They just might need their heads examined.
A professional association representing minority psychologists has issued a statement opposing Jewish shrinks from creating their own such group — citing their whiteness.
“While we recognize that many forms of prejudice are on the rise in today’s climate, including antisemitism, we have several considerations to raise regarding the Association of Jewish Psychologists as an Ethnic Psychological Association,” said the Coalition of National Racial and Ethnic Psychological Associations.
“Conflating religion, race and ethnicity is a critical issue with serious consequences in that it obscures the role of racism, white privilege and white supremacy in the historical and contemporary oppression of people of color,” said the association, which consists of groups representing blacks, native Americans, HIspanics, Asians, American Arabs and Middle Eastern and North African psychologists.
The leaders of the minority psychologists claimed that their Jewish colleagues are “not underrepresented” within the American Psychological Association.
“The majority of Jewish Americans in the United States identify as white, Jewish psychologists of color already have a home in each of the existing EPAs [Ethnic Psychological Associations],” the coalition said in the statement.
“EPA seats were intended to address underrepresented groups within APA. Jewish psychologists are not underrepresented within APA.”
To try to bolster their case, the coalition’s leaders cited the American Psychological Association’s 2021 resolution apologizing for failing to confront racism against “people of color” while specifically not mentioning oppression against Jews.
“It is notable that antisemitism and other forms of religious discrimination were not included in the APA apology and dismantling racism resolutions given that the focus was on people of color. Issues related to antisemitism and other forms of religious discrimination should be represented on APA Council,” the coalition leader said.
Coalition members endorsing the statement were the Asian American Psychological Association, the American Arab, Middle Eastern and North African Psychological Association, the National Latinx Psychological Association, the Association of Black Psychologists and the Society of Indian [Native-American] Psychologists.
A key Jewish civil rights group — the Anti-Defamation League — accused the minority groups of engaging in discrimination themselves against Jews and sweeping antisemitism under the rug.
ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt slammed the coalition’s statement as “indefensible.
“To suggest that Jewish psychologists do not face discrimination or deserve representation within this group is both factually wrong and harmful,” Greenblatt said.
The coalition’s statement comes amid growing concerns about antisemitism within the American Psychological Association, according to the ADL.
ADL previously called out other psychologists for promoting the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel. BDS is considered a form of antisemitism for trying to economically harm and delegitimize the world’s only Jewish state.
The House Committee on Education and the Workforce is currently investigating
claims of antisemitism at the APA, with Jewish shrinks being harassed because of their Jewish identity.
Despite the APA’s recent claims that it is addressing antisemitism through listening sessions and the formation of a Collaborative of Jewish Psychologists, the organization’s failure to oppose the coalition’s “discriminatory” statement demonstrates that these efforts fall far short of meaningful action, the ADL said.
“ADL calls on the APA to reject CONREPA’s position and to recognize the Association of Jewish
Psychologists, ensuring that Jewish mental health professionals have a voice within their professional community,” the civil-rights group said.
