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.

• 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).^[1] 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.^[2]
• 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.^[3][4]
• 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.^[5]

See also

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

Notes

1. Certificate Confirming Payment of Protection Money (Schutzgeld) for a Jewish Resident (1833)
2. Dubnow, Simon. The Newest History of the Jewish People, 1789–1914.
3. Marks, Steven G. How Russia Shaped the Modern World: From Art to Anti-Semitism, Ballet to Bolshevism. p. 142. ISBN 0-691-11845-0.
4. Russia at Institute for Jewish Policy Research
5. (Russian) The infamous AZCSP (in Russian) Prepared by Moscow Bureau for human rights. Contains excerpts from June 6, 1983 AZSCP press-conference from the press-center of Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (sem40.ru)