There are some significant limitations to Jewhoo that might otherwise not be apparent to those using the site for identifying "who's a Jew." If you look up "Paul Wellstone," you will be greeted by this notice:

"Paul Wellstone - Condolences to Senator Wellstone's family. This is a temporary note that will be up for the balance of the year. This site does NOT cover political figures; does NOT cover journalists/talk show hosts (except sports journalists); and does NOT cover business figures. WE HAVE NOT COVERED SUCH FIGURES FOR A YEAR AND A HALF. If you are interested who is Jewish in these fields--you have come to the wrong site. If you had bothered to look at the list of categories at the bottom of the home page---you would know this. This site is still a valuable resource. However, we have made an editorial decision to close these categories."

So Jewhoo now lists no:

1. Jewish "political figures." (This includes more than politicians. A search for "Madeline Albright" comes up blank.)

2. Jewish journalists.

3. Jewish talk show hosts.

4. Jewish business figures.

------------- (see explanation below for the last two)

5. No Jewish pornographers, porn actors, producers, writers, directors, publishers, etc.

6. No Jewish gangsters.

As the gangster and pornographer classifications demonstrate, the site omits other categories besides those listed by Jewhoo's editors in the Wellstone entry.

A couple of years ago Jewhoo listed Jewish pornographic film performers like Harry Reems. (A very brief entry on Reems can still be found.) But I specifically recall a statement that they would cease including such figures in the future.

Similarly, Meyer Lansky was the most famous and powerful Jewish gangster in the United States. Plug in his name and you will find that it, too, comes up blank (although mention of Lansky's Jewishness has not yet been removed from Lee Strasberg's biographical profile).

It is highly probable that additional editorial omissions have been made as well. It seems apparent that as the site grew in popularity, communal pressures were placed upon the proprietors to omit the most high-profile and powerful Jews that would both surprise most Americans and be well-known to them (political figures, journalists, wealthy and powerful business leaders), as well as nasty Jews (gangsters, pornographers, and so on).

In other words, Jews who might easily destroy the simple-minded but widespread positive stereotype entertained by most Europeans throughout the world are unlikely to be found in a Jewhoo search.