Lists that combine categories 

On the AfD for List of Jewish American criminals and victims you wrote Comment Does anyone think that this sort of list is substantially different from List of Jewish actors and actresses? If so, I'd like to understand exactly why.

I don't know if you're aware that in January 06 there was extensive discussion of the issue of lists that try and combine a person's ethnic or religious affiliation with something completely unrelated to that. The extreme example discussed at some length there was List of Methodist dentists. I missed that discussion, but having looked through it recently as I've watch the AfD comments I'm really disappointed that the community did not come to an acceptable consensus on the question. 

I see a difference between the list you cite and the list under discussion primarily because the 'criminals and victims' is so contentious and potentially offensive. We've seen the comments from User: GorillazFanAdam. While I can see some way in which a list of people who were victims because they were Jewish (gay, missionaries) could have merit (but I'm not sure it warrants inclusion on Wikipedia), I cannot see how a list of criminals could have the same merit. To act in a manner that is criminal is effectively a declaration that the faith into which you were born, or claim by conversion, is effectively a sham. So I am against the list of criminals and victims remaining not only because it not doing anything of value in the context of an encyclopedia but because it is potentially offensive.

As for the list of actors, I am against their creation since they do not seem to have encyclopedic value. Such a list combines two aspects of a person's life that do not inherently have value. A list of Jewish scholars of Christianity, for example, might be a very interesting list. There is a category combination that i see has genuine value. It was said that a List of Islamicist athletes has values because such athletes choose to recognise aspects of the Koran in the way that they compete (women wearing a burka [spelling?] for example). 

So I've come to the position that both lists you mention are unencyclopedic, but was willing to accept the view of a majority that a  List of Jewish actors and actresses was something I can put up with. A List of Jewish American criminals and victims is too contentious to remain.