Jewish Angel & Demon Characters, Physical Appearance

On physical appearances of Jewish characters

I’ve got blonde hair and blue eyes, so I say go for it, although my hair is darker blonde than what you’re describing. I don’t know anything about the freckles part either way. Honestly while yes, there are certain phenotypes that are common, there is no one way to “look Jewish.”

–Shira

I agree wholeheartedly, there’s no one way to look Jewish. There are tons of blonde Jewish people out there, so why not. As a quick note of caution, be sure that you think about the phenotypes and personalities of other Jewish characters, if there are any in your work. It’s not uncommon for light haired, light eyed Jewish characters to be the “positive” representation, and darker (in hair, and skin tone) characters to end up relegated to the nastier roles. Be mindful of that, and don’t fall into the trap of making Jews of Color, or more stereotypically “Jewish looking” characters into the bad guys.

– Dierdra

Oh another thing. I’ve seen “blonde haired, blue eyed” Jewish characters in literature treated as if having fair features automatically make us “pass” for Christian. Can I just say that, while there of course is no “one way” to look Jewish and anyone who is Jewish “looks Jewish”, personally I have stock photo face. I have a face from propaganda. To put it bluntly, I’m an Ashkenazi woman with a hooked nose and unbelievably thick wavy hair. So while we definitely don’t all look like that, keep in mind that facial structure phenotypes can still be like that even if the hair and eyes are fair.  

–Shira

Jewish Angels and Demons

Agree, any colour for eyes, hair and skin is fine for a Jewish character. We’ve been in diaspora for two thousand years and have built communities pretty much everywhere, so yeah. I think Dierdra’s point is really interesting about Jewish characters who do or don’t ‘look Jewish’ in an anti-Semite’s eyes.

If your blonde Jewish character is an angel, I would say it would be best to have other positively portrayed Jewish characters if possible, and have some of them not be blonde and blue-eyed. That way you avoid the implication that the ‘good’ Jews are the ones who don’t fit the typical idea of what a Jew is. 

In terms of things to be mindful of in an angels and demons story, I would be uncomfortable if there were Jewish characters walking around in a universe where Christian beliefs about angels and demons are proven facts. If you have Jewish characters, try researching what angels are like in rabbinic thought and incorporating some of these into the story. (I don’t think we have demons - Shira and Dierdra are you aware of any?) 

I would not recommend writing Jewish characters who are demons, what with all the history of Jews being seen as without morals because we don’t accept Jesus.

–Shoshi

I think you have brought up an interesting issue: having Jewish characters in a world where Christian theology is a proven fact. I like the idea of incorporating some of the Jewish concepts into the story, maybe even just by saying that there are other types and forms, and that these (Christian-style) angels are not all that there is. Maybe mention in passing the angels with six or more wings…

We do have demons! Sheydim! 

• They are very different from the Christian concept of them though. 
• Largely traditions about sheydim are closed, but they are abundant, range from mischievous to blatantly evil, and are known in folklore to cause all kinds of mayhem. 
• Talmudic scholars often said that their clothes wore through, even when they were sitting still studying all day, because of the thousands of sheydim brushing past them all the time. 

In tradition sheydim are necessary, and just a fact of life, but I absolutely agree that it would be inappropriate to have a Jewish demon.

–Dierdra

Personally, the whole Good Omens fandom phenomenon has made me love that bit in Ezekiel that describes angels as being covered in eyes and wheels, but I admit that may not appeal to everyone! 

–Shira