Researchers:
- Lingxuan Liang, joint Masters in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Brandeis University
- Professor ChaeRan Freeze, Frances and Max Elkon Chair in Modern Jewish History, advisor and lead investigator
Lingxuan Liang is currently seeking participants for this study. Email llianglx@brandeis.edu to sign up!
This study examines the historical factors shaping Jewish adoption of Asian children and the contemporary experiences and identities of Jewish Asian adoptees. Using archival research, Lingxuan Liang explores the impact of systemic barriers, personal choice, and changing social circumstances that have contributed to these adoption patterns, adding to the canon of non-Eurocentric research. This study also uses qualitative interviews to learn about contemporary racialized dynamics, such as how Jewish Asian adoptees perceive their own Jewish identity, the Jewish identity of their parents, and that of other Ashkenazi Jews. Liang’s study also considers generational differences and how the experences of Jewish Asian adoptees speak to the larger picture of American Jewish life and Jewish-Asian relations.