It is a cornerstone of Jewish (kabbalistic and Hasidic) thought that Jews are endowed with a soul that is essentially different from that of Gentiles. As a non-Jew I find this belief hurtful, since it suggests that I was born with a spiritual blemish. At the same time, and in all honesty, I must say that there is truth to the concept of the “Jewish soul”. After having spent decades around both Jews and non-Jews I must acknowledge that there is a “Jewishness” in Jews that makes them different from non-Jews - even (and especially) when they try to conceal...