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Brooklyn Neighborhood Becomes Test of Jewish Identity

Blog responds to NYT article on Midwood

by
Marc Tracy
December 09, 2009

A New York Times article about the Midwood neighborhood of Brooklyn—specifically, the way in which the feel of the neighborhood has been altered by a recent influx of wealthy Orthodox Jews—has prompted a rather profound debate about Jewish identity on a neighborhood blog. On Saturday, The Ditmas Park Blog mentioned the article—the post was written by “Ben,” who, for what it’s worth, is Politico blogger Ben Smith—and the comments quickly turned to a fairly fascinating (if anonymous to semi-anonymous) discussion of the ethnic versus religious nature of being Jewish. It is interesting to think that what prompted the issue was not Jews’ dealing with a different group, but rather with one group of Jews dealing with a different group of Jews: though Orthodox Jews tend to be the ones building and buying the big new houses, the disappearing small old houses of Midwood are generally occupied by … secular Jews.

Marc Tracy is a staff writer at The New Republic, and was previously a staff writer at Tablet. He tweets @marcatracy.