New York – What? You think Jews argue a lot? You got a prob lem with that?
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More than 60 members of my tribe shoved into a room on the Upper West Side yesterday to tackle an age-old question that’s perplexed scholars, rabbis and folks who’d rather gouge out their own eyeballs than sit on a trans-Atlantic flight.
Namely, why are Jews so argumentative?
You might as well ask why the sky is gray.
Just bringing up the question these days seems an invitation to hatred, disdain and a longer wait time at the Carnegie Deli. But Rabbi Peter Schweitzer, of the City Congregation for Humanistic Judaism, tried to persuade the room that obnoxious and exhausting fighting is not one of Jews’ less attractive traits.
Rather, it’s “part of our cultural fabric. We challenge authority when we argue.”
But on the Upper West Side, where everything can be questioned – except leftist politics and good corned beef – you can argue about just about anything. The weather. The price of a cab ride. Anything, that is, except ironclad liberal orthodoxy.
After telling some stories about cute, Jewish kibbitzing from out of the Bible, Schweitzer made his point:
“It’s like Republicans today undermining Obama – but for no other reason than being obstructionist.”
He got laughs. But his words went completely unchallenged.
Even by me, and I’m a card-carrying Hebrew.
After the talk, a woman in the audience wondered why President Obama surrounded himself with so many Jews.
Um, because they’re smart? Ambitious? Effective?
“Did Obama pick so many Jews because he wanted an argument?” she actually said.
Her question, too, went unchallenged.
Which brings up another age-old question: Are events like these good for the Jews?
This might start an argument: I doubt it.
Jews were chosen becouse they are an “am keshie oref” that seeks the truth and the truth only questioning and wanting to understand.
How dare you call all Jews everywhere argumentative?Did you actually interview every single Yid and measure their argumentativeness.
Azeleche shtissim….
While I have no comment on the sociological or cultural explanation for the perception that Jews are argumentative, I feel the statements about Obama are completely ridiculous.
As a Jew, I oppose much of what Obama does, not for obstructionist reasons at all. I feel his policies are dangerous. His bailout plan is irresponsible, and will make matters much worse. Time will tell, and I am willing to be wrong on this. His policies on terrorism and the Middle East are the most alarming positions since WWII. Some predicted that he will make the United States the enemy of Israel. I hope this is dead wrong, but doubts are beginning to crop up too quickly. The war on terror is over, and the thugs are winning.
His surrounding himself with Jews in his cabinet and other senior positions is actually ominous. This protects him from the accusation that there is anti-Jewish sentiments, and he can then blame some of the most catastrophic decisions on them. It should be unfair to prejudge a president, but then isn’t that what the drive-by media did to George W. Bush?
Some scientific study of the phenomenon might be warranted, but leave the President out of it. His motives are certainly unrelated, and I, for one, am scared stiff. Daven.
What is argumentative about wanting knowlege and understanding? When I was a child, I think I believed we were an argumentative lot. As I became an adult, I learned that being asked what I was doing or why I was doing it had nothing to do with people demanding that I explain myself TO THEM. Rather, it had everything to do with instilling in me the skill of understanding for MYSELF why it is I did what I did or believe as I do. I don’t think I’m putting it clearly, but part of my point is that wanting to know if someone understands what they’re saying or doing or meaning can be perceived as argumentative, but who takes seriously a person who can’t tell you why they do what they do or want what they want?
Q: Why do Jews answer a question with a question?
A. Why not?
Or in other words, we like to challenge assumptions. A question, challenges the initial assumption. Who said there is anything wrong with answering a question with a question?
one could ……argue that being argumentitive,that is not accepting a situaton or statement at face value say by a czar or priest,has helped us survive galus for 2000 years.
Simple answers 1) Jews are insecure so they have to show they are smarter then the next guy 2) they don’t know how to get along?
But I have a question to all my Jewish friends; do you always have to speak so loudly? Do you think everyone has a hearinf deficit?
Why is everyone arguing about the arguers and causing more arguments?
The argument is is there more arguemnts bu us or not. Why do we have to argue about this? And another argument I have with the arguiers is spend more time not arguing so we do not have to argue about who is right and who is wrong all the time.
I am tired of these arguments.