As twins, Jack and Oskar shared the same DNA, the same nature, and yet, they emerged radically different people. Born in Trinidad in 1933, they were six months old when their parents divorced. Oskar went to Germany with his Catholic mother, while Jack stayed with his Romanian Jewish father. Oskar grew up as the Nazis rose to power, greeted the school principal with “Heil Hitler,” and later joined the Hitler Youth movement.
Jack, meanwhile, always thought of himself as Jewish, but didn’t feel its significance until he was 15 years old and was sent to Venezuela to live with his aunt. A survivor of Dachau, she was the only person from his father’s side to make it out alive.
After the war, Jack’s aunt encouraged him to move to Israel and so at 16, he made Aliyah and joined the Israeli Navy, ultimately becoming an officer. In 1954, Jack went to Germany to meet his identical twin. They were 21 when they met for the first time as adults.
Psychologist Nancy Segal tells the story of that encounter in her book “Indivisible by Two: Lives of Extraordinary Twins.” Jack and Oskar examined one another as if they were looking at an alien, even though the other’s appearance should have been entirely familiar to them. Their cultural differences were as immediately apparent as their physical similarities. Casting a wary eye at Jack’s Israeli luggage tags, Oskar removed them and told his long-lost brother to tell others he was coming from America, not from Israel.
Suffice it to say that first reunion did not go well. Two brothers – one raised a proud Jew who served in the Israeli Navy and the other raised a German Catholic who had risen in the Nazi Youth movement and been taught to hate Jews. Because of the language barrier they couldn’t communicate much. At the end of the visit, they shook hands like strangers and Jack set off to San Diego where he lived the remainder of his life.
In 1979, Jack read about a study being done on twins and the great debate between nature and nurture. He asked if he and his brother could participate and thought after 25 years it might provide another opportunity for them to see one another and develop a relationship.
Jack Yufe and Oskar Stohr
They met at the Minneapolis airport and to their amazement discovered they were wearing the exact same thing – a white sports jacket, similar shirt and wire- rimmed glasses. During the study, they learned that they had so much in common. Both were stubborn and arrogant, both fiercely competitive. Both read books from back to front, both sneezed incredibly loudly, they walked in a similar fashion, and they both wore rubber bands around their wrists.
And yet, with all that nature gave them in common, nurture had made them different. They could never agree on issues about Israel and her enemies or who was responsible for World War II. Oskar’s repeated reference to German soldiers as ‘we’ infuriated Jack. In a BBC documentary about the twins, Jack describes that they tried to like each other and enjoy each other’s company but there was always something in the background that they could not tolerate about one another. Jack died a few years ago at 82 years old. Oskar passed away in 1997.
As twins, Esav and Yaakov shared the same DNA, the same nature, and yet, they emerged radically different people. One became a patriarch of our people and the other a great villain of Jewish history, the progenitor of Edom, the exile in which we remain until this very day.
The name Esav comes from the Hebrew word "asui" which means complete, or finished product. The simple way to understand this is as a superficial description of Esav’s appearance. He was physically mature, covered in hair and appeared complete, fully grown as an adult.
But Esav’s name is not just about his physique; more importantly it is about his spirit and approach to life. Esav sees himself from the start as a finished product. What you see is what you get. He had no interest or ambition to grow, change, or improve. He was already made, complete from the start. Therefore the Torah describes Esav as a “man who knows hunting, a man of the field.” He remains a primitive, boorish man who spent his days among the animals, doing what animals do – hunting in the field.
Yaakov’s name reflects the exact opposite quality, the insatiable appetite for growth and improvement. The root of Yaakov’s name is “akeiv,” or “heel.” When we walk, the heel is the first part of the foot that touches the ground. It represents the beginning, the first step, with much to follow. Akeiv means the beginning of a process with much greater things to come as in the expression, “ikvesa de-Meshicha, heel of the Messianic Era.”
Esav and Yaakov are twins who enter the world with the same DNA, the same “nature,” but who bring contrasting attitudes towards their “nurture.” Esav is satisfied with who he is from the start while Yaakov feels entering the world is just the first of many steps and journeys to come.
Indeed, while Esav is spiritually stagnant, remains immature and undeveloped, Yaakov spends his life struggling, wrestling and thereby growing. He overcomes his shy nature to assert himself, first by obtaining the birthright and then collecting on it by going entirely against his nature and tricking his father into giving him a blessing. Later, before his reunion with Esav, we will read of his encounter with the angel with whom he wrestles the entire evening and triumphs. The shy, passive yeshiva bochur who is characterized as sitting learning diligently in the tent, emerges the strong, dynamic, assertive patriarch and leader who is among the greatest role models of our people.
