Growing up Jewish may have frustrated you when your mother denied you some delicious un-Kosher food or when you had to spend a thousand hours writing Bat Mitzvah thank you notes, but it's always been a part of who you are. If you have grown up Jewish, you have definitely heard/lived/felt these 40 things.
1. People introduce you as, "This is _____, my Jewish friend!"
2. Words like "schvitzing" and "nosh" are sprinkled throughout your normal conversations.
3. You have to explain that you don't need to be Christian to jam out to Christmas music.
4. You have a strong opinion on savory vs. sweet kugel. #sweet
5. You were that one kid who got excited for the one token Channukah song during the Holiday Concert.
6. It'd be nice if you married someone Jewish, but as long as the kids are Jewish, it's okay.
7. Your house stuck out like a sore thumb during Christmas time... unless you decorated it for Channukah.
8. Your parents' favorite friends of yours were the Jewish ones.
9. Whenever you call your mom, she asks, "Are you eating enough?"
10. Whenever you're sick, your parents know that homemade matzoh ball soup is the best remedy.
11. You can vividly remember every awkward-staged photo you had to take for your Bat/Bar Mitzvah.
(And the thank you notes. Oh God, the thank you notes.)
12. On the upside, you can write a mean thank you note.
13. One of your parents always says, "Let me know when you get there!" because you know, they worry.
14. When you go home for dinner, you always leave with leftovers.
A lot of leftovers.
15. You've downloaded JSwipe or JDate to find that elusive NJB (or just to see what friends are on it).
16. If you keep Kosher, you do a double take when you're at a friend's house and they don't have two sets of silverware.
17. You have a deep, spiritual connection to a deli.
18. That being said, you know there is no better breakfast than bagels and lox.
19. But somehow, you still aren't so sure about gefilte fish.
20. You go to/went to an overnight camp.
21. You are/were a part of BBYO, USY, or NFTY.
22. You are/were involved with Hillel, Chabad, or the Jewish sororities or fraternities.
23. You have come up with an incredible amount of games that you can silently play while waiting for High Holiday services to end.
24. You say "Mazel Tov" to congratulate your non-Jewish friends. Ex: "I got an A on my final!" "Oh, mazel tov!"
25. During family gatherings, everyone talks at the same time. Loudly.
26. You've had a conversation with your grandmother about Passover dinner... three years from now.
27. You are incredible at Jewish geography.
Everyone knows someone from somewhere. It's a small world.
28. There's been some jokes made about your nose.
You try and move past it.
