Hey there, my name is Carly Shapiro, and if you can't tell by my first and last name, I'm Jewish. Growing up in a primarily Jewish town, I have learned that there are some things that all Jewish girls can't live without.
1. Bagels
Jewish girls have been taught to only eat the best of the best bagels. If someone hands you a random bagel, you are immediately able to tell if it is a "real" bagel or a Dunkin' Donuts bagel.
2. Sleepaway Camp
If you didn't go to overnight camp and you're Jewish, you are definitely in the minority. I am not the only person to say "We live 10 months for 2."
3. Jew-ography
This is how a typical conversation goes when you meet a fellow Jewish girl:
"
"
"Yes, of course, love them!"
4. Complaining
We feel like nothing ever goes our way and thus we complain about it forever. The room is either too hot or too cold, your food isn't how you want it to be, your friend is either too early or too late to pick you up...the list could go on and on. Even if you know that it, whatever it is, went right, you still feel the need to complain
5. Turquoise Hamsa necklaces
When you go to Israel you know that you will definitely come home with one of these on your neck.
6. Nice Jewish Boys
(buy your nice Jewish boy calendar here)
NJP for short. It has been engrained in our minds that we have to marry a nice Jewish boy. Every time you come home from college, you are asked that daunting question of, "have you met a nice Jewish boy yet to bring home?" and you always seem to disappoint your grandma when you say, "no."
7. Starbucks
We love our coffee, but not just ordinary basic coffee, we feel the need to make our order extremely difficult and if they don't make it the way we like...see number four.
8. Birthright
Who would pass up the opportunity to go to Israel for free? That is a rhetorical question because no Jewish girl would.
9. Your mom's cooking
All Jewish girls claim that their mom makes the best matzah ball soup. We have been spoiled with food since the day we were born and then we go off to college and eat dining hall food well...again see number 4.
10. Other Jewish girls
For some reason, all Jewish girls have a bond. I guess it's because we all can't live without the same things.
Everyone has a Jewish friend, so next time they start to complain, want their mom's homemade food, or want to go to Starbucks, don't roll your eyes because they are not the only Jewish girl out there experiencing these things.
