Are Jews Smart ?

Question

I have heared that JEWS are the smartest people on earth, much smarter than the brahimns from India.
One of this must be true
Are Jews smarter because of the Covenent (promise) that Jehova GOD made with their ancestors.
OR
Is it just that Jews were from the begining one group of smart people who were smart enough to write the Bible and through a jew named Jesus spread their GOD to the world.

Feel free to express your views.

Answer 1

Judaism puts much emphasis on STUDY and LEARNING. Yes, primarily this emphasis is on Torah, Mishnah, Talmud, etc, but all of this instills good study habits in the younger children which applies to all areas of study. They learn as children to study the holy works, and when they get to college they know how to study properly physics, medicine, or whatever. So it isn't a matter of being "smarter" in a genetic sense, but rather, being "smarter" because of good study habits.

Yes, the Covenant does provide a blessing, and there may well be a spiritual componant to success. But the terms of the Covenant are things which many non-Jews have entered into over the centuries. So study Torah and obey the Divine Instructions you find within it and see if blessings increase in your own life. No, I'm not talking about animal sacrifice or any of the other Temple ordinances, I'm speaking of things like "Love your neighbor as yourself", "Don't use unfair weights and measures", etc. Just doing things which bring "Tikkun Olam" (Repair of the world) will do tremendous things towards healing society and will bring a blessing into your life.

Answer 2

Interesting question. Some studies have confirmed a "generally higher" IQ among Jews, mostly of the Ashkenazi branch. It's not a big difference, but apparently not one that can be dismissed as statistically insignificant. What some researchers are speculating is that the long-term historical circumstances in Europe and the Middle East were so generally oppressive to Jews that they evolved, and nurtured, the skills and social practices that promoted intellectual effort and achievement.

For example, if Christians didn't allow them to own land and be "mere peasants," (as in Russia), then they'd have to excel at those crafts that (generally) required greater skills or perish. (Many did perish, and one may speculate that the survivors had an "edge.")

So, ironically for those looking for divine explanations, it seems it had more to do with Darwin than with Jehovah.

UPDATE: On the other side, think of the effect someone like "Queen Honey" has on the average IQ calculation of the group he/she belongs to.

Answer 3

The term "Jew" can be used religiously or ethnically.

Either way, there is no real evidence that Jews are statistically "smarter" than any other comparable group.

Ironically, Jehovah's Witnesses are UNIQUE among self-described "Christians" in that they actually *DO* believe in the same monotheistic, non-trinitarian Almighty Father as Jews did and typically still do.

Jehovah's Witnesses are great students of the Hebrew Scriptures (they even refuse to call it an "Old Testament"). Jehovah's Witnesses appreciate the richness and robustness of the Law and the prophets, and recognize the literal thousands of ways they point toward Christianity. They recognize that a substantial number of the "kings and priests" who rule forever alongside Jesus must be ethnic Jews.

Jehovah's Witnesses are also unique in applying many of the principles of God's dealings with the nation of Israel to the modern Christian congregation.

Regarding their rejection of the so-called "trinity", Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the Scriptures quite plainly demonstrate that Jesus and the Almighty are separate distinct persons, and the Almighty created Jesus as His firstborn son.

(Colossians 1:15) the firstborn of all creation

(Mark 10:18) Jesus said to him: 'Why do you call me good? Nobody is good, except one, God.

(Revelation 3:14) the Amen says, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation by God

(Philippians 2:5-6) Christ Jesus, who, although he was existing in God's form, gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that he should be equal to God

(John 8:42) Neither have I come of my own initiative at all, but that One sent me forth

(John 12:49) I have not spoken out of my own impulse, but the Father himself who sent me has given me a commandment as to what to tell and what to speak

(John 14:28) I am going my way to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am

(1 Corinthians 15:28) But when all things will have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also subject himself to the One who subjected all things to him

(Matthew 20:23) this sitting down at my right hand and at my left is not mine to give, but it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by my Father

(1 Corinthians 11:3) I want you to know that the head of every man is the Christ; ...in turn the head of the Christ is God

(John 20:17) I am ascending to my Father and your Father and to my God and your God.

(Deuteronomy 6:4) Jehovah our God is one Jehovah

(1 Corinthians 8:4-6) There is no God but one. For even though there are those who are called "gods," whether in heaven or on earth, just as there are many "gods" and many "lords," there is actually to us one God the Father, out of whom all things are, and we for him

Thanks again for an opportunity to share what the bible actually says about the distinct persons of Jesus Christ the Son and Jehovah God the Father!

Learn more!
http://watchtower.org/e/ti/
http://watchtower.org/e/20050422/
http://watchtower.org/e/20020515/
http://watchtower.org/e/pr/article_04.htm

Answer 4

The Jews I have known in my lifetime have been very intelligent people. Certainly I haven't known all the Jewish people in the world, so my experiences may not be typical, but the several I have known were great folks. Why? Who knows.

Answer 5

Intelligence is a construct; a made up thing. It is variable depending on the priorities of the society measuring it and what the "measurement of the week" happens to be. Societies across the board have people with Superior intelligence.

Answer 6

East Asians and Ashkenazi Jews are on average the most intelligent people around. Sub-Saharan Africans are on average the least intelligent people around.

Whether people like it or not, race is a factor (although not an ever present one) in regards to intelligence. Its just so controversial and unpolitically correct you daren't mention it but I'm one of those people who doesn't give a damn who he offends as long as I tell the truth.

Answer 7

People of Jewish ancestry are just like all other people -- there are smart ones, there are not so smart ones. Same is true of every other group of people.
However, like some other cultures, education is revered and greatly supported by the Jewish culture and family structure. Any group that places a high value on education will most certainly have a lot of educated people come from that group -- the same is true of many Asian cultures. It's that high value of education that produces what appears to be a lot of "smart" Jewish people, not any inherent genetic superiority.

Answer 8

Jews are no smarter or dumber than any other group of people. They're just people; some of them are smart, others are dumb as mud. To generalize an entire ethnic group, even in a positive way, is grossly unfair.

Answer 9

I don't believe smartness or intelligence is a racial factor. One study on IQ conducted over twenty years ago concluded that Anasazi Jews had the highest IQ range, but I do not trust that test.

Answer 10

Don't confuse "smart" with "street wise". I've known some Jews that were stupid, but were street wise. They just have learned to survive in a hostile world and learned to take advantage of it.