Why are there so many jokes about Jewish being "cheap"?

Question

I have never like these types of jokes and do not find them ammusing. I know of someone who makes jokes like this a lot and I'm not even Jewish, but feel there shouldn't be in stereotyped jokes for ANYONE. Why did these jokes come about in the 1st place? It's ridiculous.

Answer 1

People look for reason to stereotype. Some will fulfill that and others won't. When Jews were corraled into ghettos in Europe they were made poor. Of course anyone forced in to that position is going to have to scrpae any penny to stay alive. WHen coming to America the person will hav ethe same mentality, much like people who survived the Depression.

Answer 2

Jewish Cheap Jokes

Answer 3

Okay, here's the reason. It's not that Jewish people are cheap, it's that they're frugal. There's a big difference. They like to save money, so there are jokes made about them being cheap because they try and save money any way they can.

There are jokes about everything. Like why are there so many blonde jokes? I mean for the most part, I wouldn't worry about it. I mean, I'm a blonde and I take no offense to jokes. I just keep in mind that it's a stereotype (and they thing about jews is too to a certain extent), and no matter what, they will stick. It's human nature.

Answer 4

Came from when Jews were forced to be userers in the middle ages. However, Jews are quite on the contrary, very generous, if I am allowed to sterotype them on something positive. You should go to a Jewish wedding, first of all it lasts till like 4 in the morning and food is constantly in circulation, i mean they are so overly geneorus with the catering that when the wedding ends you never want to see food again. and with the whole joking around thing- This is true, while Jews take religion/spirituality very, very seriously, they can laugh at themselves when they want. ( unlike other religions, like Islam for example). But if you are not a Jew and make Jewish Stereotype jokes, its like a white guy saying "******", dont do it. Jews make jokes about themselves being cheap and stuff to laugh at what people really think.

Answer 5

I think there are several reasons. In Europe in the Middle Ages, Jews were not allowed to conduct much in the way of business so many of them turned to money lending as a way of making a living instead of farming, etc. As a result, the image of the "penurious Jew" a la Charles Dickens and Fagin (the classic caricature). Later on, many comedians, like Jack Benny, and other vaudevillians made self fun about being cheap. Some, without a sense of humor, adopted that image as the stereotype. In fact, some of the the greatest philanthropists in the world have been Jewish from Dreyfus to Ron Perelman to Edgar Bronfman.

Answer 6

Im Catholic by birth (Baptism). Not by choice and Im kind of cheap. As for modern Jews being cheap. I don't think so. They drive Mercedes,Porsches,Jaguars etc. If they can afford one. Except Larry David supposedly only drives a Toyota. Not all Jews are rich. So,they have to save or be cheaper to get by. I think the first answerer has nailed it. Give her the 10 points. The Jews were and continue to be oppressed to this day. Due to their weaker population numbers. They must have learned from hard times. Not that other groups haven't and still don't experience hard times too. The jokes are from bullies. A bully is too affaid to stand up to the majority or the big fish.

Answer 7

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Why are there so many jokes about Jewish being "cheap"?
I have never like these types of jokes and do not find them ammusing. I know of someone who makes jokes like this a lot and I'm not even Jewish, but feel there shouldn't be in stereotyped jokes for ANYONE. Why did these jokes come about in the 1st place? It's ridiculous.

Answer 8

Well I am Jewish, and my friends make all the Jew jokes. It doesn't bother me when my friends do it, because I know that it is nothing more then a joke. People take themselves to seriously these days. Like when I go to a store and I think something is to expensive I'll just say "F that I'm Jewish man!" It doesn't bother me I laugh and my friends laugh so what's the big deal? I know that I am not cheap, and I am far far far from greedy. I love to give,I hardly spend any money on myself. So I know who I am and the people important to me know who I am, so why let other people get to me?

Answer 9

I've heard a ton of variations of how this stereotype came about. One had to do with way back in the day (50,100, 200 yrs ago?) many of the tax collectors, bankers, etc. were Jewish in their communities and they got a bad rep b/c of doing uncomfortable things like collections and keeping the books the way they were meant to be kept. Who knows...many Jews are cheap...many are not. I'm not Jewish but pretty cheap... stereotypes just don't work. Except for the one about...

Answer 10

Historical reason to this whole prejudice:

A very very long time ago, while the Jewish people were once again being pushed around by other people who thought they were better, I think it was the Romans (in this case) who said that Jews could not have any jobs, hence, they couldn't work to earn money. Because of this, Jews had to become money-loaners and charge high interest to earn money at all. So you can imagine that if this is the only way you're making money to feed your family/basically live, when someone who you lent money to is being a bit lazy at giving it back, you're going to start pestering them about the money. This led to the rumors of Jews being greedy, money obsessed people, and over the hundreds/thousands of years, the idea spread/stayed around.
Money obsessed --> wanting more money (and hoarding it to oneself) --> being cheap because they don't want to waste money on other people.