Esav chooses to remain "complete" – stagnant, but Yaakov puts one foot in front of the other, walks, jogs and ultimately runs to his destiny as Yisrael. No matter what our nature, we are not finished products. We can nurture ourselves to grow, improve, and change in all areas of our lives.
Jack and Oskar did not leave legacies based on the “natures” they shared in common like sneezing loudly or by the way they walked. Because of how they were nurtured, Jack left a legacy of having been an officer in the Israeli Navy while Oskar left of a legacy of having been an enthusiastic member of the Nazi youth.
We all have natures that predispose us, but through the way we nurture our lives, ultimately, we can choose who we are and the legacy we leave.
(35) Hi, May 6, 2020 3:29 PM
No proof that the one was a Nazi , via this article, just because a person fought doesn’t mean the agreed with the regime
(34) Ruth, December 8, 2019 6:47 AM
Trinidad embrace Jewish
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/07/trinidad-cemetery-jewish-refugees-holocaust-forgotten-story?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1575736732
(33) Dick Perlad, December 6, 2019 12:32 PM
One DNA but divided spiritually
Shabbat Shalom from the Philippines. Am a gentile and a shomer shabbat. Reading the story of Yit'zak and Ya'acov gives me a better understanding now about Jack and Oskar. It boils down to how each one of was nurtured. Now it is clear, how one is being nurtured and how it reflects character. Looking forward to more interesting stories such as this. So inspiring and. educational. Toda rabah.
(32) Anonymous, December 4, 2019 7:19 PM
On one hand an Amazing story, however, sad on the other! Yes, we r whom we wish to portray and believe in. Todah for this article.
(31) Wanda Gerardino Rodriguez, December 4, 2019 4:47 PM
I want to do alyah with H-SHEM's help.
I also would like to have MICAH 6:8 become a habit in my daily walk with H-SHEM. Thanks ? Orli
(30) AMB, December 3, 2019 9:23 PM
sharing DNA
To everyone who is commenting that fraternal twins don't share DNA, that is simply not true. If you come from the same two parents, you share DNA, even if you are not a twin or triplet or more. Even if you are 10 years apart. If you share ancestors, parents or older, you share DNA.
Also, you're missing the point of the article when arguing over a tiny detail. The point is that two people can come from the same parents and have so much in common, and still turn out so vastly different.
(29) Mandelbaum, December 2, 2019 3:48 PM
This is a very interesting story but I don't have the some conclusions as you. What strikes me is that we are very dependent on our social environment. If the "german" brother had be raised in the States and in Israel , he would have become a sionist anIt's amazing!d the "American" brother would have become a nazi in Germany.
(28) Emil M Friedman, December 2, 2019 1:27 AM
Yakov & Esav did not share the same DNA.
They were fraternal twins, not identical twins. It's obvious because one was hairy and one was not.
(27) Anonymous, December 1, 2019 3:43 PM
DNA
If they were identical twins, their DNA would be the same.
Not so for fraternal twins.
Jack and Oskar appear to be identical.
Esav and Yaakov are described as physically different. They were most likely fraternal twins. One could reach different conclusions regarding their nature and nurture and how it effected their future behaviors.
(26) Anonymous, December 1, 2019 5:59 AM
I assumed that Yaakov and Eisav were fraternal twins and therefore did not share the same dna.
Assuming that Yaakov and Eisave were fraternal twins, they did not share the same dna. They were not more alike that any 2 siblings.
(25) Shlomo Dror, November 30, 2019 2:19 PM
Last two sentences contradict the thesis Of the article
I was deeply excited by this article, so much so that I re-read it several times. The third reading brought an unwelcome surprise: the ending directly undermines the main ideas. Like twins who differ radically despite shared history and behavioral traits, the last two lines refute the article’s profound lessons in separate ways.
I propose to submit an article of my own to clarify the problem and disentangle two theological questions—both true in their own contexts—that are improperly conflated in the article. Would the AISH editor be good enough to reply?
(24) Hessel Meilech, November 30, 2019 7:20 AM
Was Esau not the son of the Patriarch Isaac
How come Esau met Jacob his astute sly brother with 400 men. Only a great leader has that amount of followers ready to fight and die for him. Why did Isaac the patriarch love Esau so much. Is this not a hatchet job to ensure that we admire the younger son over the older. Isaac and ishmael. Abel over Cain Joseph over his brothers, David over his brothers
Anonymous, December 1, 2019 9:08 PM
because...
