Rabbi Ari Shvat : The chosen people and racism -Leyla, via mail

Question: (for the rabbi -ed)
I have a very hard time with the concept of “The Chosen People”. It’s just so arrogant, I find it very hard to accept. I find it easier to understand religions that think everyone else should be like them – we seem much worse since we’re saying everyone is inferior to us. How can this be justified??

The question was asked following the question ‘Intermarriage and racism’

Answer:
Please see the answer to the previous question (“Intermarriage and Racism”) regarding our opposition to Jewish intermarriage, which will help understand the following point. Our role as “a light for the nations” (Isa. 42, 6) is to take that special G-d-given Jewish genius and morality, all those Jewish Nobel prize and Emmy award winners (or their grandchildren!), to be at the height of world culture and thus influence towards the objective and Godly positive priorities. Just as America doesn’t force their culture upon anyone, but the world willingly “follows the leader”, so it will be when all of those Einsteins, Freuds, Spielbergs, Simons and Garfunkles (or their grandchildren!) will be producing that popular world-culture based upon the Jewish ideals of family and morality from Jerusalem, rather than the decadence emanating today from Hollywood. Anyone who wants to join the Jewish nation can convert, but wer’e definitely opposed to the intolerance found in Christianity and Islam which forces their religion upon the rest. As mentioned in the previous question, we see the ideal mankind as one family (one global village), but every family needs a “responsible adult”, referred to in the Torah as the “firstborn” (b’chor), who’s job is to set the tone when the father is not “around”. Similarly, our “invisible” Father appointed Israel as “My firstborn” (Shmot 4, 22) of the united family of humanity. Our role as “a light for the nations” (Isa. 42, 6), which brought monotheism and morality to the world, is to benefit all mankind.
In short, the world would be a much nicer place if the Germans, Americans, French and really every nation were to claim and act as if their role were to teach monotheism and the Godly morality to benefit mankind.