There is nothing wrong with the title "Jew," but unfortunately it has been so misused, that the phrase "Jewish people" is now preferred. Shakespeare used “the Jew” as a derogatory phrase in Merchant of Venice when referring to the character Shylock. Hitler often referred to Jewish people as “the Jews” in order to dehumanize them, as if "a Jew" were an entirely different kind of human. Even today, people use the phrase “Jew him down” as a reference to bargaining. That being said, “Jew” is not as offensive to some as to others. In our Mama Bear articles about Judaism, we’ve used the term “Jew” sparingly in an effort to avoid unnecessary offense.