#32 Excessive Reunioning

(idea submitted by Amanda G.)
The act of going to a Reunion is enjoyed by Jewish Young Adults and Non Jewish Young Adults alike. Attending a 10 year or 20 year high school or college reunion, for example, is a chance for Jews and Non Jews to mingle and socialize with old friends, relive fun memories, [...]

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#31 Dressing Up as Monotheistic Figures

Jewish Young Adults, like their non-Jew peers, enjoy letting loose and reveling disguised as other characters whenever it is permissible. Unfortunately, unless the JYA is an actor or actress, opportunities to don the mask of other personae are scant. Fortunately, the JYA has twice as many opportunities to do so compared to his Non-JYA counterparts. [...]

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#30 Tardiness

(idea submitted by Blair H.)
One of the more common peculiarities of Jewish Young Adults is their tendency to be tardy. This incessant lateness, commonly known as Jewish Standard Time, is frequently exhibited in social situations, where the JYA will, on average, arrive at least twenty minutes past when they were expected to arrive. While many [...]

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#29 Reefer

(idea submitted by Hannah W.)
There is a wide held belief that every minority group has its own characteristic vice. For example, the Catholic community is allegedly inclined toward alcohol consumption, the Mormons have a penchant for polygamy, and the Japanese seem to display a liking to buying underwear from vending machines. In the same vein, [...]

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#28 Self Deprecation

(idea submitted by Becca B.)
Self Deprecation is defined as tending to undervalue oneself and one’s abilities. It is frequently used as a form of humor where people make jokes about themselves or their shortcomings. Jewish Elder comedians like Phyllis Diller and Sid Caesar brought this Jewish idiosyncrasy out of the shtetl and in to the [...]

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#27 Parliament Lights

Though smoking cigarettes is not a healthy or appealing habit, there are a number of Jewish Young Adults, both in the States and abroad, who smoke regularly or socially. Of those that smoke, there is an undeniable preference amongst JYAs for Parliament Lights.
JYA Regina Spektor reminisces about smoking Parliaments in her song “That Time.” [...]

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#26 Liking to Hate to Like JDate

One of the more prominent idiosyncrasies in the Jewish Young Adult community is the online dating website known as JDate. What is unique about the website is that it specifically caters to the Jewish community as a whole, with the overwhelming bulk of patrons falling in the JYA category. The relationship between JYAs and the [...]

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#25 Having Catholic Friends

Unless a given Jewish Young Adult lives in New York, New Jersey, or the HolyLand, he probably cannot arrange to spend all his social time in the company of Members of the Tribe. In these instances of Jewish Drought, an acceptable substitute is the Catholic Friend.

Catholics have a lot in common with Jews. While many [...]

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