Discourse about Jewish communists in Egypt shows that the perception of minorities is linked to the majority's perception of its own condition. Jewish communists became politically active in Egypt during a period when Egyptian society as a whole was in a process of change. Where that change would lead was uncertain. Different political and social forces were engaged in a power struggle. Young Jews turned to communism because it seemed to be the best basis for social justice and equality. What they hoped to accomplish in Egypt seems utopian today, and many of their former comrades believe that the Jewish leadership of Egyptian communist groups was very likely a consequence of foreign manipulation. Irmgard Schrand teaches at the Hochschule fr ffentliche Verwaltung in Bremen, Germany.