Goyishness

Goyishness is a term used in Jewish English to refer to the quality or state of being a goy, that is, a non-Jew. The word goy comes from Hebrew and means "nation" or "people" and entered Yiddish with the sense of Gentile; goyisheness thus denotes Gentile-ness or non-Jewish behavior, culture, or appearance as perceived by Jews.

In many Jewish communities, goyishness is used to describe traits associated with Gentile cultures, such as secular attitudes, dress, music, or social norms. The term is not neutral and carries a range of connotations from humorous or affectionate to pejorative. What counts as "goyishe" can shift across historical periods and between communities.

Scholars and commentators emphasize that goyishness tends to reflect boundary-work between Jewish and Gentile groups rather than a fixed set of traits. Critics warn that the concept can essentialize identity and promote exclusion or assimilation pressure, while supporters may view it as a way to preserve group distinctiveness.

In modern usage the term is more common in specific cultural or religious contexts and less so in general discourse. It appears in discussions of Jewish identity, assimilation, and how communities negotiate relations with the surrounding non-Jewish world. As a descriptor, goyishness remains a controversial and context-dependent term.