Judaism and Chinese Religion: A Prolegomenon to Any Future Dialogue

Given the theoretical affinities between Judaism and Chinese Religion, or between the Jewish and Chinese people, there has historically been little interaction between the two groups and even less rigorous comparative study. This essay establishes parameters for such a study, by examining how both traditions place primacy on collective identity and how their shared legacies of "peoplehood" shape interpretations of history, produce mythologies of unity, provide bases for family-centered ethics, and influence attitudes on education, outsiders, and the land. The essay concludes with a brief example of one unusual historical instance of dialogue between the two traditions.