Color and Jewish Identity in India: A Conversation with Dr. Nathan Katz

Description

The first stereotype that pops to mind about the Jews of India is that there are "Black Jews " and " White Jews" there. The assumption immediately follows that such color distinctions are rooted in Indian culture. However, this fresh look considers more data and concludes that color discrimination was more the product of European intrusion into India than any indigenous bigotry.

Nathan Katz is Distinguished Professor, Emeritus, in the School of International and Public Affairs, Emeritus, at Florida International University (FIU). He was the Founding Chair of the Department of Religious Studies, the Bhagwan Mahavir Professor of Jain Studies, the Kaufmann Professor of Global Entrepreneurship in the College of Business Administration, an affiliated faculty in the College of Medicine, Director of Jewish Studies, and founder and director emeritus of the innovative Program in the Study of Spirituality. He is also the co-founder and co-editor of the Journal of Indo-Judaic Studies.