You and I are certainly in agreement.
The Jew in Europe has often been depicted as an outsider - but this is not true. Because other groups swept in from the steppes, or over mountains, or sailed across bodies of water (such as the English Channel), there is no one country in Europe that can claim it is absolutely populated by the "original" population.
Most of those other groups who came from elsewhere to Europe - came AFTER the Jews were already in residence.
As for Jewish contributions to the fabric of the countries in which they lived - it has indeed been out of proportion to their numbers and often is an intrinsic part of the extant culture.
But what does make the Jew stand apart - is that he has never come as a conqueror. The intent was to live and hopefully prosper not to subjugate.