about TSD screening. • Clinical impacts and ethical issues raised by expanded genetic screening strategies. Methods: This thesis by publication represents my research work with Australian TSD screening programs (2008-2013). Results: A high TSD carrier frequency exists amongst Australian AJ individuals currently aged 20-40 years. Disclosure of AJ heritage can accurately predict TSD carrier risk. Screening programs have been effective in preventing TSD cases. Systematic review of the international literature on TSD screening formed NHMRC graded evidence-based best practice recommendations for primary care clinicians. Australasian clinical practice guidelines for genetic screening in Ashkenazi Jews are presented. Conclusion: Preconception genetic screening is effective in rare recessive disease prevention, with important implications for Australian health-economic policy.

Since Ashkenazi Jews in the United States are not a visible minority, it often becomes difficult to distinguish what/who is a Jew. As many Jewish females may appear to be of the dominant culture, they often get overlooked in discussions and courses on teacher education and multiculturalism/multicultural education. However, their identity as both Jewish and White and the absence of conversation regarding their multiple positions in education and in society can contest, as well as support, their connection to multiculturalism. The purpose of this research was to identify how four middle class Ashkenazi females in the greater Los Angeles area understand their identities and experiences as Jews and as public school educators, how these multiple identities impact their perceptions of their pedagogy, and how these women navigate the structures of public schooling. Narrative Inquiry and Listening Guide method of analysis were utilized to present multilayered portraits of these women in order to challenge the status quo of the White female teacher identity and the positioning of Jewish females in regards to the perseverance of Christianity in public education. Story threads emerged from the narratives which indicated that while Jewish identity is fluid and exists on a continuum over time, it was not a primary reason why these women became teachers. Although each woman made individual decisions regarding the degree to which her Jewishness was presented in the classroom and on campus, they did not actively design their curriculum due to them being Jewish; rather they unconsciously incorporated aspects of Judaism in their pedagogy.

One of the most fundamental ways of understanding the struggles and delights of an ethnic group is to study the art the group produces. Art –visual, literary, auditory– functions as an expression of the history of the group. Often, what is considered great art in one culture is disparaged in many others. In my thesis, I will be examining how comics function as an expression of simultaneous pride and shame among Ashkenazi Jews, particularly comics created in the 20th century. Perhaps comics do not seem like an obvious expression of Eastern European Judaism. After all, there are far more renowned, and even sophisticated works to look at, such as the whimsical art of Marc Chagall and stately rabbinical paintings of Isidor Kauffman, or even the heady philosophical work of Theodor W. Adorno. “Ashkenazi expression” and “comics” do not seem intuitively connected. This disconnect is precisely why I want to explore the relationship between comics and Ashkenazi Jewry. In addition to many of the most prominent comic creators being Jewish, I posit that there is something inherently yiddish, Jewish, about American comics. The purpose of this essay is not to name individual comic artists in an attempt to prove the Jewishness of the the comic-book industry. Rather, I will explore why Jews of Eastern European descent gravitated toward the comic-book industry in the early to mid 20th century. I posit that American comics acted as an expression of a pride-shame tension found in American Jews of Eastern European descent. To explore this connection, I will first examine the origins of simultaneous Jewish pride and shame by tracing the roots of Eastern European Jewish self-hatred. Next, I will delve into why comics encapsulate this balance of self-deprecation and self-glorification. I will analyze both the nature of the medium itself, and the circumstances grounding the formation of American comics. Ashkenazi Jews, or Jews of Eastern European, specifically German descent, have been at the center of much scholarly literature. Although an extremely small percentage of the world's population, the bulk of Jews are Ashkenazi, as opposed to Sefardic. Much literature has been devoted to Ashkenazi Judaism, as the ethnic division has produced an impressive body of scientific and literary accomplishment. Although the countries from which Ashkenazi Jews