When gentiles claim that they can "spot a Jew a mile away", they are most usually refering to the Ashkenazic Jew(s), or European Jew(s). I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I have been mistaken for a Muslim due to my heritage. I am Jewish---not the "bagel & lox" kind---but nevertheless Jewish. I, along with many Sephardic (Middle-Eastern and Mediteranian Jews) am, for some reason, excluded as the 'typical Jew'. Not all Jewish people are from Poland, Russia, Geramny, and etc... We also come from Morracco, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Spain, Latin America,Uzbekistan,Libia, Tajikistan, Afghanistan (yes, Afghanistan)and many more diverse "non-Jewish." Our traditions are thousands of years old and remain pretty strong. So, no, I do not have the typical fair hair and blue eyes, but, yes, I AM 100% JEWISH!

Love who you are!

P.S. Ethiopian Jews are black and 100% Jewish!!!!

Ah, that's it, just throw childish, nasty comments at each other from the comfort of your blood-earned computers while there are more important things to be concerned about.

Fucking Americans.

don't think any jews were complaining about not being on the list, but rather being the subjects of such moronic comments from the likes of kojak.

i could care less about the list, a made up index by ny mag. it would be like complaining about someone's placement on their "approval matrix." it's hardly science, so who cares?

still come back to the point... the original post mentioned Asians, Latinos and Jewish. Of these groups, there WERE plenty of Jewish people on the list, and yet only the Jews go on a "I'm a victim" rampage.

[45] Posted by: r | February 28, 2006 01:21 PM

**************************************

Oh, c'mon. Nobody really cares about this.

Love,

AmJew J. Lederer

purpleD, is just a little ignorant. actually. because it doesn't bother him, he assumes it doesn't or shouldn't bother anyone and says those who get annoyed are ignorant.

As an example of how "Jew" can occasionally be used offensively, consider Google, which has this explanation on the main search results for the word. (They rarely offer explanations for why certain results top others.)

"If you use Google to search for "Judaism," "Jewish" or "Jewish people," the results are informative and relevant. So why is a search for "Jew" different? One reason is that the word "Jew" is often used in an anti-Semitic context. Jewish organizations are more likely to use the word "Jewish" when talking about members of their faith. The word has become somewhat charged linguistically, as noted on websites devoted to Jewish topics such as these:

http://shakti.trincoll.edu/~mendele/vol01/vol01.174

http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/jonah081500.asp

Someone searching for information on Jewish people would be more likely to enter terms like "Judaism," "Jewish people," or "Jews" than the single word "Jew."

kojak throws out the most anti-semitic comments on here and then has the nerve to ask gothamist to cut off the discussion because it's gotten offensive!

jews, or jewish people if you prefer, would call that chutzpah.

It depends on the context. The term "Jew school" is anti-Semitic. The phrase, "Jews typically go to temple on Friday" would not be. "I can spot a Jew a mile away" is unquestionably anti-Semitic, considering how kojak paired it with stereotypical physical characteristics and some vague notion of "demeanor." (How do all Jewish people act, kojak? Are we little nebbishy, hook-nosed Woody Allens? Do tell.)

From Wikipedia:

"The word Jew has been used often enough in a disparaging manner by anti-Semites that in the late 19th and early 20th centuries it was frequently avoided altogether, and the term Hebrew was substituted instead (e.g. Young Men's Hebrew Association). Even today some people are wary of its use, and prefer to use "Jewish". Indeed, when used as an adjective (e.g. "Jew lawyer") or verb (e.g. "to jew someone"), the term Jew is purely pejorative. However, when used as a noun, "Jew" is preferred, as other circumlocutions give the impression that the term "Jew" is offensive in all contexts."

Jew is not an insult in any way. It's really ignorant to say it has negative connotations. It's like the episode of the office where Michael asked the Mexican guy if he preferred a term other then "Mexican" as Micheal saw it as pejorative.

This also happened in one of my Jewish classes, (went to college at a big midwest state school), where many students in our class wouldn't write Jew in our paper. It was always "person of the Jewish faith" or "Jewish" or something like that.

Oh by the way if you can't tell I'm a Jew :)

It might be a good idea for jen/jake to cut some stuff off this thread. I'd have to say it’s quite offensive.

Lots of ultra-sensitive people here that need a hug

"Kojak, like most anti-Semitites knows nothing about Judaism."

Right-o. I don't. But my comments were stereotypical and have nothing to do with religion as a whole. What I did was poke fun at how the stereotypical Jewish person looked and that I can point one out from far away. There’s a HUGE difference, and what your doing is twisting my words into something above and beyond of what actually saying.

