Ever play “Jewish Geography” as a convert? It’s pretty painful. Though, honestly, pretty much everyone assumes I’m a convert or knows I’m a convert so I rarely get dragged into the game. But one night I attended a dinner where one woman insisted that I looked familiar. I told her I doubted it since she didn’t look familiar to me and I never forget a face.
The woman insisted she had either met me somewhere or that she knew my family. She tried to narrow things down to “Maybe I know them from Israel” and I laughed. But for some reason, this was way more uncomfortable than that the feeling of “outsider looking in” that I get when I watch others play “Jewish Geography” (Where’s your family from? Oh, I know your cousin? Do you know such and such?).
This woman would not let up, she became more aggressive the more I tried to deflect her questions. Finally, I had to say, “I AM A CONVERT” and “MY PARENTS ARE FROM NOWHERE NEAR ISRAEL.” Really, I spoke in capital letters, I swear. But she was STILL not to be derailed and she replied, “I swear I know you from somewhere.” Oy vey.
For more on the troubles of Jewish Geography, read “Reflections on Being a Loser at Jewish Geography” by Devora Lifschutz.
Memoirs of a Jewminicana 
When I was in Israel every time I met another girl they would ask “What’s your name?” “Elisheva.” “What’s your last name?”Finally one time I just said “YOU’RE NOT GOING TO RECOGNIZE IT!”I guess I was a bit rude…
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Poor her, poor you.
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Avi and I have dealt with this. I remember once in Ottawa, in the very large and amazing kosher section of the market. A couple people in the same visit saw us. I was wearing a long denim skirt and boots, it was winter! And he wears a kippah and may or may not have been sporting tzit tzit. And so, we get stopped and I remember a Chabadnik asking Avi where he grew up, what school he went to, etc. Basically Avi always had to respond with, “My parents weren’t observant when I was little”. Not a total lie 🙂Say hello to your husband. Hope you’re both doing superbly!
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Avi and I have dealt with this. I remember once in Ottawa, in the very large and amazing kosher section of the market. A couple people in the same visit saw us. I was wearing a long denim skirt and boots, it was winter! And he wears a kippah and may or may not have been sporting tzit tzit. And so, we get stopped and I remember a Chabadnik asking Avi where he grew up, what school he went to, etc. Basically Avi always had to respond with, “My parents weren’t observant when I was little”. Not a total lie 🙂Say hello to your husband. Hope you’re both doing superbly!
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We’re doing fine. Thanks for stopping by!
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