originate are diverse, the key words surrounding Ashkenazi discourse are reoccurring. Concepts such as “exile,” “self-hatred,” and “Jewish humor” all arise. Another central concept is Yiddishkeit. Yiddishkeit literally translates to “Jewishness” in none other but the language of Yiddish. Yiddish has been the subject of both outward Ashkenazi expression –there is a great deal of Yiddish literature and art– and scholarly examination. Perhaps most recently, Michael Wex published a book called Born to Kvetch, an in-detail study of the history of Yiddish, and how it embodies Ashkenazi culture. Within this book, a particular theme appears: the theme of simultaneously occuring pride and shame. Jews created Yiddish as a result of the primary culture's rejection. However, after this initial dismissal, great pride emerged out of Yiddish, manifesting itself in rich Yiddish culture. Other scholars have explored the concept of Jewish self-hatred, and the fine line this self-hatred straddles between bona fide self-hatred and isolationist pride. Sander Gilman, who writes extensively about the topic, discusses how language and literature embody this dichotomous tension of pride and shame. While conducting research for the connection between comics and class in 20th century American, I came to the understanding that many of the founders of and participants in the American comic industry were Jewish. I dug up analyses of specific comics/graphic novels (usually Maus) exploring certain Jewish themes in comics, yet I had a hard time finding extensive research asking the question as to why comics and Jews have such a strong connection. In my thesis, I hope to further this question by not only investigating the circumstances surrounding comics that made Jews turn to the industry, but why comics themselves embody Jewish pride and shame. On a much humbler scale, I hope to accomplish what Wex has in Born to Kvetch, a linguistic analysis that provides insight into the greater ethnic group engaging with it. In chapter one, I will establish the pride-shame dichotomy found in Ashkenazi Judaism. I will first explore several biblical passages, including Lamentations, Micah, and Isaiah. By exploring these instances in the tanach, I will try to establish the uniqueness the Jews feel due to their personal and punitive relationship with God. Throughout these passages, we will see the Jews taking pride in the punishment God doles out for them, because such pain is indicative of the Jews' superiority among other nations. Next, I will provide a brief explanation of why I am choosing to focus on the act of conversion in the Medieval time period as an indicator of Jewish pride and shame. In specific, I will focus on infamous Johannes Pfefferkorn, who converted from Judaism to Christianity. Pfefferkorn is the perfect example of a Jew who both detested his Judaism, yet used it to his advantage to speak authoritatively about Judaism to Christians, as his professed textual knowledge gave him clout. Next, I will give an introduction on the connection between Otherness and language, explaining how Hebrew and the Talmud spurred both fascination and disgust toward Jews from their surrounding neighbors. After segueing into the origins of Yiddish as a language created out of exile, I will explain how though Yiddish originated out of spurning, the language became a source of pride of its rejected roots. I will consider the statements of various Yiddish authors, in particular American immigrant Isaac Bashevis Singer. Through both an analysis of Singer's self-reflection of his own life and an analysis of his short story, Gimpel the Fool, I will establish the pride Ashkenazi Judaism takes in its outsider status. Singer himself remarks of the positivity of being lonely and different. His character, Gimpel, is a foolish outcast. Much like the Jews in the biblical passages explored earlier in the chapter, he suffers constant misfortune and mockery, yet his very pain is what lends him favor in God's eyes. In chapter two, I will explore how 20th century American comics reflect the Ashkenazi dichotomy of pride and shame. Much like Yiddish is not a mainstream language, the idea of comics as mainstream art or literature has been greatly contested. I will try to determine which circumstances surrounding 20th century comics, and the comics themselves, connect with this pride-shame tension. I will use Paul Buhle's Jews and American Comics as a frame of reference, since the book often links comics and Yiddish. I will first give a brief history of the American comic-book, starting with the Hogan's Alley comics strip, and exploring up until the mid 20th century. By understanding the working-class origins of comics, we can better understand the low-brow perception of them from the standpoint of both their readers and their critics. I will then explain how American comics in the 