1) Esau brought 400 men with him because he was determined to murder his brother Jacob.
2) Esau was such a “great leader” that he had “that amount of followers ready to fight and die for him” that they all abandoned him and left him to have a one-on-one with his brother Jacob.
3) Isaac loved Esau so much because of the “hunting in his mouth,” that is, Esau was destined to produce “verbal hunters of truth” to ensure the survival of those making a dwelling place for G-dliness in the physical world & those descendants were “Shema’aya & Avtalyon, Onqelus, Rabbi ‘Aqiva, Rabbi Meir, who all ensured the Oral Tradition of what became the Babylonian Talmud from which the Code of Jewish Law was taken.
4) You are right that Abraham & Isaac’s second sons (NOT younger son, as Abraham had other sons from his concubine Qeturah) are heirs as the first-born Ishma’el & Esau were not chosen by G-d, but you’ve wrongly included King David and his brothers on this list as they were ELIGIBLE through lineage to be messiah, but their negative character traits prevented this and this is NOT the same as Esau because Esau’s ORIGINAL DESTINY was to be the ruler of the physical world, while Jacob’s ORIGINAL DESTINY was to be the SPIRITUAL ruler of the world & together they were to bring humanity to perfection. Esau lost this role so Rebecca told Jacob he was to assume BOTH roles.
(23) Lea Liliane, November 29, 2019 11:49 AM
love reading Aish.com
Absolutely Brilliant read 4 times, now I am searching to buy the book mentioned in the article
(22) Norman Mackay, November 29, 2019 10:54 AM
Really good article though quite harrowing as well. Thought you could have raised the issue of our "sinful nature" which would be common to both brothers and requires atonement therefore for both. Just a thought.
(21) PAUL MUTOKOMA, November 29, 2019 6:09 AM
Jews are great people
indeed nature may define who we are but nurture gives us another chance to redefine ourselves. excellent article.
Even though I am African I have always liked the Jewish People. I have always admired their energy, their will to survive, their intelligence.
(20) Anonymous, November 29, 2019 6:06 AM
How could Jacob and Esau have shared the same DNA since they were fraternal, not identical twins?
How could Jacob and Esau have shared the same DNA, since they were fraternal not identical twins?
(19) Anonymous, November 29, 2019 4:43 AM
All this sounds quite unreliable
I cannot understand how it was possible for Oskar to join nazi movement and not be killed by nazis as were all people who had even a drop of Jewish blood ( needless to say that all who had Jewish fathers, or even grandfathers were killed). Another question is how Jack can be called Jewish as he is 100% gentile, having gentile mother. The whole story, in my opinion, has no relevance at all with respect to Yakov and Esau. Please correct me if I am wrong.
MESA, November 29, 2019 2:10 PM
I think you're correct about the details, but the point of this article is to highlight the way two seemingly identical people lived their lives so differently. Nature AND nurture played their parts here but nurture made the bigger difference.
(18) Anita, November 29, 2019 4:02 AM
Asev and Jacob
Question: Does the bible state that were identical twins, as opposed to fraternal?I am asking this considering that Esav was so much hairier than his brother. Was it a sin for Jacob to deceive his father and steal his brother's birthright? Sincerely, Anita
Dvirah, December 2, 2019 6:32 AM
Bought Not Stolen
As far as birthright goes, Esau had already sold this to Jacob. The question remains what connection this particular blessing had with the birthright. I agree with the commenter who concluded "Esau’s ORIGINAL DESTINY was to be the ruler of the physical world, while Jacob’s ORIGINAL DESTINY was to be the SPIRITUAL ruler of the world & together they were to bring humanity to perfection. Esau lost this role so Rebecca told Jacob he was to assume BOTH roles."
(17) marlene brtman, November 29, 2019 2:51 AM
nature vs. nurture
it has always been my belief (to the ignorance and annoyance of some) that environment shapes us. just look at the ratio of children especially boys raised in a house with a father of quality and those without. the success numbers are staggering. in addition, look at the ratio between a school environment. or even the quality of the teachers. i'm sure if both brothers were raised as twins by the same parents they would have believed the same for the most part. however, with the world the way it way, its quite possible circumstance would have led them to different paths anyway. what i found most tragic was that if you are lucky enough to have a sibling, let alone a twin, not being able to enjoy that relationship your whole life leaves a nagging and an incomplete in your heart.
