Austin, Hipstercrite Life

Why I Need to Meet More Jews

Woody Allen Jewish

I need to meet more Jews.

I came to this conclusion last week after talking to a Jew.

They’re somewhat elusive here in Austin, so anytime I come across one it’s a big freakin’ deal.

Why is it such a big deal?

Because I’m Jewish.

Because when I come across another M.O.B. (Member of the Tribe- a phrase a fellow Jew shared with me), the world and my life finally make sense.

Let me be clear: like many religion-challenged Jews, I’m non-practicing.

My grandmother was raised in an Orthodox Jewish household. At a certain turning point she was like “fffff this shit” and turned her back on the religion. She raised my mother in the Whatever faith, who subsequently raised me similarly. Needless to say religion has never been the terrifying and guiding light in our lives. All my close family members call themselves “spiritual” and shoot the shit with God in their own ways.

Though we didn’t go to temple and because the faith ran down my mother’s bloodline, the Jewy-ness of my family has never quite disappeared. My family acted and behaved a certain way, a way I didn’t realize until much later, until I met other Jews, that was synonymous with the heritage. YES, I’M TALKING ABOUT GUILT TRIPS AND OVER-THINKING AND TALKING REALLY ANIMATEDLY AND WORRYING- OH GOD! THE WORRYING!- AND ALL THOSE OTHER WONDERFUL CLICHES YOU CAN THINK OF.

You see, this is why I like meeting other Jews. I can spot a Jew before they even tell me their faith due to their breathless excitement, their open-mindedness, their humor and the way they worry about if what they just said offended you or someone not even part of the conversation. They’re nervous and confident simultaneously, and interesting as all hell; a whirlwind of intrigue, mysticism and dare I say, excellent fashion sense.

They have an electricity, one that I can instantly feel- a brother or sisterhood is there.

This is why I need to meet more Jews.

They’re my people.

We’re all members of the same tribe.

So, last week I took the first step of meeting others and reclaiming my Jewish heritage: I joined a young Jewish professional Facebook networking group.

Because that’s the same as going to temple, right?

Next step: Join the JCC Jewish Community Association of Austin. They have a 4,000 square foot gym with pool and free wi-fi and a film festival and everything!

 

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21 Comments

  • Reply Kid In The Front Row February 13, 2013 at 11:11 am

    Great post – wonderfully and thoughtfully written as always.

    People have always called me prolific, as a writer. But then I look at your writing and I’m just blown away. Where does it all come from? You’re amazing.

    • Reply hipstercrite February 13, 2013 at 11:14 am

      Hahaha! Really? I was just thinking how silly this post is!

  • Reply brent February 13, 2013 at 11:22 am

    Bwahahahaa! This is too funny. I don’t know if it’s my own ego, or today’s “jew obsessed” culture… but I feel the same way!

    I’ll watch an actor (most often an actress) in a movie or meet someone and I always get this ‘vibe’ that tells me they’re of Jewish decent. AND I WANT TO KNOW THEM!

    I think it’s in the blood. Jews simply like Jews.

    But I’m not joining facebook.

    • Reply hipstercrite February 13, 2013 at 8:17 pm

      Absolutely! All my favorite actors/actresses are Jews!

  • Reply Jodi February 13, 2013 at 11:24 am

    Hi Lauren – While there aren’t many Jewish people in Austin, I seem to find them like a moth to flame! I think it’s actually because there aren’t many, so there is more of a longing to connect with people that are Jewish as opposed to say, in NYC, where I moved from, where so many people are. I’d love to meet up sometime and chat about blogging and Jewy-ness.

    • Reply hipstercrite February 13, 2013 at 8:18 pm

      YES! That sounds wonderful. Wanna plan for after SXSW?

  • Reply Dana Epstein February 13, 2013 at 11:53 am

    I can help you meet more Jews 🙂 Be in touch!

    • Reply hipstercrite February 13, 2013 at 8:18 pm

      Where are the Jews?! 🙂

  • Reply Ivan Toblog February 13, 2013 at 12:07 pm

    For a minute I thought you were getting the Jews and the Irish mixed up

    Except the Irish don’t seem to worry about if they just offended you.

    • Reply hipstercrite February 13, 2013 at 8:18 pm

      Are you Irish, Ivan?

      • Reply Ivan Toblog February 27, 2013 at 11:54 am

        I think I like pastrami more than corned beef, but yeah

  • Reply grace b February 13, 2013 at 12:16 pm

    I recently saw The Jewish Mom/The Asian Mom at the Salvage Vanguard Theater. You would probably really like it. It was very entertaining and honest.

    • Reply hipstercrite February 13, 2013 at 1:49 pm

      Oooh…I’m intrigued! I will look it up! Thanks!

  • Reply Carol February 13, 2013 at 1:04 pm

    I’m not Jewish, but my friend’s mom, who is, says I should be Jewish, and will always be Jewish in her mind. Does that count?

    • Reply hipstercrite February 13, 2013 at 1:49 pm

      You’re my honorary Jewish friend, Carol!

  • Reply Amy @ What Jew Wanna Eat February 13, 2013 at 3:44 pm

    I agree with Jodi- I feel more connected to Judaism in Austin than NYC. Maybe because we are a dime a dozen in the city and you take it for granted, but special here!

    • Reply hipstercrite February 13, 2013 at 8:19 pm

      I think I can count on both hands the amount of Jews I know here. Hopefully that will change!

  • Reply Edwin R March 18, 2013 at 11:12 am

    I recently took a cheek swab genetics test, and I found out something interesting about Jews. We are an endogamous group, meaning there were not many of us in Europe centuries ago, which means we inmarried, so the Jewish community of today in the US is closely related, so much so, that I received pages and pages of results from my test indicating 2nd and 3rd cousins when I know these people were not a direct part of my family. But since we are endogamous we do have surprisingly close blood ties. At least I was surprised.

  • Reply Benny April 1, 2013 at 8:27 am

    I would totally feel the same if I were in Austin!
    In NY, they’re just everywhere…

  • Reply Gaby September 26, 2013 at 12:44 pm

    I just came across this.. to be honest, I used to read your blog a lot more in my younger days but I was reading something you posted about feeling idle and then I started roaming around your page, and here I am. I’m Jewish and I don’t spend that much time with the Jewish community here… not on purpose or anything, it’s just how lives work out and such. But I have started to feel similarly, especially because I was a Jew who was completely SURROUNDED by fellow Jews I was basically in a huge bubble until after I graduated college. I’m curious about how its going for you? My mom wants me to have Jewish friends in Austin, oy!

  • Reply Pam January 26, 2014 at 10:06 pm

    I just found this by googling Austin “where are the Jews”! Even more difficult: where are all the Jews who married a nice Catholic? WE CANNOT BE THE ONLY ONES HERE. It’s the classic combo!

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