20th century contained Jewish themes of pride and shame, despite their characters not being explicitly Jewish. I will more closely explore this idea through an analysis of the character Superman, drawing on both the commentary from the character's creators and the content clues of the character himself. A true foreigner, Superman masks his real identity, his superhuman powers. While his alias is what makes him exceptional, it is also the thing he abhors the most. Will Eisner, a giant in the world of comics, denies inserting Jewish identity in his own characters. However, his assistant, Jules Feiffer, half-jokingly claimed that his character, Denny Colt, featured in Eisner's The Spirit series, is in actuality a secret Jew. Instead of focusing on Colt and The Spirit, I will do a close reading of one of Eisner's other works, A Contract with God, which is an exemplary work of Jewish pride and shame. Contract contains a motif that is similar to that of the biblical passages analyzed in chapter one. The protagonist, Russian-American immigrant Frimme Hershe, has a personal relationship with God that leaves him demoralized and punished. I will then explore the use of visual stereotype in Contract, comparing it to that of Art Spiegelman's Maus, and contrasting it with that of the film Inglorious Basterds. I will argue that through engaging with Jewish visual stereotypes, the first two reveal them as falsehoods. Thus, through an admittance of these shamed images, the comics mock them. The latter film chooses to ignore stereotypes, thus leaving them extant. I will conclude the chapter by positing that Jews have coped with their constant exile through through the self-deprecation of comics. Buhle mentions that comics about Jewish-American gangsters turned into a source of pride, presumably for Ashkenazi American Jews. The trope, hated by others, was lauded by those it was forced upon. Much like Yiddish, comics may have been born out of exclusion, but they came to be a source of pride among Ashkenazi Jews.

Ch. 1: Introduction: A Destruction without Adequate Precedent. Ch. 2: Rupture and the Holy Ideal: Redemption in the Hebrew Bible. Ch. 3: Giving the Sense: The Rise of Commentary. Ch. 4: Rabbi Eliezer’s Silence. Ch. 5: Gold and Glass: Ethical Rupture in Mystical Union? Ch. 6: Our Impossible Victory.

A suscetibilidade ao câncer se apresenta com diferentes freqüências em diferentes populações. Dentre muitas das estudadas está a população judaica Ashkenazi, que vêm sendo alvo de muitos trabalhos por apresentarem doenças genéticas em proporção maior do que seria esperado para outra população qualquer. Tal incidência provavelmente advém do fato de terem sofrido dois grandes bottlenecks ao longo de sua história, gerando um efeito fundador que seria responsável pela alta incidência de doenças genéticas. O gene TP53 tem papel importante em um grande número de processos celulares e o polimorfismo Arg72Pro (R72P) deste gene leva a diferenças funcionais em atividades biológicas e bioquímicas, o que parece estar intimamente ligado ao câncer de mama. Da mesma forma, acredita-se que a variação genética de genes para metilenotetrahidrofolato redutase (MTHFR), enzima essencial no metabolismo um-carbono, pode alterar os níveis de metilação do DNA e influenciar a carcinogênese. Buscou-se então verificar qual a prevalência do polimorfismo R72P e dos polimorfismos de MTHFR (A1298C e C677T) em mulheres judias Ashkenazi de Porto Alegre. Para isto, foi utilizado material biológico proveniente de 255 mulheres Ashkenazi residentes na cidade de Porto Alegre e 255 amostras de um grupo controle de doadores saudáveis do hospital de clínicas de Porto Alegre, para amplificação das regiões de interesse através da técnica de PCR seguida por digestão com enzimas de restrição específicas. O polimorfismo R72P mostrou uma freqüência genotípica de ~61% Arg/Arg, ~37% Arg/Pro e ~2% Pro/Pro nas mulheres judaicas Ashkenazi; em comparação com a amostra controle que mostrou uma freqüência genotípica de ~43% Arg/Arg, ~44% Arg/Pro e 13% Pro/Pro. Com relação aos polimorfismos de MTHFR, obteve-se os seguintes resultados para judias e controles, respectivamente: 677CC (31 e 42%), 677CT (47 e 48%), 677TT (22 e 10%), 1298AA (49,4 e 60%), 1298AC (43,1 e 35%) e 1298CC (7,5 e 5%). Os resultados estatísticos mostraram-se significativos para as freqüências alélicas e genotípicas (P<0,001 para R72P; P=0,000 para C677T e P=0,041 para A1298C). Ampliar e diversificar as amostras se faz necessário para avaliar consistentemente como a influência das diferenças étnicas e raciais podem afetar os resultados dos estudos, além de aspectos como alimentação, fumo, hábito de beber, casamentos consangüíneos, entre outros, devem ser considerados nas análises de dados, buscando uma melhor resposta em relação às hipóteses levantadas e assim eliminando da análise possíveis fatores de confusão.
