What is the concept of "Jewish guilt" supposed to mean and why is it so culturally pervasive?

I can think of about 95 more. :wink:

The linchpin of Jewish humor, however, largely is centered on being a male child. This tradition carried over quite neatly and seamlessly into sitcoms, light comedy movies and such - helped along by the demographics of the TV and film industry. The result: any Jewish lead characters tend to be male, and their leading ladies tend not to be.

Don’t all leading ladies tend not to be male?

I dunno if that last sentence was deliberate, but it’s funny. :wink:

It is true that the typical object of the Jewish joke is the relationship between a Jewish mom and her son. Jewish daughters, not as much, though there is a whole seperate stream of Jewish jokes about the “JAP” stereotype that mostly refers to young Jewish women - the term can also me used to mean “Jewish American Prince”, but far more often refers to “Jewish American Princess”.

In the jokes, non-Jewish women are irresistably attracted to Jewish men, giving those men’s mothers conniptions. Alas, in reality, being Jewish isn’t of itself much of a turn-on to women, Jewish or not. :wink:

No, but the giant penis and astounding sense of humor that come with it are.

I walked right into that one. I love it when others do it, though, so fair’s fair.

But that doesn’t explain the Hispanic moms, Chinese moms, Italian moms, Portuguese moms, Irish moms, Lithuanian moms… who wield guilt like a claymore and wish their children were never more than one foot away from their skirts, or the occasional Puerto Rican girlfriend saying “stick to your own, girl.” Yes, that’s a movie, but boy have I heard that speech irl! (“But, but, but… he’s anglo!” “Well, yes, he’s very nice, but he’s not Vietnamese” etc)

Can we split the difference and say the lynchpin is getting your kid to marry a Jewish doctor or lawyer? :wink:

Let’s just say that the default orientation of creative media culture is not Hispanic, Chinese, Italian, Portuguese, Irish, Lithuanian, Puerto Rican, or Vietnamese.

1.Comedians will often mine their personal lives for yucks.
2. Overbearing mothers are funny.
3. A large percentage of comedians are Jewish.
4. Thus, you hear a lot of jokes about Jewish uber-mamas.

I think this might apply for all the Jews in Europe because they were all persecuted one way or another by either the Nazis or their home country. And when you face that kind of persecution from society you learn to rely your on family because that’s probably all you’re going to get.

Another reason for the guilt comes simply from living with Jews who survived World War II. There isn’t any complaint that comes out of my mouth that isn’t countered with grandpa going, “well the car ride isn’t as long as when me and other soldiers had to walk through the forest in the Russian winter. Four guys died on that route…”

When I was younger I would just roll my eyes. As I got older all those stories started to sink in.

All my grandparents survived through so much bullshit to get me to America that I’d feel foolish if I amounted to some mediocre schlub. That’s just one Jewish boy’s perspective, but I suspect that other Jews who had relatives who survived the War or the Holocaust feel the same way.

And then there’s my Great Grandmother who’s somewhere around 95 years old now. Her memory isn’t well, but this how our conversations go every time we see each other:

GG: So where is your girl friend?

Lakai: I don’t have one… :o

GG: So how are you going to get married? You know I’m not going to be around much longer.

At this point my mom will try to stop her

GG: Nonsense! He need to get married soon. I’m not going to survive a lot longer. Turns to me. I need to go to a big party before I die. Are you going to get married soon?

Something like that. I got to find myself a bride soon or GG will be upset the next time we meet…

Reminds me of the old joke -

Two Jewish moms met for coffee and were talking about their kids.

The first mom said, “my boy is just finishing law school, he’s already got a job lined up!”

The second mom said, “Oy, I had such a shock the other day. My boy came out to me - he’s gay”

The first mom sympathized “That’s such a shame”

The second mom said “Shame? Not at all! He’s going with a nice Jewish doctor!”

I don’t buy the Holocaust connection because my grandmother, who was born 50 years before WW II, did it to my mother in spades. (She had no sons to bug.) I think Jewish guilt comes from high expectations and the difficulty most people had in meeting them.

I personally never had a problem, but then I became a doctor.

I’m a 53 year old southern Methodist & I used to wonder how my mom found time to raise all those Jewish comedians.

:slight_smile:

In his book, “How to be a Jewish Mother,” Dan Greenburg has a similar line.

You give your son Marvin two sports shirts. He wears one.

You say, “The other one you didn’t like?”

I was never Jewish, but understood from an early age about Jewish guilt, mainly from Jewish comics (Borscht Belt era). And Catholic guilt, which to me is very similar. Nitpickers will differ, but it’s all guilt when you get down to it.

Henny Youngman:

Why do Jewish men die before their wives? They want to.
Why do Jewish divorces cost so much? They’re worth it.

Also, someone mentioned atonement. In “Annie Hall,” Woody Allen has Annie’s parents talking to his parents. His parents fast to atone for their sins. (From memory). “What sins? I don’t understand.” Alvy’s parents: “To tell you the truth, neither do we.” So Jews are guilty of something, but even they don’t know what. They just know it’s their fate to carry (and spread) guilt.

No one’s said the obvious?
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you guys killed Jesus!

:wink:

Well, I can think of one exception…

:smiley:

<phone rings>

Jewish Mother:Oh, whoever it is, thank you for calling, I thought the bell on this phone was broken, it never rings… who’s there then?

Jewish Son: Hiya ma, It’s Irving.

JM: Irving?

JS:Yes, ma, your son, Irving.

JM:Oh Irving my son! So nice to hear from you, I had nearly forgotten I had a son.

JS: OK, OK, ma, I know I should call more, but great news! I have a week off, and I’m going to bring Naomi and the girls to The City to visit.

JM: Oh Iriving, you made my day! It will be so wonderful to see you! …But who’s this Naomi person?

JS: Ma, thats not funny. I know you never liked her much, but Naomi is my wife, she makes me very happy, is a wonderful mother, and I wish you could try to be nice to her for a change.

JM: Well heaven knows you deserve better, so many pretty girls you dated, but I know that horrible woman who took my son away from me is named Hannah.

JS: Naomi!

JM: Hannah!

JS: Nao…Uh, wait a second, is this 555-4579??

JM: No, it’s 4597!

JS: Oh ma’am I’m so sorry I’ve called the wrong number, sorry to have troubled you.

JM: What, so now you’re not coming?

…probably my favorite joke evah!