‘Nice’ Jewish boys (and girls)?

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  • #10260

    Sharon28891
    Participant
    I wonder why every time I read about a Jewish person, the sentence always has to contain 'nice.' For instance, on (former History Channel host) Josh Bernstein: he's a 'nice Jewish boy from New York.' Or (Comedy Central's) Sarah Silverman: a 'nice Jewish girl from Connecticut.' You never read 'Josh Holloway (of ABC's 'Lost') is a nice Baptist boy from Georgia.'

    User Detail :  

    Name : Sharon28891, Gender : Female, Religion : Catholic, City : Keystone Heights, State : FL Country : United States, 
    #28640

    Ann L. Lowenstein
    Participant
    It's an in-group joke based on the whole 'why can't you find a nice Jewish girl/boy to marry, bubbie?' Jewish mother stereotype. It's especially ironic in the case of Sarah Silverman, who isn't a 'nice' anything.

    User Detail :  

    Name : Ann L. Lowenstein, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Animist, Age : 37, City : K.C., State : MO Country : United States, Occupation : Administrative Assistant, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 
    #21958
    1. It could be tongue in cheek: they may be subtly knocking the stereotype of the Jewish mother so often seen on TV exhorting her son/daughter to find a "nice Jewish girl/boy" to settle down with. 2. Jewish is both an ethnicity and religion. While you don't often hear "nice Baptist boy", you will hear "Nice white boy" or "nice black girl" etc. 3. The people using the phrases are falling into the speaking patterns that so many of us have that we're not even conscious of having.

    User Detail :  

    Name : ShellyStrauss Rollison, Gender : Female, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : New Age/Metaphysical, Age : 49, City : New Alexandria, State : PA Country : United States, Occupation : Minister, writer, activist, CNA, draftsman, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 
    #20528

    Renea
    Participant
    If a Jew dated a Gentile, the mother would say, "Can't you find a nice Jewish boy (or girl)?" This comes from concerns that if Jews intermarry, it will lead to the end of Jewish culture. So every Jewish boy and girl is urged to find a "nice Jewish" mate. The phrase stuck and is used for many other reasons now.

    User Detail :  

    Name : Renea, Race : Hispanic/Latino (may be any race), Age : late 50s, City : Jacksonville, State : FL Country : United States, 
    #20906

    ErinJ
    Participant
    In the English language, phrases stick. One might often hear people say "big red balloon" whereas "red big balloon" might not be as popular--the same is true in this case. "Nice Jewish boy/girl" is a phrase that has stuck, usually because of the stereotype of Jewish parents wanting their Jewish children to marry within the Jewish "family." We are not an ethnicity because there are Jews of all ethnicities, but are a people or a nation or a family as well as a religion.

    User Detail :  

    Name : ErinJ, Gender : Female, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jewish, Age : 18, City : Skokie, State : IL Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Lower middle class, 
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