Cancer susceptibility is presented with different frequencies in different populations. Among the many populations studied, the Ashkenazi Jewish have been the subject of several scientific publications due to the greater proportion of genetic diseases observed than would be expected for any other population. This effect probably stands from the fact that they had suffered two major bottlenecks throughout its history, resulting in a founder effect that would be responsible for high incidence of genetic diseases. TP53 gene has an important role in many cellular processes and the Arg72Pro (R72P) polymorphism of this gene leads to functional differences in biochemical and biological activities, which seems to be closely linked to breast cancer. It is also believed that the genetic variation of genes for methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), an essential enzyme of the one-carbon metabolism, can alter levels of DNA methylation and influence carcinogenesis. We sought to determine how prevalent are R72P and MTHFR (C677T; A1298C) polymorphisms in a group of Ashkenazi Jewish women from Porto Alegre. For this, we used biological material from 255 Ashkenazi women living in Porto Alegre and 255 samples from a control group of healthy donors of Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, for amplification of interest regions by PCR followed by digestion with specific restriction enzymes. The R72P polymorphism showed a genotype frequency of ~ 61% Arg / Arg, ~ 37% Arg / Pro and ~ 2% Pro / Pro in the Ashkenazi Jewish, compared to the control sample which showed a genotype frequency of ~ 43% Arg /Arg, Arg ~ 44% / 13% Pro and Pro / Pro. Regarding the MTHFR polymorphisms we obtained the following results for Jewish and controls, respectively: 677CC (31 and 42%), 677CT (47 and 48%), 677TT (22 and 10%), 1298AA (49.4 and 60%), 1298AC (43.1 and 35%) and 1298CC (7.5 and 5%). The statistical results were significant for allele and genotype frequencies (P <0.001 for R72P, P = 0.000 for C677T and A1298C to P = 0.041). Increasing the sample number and studying several worldwide populations is needed to consistently evaluate the influence of ethnic and racial differences which may affect the results obtained. In addition to that, aspects such as diet, smoking, drinking, consanguineous marriages, among others, should be considered in the data analysis in order to seek for a better response to the hypotheses raised, thus eliminating possible confounding factors.

