If you’re a 30 Rock follower, then you know what we’re referring to: Tracy Jordan’s hit single, “Werewolf Bar Mitzvah”.  They may not have given you the whole song on the show, but we did a little poking around and found it, in its entirety, and we’re bringing it to you.  But we have to ask, is this how you felt at your Bar or Bat Mitzvah?

Photo by Daniel Morris, licensed under Creative Commons.

Read more posts from Issue #13: Bar Mitzvah Season.

It’s a good time to be a Jewish girl.

It’s been six years since Urban Outfitters launched their “Everyone Loves a Jewish Girl” t-shirt (you know, the one with the $$ signs that they quickly took off the shelves and replaced with hearts instead), but its words are still ringing true. It seems that references to Jewish girls are everywhere these days — TV, Twitter, music, movies, and in the pages of my dentist’s magazines. Jewish girls are IN.

While I’m not qualified to track the real data as to the potential cause of this new phenomenon, I can say with a certain degree of confidence that TV seems to have had a major impact. As a TV lover, and as someone who likes to take fictional situations and see if they apply to my own life, I often seek out and feed off of any Jew(ish) reference I can relate to. In my younger years, there were a limited number of Jewish female characters – Grace Adler from Will & Grace, a vocal, neurotic Jewish character; Monica Gellar from Friends; and Fran Fine from The Nanny.

But we’ve entered the 10s, and with the arrival of a new decade came a new kind of Jew. Jewish girls have matured. We are no longer known as the the “girl next door,” now we are the “other woman.” Take FOX’s Glee - Rachel Berry, played by Lea Michele is TV’s new female Jewish character. Sexy, seductive, and maybe a little bit easy, Rachel portrays Jewesses in a new light. Fast on her heels are characters like smart & dorky Annie Edison (Alison Brie) on Community, sexy & competitive Christina Yang (Sandra Oh) from Grey’s Anatomy, and dirty, dirty comedian Sarah Silverman. These ladies are more than just bangable, they are vocal about their sexual frustrations and needs. Oh yeah, and they’re hot.

Which brings me new characters to be compared with. TV and the media are starting to show the other side of the Jewish girl (ambitious, vocal, smart, funny, hot…). In December, Christopher Nixon pronounced Jewish girls the “ethnic fetish du jour” in Details Magazine. In January, Italian Pauly D. from MTV’s reality show Jersey Shore got the hots for an Israeli named Danielle. In February, Troy, the jock on Community, was convinced of his attraction to Annie after being told “…And she’s Jewish!” With all that, there’s renewed attention being paid to the Jewesses, and it’s translating to real-life.

These days, I’m loud and proud about my Jewish identity – my trump card is to say I’m Jewish. With that one sentence, I get a renewed flicker in the eye, a subtle lean-in, and the words “Wait, did you say that you were Jewish?” It’s also quickly revealed when I mention that I work for a Jewish non-profit organization, as when people see my Tiffany’s Star-of-David necklace. These guys, Jew and non-Jew alike, are definitely more interested once they find out. My friends are noticing the difference for themselves as well.

I recognize that this fetish also leads to some disturbing situations. The sexualization of Jewish girls on TV has planted itself into the minds of the men I’m meeting. See, where it used to be that the Catholic schoolgirls were the sexually-repressed and thus easy-to-lay American feminine stereotype, Jewish girls are stereotypically less taboo about sex. Now, when I meet a new guy, and he finds out that I’m Jewish, I’m confronted with a dilemma. I have to determine whether or not he’s interested in me because I am: (a) one of those desperate or easy girls on TV, (b) totally hot AND would make your Jewish mother proud, or (c) smart, sexy, funny, outgoing, and potential girlfriend material.

But I am relieved and thankful for one thing. The attention has made it cool to be a nice Jewish girl. No longer is it something that I feel like I have to hide or deny. The public attention has also let boys in on the fact that there are many, many ways to be a nice Jewish girl. While I can still compare myself to the Monicas and Graces, I can also throw in some sexy & motivated Rachel, some smart & innocent Annie, and some loud & foul-mouthed Sarah. We’ve broken the old “nice Jewish girl” stigma, which is all of a sudden making me just a little more interesting and mysterious.

Photo by adpk, licensed under Creative Commons.

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When we originally wracked our brains about what to call Issue #7 we came up with a strategy that was sure to knock the socks off our readers: call Issue #7 “Sexless Love” and then follow it up with Issue #8, “Loveless Sex.” What could be more interesting for the two weeks leading up to Valentines Day, we thought, than to take the two qualities generally considered in modern society to comprise a healthy relationship, and pull them apart? But as our writers turned to their desks and we to our drawing tables, we all discovered that separating Love from Sex and finding stories with one, but not the other, wasn’t as simple as we had thought.

We decided our best course of action was to simplify it all, which is why Issue #7 is now “The Love Issue.” Love and relationships, we’ve found, figure quite prominently in Judaism. In fact, there’s even a love song, known as “Eishet Chayil” (translated as “Woman of Valor”) that many Jewish husbands sing to their wives during Shabbat. Describing the ideal woman and perfect wife in biblical Judaism, the verses dictate that she be industrious, faithful, strong, and virtuous.

These days, all it takes is a click of a remote or a mouse to see what Love has become for much of our generation. From reality shows like The Bachelor to social-networking sites like Facebook to dating portals like OKCupid and JDate, mainstream notions of Love and how to find it have taken on an entirely new set of characteristics. But as much as we say that love and relationships have changed, perhaps they haven’t changed as much as we imagine. Is finding dates on Match.com really so different from the age-old concept of matchmaking?

Suffice it to say, for the next two weeks we’re going to tackle questions about this most mystical and timeless of concepts: what is love? where do we find it? how it is shaped and guided by our Jewish identities? Take this opportunity to snoop into the diaries of our writers, and join in the conversation yourselves.

-Alef

Photo by jmscottIMD, licensed under Creative Commons.

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The Love Issue Posts:
What Comes First?
Matchmaker of Jewish New York
I’ve Got a Crush on Regina Spektor
Israeli Slang for V-Day
Reverse Celebrity Crush
The Journey, On Tape
Dating Jewish Men
The Interfaith Question
The Best Relationship

Jamie-Lynn Sigler was a guest on Chelsea Lately (Chelsea, “Are You There Vodka? It’s Me Chelsea” is one of my favorites! ) and mentioned her trip to Israel last year. She got a few facts wrong, (you don’t have to be a Bar Mitzvah to go), and a few facts right, (for the right price you can upgrade to first class for the nine hour flight). Regardless, Jamie, will you celebrate Taglit-Birthright Israel’s 10th anniversary by adding your picture to the I Am Birthright Israel campaign?

- Lauren