No. Scholars have been around since the dawn of time.
Diaspora.
They were first called the Hebrews, then Israelites, then Judaeans, then Jews.
Joshua was the first leader to lead the Jews into Canaan.
4000 b.c.
The first Christians were Jews.
Before World War II, Jews had varying social statuses they were neither condemned not exalted by their religion and ethnicity. Throughout Europe Jews were farmers, shop owners and scholars. Some were wealthy and some were poor.
Few merchants and scholars were interested in Buddhism.
Illiteracy was always close to zero among them. There was a significant class of Torah scholars among them. However, the majority of pre-WW2 German Jews were highly assimilated, considering themselves German first and Jews second. As such, the Jewish population tended to by highly educated with a large percentage achieving university level qualifications. In other European countries education levels fluctuated due to restrictions placed on the lives of Jews.
4000 b.c.
1978
1978
Nazis arrived after Jews.