To think it's rubbish that you can tell if someone is of Jewish descent?

[brentlondon]

I'm not talking about stereotypical features etc. as I'm pale and ginger with a very ordinary surname...

I have a very good (Jewish) friend who claims he can tell if someone who isn't Jewish has a Jewish background. Be that a Jewish grandmother or something. Without taking him too seriously I asked him whether it was some special power he possesses but he is adamant it's something he is able to do. He guessed it about me, or so he says.

A few years ago someone told me that it was very likely that I have some Jewish ancestry.

The other day I got chatting to a local reform rabbi by chance and we got talking about my background and history. I mentioned that I am of partly "Jewish" descent. He remarked that he "wasn't at all surprised".

AIBU to think this is rubbish and that you can't tell. I mean, I can take a guess if someone is of Irish descent but that's because of features and a surname. Surely this kind of thing is impossible and they're having me on?

Maybe it is words or phrases used that gives it away rather than looks.

Like the way people often guess I am a northerner, even though I grew up in the south and have a southern accent. There are words I use for things that I picked up from mum or dad that give it away, and I am often completely unaware that it is not a local phrase, but if I meet another northerner down south they will notice it immediately and say "oh, you are from x town/county!", and I am

Lots of Jewish people are ginger. It’s mentioned in the bible and there is even slang for it (gingi). I don’t think people can recognise everyone Jewish, but a lot of people you can. Amy Winehouse for instance, anglicised surname, could pick her out anywhere. It’s not just looks, it’s inflections in speech and mannerisms. (I spent a lot of time in Higher Broughton as a child )

Yep my Jewdar is pretty finely honed. Doesn’t matter if someone is blonde, dark, red haired, light or dark skinned, I can nearly always spot a fellow Jew. Often it’s not the overall appearance but something like voice, a look, the shape of one of the lips or even the gait (in men) that sets my jewdar off.

I imagine that many Jewish people just know their people, a kind of genetic recognition if you may.

When I was a little girl, a man came up to me and said 'I went to school with your Dad!' and he had, I was/and am (in a feminine way, of course } the spit of my Dad. It was a lovely feeling. I felt special and connected.

I have dark hair, pale skin and blue eyes. People assumed I was Jewish before I married because of my maiden name. Now I have a Scandinavian surname which confuses everyone. Since changing my last name and rhinoplasty I pass for being Irish.

When I was a teen, lots of Jewish friends thought that I was Jewish but I have no Jewish ancestry to my knowledge. They were merely guessing based on my appearance and name.

LOL! I'm Jewish, bat mitzvahed, shul attending and everything, but I take after my maternal grandfather who converted and was of Scandinavian/Irish ancestry, so my brother and I look Aryan as anything.

In Israel people have tended to think I was German

My jewdar is pretty good and I would say I have a 90% accuracy rate. Dunno what it is but it seems to be spot on

Easy way to tell. Try joining the Labour Party. When you get bricks through your windows and threats of rape, then you know that you are Jewish.

I think Jewdar is a thing - not sure what it's based on, but MOT generally have a good "hit" rate of identifying others

Not a Jewish story but one about my friend. She worked with a few men from the Ukraine and a few of them asked her if she was from there herself and they even started calling her the Ukranian lady.
Interesting she wasnt Ukranian but her Grandma was!

I have European Jewish heritage on one side of the family, and I have pretty good Jewdar, but I don’t know why this is - maybe it is from living in a Jewish area when younger.
I have been asked if I am Italian, Maori, or Welsh!

My father was Jewish - he had the look but had long abandoned the accent and mannerisms.

I have dark hair and olive-y skin, and so does my daughter.

Maureen Lipman is an obvious choice. Obviously first and surnames give it away too.

Why would they need to know would be my question!

emmcan yes, sad and true 😒.

My (adult) DD is like this. She has about a 99% success rate.

Red hair and pale skin is a very normal coloring within the Hasidic community.

Yes, my paternal grandmother and my late aunt were redheads. Sadly none of the 5 kids between my siblings and I have inherited the red hair.

This is interesting! I think my jewdar is pretty good but wouldn't be able to tell if someone was 1/4 (like me!)
I volunteer with the elderly and went to an event where I helped a lady called Gertie into the building. I told her my Great-grandmother was also called Gertrude, and she asked "was she Jewish? You're not." I look much more like my nothing-exciting-bloodwise Mum

I wouldn’t have a clue what a Jew looked like or what mannerisms they would have.

I had no idea this was a thing

In fact the only thing I can think of is brisket and oy vey. And I think I picked that up from Netflix so probably not reliable!

My father was typically Jewish looking and he was of Jewish parentage. I am not typical in my mind but I'm often asked if I am. A colleague said I looked Belarusian Jewish. I told her my maiden name- she did a bit of research and apparently it was the Anglicised version of a Belarusian surname!
My partner is vaguely Jewish looking and of Jewish descent. Our daughter is soooo typically Jewish looking that she is often thought to be a Jewish Girl by any Jewish people we meet!

My sister is very pale with red hair.

Ooh, I love this but feel really bad about being so interested, feels rude and racist.

Not just Jewish ancestry but all ancestry. I'm fascinated by how people look and trying to read their heritage through their face, body shape and skin colour.

I'm Jewish by descent and I can tell a lot of the time! My family is German/Russian. My grandfather pretended to be Portuguese so worried was he about the actions in Germany at the time. It was a big secret! V sad frankly.