Les littératures yiddish et hébraïque modernes sont étroitement liées par une histoire commune et partagent également de multiples traits stylistiques et thématiques. Or, une différence importante peut être remarquée quant à l’usage des pseudonymes dans les deux langues. Dans la littérature yiddish moderne, la pseudonymie est très importante, aussi bien du point de vue quantitatif que qualitatif, et une grande partie des plus importants auteurs yiddish sont connus principalement sous leur pseudonyme, alors que dans la littérature hébraïque moderne les noms de plume restent un phénomène relativement marginal. La présente recherche analyse la pseudonymie dans les deux littératures, dans le but d’expliquer cet écart. Nous commençons par une analyse des modes de construction des pseudonymes pour en constituer une typologie générale. Par la suite, nous nous concentrons sur les pseudonymes « durables », c'est-à-dire ceux qui accompagnent les auteurs sur le long terme et façonnent leur image publique, pour décrire en détail dans quelles circonstances et de quelles manières ils sont utilisés. Enfin, nous utilisons les informations recueillies pour démontrer que la pseudonymie est un phénomène social, et pour isoler les facteurs sociaux et historiques qui ont conduit à l’adoption de la pseudonymie comme l’une des « traditions inventées » de la littérature yiddish moderne
Modern Yiddish and Hebrew literatures are closely connected by a common long history, sharing many stylistic and thematic features. However, both literatures significantly differ in their use of pseudonyms. In Yiddish literature, authors’ pseudonyms appear rather frequently, and a significant number of the most important writers are known mainly in their pseudonyms, while in modern Hebrew literature pen names remained a relatively marginal occurrence. This research analyses pseudonymity in both literatures in order to explain this discrepancy. In the first chapter, the various patterns used in building pseudonyms are analysed, so to establish a general typology of the phenomenon. Subsequently, I focus on the "lasting" pseudonyms, namely those that accompany authors for a long time, shaping and determining their public image. In the second chapter I describe in detail under which circumstances and in what ways the "lasting" pseudonyms were created and used. Finally, in the last part the information analysed previously is utilised, clarifying that pseudonymity is actually a social phenomenon, and defining the social and historical factors that led to the adoption of pseudonymity as one of the "invented traditions" of modern Yiddish literature

This thesis examines Sephardic melodies that were adopted into the liturgy of the Ashkenazic Jews in London during the early twentieth century. The work begins by presenting a history of Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jews from the time they settled in England to the end of the nineteenth century. Through an analysis of social and religious changes taking place among English Jews of the nineteenth century, this thesis explicates reforms in the synagogue service that led to the inclusion of polyphonic music into the synagogue and eventually, to the incorporation of Sephardic melodies into Ashkenazic synagogue practice. The attempt to canonize the music of Ashkenazic Jews in England was manifested in the widely successful Handbook of Synagogue Music (1889, revised 1899). The second edition is the focus of this thesis. Edited by Francis Lyon Cohen and David M. Davis under the auspices of the United Synagogue and the Chief Rabbi, this volume included Ashkenazic pieces by English as well as non-English Jewish composers. Fifteen melodies of Sephardic origin from the Sephardic compilation The Ancient Melodies, compiled by David de Sola and Emanuel Aguilar in 1857, as well as from The Music Used in the service of the West London Synagogue of British Jews, compiled by Charles Verrinder in 1880 were included in the 1899 edition of the Handbook. This thesis examines the reasons these Sephardic melodies were chosen for inclusion by the editors of the Ashkenazic Handbook during a period of reform.

