@prologos
Now I understand what you mean. You are talking about people who were Jewish or of Jewish descent who became Jehovah’s Witnesses. I get it. I was thinking something darker from the word “influence,” such as the common accusation from many Fundamentalists that the Watchtower is secretly still a Zionist organization.
While I am glad you found the people mannerly, the description of “calm” makes it sound like they got the “Jew” kicked out of them.
We can be mannerly, yes. Polite? Or course! But “calm”? That’s not an earmark Jews are known for.
Jewish culture teaches us to argue or debate every point, like Abraham did when G-d told him of the plan to bring judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah. We believe in unity, yes, but uniformity? Nope. We see our relationship with G-d as an agreed upon struggle of the minds, like Jacob wrestling with the angel. In this type of relationship with the Creator it can't be said that our dealings with others are not reflective of this exegesis.
I see this “calm” as proof of JW indoctrination removing the cultural “bite” out of Jewishness, to be honest, just another thing that makes the Watchtower destructive to cultures and their unique way of life and thinking.
You ever see us pray at the Western Wall? It’s loud, busy, jumpy, and anything but calm—and that’s our holiest site in our religion, too! Not so calm like a visit to a Kingdom Hall. As a Jew it is nice to hear that others find us mannerly in some instances, but what you describe is just not us. It’s Watchtower whitewash.