Is it an insult to be asked if you are Jewish if you are Italian? Why?

Question

Is it an insult to be asked if you are Jewish if you are Italian? Why?
I've noticed people who are Italian but are asked if they are Jewish (because they "look" Jewish, whatever that means) get really offended by this. Why?

Anyone of Italian or Italian American heritage, do you get asked if you are Jewish (for example if someone doesn't know your name, or if your name isn't obviously Italian)?

Do you get annoyed or angry? If so, why?

I bring this up because my best friend's name is Marcella (pretty obviously Italian) and she always wears a cross. A saleslady (she had given her a credit card) asked her if she was Jewish last week while we were shopping & she freaked out! She kept saying don't they see my cross/ my name, and so on.

Can anyone enlighten me as to why she would be so annoyed and also anyone Italian has this ever happened to you & how did you react.

Thanks and have a great day! Nicole

Answer 1

Why didn't you ask your friend about that?
It DOES sound weird to me that one is offended by recognized as Jewish.

I'm Jewish, I've been asked many times if I were Italian or Greek and I never thought that as an insult.

Answer 2

First, till now the holocaust, there have been Jews efficiently tending to their businesses in Rome, Russia and many things of Europe. So, some have accompanied Italian names or some Italians resembles a Jewish face. for sure, lack of understanding could be latest to somebody who ask if one is Jewish whilst she donning a flow and bearing an Italian call. Then for the period of the campaign to dehumanize and humiliate the Jews throughout Europe, all of them started spreading the grotesque information approximately Jews killing Jesus. That could have caught to the minds even for the greater youthful Italian technology moreso in the event that they are Roman Catholic. possibly, it relatively is basically like eastern Indian who consistently get indignant for being wrong as Pakistani or vice versa. it is surely no longer for being what they are yet for a fashion they are all raised to have self belief.

Answer 3

I don't know that I personally would get all upset about it, but I think they just don't feel like their race matters. Like, so what if I'm Jewish, Italian, whatever, you shouldn't care about that.

Answer 4

They may hate Jews or may be sick of the question.

My dad's mom is white, black, and Sioux and his dad is black and white and he looks Arab or East Indian. Imagine how he feels when people come up to him and start speaking Arabic or Hindi and he has to tell them "No, I'm black. from the Bahamas" and don't get me started about after 911!

Your friend sounds like she over reacted but she could simply be COMPLETELY sick of it or offended that people can't recognize her race (my friend was half Asian and white, looked Latin and got pissed off because people couldn't see she was Eurasian).

ASK HER!!!

Answer 5

Your question is too long, I only read the first part. I think it's because that is stereotyping. Like all white who live in a trailer are trailer trash. You know stuff like that.