(16) Judy R., November 28, 2019 11:29 PM
Identical Twins: One a Nazi, the Other a member of the Israeli Navy
The parents of these identical twins, one was a Jew, the other a non Jewish woman, so do you except one became a Nazi(may their name be erased) the other a member of the Israeli Navy, so the one that was in the Israeli Navy did he convert or did he stay a non Jew. This is the gamble you take when you marry a shiska, even those women that convert when the couple divorce, if they have twins one is raised Jewish the other the one is raised in the mother's former religion. This goes to show if you really want Jewish children marry a Jewish woman. The other story with Yaccov and Esau the were not identical twins, and the mother went to the Yeshiva at the time to ask why there is a struggle in her belly, and the answer was there is two nations in your belly, one was only interested in materialist things the other was interested in spiritual things, and till this day the struggle is still going on, in the end Yaccov ended up with a blessing for materialistic, and to be strong and ended up with a new name Israel(Yisrael). So even those Yaccov and Esau came from the same parents, it looks like the they say now he went off the right path, the other case with the identical twins one parent was a Jew and one wasn't, in the end I doubt the other twin in Israel converted to Judaism, and his brother became a Nazi(may his name be erased) so men don't win when the marry a shiska and even the shiska converted if the couple divorce the shiska might revert back to her former religion, so why are people shocked by this outcome here, Hitler(may his name be erased) looked for this types of people that were mixed and did not consider themselves Jewish anymore and he put them in concentration camps anyway, the father of these twins made a big mistake by marrying a shiska, there is usually no good consequences from this move. So this my view on this subject matter, so now what do others think.
Ra'anan, December 1, 2019 8:43 PM
Do you think that Bo'az made a mistake by marrying Ruth since she was a
convert? Keep in mind that King David is descended from Ruth & Mashiach will be descended from her as well. Do you think that Yehoshua' made a mistake by marrying Rachav, also a convert, from whom were descended prophets & high priests? Would you call Ruth & Rachav "shiksas?"
(15) Sydne, November 28, 2019 10:55 PM
Evolving
For me to understand a twin or sister or brother would mean I would have to walk in their shoes. But to accept the differences we have I would have to walk in my own.
(14) Leslie Friedman, November 28, 2019 10:00 PM
Identical vs fraternal twins
Yaacov and Esau were not identical twins and therefore did not have identical DNA. Esau had red hair and was hairy. Yaacov wore fur to fool their blind father into blessing him instead of first born twin Esau with his birthright. As fraternal twins they were as alike as any full siblings, but not as identical twins.
(13) boris yufe, November 28, 2019 9:05 PM
I am a first cousin to Jack and to Oscar. I was born in Trinidad as well. The surviving aunt was not of Dachau. She survived the camps and killing fields of Transnistra
(12) Ruth Suarez Khan, November 28, 2019 7:39 PM
Trinidad Embraces Jews 2
Bez’Erat HaShem with the warm compassionate prayers, action and financial support from Kol Yisroel Trinidad shall be honoured and blessed to have a Shul and a thriving community in the very near future, I pray... As A Mikvah and A Shul Is The Foundation of Yiddishkeit I have already started forging ahead, as we say in Hebrew - Lee - At, Lee - At, Kit - Sat, Kit - Sat????? As I have created a domain on the internet... Take Care & G’d Bless Warmly Ruth Miriam Walk On A Path of Peace, Light & Love?
(11) Ruth Suarez Khan, November 28, 2019 7:37 PM
Trinidad Embraces Yid
Good Day I am a Jew by Choice and proud to say that my Moslem father (Ackbar) and Catholic mother (Cecile), both encourage and support my journey in life... My Daddy and I have shared the research and photographs of the Jewish community in Trinidad and Tobago with the late President Peres (May he Rest In Peace), which does include this very story of the brothers. Unfortunately, We do not have a shul in Trinidad, - never did. We had a community about 500, that had Hadassah - Wizo, A strong sense of self and wanted to build a shul yet because of the political climate, with the rise of the Black Power movement sweeping across a few countries in the late 1960, most left. Interesting Fact, The police force emblem Is A Star of David, with a hummingbird in the centre and as My Dad is a Justice of the Peace, Police are always at our home for warrants to be signed, - For which I finally have a pendant of my own. We do still have a small community and growing because of employment with Trinidad and diplomatic service - which I have met a few. I have spoken to an Aish Rabbi and family (For Whom I Adore) while I came back to visit Toronto (I live in both places)... For which I was warmly informed that Aish would not be able to assist in creating a shul, it would be best for Chabad to come in first. This is not any easy road ahead, as it takes a lot of planning and financial support... There is another gentleman, Nicholas who like me is a Yid by Choice, Nicholas is quite supportive to creating a stronger community as he has been the unofficial Rabbi in Trinidad, giving classes to those interested in learning... which there are many. I believe that they are proud of their Jewish lineage, no matter how small it may be, for those attending Nicholas classes? Continue...