L’antisémitisme revêt de nombreuses formes. Il est, malheureusement, présent dans de nombreuses sphères de la société, qu’elles soient politiques, économiques, ou au sein de la société civile. Cependant, au-delà de ses manifestations claires et non ambiguës dans les écrits, les violences ou les crimes, il peut aussi être sous-entendu et non avoué. L’Angleterre n’échappe pas à ce phénomène, malgré son image de démocratie, d’ouverture d’esprit vis-à-vis de ses minorités, de sa liberté religieuse et de conscience, au coeur de son monde politique. L’antisémitisme caché sous des propos à première vue philosémites ou, tout au moins, ne révélant pas de caractère judéophobe, peut en réalité se révéler. Qu’il soit anticapitaliste, Judéo-bolchevique, exclusionniste ou encore racial. C’est la particularité intrinsèque de cette société libérale ne voulant pas avouer ouvertement son antisémitisme que d’avoir produit ce nouveau genre de judéo-phobie. C’est cet antisémitisme non avoué et sous-entendu dans des propos, à première vue neutres, que nous avons étudié et que nous avons théorisé comme « discours apophasique » dans cette thèse. L’antisémitisme de l’Establishment, journalistique et dans le monde des mouvements exclusionnistes du début du 20ème siècle sera utilisé comme arme politique. Les immigrés ashkénazes de l’Europe de l’Est arrivant en masse sur les côtes anglaises seront la cible d’un antisémitisme avoué, et parfois caché. C’est cette seconde catégorie que nous révélerons
Antisemitism may be polymorphous. It is present in many spheres of society, whether po-litical, economic, or civil. However, beyond its clear and unambiguous manifestations in writings, violence or crimes, it can also be implied and unconfessed. England, despite its image of democracy, its openness towards its minorities, its religious freedom, is not exempt from this phenomenon deeply rooted at the heart of its political world. Antisemitism can be hidden behind what, at first glance, appears as philosemitic or, at least, not Judeo-phobic. Nevertheless, it may actually reveal itself. Whether it be anti-capitalist, Judeo-Bolshevik, exclusionist or racial, it is the intrinsic peculiarity of this liberal society unwilling to admit its antisemitism that has produced this new kind of Judeo-phobia. It is this antisemitism, hidden and understated in statements that could seem neutral at first glance, that we have studied and theorized as "apophasic discourse" in this thesis. The antisemitism of the establishment, in the newspapers and in the world of the exclusionist movements of the early 20th century will be used as a political weapon. Ashkenazi immigrants from Eastern Europe arriving “en masse” on the English shores would be the target of open, sometimes hidden, anti-Semitism. It is this second category that we will reveal

Kotzo shel yod by Y. L. Gordon (1832–1892) – one of the prominent intellectuals of the Jewish Enlightenment period – is a well-known Hebrew poem. This poem is characterized by a daring, sharp criticism of the traditional Jewish institutions, which the author felt required a critical shake-up. Gordon’s literary works were inspired by the Jewish Ashkenazi world. This unique and pioneering literary work was translated into Judeo-Spanish (Ladino). The aim of this article is to present the Sephardic version of Gordon’s poem. The article will attempt to examine the motives behind the translation of this work into Ladino, the reception of the translated work by its readership and the challenges faced by the anonymous translator who sought to make this work accessibleto the Ladino-reading public, in the clear knowledge that this version was quite far removed from the Ashkenazi original from which it sprang.
Kotzo shel yod von Y. L. Gordon (1832–1892) – einem wichtigen Intellektuellen der jüdischen Aufklärung – ist ein bekanntes hebräisches Gedicht. Dieses Gedicht zeichnet sich durch eine kühne, scharfe Kritik an den traditionellen jüdischen Einrichtungen aus, welche nach Meinung des Autors ein unbedingtes Überdenken erforderten. Gordons literarisches Werk ist von der jüdisch-aschkenasischen Welt inspiriert. Dieses einzigartige und innovative Gedicht wurde ins Judenspanische (Ladino) übersetzt. Der Artikel möchte die sephardische Version von Gordons Gedicht vorstellen. Es soll versucht werden, die Hintergründe für die Übersetzung dieses Werks in Ladino zu analysieren, die Rezeption der Übersetzung durch die Leserschaft und die Herausforderungen, denen sich der anonyme Übersetzer stellen musste, der das Werk der ladino-lesenden Öffentlichkeit im vollen Bewusstsein zugänglich machen wollte, dass diese Version sich deutlich vom zugrundeliegenden aschkenasischen Original unterscheidet.

