tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post7164649176827670740..comments2023-11-12T20:59:55.490-05:00Comments on Building a Jewish Life: How Jewish Geography Will Trap YouKochavahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11841373131402987905noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-30373820904790283252016-08-02T14:13:14.966-04:002016-08-02T14:13:14.966-04:00Jews are the most judgy people EVER. The life of a...Jews are the most judgy people EVER. The life of a convert is SO difficult. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-33359453662154105662014-11-13T12:48:38.968-05:002014-11-13T12:48:38.968-05:00Ha, no problem for me. I came to the USA from Mex...Ha, no problem for me. I came to the USA from Mexico over 20 years ago, but have a rather non-Mexican last name, so whenever those questions arise, I give them the "I came from Mexico a long time ago, and yes, there are quite a lot of Jews, especially in Mexico City, which is where I am from." They stop asking in less than a heartbeat and smile nervously. Touché!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-38765674272503668772014-03-28T06:44:02.059-04:002014-03-28T06:44:02.059-04:00Converts, don't worry. The whole shul interrog...Converts, don't worry. The whole shul interrogates you too if you are a Baal Tshuvah (A Jew who was raised non-religious and is now becoming observant). We used to kid that every time you went to a new frummies house for a Shabbos meal that you should just bring a print out of your curriculum vitae and a detailed timeline of you and your families movements since 1800. Just walk in the door Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-8050929188981123222013-03-13T20:56:00.491-04:002013-03-13T20:56:00.491-04:00Originally posted: November 4, 2011 at 12:12 AM
W...Originally posted: November 4, 2011 at 12:12 AM<br /><br />Who is blue star? Being Kochava, I'm guessing you mean me?<br /><br />There's a key distinction you're missing and that could make you more enemies than friends: I said Jewish geography will trap you, not the people. Most questions are totally harmless and meant to be small talk, not "out" someone. They're just Kochavahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11841373131402987905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-45589514902294060352013-02-20T22:42:25.280-05:002013-02-20T22:42:25.280-05:00You guys should watch this video on this topic. Pr...You guys should watch this video on this topic. Pretty funny. Indian Jewish comedian talking about this exact phenomenon.....<br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmJgwos14qUAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-764186903358629912012-10-20T07:05:47.069-04:002012-10-20T07:05:47.069-04:00"...beg the question why converts feel the ne..."...beg the question why converts feel the need to hide their religious history."<br /><br />Well the answers can be quite simple. In some of the frummer communities "yichus" is everything. People don't want their in-laws to be goyim. They don't want the "problem" of keeping the grandkids away from the grandparents treif-eating-X-mas-tree-having homes where Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-39038522519257923322011-11-04T10:13:34.410-04:002011-11-04T10:13:34.410-04:00Blue star: I was not referencing you in particular...Blue star: I was not referencing you in particular, but you can reference yourself with it too. I only started with that word so I differentiate myself from the other anonymous people.<br /><br />What makes you think halacha would be breached? it says in the halacha that if one is doing a certain mitzvah one can be exempt from doing another mitzvah. so that's how it goes with introductions Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-81783503994680589102011-11-04T08:24:37.620-04:002011-11-04T08:24:37.620-04:00I have no real issues disclosing I'm a convert...I have no real issues disclosing I'm a convert if need be, but being Belgian in America TOTALLY saves me from a lot of this. People ask where I'm from, I say Belgium, they ask where, I say 'about an hour from Antwerp' and they usually leave it at that, considering Antwerp is the number one Jewish hub in Belgium. It's funny because in American terms, an hour is totally not far L.https://www.blogger.com/profile/03744775425809060296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-11073928487297119262011-11-04T03:49:30.304-04:002011-11-04T03:49:30.304-04:00The Curmudgeonly Israeli Giyoret says:
"This...The Curmudgeonly Israeli Giyoret says:<br /><br />"This whole "what Jews look like" thing is ridiculous. And potentially offensive to boot."<br /><br />Indeed. I look around and I see lots of blondes, redheads, people with green eyes...<br /><br />Really. As if our criterion for "looking Jewish" were "Der Sturmer".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-88247879249092340922011-11-04T00:47:29.355-04:002011-11-04T00:47:29.355-04:00I usually get around Jewish geography once I tell ...I usually get around Jewish geography once I tell people I am initially from Buffalo, since almost no one knows anyone in Buffalo. The community there is teeny. I'm not sure I have had anyone ask for my mother's/father's name. I usually can get through a whole meal without the convert thing coming up if I don't want it to. :)Jadenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-15542285342083993112011-11-03T22:12:06.401-04:002011-11-03T22:12:06.401-04:00Blue Star: I disagree a little bit with the point ...Blue Star: I disagree a little bit with the point you are making in this post as well as the previous ones because you are seeing things a bit in black and white. Jewish geography is not mandatory to trap you and you are not obligated to disclose anything about your background. There are more meaningful ways to answer without having to tell anyone you are a convert. You made it seem like you Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-55687450901189179922011-11-03T22:09:29.196-04:002011-11-03T22:09:29.196-04:00I'm upfront about it. I'm converting and i...I'm upfront about it. I'm converting and if you ask about a history I don't have I don't mind telling you about the one I *do* have. Most people are curious about why, especially when they find out there's no significant other in the picture. I haven't had anyone be rude, but they can be a bit thoughtless ('Oh, I didn't think you looked Jewish') and have a Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-33741363016695417042011-11-03T12:31:22.773-04:002011-11-03T12:31:22.773-04:00The Curmudgeonly Israeli Giyoret says:
I used to ...The Curmudgeonly Israeli Giyoret says:<br /><br />I used to be pretty dodgy about my roots; as you said, it can be pretty easy to give baal teshuvish answers. Nowadays though, a) I have accumulated my own Jewish geography and b) I finally feel secure enough to drop the bomb more often than not. Also, conversion is a lot more commonplace and accepted among Israelis than it used to be.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292734369805726323.post-59958019045865834882011-11-03T10:35:21.335-04:002011-11-03T10:35:21.335-04:00Comments on physical appearance seem like thinly v...Comments on physical appearance seem like thinly veiled fishing to me. I know plenty of blond, blue-eyed, green-eyed, red-haired Jews. This whole "what Jews look like" thing is ridiculous. And potentially offensive to boot.<br /><br />I like your "really interesting facts" strategy. Nice one.Rivki Silverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00773820619229821907noreply@blogger.com