Essay On Jewish Masculinity

The Nice Jewish boy is a stereotype of Jewish masculinity which circulates within the American Jewish community, as well as in mainstream American culture which has been influenced by the Jewish minority. In the Jewish Journal there is an article describing a young boys Barmitzfa in ‘Today I Am a Man’, by Rabbi Ed Feinstein. He goes on to speak about how ‘Today I am a man. But what do you know about being a man? A Jewish man?’. Strong men as the judge Samson, blessed with his superhuman strength, with aggressive and impulsive behavior and lustful attraction is not what Jewish men are personified in American culture. It is a lingering stereotype that has undoubtedly been satisfied by Jewish men as a ‘weak’ minority. These unanswered questions about Jewish men are only becoming more prominent and involved in society because of the
supposed need of Jewish men to deny, excuse and explain themselves and their stereotype. Harry Brod in Redeeming Men, Religion and Masculinities in Chapter 11 focuses on the ideas of power and powerlessness in relation to its stereotype. At points it is hard to see his arguments as valid and not as a defense against the stereotype, but it makes the piece all the more interesting. He explains the arise of many classic, American comic book characters that were created by Jewish men. Surprising, these strapping characters with their defined jaw-lines and endless courage to defend our country and its people, look nothing like an average Jewish man and perhaps is seen as though they were compensating for something that they themselves lack. It is hard to imagine Superman and Batman as Jewish because of their appearance and their unquestionable courage. What I found to be the most interesting through Brod’s thoughts was this idea of alter egos and classic evil Jewish characters. Both Superman and Batman were meek, ‘nobodies’ by day and superheroes by night. Both unwilling to reveal their superhero identities refusing the option of rejection and exploitation, is an additional alter ego that shows not physical weakness but mental weakness. To ‘hide’ behind a mask for fear of condemnation and disapproval is a classic example of the Jewish male. Creating strong, weak characters is seen to be an oxymoron but perhaps also an accurate explanation. This idea of two contradictory traits that composite into one person is what makes the idea so fantastic. It is what feeds the stereotype. On a short tangent, in Milwaukee I made a quick stop at Target to pick up a few necessities and as I, unfortunately, waited in a very long register line, I over heard two young Jewish women heatedly consorting about marriage.
Apparently to one of the woman’s’ mother, it was her obligation to marry a nice, key word, Jewish boy. Very sarcastically, the woman made it very clear that she didn’t want a, quote, ‘’skinny, little woman”. I was a bit shocked as the conversation dragged on about different Jewish men and how unappealing they are not only to non-Jews, but to Jewish women. To think that Jewish women are contributing to the stereotype, not only by their words, but by their actions as the Jewish mother. I was reminded of both, Yentl’s Revenge by D. Rustenburg and S. Heschel and You Never Call! You Never Write! ; A History of the Jewish Mother by Joyce Antler. Young Jewish looking for freedom and embracing feminism seems to make them a stronger gender. The stereotypical Jewish mother with her, “nagging, whining, guilt-producing maternal intrusiveness.” is a haunting stereotype that Jewish mothers are afraid to have labeled to
them. Again we consider the idea of fear within not only Jewish men but in combination with Jewish women. The fear of labels and rejection is a constant theme in Jewish stereotypes. Are women compensating for traits Jewish men lack or is this idea of male ‘timidness’ in effect to outspoken Jewish women? In relation to the Jewish women in the Ancient world this was not the case and no such extreme stereotypes yet existed. The thought of Jews among non-Jewish people usually are labeled in these two categories; the ancient world Jews and modern ‘minority’ Jews. So if asked the question, “what comes to mind when hearing ‘Jew’?” the explanation would be sorted into either of these categories. Either explaining their religion and their place in ancient history (e.g. Old Testament), or their appearance and their place in modern history and the present (e.g. Holocaust) is a simple explanation for how America categorizes ‘American Jews’/’Jewish Americans’. This explanation of how Jewish men and women are categorized is how I, as a non-Jew, perceive other non-Jews and how they classify American Jews. As a young American woman brought up in an extremely Christian, Protestant environment, I was oblivious to other religions/cultures as is much of the American population. So this idea of ‘categorizing’ is not universal but almost inevitable among Americans to make a complicated issue with an equally positive and negative past, into categories for easy clarification. To understand something that is extremely complicated fulfills the American need of satisfaction. There are two points that have been presented about the stereotypes of Jewish men. The idea that Jewish men bring it upon themselves by ‘feeding the stereotype’ and creating examples that show their vulnerability and their constant fight to compensate for the negative ideas of Jewish men, is a never-ending cycle that is thought to keep this stereotype alive. Secondly, that not only is it Jewish men that nurture these stereotypes but the stereotypes of outspoken Jewish women that give the impression of a switched gender personalities. So this suggestion that Jews are provoking their own stereotypes is a very audacious suggestion by Jew or non-Jew and perhaps that is what is keeping these questions up for discussion. So the main question is: why is there this constant reminder of Jewish male stereotypes and what is fueling it? It is an ongoing cycle. Until the cycle is broken and the issue is forgotten, thus in conclusion, the subject will not matter; as is the case for many stereotypes. Scholars, authors, Jews, etc. can make an excuse or an explanation, but only making the stereotype more apparent in American society. What is a stereotype: is it something that is myth or is it something that a race, gender, etc. is self-conscious to possess. Perhaps the problem is less about whom to blame but instead about accepting who you are religiously, culturally, historically and embracing it.

Bib:
‘Today I Am a Man’, by Rabbi Ed Feinstein

'Redeeming Men, Religion and Masculinities' by Harry Brod

'Yentl's Revenge' by Danya Ruttenberg