Specific mutations in the breast cancer susceptibility genes 1 and 2 (BRCA1 and BRCA2) have been found to be the cause of breast cancer (BRCA) in about 20% of cases in the Jewish population. Affected women often experience a variety of emotional and social issues, which need to be addressed. The aim o f this study was to investigate some o f the psychosocial issues associated with BRCA, the knowledge o f and feelings about it, its treatment and screening strategies, and attitudes to genetic testing in Ashkenazi Jewish women. The subjects were women aged > 18 years with BRCA (30 subjects, Group A),or who had an affected first-degree relative (FDRs) (9 subjects, Group B), or without a family history of BRCA (30 controls, Group C). They were ascertained from the Genetic Counselling files held at the South African Institute for Medical Research (SAIMR), the Medical Oncology Centre o f Rosebank, Johannesburg, the Reach for Recovery organisation, the patient network, or, in the case o f the controls, from the records of the Union of Jewish Women (UJW). A schedule o f questions was specifically constructed (and checked in a pilot study) for use in this study and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was selected to measure depression. A face-to-face interview was conducted with each subject and the schedule and BDI were completed. The average age of the subjects was 57 years, 36 years and 52 years in groups A, B and C respectively. The average age o f Group A subjects at diagnosis was 48.7 years and all had had surgery. The subjects' knowledge of the genetics of BRCA scored between moderate and good. Many Group B subjects overestimated the lifetime risk of developing BRCA. Almos. half (46.7%) the Group A women reported shock as the dominating emotion after diagnosis and they were very concerned that their children would develop the condition (43.3%) or that the cancer would metastasise (26.7%). Only 13 (26.5%) of the medical practitioners involved in the care of the Group A subjects in this study discussed emotional issues with their patients.The group B subjects, after the diagnosis was made in a relative, reported fear of developing BRCA (5), fear o f dying o f the disease (5), and feeling out of control (4).Most subjects (87%) felt that women with BRCA and their relatives would benefit from professional counselling. Less than 25% of subjects in all groups undertook regular breast self-examination (BSE), but one-third of group A subjects discovered a lump themselves.Medical practitioners recommended mammograms in older women to all Group B subjects and most (76%) o f the Group C subjects. However, regular CBE and BSE were only recommended rarely. Half the Group A and Group B subjects stated that they would request genetic testing if it were available locally, mostly to determine whether their children were at risk, or, in the case of FDR's, whether they should improve their vigilance. In order for holistic treatment to be given to affected women and their relatives’ psychosocial and genetic counseling issues should be addressed. Also, the findings suggest that women require further education on the importance o f using available screening strategies for the condition and on the possibility o f genetic testing for BRCA susceptibility in high-risk families. However, such testing needs to be carefully supported and monitored to prevent or ameliorate any adverse psychological or social responses.The study has given an insight into the knowledge of BRCA genetics, the emotional burden, and attitudes to screening and testing possibilities, associated with BRCA in the local Ashkenazi Jewish population.

Genetic carrier testing programmes originated in different ethnic groups to establish whether an individual or his/her partner carries an inherited recessive genetic mutation that could cause a serious genetic condition in a couple’s offspring if both are carriers. Molecular genetic analysis has shown that despite migration and physical separation, Jewish individuals have retained their religious, social and genetic identity over many years through a common religion, dialect, customs and marriage within the community. Therefore, a number of conditions have a higher incidence in the Jewish population due to the founder effect. There are a number of serious life-threatening conditions prevalent in the Ashkenazi Jewish population that display an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. These conditions are deemed worthy of genetic carrier testing to identify couples who are at risk and assist them in making appropriate reproductive choices. This research study focused on the Ashkenazi Jewish genetic testing programmes available to the Jewish community in Johannesburg, South Africa (SA) and it explored the uptake of genetic carrier testing. It also aimed to assess genetic knowledge related to carrier risks and the autosomal recessive inheritance pattern, and to evaluate the personal or social perception of stigma associated with being a carrier of an Ashkenazi Jewish condition. The study sample included Ashkenazi Jewish men and women in Johannesburg, SA between the ages of 18 and 40 years. The study was advertised through several Jewish community resources. Data was collected through an online structured questionnaire over a one month period. All information was cleaned and coded in an Excel spreadsheet and then analysed. There were 298 individuals who participated in this study with 32.6% (97/298) male and 67.4% (201/298) female. From the total number of participants in the study, 44% (130/298) had genetic carrier testing. The participants who had testing chose to be tested when they were either single, dating or engaged. The timing would therefore have implications for participants as individuals would be aware of different reproductive options available at different stages. This study found that knowledge with regard to understanding genetics of the autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance for the common Ashkenazi Jewish genetic conditions was poor. Participants did not fully understand the implications of being a carrier of a genetic condition and underestimated the frequency of the genetic condition. Finally, no stigma for being a carrier of a genetic condition was found in the sample overall or when assessed for personal or social stigma. This finding indicated that there may be less stigma in the community in Johannesburg, South Africa. This study highlights the need for genetic services to be promoted further in the Ashkenazi Jewish community through educational programmes so that individuals are encouraged by their community and health care professionals to test for the 9 common Ashkenazi Jewish conditions. An increase in genetic carrier testing would allow more individuals to make informed reproductive decisions.