(10) Ilene Richman, November 28, 2019 6:21 PM
BRAIN WASHING OF THE MIND
Brain WAshing one's mind is the cause of the conflict between these two brothers. One brother was brain washed to be a Nazi with German instincts of Anti Semitism. The other twin was brain washed to be proud of his heritage, move to Israel and join the Israeli navy. The German twin was the MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE-A BRAIN WASHED INDIVIDUAL THAT ALWAYS LOVED GERMANY.
Anonymous, December 1, 2019 8:47 PM
"MANCHURIAN CANDIDATES" are conditioned into a SUBCONSCIOUS...
response, Oskar's ideology was quite a conscious choice.
(9) Aviel, November 28, 2019 5:24 PM
Seems To me mostly fate in this car
Well stayed. Big question is had Jack gone with his dad and Oscar his mom would their lives have filled the same paths only jack would have oscars past and opinions and Oscar jacks. Most probably so. Essau snd Yaacov is easier as they both seemingly had similar home environment so nature more than nurture is apparent. Many German Jews would have supported The Nazi party at least initially had the target of their hate not been Jews.
(8) Marvin Karp, November 28, 2019 4:55 PM
Comparing Apples and Oranges
The comparison of Jacob and Esau to the twins of this powerful story goes only so far. First of all, Jacob and Esau were not identical twins; the twins in this story were identical with identical physical traits and habits in common. Jacob ad Esau each may have been more genetically close with one parental line or the other.
The age-old debate/discussion of Nature vs Nurture, for me, is a red herring (you would need a good deal of shnapps to wash it all down). Nature gives us the "What" of our selves/souls; Nurture helps determine the "How" and "Why". Of course, Nurture does its work against the template of Nature; In some cases Nurture is powerful enough to dominate, and its "machinery" works to produces vastly different human beings.
Both twins used their inherited physical and mental wiring, but each one took paths that were influenced by what was proximate and promoted. Each could have taken an unpopular path with respect to what was available, but apparently, they did not.
So, to me, Jacob and Esau were in essential ways an apple and an orange.
(7) Elliott, November 28, 2019 4:20 PM
Thought provoking
Yasher koach....well said....causes you to look at yourself....you do have choices...
(6) Anonymous, November 28, 2019 4:06 PM
Like their Biblical counterparts.
It is truly amazing! this is like Esau and Jacob/Israel. Although we learn so much from parents, still we are so influenced and our characters are molded by the environment. Thanks for sharing this. There is so much to learn from it.
(5) Laurie Dinerstein-Kurs, November 28, 2019 4:01 PM
twins
My husband has an identical twin brother......as young persons they looked identical. However, though raised by the same family, went to the same schools..same profession - .they are in so many ways diametrically opposite. Values, morals, dreams, expectations, smoking - ...........so different. Their wives could not be more different from each other. Basic values and parenting methods totally opposite. The brothers' social graces opposite. One (Mine) has a kosher home - the other can't spell kosher. The list goes on. The brothers have not lived in the same state for 51 years. HOWEVER - Two things in common...good-natured and both got pancreatitis on same day!! Nature - nurture, genes, environment........????
(4) Anonymous, November 28, 2019 3:39 PM
Very interesting. Wow different and yet the same.
How sad for both of them. They both gained a lot but lost so much more.
(3) Anonymous, November 28, 2019 3:39 PM
Unanswered questions
Did Jakob ever convert? If his mother was Catholic then he was born Christian. If anyone knows I would be interested. A moral of the story here is dont stray ij other fields. The grass is not greener and there is less in common. Marry your own faith.
(2) Arlene Ross, November 28, 2019 2:38 PM
Not identical!
Esav and Yaakov did NOT share the same DNA. They were fraternal not identical twins. No more DNA in common than ordinary siblings.
Anonymous, November 28, 2019 5:08 PM
Identical Twins
The article says they are identical twins. Interesting that the German died so many years before the Israeli.
(1) Peretz Teller, November 27, 2019 7:55 PM
Neither are Jews
This story really is not about Jews, it talks about assimilated Jew who abandoned his faith to marry a non Jew and ended up producing a Nazi out of it. Was that the hidden message here? Hard to tell
Laura, November 27, 2019 11:48 PM
You are correct, Peretz.
As I read the article I thought Oskar, who was raised in Germany, that one’s environment teaches them to hate. That hate is learned, it is not innate.