While all mothers worry about their child’s well-being, stereotypically, Jewish mothers are known for being the ultimate worrywarts. Oftentimes, this stereotype of worrying is extended to the Jewish people at large. However, given the fact that current research does not suggest that Jews are more anxious than average, there seems to be no simple answer to how the trope of the “anxious Jew” came into being. Today, with the rise of antisemitism and the ongoing war in Israel, Jewish people around the world have definitely been on high alert. Whether it's Jewish college students who feel nervous wearing a kipa on campus or Israeli children who are forced to run into bomb shelters in the middle of the night after sirens are sounded, many Jews have been experiencing feelings of anxiety.
While the current rise in antisemitism is painful and anxiety provoking, antisemitism is not new. Throughout Jewish history, between the Holocaust, pogroms, and the inquisition, Jews have been persecuted and were forced to be highly vigilant. According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC), Epigenetics describe how one’s adverse environment can impact changes in one's genes or, in other words, “Epigenetics turn genes on and off.” Dr. Rachel Yehuda conducted a study at Veterans Affairs Medical Center and found that children of holocaust survivors showed epigenetic gene changes that they inherited from their parents, even though they themselves weren't exposed to the trauma event. This finding highlights the fact that Jews may have innate feelings of worry that stem from our history of persecution.
Surprisingly, despite the classic trope of Jews being anxious, according to Dr. Peter Kramer, a professor of psychiatry at Brown University, there is little to no research indicating that Jews are more anxious than other minority groups. Furthermore, a study conducted by the Pew Research Center titled “A Portrait of Jewish Americans”, listed a slew of information about Jewish mental health, yet made no mention of heightened anxiety levels throughout the Jewish community.
The lack of empirical support for the increase in anxiety disorders in the Jewish community may point to some of the protective factors that exist within Judaism. The American Mental Wellness Association explained that optimism, social support, and spiritual beliefs are some protective factors against the development of anxiety disorders. Interestingly, all three of these protective factors are an inherent part of a Jewish lifestyle. We see how Jewish faith is built on the principle of optimism at the Pesach seder. We have a positive outlook and belief that while we may be presently experiencing hardships in exile, next year we will be in yerushalayim (“L'shana Haba B’yerushalyim”). Additionally, Jews are often part of strong Jewish communities which value chessed and have organizations like Tomchei Shabbos or Gemachs. Even if one is not the recipient of chessed in these overt ways, having a community which you know you can rely on can be very calming. Lastly, believing in G-d and a set of moral codes and ethics is also a protective factor, as it provides individuals with a sense of meaning and purpose. While these factors have shown to be protective against anxiety disorders, individuals within the Jewish community can of course still struggle with clinical levels of anxiety which can be attributed to many other factors including genetic risk, adverse life circumstances or learned behaviors. At large, our community has likely been able to overcome many of our challenges through our optimism, spiritual beliefs, and supportive community.
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