Is the ‘Jewish Symptom’ Hereditary?

Sabba – This is Gilad Atzmon’s reflexion on a story which we posted on 03APR16 (POLAND – Meet The Hipster Who “Inherits” A Warsaw Building Only Because He Is A Jew)

By Gilad Atzmon – As you no doubt realise, yours truly is not a biologist or a genetic expert and is not qualified to address this question.  

However, an examination of the above question from a Jewish cultural perspective leads to some fascinating observations. 

Jews frequently delight in associating themselves with Jewish brilliance: with the likes of Albert Einstein or Steven Spielberg. Naturally, Jews are much less enthusiastic about any association with people such as uber-criminal Bernie Madoff or serial paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Jewish tribalhood is an elastic concept.  Many Jews cling to biological determinism in the inheritance of Jewish talents but forcefully reject any biological cause in reference to any unsavory traits. Jewish folklore is wildly inconsistent in its biologist attitude toward the so called ‘Jewish traits.’   

A few years ago,  American comedian Larry David produced a sophisticated and fascinating deconstruction of ‘Jewish biologism.’  In the fifth season of his TV Series, ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm,’ (2005) David tackles the subject of organ donation. Voluntarily presenting himself as the ultimate American eccentric and egotistical Jew, David is confronted with a serious dilemma.

His best friend Richard Lewis (another Jewish comedian) suffers acute kidney failure. His survival is dependent on a kidney donation and, as you can predict, Larry David is a perfect match. David, who had until that point used his series to portray the definitive Jewish egotistical person of American popular culture, is reluctant to donate his kidney.

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