Edith Stein Not a Self-Hating Jew

Abstract

This paper explores the life and thought of Edith Stein (1891-1942), arguing that despite her complex and at times uncomfortable relationship with Judaism, she never rejected her Jewish identity. Although some have labeled her a self-hating Jew, the intersection of her Jewish background with her intellectual and ethical commitments remains a vital area for further study. While Stein rejected Judaism as a religion, this paper demonstrates that she did not renounce her Jewishness—and that, perhaps unknowingly, elements of Jewish religious thought continued to shape her convictions.