I was at a hair stylist today, and while we were discussing what color my hair should be dyed, she said "and that will be great because it will bring out your lovely Jewish skin"
I was a little dumbfounded (since I'm Italian, and Catholic plus, she didn't even know my name at that point), but ignored it.
Then later on they offered me a free makeup application & I thought why not, and she said again something like "and we'll use black to bring out your Jewish eyes"
I think this woman that said this was Jewish (I think she was wearing a star, but I'm not sure.) Why would she assume this? and also, why say it twice like that & what exactly is "Jewish skin"?? light? dark?
Was she just trying to provoke a reaction in me? I got the feeling she kind of thought I was Jewish, wanted me to be, but wasn't sure & kept prodding.
What does everyone think? btw, I don't mean to offend anyone by anything I said, I just wonder if anyone Jewish or w/ similar experience has a comment. Thanks
2006-08-15 08:37:12 · 33 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
btw my skin is very very fair, but my eyes are brown. also, my nose is quite average looking.
i'm glad someone else thinks she's a weirdo, I thought it was me for a minute there. it makes me feel better, thanks.
2006-08-15 09:26:40 · update #1
She probably thought you looked sephardic. But her statementshows her ignorance because there are ashkenazi and sephardi and we dont all look alike!
2006-08-23 03:39:55 · answer #1 · answered by Liz T 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its a little weird- maybe she's Jewish and is looking for some Jewish friends, but doesn't know where to find any. I can't imagine a non-jew saying that.... still , it is a little odd. If you go back to see her, you could ask what exactly makes your eyes "look Jewish." Or casually mention that your big Italian family is getting together for Christmas!
I should also mention that there are many different looking people who are Jewish! Some look Middle-Eastern, some look Northern European, some look Mediterranean...there are ALL DIFFERENT skin types, tones, noses, chins, eyes and hair.
2006-08-15 08:49:11 · answer #2 · answered by ziz 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I'm Italian also, and I've been asked a lot if I'm Jewish or Hispanic. I just assume it's the dark hair and eyes. The skin I don't get though. I have never heard of anyone having Jewish skin before in my life.
2006-08-15 09:05:09 · answer #3 · answered by SLR 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I hear that a lot, often from Jewish people. Perhaps she was Jewish and just didn't want to ask you directly if you were as well. Don't spend a lot of time thinking about it. I also get asked if I am Puerto Rican or Mexican. I am not Italian but my Italian friends are often mistake for other groups too.
2006-08-15 10:02:19 · answer #4 · answered by LongAgo 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People are ignorant at times. Being Jewish is a choice--not an ethnicity. Jews can be of every skin or hair color. Just the same as any other religion.
2006-08-23 05:57:54 · answer #5 · answered by ammecalo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People just don't think straight sometimes. The same thing kind of happened to my sister while we were in California. She was on a bus and this lady kept asking her things about the cross my sister was wearing. We're methodist, so it was a methodist cross. My sister answered the questions and the lady finally said. "You have pretty eyes and hair, you must be Jewish." Some people assume things by the way people look. For example my sister (the same one) has really dark hair, and brown hazel eyes, when she has a tan, and we try to go through the state boarders, it happened in san deigo, we were asked if we were smuggling her across. That was the strangest moment ever, since my mother went through this whole, 'I spent this much time in Labor' thing. People just automatically assume. That what's bad, because then it affects you and them and possibly others.
2006-08-23 06:48:25 · answer #6 · answered by Allyson B 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think she meant as a compliment. She may have some Jewish customers whom she admires for their skin and eyes. I admit Jewish girls are beautiful.
Just take it as a compliment. That's what I think
2006-08-22 22:46:33 · answer #7 · answered by sleepy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't worry too much about it. I'm really Taiwanese-American but once my mom's friend looked at me and said I look Persian. True, my nose is slightly different than anyone else in my family, but does that make me Persian? It was totally weird. I wouldn't worry about having "Jewish" features. It really doesn't mean anything. People don't always look like what race they are which is one reason I think discrimination is absurd. If someone hates "blacks" do they hate really tan Caucasian people as well? If that lady makes you feel uncomfortable then you can always go to a different hair stylist. It's really nothing to worry about!
2006-08-15 08:48:20 · answer #8 · answered by Kitkat Bar 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Most people think Jewish is a synonym for Middle Eastern, I don't know why. I've heard people say, "I'm a fourth Jewish." They probably mean dark hair and eyes...
2006-08-15 08:43:57 · answer #9 · answered by Rachel the Atheist 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It could just be that she equates olive-toned skin and dark eyes with people of Jewish heritage. Chances are that most of the people she knows with similar features to you are Jewish.
2006-08-15 08:44:50 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Since Jew refers to religion only the woman was completely off the mark. I can refer you to a book called the "Myth of The Jewish Race"
where therein you will see visual documentation of Jewish people from around the world. The fact is that they most resemble the populations where they reside. There are some exceptions depending on migration patterns.
2006-08-15 08:48:21 · answer #11 · answered by worriedaboutyou 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