The Imperfect Community

ExCareerGal · Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 10:21 pm Post subject: What do you think of this?

According to Wikipedia and Answers.com:
American Jews are generally more educated than the American public as a whole. 55% of Jewish adults 18 years of age and older have at least a bachelor's degree, and 24% have a graduate degree. The comparable numbers for the general population are 29% with a bachelor’s degree or higher and 6% with a graduate degree.
Jews have traditionally been drawn to academia (see Secular Jewish culture for some of the causes), and have made major contributions in science and the humanities. Of American Nobel Prize winners, 37% have been Jewish Americans (19 times the percentage Jewish population), as have been 71% of the John Bates Clark Medal winners (35 times the percentage Jewish population).

I agree Jessica- that if we account for socio-economics and other factors, you may be right and there is not such a big difference. But I was trying to explain why someone would have "Jew Envy". The statistics above are a bit staggering.

I have met people who have a sort of "Mormon envy". I had friend who moved to Utah who felt "left out" and wished they belonged. I also recall in DC when I was growing up it was a big deal when the huge Mormon church was built. A lot of people were a bit jealous!

Scout · Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2005 9:36 am Post subject: What do you think of this?

Wow, I can't believe the Costanzas were not supposed to be Jewish! His dad ate Kasha in bed, lol.

As for Friends (from the article), remember when Ross wanted his son to learn about Hannukah, and all they had was an armadillo costume? Laughing

MedeaNJ · Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 2:27 pm Post subject: Re: What do you think of this?

Scout · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 8:00 pm Post subject: What do you think of this?

Lol, I remember that episode. The rabbi hit on her. Laughing

Lisa, is your dad Jewish but not your Mom or something?

MedeaNJ · Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2006 9:17 am Post subject: Re: What do you think of this?

new053105 · Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2006 10:50 am Post subject: What do you think of this?

How interesting. I always thought the Jewish would be more like Christians in converting people, but they seem similar to catholics like it's a club or something (although I believe someone could convert to catholism if they want)

Guess I could never be Jewish...LOL!

I didn't realize there was envy of Jew's or even Mormons. Why would anyone have Mormon envy is beyond me!!! Not trying to offend, but they just have a lot of rules that I would hate to follow.

I have had catholic envy before. I just think all their rituals are kinda cool, but not enough to ever want to convert.

Scout · Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2006 4:02 pm Post subject: What do you think of this?

Lisa, I hate to say this but your dh sounds like kind of a dick. What is he going to do if you bring those items into the house? I don't mean to make you feel bad, but a parent "lets" a child do something. To me, that's just not the dynamic of a spousal relationship, KWIM? You're a grown ass woman. You do what you want!

prescott · Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2006 5:58 pm Post subject: Re: What do you think of this?

MedeaNJ · Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2006 10:49 am Post subject: Re: What do you think of this?

Slackermomma · Slightly Flawed Joined: 26 Jan 2006 Posts: 13

Jewish envy -- LOL. I guess I would fall into that category but for a different reason -- I love Jesus and He was a Jew, and I do believe that the Jews were God's chosen people, so I always thought that it would be cool to be Jewish, more "in the family" so to speak. I am a total ignoramus when it comes to the stereotypes, though, because I never heard any of them growing up.

I don't understand, what's terrible to a Jew about being a Christian? In my mind any "true" Christian would have a reverence for the Jewish people as Jesus' family, hence America's part in protecting Israel.

Is "going Christian" seen as the ultimate betrayal of Judaism? I saw a story on TV once about a woman who was kicked out of her Jewish family once she told them she believed in Jesus as Messiah. Is that the exception or the rule?

As for the OP's friend -- I think she will end up with some seriously confused kids if she takes the route she's planning on taking. Children are like little sponges who soak up their parent's beliefs. If Mom and Dad are practicing WHATEVERS, if they have a belief system that they abide by, more than likely those children will end up believing the same thing. But her kids are going to wonder why Mommy wants them to believe something that she doesn't believe in.

This kind of reminds me of my dear little brother and his little girl. He and his wife don't go to church or really practice any type of faith, but they drop their daughter off at Sunday School every Sunday. This confuses me. I just don't get it at all.

Scout · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 8:37 pm Post subject: What do you think of this?

Yeah, she and her husband don't practice any religion. I guess she feels like she will be depriving the girls of religion if she doesn't raise them as something, even though she isn't religious. I don't know, it doesn't make sense to me at all, so I can't really explain it to anyone else. It has something to do with how messed up her childhood was (mentally ill mother, crazy home life, etc); she wants total normalcy for her girls. And I guess she feels that some sort of religious belonging is part of a normal upbringing, KWIM? But her intentions are, IMNSHO, leading her wrong. Her oldest dd at 6 is already having major anziety problems. She has so many OCD behaviors that one therapist has suggested she has Aspbergers, but I don't believe that. I've never seen her exhibit any of the classic early signs that I know of (not that I'm an expert, but I do know some things to look for). To me, she shows the signs of an over-controlled and over-parented child whose mother is now almost completely occupied with school, and she's freaking out.

ExCareerGal · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 9:03 pm Post subject: Re: What do you think of this?

Rebecca_R · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 10:28 pm Post subject: Re: What do you think of this?

Rebecca_R · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 10:31 pm Post subject: Re: What do you think of this?

Rebecca_R · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 10:34 pm Post subject: Re: What do you think of this?

[quote="new053105"]How interesting. I always thought the Jewish would be more like Christians in converting people, but they seem similar to catholics like it's a club or somethingquote]

It's because we know that no one would want to convert, governments and large groups of people are always trying to kill us, so you know, people aren't like hopping in line. Laughing