Abstract:
The invisibility of the community of Arab Jews living in the
United States, better known as the Mizrahi community is intriguing. Its identity combines two seemingly
paradoxical elements and it is assumed that this community is encompassed by
two larger ethnic groups: the Jewish American and the Arabic American ones.
However, a closer look at this community shows that such assumptions are not
corroborated by facts. Little is known about this diaspora, which suffers
double alienation from the two larger ethnic groups. This paper attempts to
delve into the identity formation of the Mizrahi community in the United States
by starting with a bird’s eye view on its immigration and integration patterns
in an attempt to understand its distinctiveness and the obstacles that prevent
the community from being visible and more influential. This paper also intends
to spotlight the way such a community managed to preserve its identity for
generations and the way members of the community perceive their Arabic and
Jewish identities in an American context which presents both identities as
incompatible.
Key words: Mizrahi,
Jews, Arabs, United States, identity.
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