Useful Jew

The term useful Jew was used in various historical contexts, typically describing a Jewish person useful in implementing an official authority's policy, sometimes by oppressing other Jews.

Examples

• In 1744, Frederick II of Prussia introduced the practice of limiting Jewish population to a small number of the most wealthy families, known as "protected Jews" (Schutzjuden). The first-born son in such families inherited this privilege; other children were considered useless by the authorities and had the choice of either abstaining from marriage or leaving.
• Following the establishment of the Pale of Settlement by Imperial Russia, only "useful Jews" (Russian: полезные евреи) were allowed to live outside the Pale; these included Jews such as wealthy first-guild merchants (Russian: купцы первой гильдии), persons who had received higher education, cantonists, after serving their full term in the army, and some other categories.
• In the Soviet Union, Jewish members of the Anti-Zionist Committee of the Soviet Public were colloquially known as "useful Jews" or "pocket Jews" (Russian: карманные евреи), implying their corruption by high positions in the state hierarchy.

See also

• Antisemitism
• Court Jew
• Jewish Question
• Mordechai Chaim Rumkowski
• Schutz-Jude
• Self-hating Jew
• Shtadlan
• Stella Kübler
• Uncle Tom
• Useful idiot