"Saying you hate all kinds of people, even everyone - how sad for you - doesn't then give you free license to be anti-semitic, racist, sexist, or anything else."

Sure it does. Where does it say I can't be?

"My hometown rabbi is half Chinese! Could you spot her from a mile away?"

Probably. You see I have very good 20/20 vision.

Thats funny... you mentioned Sammy Davis Jr...

Hes the last person you should use as an example.

Your right, he is Jewish....

But he’s also a member of the Church of Satan.

(Thats not a pun, its the truth)

But of course by your twisted logic, you'll post 'Kojak said that being Jewish means your automatically part of the church of Satan'

Lets finish this up plz, I'm tired and need a nap.

Andrew J - the Food Network personality's name is indeed spelled Rachael Ray.

**************************************************************

I knew that. I meant she spelled it wrong.

Really. Does kojak have absolutely no life? He's one of a handful of people who comment on so many Gothamist posts, one wonders if he isn't on the Gothamist payroll (if such a thing exists). How he has the time to comment and re-comment on every post is beyond me. I'd think about it more, but I don't enjoy staring at my computer screen all day.

Get a life.

Such a lame apology. Basically, kojak is saying "Sorry if my actual thoughts offended people who get offended at such things," instead of admitting that what he said is offensive in and of itself.

He hasn't really admitted he was wrong, hasn't addressed the idea that there are, in fact, black Jews beyond Whoopi and Sammy Davis, Jr. My hometown rabbi is half Chinese! Could you spot her from a mile away? Kojak, like most anti-Semitites knows nothing about Judaism. Did you know that some movements have abandoned the idea of matrilineal descent as the basis of Jewish identification? That others reject the notion of "choseness" having anything to do with Jewish people having some sort of exclusive relationship with God? Most bigots know nothing of what they speak and instead use hatred, even lame attempts disguised as humor, as a cover for their own ignorance.

Saying you hate all kinds of people, even everyone - how sad for you - doesn't then give you free license to be anti-semitic, racist, sexist, or anything else. I think you're trying to say you are a curmudgeon, an Internet-trolling Larry David (a Jew, of course, but you would certainly have spotted him from a mile away anyway), but what you really are, based on your words, not your defense of those words, is a bigot.

Kojak, do us all a favor and stay away, a mile away or more.

That's "who's"

:P

"You're not a Jew, you were only masquerading as one to promote hatered."

That’s HATRED. If you’re going to be a Grammar-Nazi, at least spell your own sentences correctly for christ's sake.

Since when did I say I was Jewish? And who said I was hating? My post was extremely stereotypical and wrong to say the least, but I didn’t say I outright hated Jews. I pretty much hate everybody, but not because they're Jewish, Asian, or black, or whatever. My intolerance transcends race.

If I did offend anyone, which I probably did, then I apologize to everyone. (except ethos, whos a chode)

Trust a jew...

lol

Andrew J - the Food Network personality's name is indeed spelled Rachael Ray.

And for the purpose of this conversation, i.e. public perception, does it matters less whether a celebrity is Jewish than whether the public thinks of them as Jewish.

Well, I'm not on the list and that's just wrong. (Yes. A Jew.)

Isn't DeNiro officially a Jew through his mama? And Jew Barrymore's on the list. Rachael Ray -- spelling is wrong but her name is Rachel.

And Eli sounds Jewish.

No reason to feel bad. People probably thought they were choosing Jews.

You obviously flunked English 101 if you don't consider yourself a bigot.

I really don't have the time or energy to enlighten you, but I felt it necessary to clarify your BS line, "Even if [Whoopi Golberg] really does follow the Jewish religion to the letter, she’s not a jew", which some other fools on this board were interpreting as coming from a Jew in regards to Black people and non-Jews in general. But no matter, I have called you out. You're not a Jew, you were only masquerading as one to promote hatered. But in truth, the only thing you know of Judaism (and most likely any other culture not your own) is the crap you glean from popular entertainment.

Well, at least that explains the ignorance that's evident in some of your other posts. I'll remember that next time I read one -- "Oh, that's just Kojak, poor dear, who doesn't know shit from shinola."

Now maybe you should get off the Internet and interact with some folks from the REAL world.

Ciao

(Yes, there are Italian Jews)

What about Ethiopian Jews, of which there is a large population, especially in Israel? They are black and Jewish. But not according to kojak.

Asshole can't even spell. When describing yourself, you are a "bigot," not "biggot." Only "maggot" has two g's. Use that next time to describe yourself.

I can spot idiots from a mile a way, but since kojak spends all his time commenting here and not outside enjoying a full social life, he's a little harder to spot.