Understanding Debates over Who Is Jewish: An Examination of Boundaries Prompted by the Czollek-Biller Debate
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Abstract
The 2021 public dispute between Maxim Biller and Max Czollek over the latter's patrilineal Jewish identity ignited a national German debate on the boundaries of Jewishness, moving the issue from internal discourse into the public sphere, linked with German anti-Antisemitism narratives. This essay uses the Czollek-Biller controversy and the related Gerstetter debate on converts as entry points to explore the multifaceted and often conflicting definitions of Jewish identity. It surveys criteria across Jewish movements (Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, etc.) and considers ethnic, secular, hybrid (Israeli Law of Return), quasi-essentialist (Noahides, zera yisrael), and nonessentialist/self-identification models. The aim is to equip those in interreligious and intra-Jewish dialogue with a deeper understanding of these complexities. The conclusion offers practical implications for dialogue, stressing the need to acknowledge internal diversity, to analyze critically the politics of representation and inherent power dynamics (applying Cunningham's maxim through a Foucauldian lens), to prioritize narrative and lived experience, and to recognize the inadequacy of simple Jewish/non-Jewish dichotomies when engaging with contemporary Jewish life.
Topics
Jewish Identity Jewish Status Main Topic: Identity and Community Representation Conversion Intermarriage Interfaith Dialogue Conflict Denominations Boundaries
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Geographic Coverage
Original Language
Volume/Issue
60(2)
Page Number / Article Number
207-235
DOI
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Link to article (paywalled), Understanding Debates over Who Is Jewish: An Examination of Boundaries Prompted by the Czollek-Biller Debate
PDF (via academia.edu), Understanding Debates over Who Is Jewish: An Examination of Boundaries Prompted by the Czollek-Biller Debate
PDF (via academia.edu), Understanding Debates over Who Is Jewish: An Examination of Boundaries Prompted by the Czollek-Biller Debate
Bibliographic Information
Understanding Debates over Who Is Jewish: An Examination of Boundaries Prompted by the Czollek-Biller Debate. 2025: 207-235. https://archive.jpr.org.uk/10.1353/ecu.2025.a963979
