Do jews look down on those who are not jewish

1. Chosenness: distinction, not a simple claim of supremacy

The classical Jewish idea that Jews are "chosen" by God appears throughout scripture and rabbinic literature and is often explained by Jewish writers as a charge to be a moral exemplar rather than an assertion of inherent human superiority, a point made repeatedly in modern Jewish educational sources that stress chosenness as responsibility rather than racism ^{[1] [2] [3] [5]}.

2. Mainstream rabbinic and modern Jewish responses reject inherent inferiority

Many contemporary rabbis and Jewish institutions argue that Judaism fundamentally recognizes the dignity of all humans — for example, rabbinic commentaries emphasize that every person is created "in the image of God" and condemn teachings that posit superiority or inferiority as morally wrong ^{[2] [6] [1]}.

3. Texts and traditions that have been—and can be—interpreted as hierarchical

At the same time, there are classical and mystical sources (and certain later commentaries) that describe qualitative differences between Jewish and non‑Jewish souls or statuses; such passages have been highlighted both by critics and by some Jewish thinkers as evidence of exclusivist strands within the tradition, and they fuel accusations that parts of Judaism can be read as endorsing superiority ^{[5] [6]}.

4. Political dimensions: criticisms of Israeli policy vs. theological claims

Accusations of "Jewish supremacy" are also used in political debates about Israel, where critics argue some Israeli laws or settler practices amount to discrimination against Palestinians and other non‑Jews; scholars and activists have employed the term "Jewish supremacy" to describe ethno‑national patterns in specific historical contexts, a usage distinct from theological claims about chosenness ^[4].

5. Movements and leaders that complicate the picture (Noahide, Chabad, Reconstructionists)

Some modern movements and rabbis actively engage non‑Jews — for example, the Noahide outreach movement encourages non‑Jews to follow ethical laws and has been criticized by some Jewish theologians as paternalistic or imperialistic, while other Jewish thinkers like Mordecai Kaplan rejected traditional chosenness language entirely; Chabad and other groups frame Jewish distinctiveness as spiritual uniqueness rather than racial hierarchy ^{[4] [7] [5]}.

6. Lived reality: diversity of attitudes among Jews worldwide

Empirical social data and communal life show Jewish attitudes toward non‑Jews vary widely by denomination, geography, education, and politics; some Jews express universalist, pluralist ethics, others emphasize boundary‑keeping and difference, and a small minority adopt explicitly supremacist stances — but the sources provided do not offer broad polling data to quantify how many Jews hold each view ^{[3] [1] [5]}.

7. How stereotypes and antisemitism intersect with this question

Historical antisemitic texts like The Protocols of the Elders of Zion falsely portrayed Jews as believing themselves superior and used Jewish success as supposed proof of conspiratorial elitism; scholars and Jewish writers note that these external accusations have shaped perceptions far more than internal Jewish doctrine that promotes universal human dignity ^{[8] [5]}.

Conclusion

The available reporting shows the answer cannot be absolutist: Judaism includes teachings that can be read as asserting special status, and there are political and social practices that critics call supremacist, but many mainstream Jewish thinkers and institutions explicitly reject notions of racial or moral inferiority and present chosenness as ethical responsibility rather than contempt for others ^{[1] [2] [4] [6]}. The sources supplied do not provide comprehensive survey data on contemporary Jewish attitudes, so any claim about prevalence among Jews requires additional empirical research beyond these texts ^[3].