In recent decades, increased attention has been turned to tensions and conflicts between African Americans and American Jews on the individual, organizational, and societal levels. When investigating the perceptions each group has of the other, however, research has focused disproportionately on African American perceptions of Jews (and specifically on African American anti-Semitism) without a corresponding indepth investigation of Jewish attitudes, opinions, and beliefs about African Americans and how Jews make meaning of the relationship or conflict. The current study, which was exploratory and descriptive, employed a qualitative research methodology and attempted to identify, describe, and analyze intergenerational Jewish perceptions the concepts of “race” and “white privilege,” and perceptions of African Americans and the relationships and/or conflict between African Americans and Jewish Americans. The study used a methodology consisting of two one-and-one-half hour interview session with each participant. The interview framework was consistent with, for example, Coffey and Atkinson, 1996; Marshall and Rossman, 1998; Maxwell, 1996; Patton, 1980; Seidman, 1998. It provided the opportunity to delve deeply into the often subtle themes expressed by research participants, and provided a greater understanding of their lived experiences and the ways they made meaning of these experiences in their own words. This methodology also helped in examining the ways in which people's experiences interacted with social and institutional forces, and aided in discovering the interconnections between and among individuals within a shared context and between generations. The study had as its theoretical foundation a taxonomy of intergroup conflict theory based on four distinct though interrelated levels: Realistic-Group-Conflict Theory, Sociopsychological Theories of Intergroup Conflict, Social Identity Theory, and Theories of Cross-Cultural Styles in Conflict. Research participants included sixteen Jewish Americans (primarily of Ashkenazic heritage), with an equal number of females and males of disparate ages (from 19 to 56), and across a wide spectrum of Jewish religious affiliations (from Orthodox Hasidic to Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, to those approaching Secular). This study will contribute to the educational literature base, and will it hold theoretical and practical significance for classroom educators, conflict resolution and mediation specialists, and community-based coalition organizers. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Debates about the implications of conducting genetic research on ethno-racial groups have largely revolved around two opposing assumptions. This research is either viewed as problematic because it supports the idea that biological races exist which is considered to have been the root of racist actions and historical tragedies of times now past, or this research is viewed as medically progressive such that not including all ethno-racial groups as subjects of genetic research is regarded as discrimination. This thesis takes a different approach to exploring the relationship between ethno-racial groups and biomedical developments, such as genetics, through conducting a comparative case study of how one particular ethno-racial group, Jews, have negotiated their group identity and broader societal belonging in relation to biomedical developments. Focusing particularly on two contexts in which a liberal governance informed the negotiations of Jewish 'inclusion' in their broader societies, nineteenth and early twentieth century England, and twentieth century and contemporary America, the concept of biomedical citizenship is used to provide a critical analysis of the ways in which this negotiation of Jewish identity was and continues to be shaped by biomedical developments given the norms embedded in the 'healthy behaviours' these developments prescribe. This thesis, therefore, contributes to contemporary debates over the implications of conducting biomedical research on ethno-racial groups by demonstrating the significance of biomedical developments in shaping the 'inclusion' of these groups in liberal societies.

The author (of the book) examines the religious musical traditions of Jews from Central and Eastern Europe, especially from the regions situated within the borders of pre-WWII Poland. These traditions are presented in a broader historical context, from the biblical times until today, as well as a geographical context, with the author outlining the main musical idioms of the Jewish Diaspora. The source basis comprises sound material collected during field research carried out in Poland and other Eastern European countries (between 2002 and 2013).