Monday, January 7, 2013

Mazel tov?

Just when you think you are finally beginning to understand how the world works, something else comes along.

On December 28th JTA (“The Global News Service of the Jewish People”) published a list of Gentiles of the Year 2012.

As Jack Paar would say, “I kid you not.”

Actually, they have been doing this for years, but I became aware of them only recently.

Here’s the list:

1. Benjamin Millepied
2. Claire Danes
3. Istvan Ujhelyi
4. Bob Costas
5. Newt Gingrich
6. Chaka Khan
7. President Mohamed Morsi or Egypt
8. Brian Flynn and Ryan Parry (shared)
9. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper
10. President Obama

I know, I know, I never heard of some of them either. And I wondered why some of the ones I have heard of made JTA’s list.

If you also want to know why these people were chosen (the people on the list, I mean, not the Jews), read this.

9 comments:

  1. There were a few names unfamiliar to me too. I watched Homeland, but I'm not sure in what way Claire Daines let us know tha Tel Aviv is the world’s “most intense party town.”

    I wonder if it would be acceptable for someone to publish a list of Jews of the Year? Someone who wasn't Jewish I mean.

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  2. I had not heard about this list. I wonder if they have a list for “Muslims of the Year” or is everyone who is not Jewish considered a “Gentile” ??

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  3. For some reason I find myself thinking of the George Eliot novel 'Daniel Deronda'. Has anyone else read it and also consider it worthy of discussion? I ask everywhere but many haven't heard of it.

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  4. Interesting info (truly). You do find the most unusual tidbits to share with us.

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  5. some of the most funny peopklpplle i know are jews

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  6. some of the most non funny opllppolole i know are non jews, gentiles

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  7. If you were less rough and more gentile I am sure you would have made the list Mr B... Khun Pudding (Thailand)

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  8. It is very interesting to pause and consider the comments this post has generated.

    Shooting Parrots in the U.K. wonders if it would be acceptable for someone non-Jewish to publish a list of Jews of the Year (probably not).

    Richies in Arkansas is disappointed that he didn't make the list (I know just how he feels).

    Vagabonde of Paris, France and Marietta, Georgia, wonders if there is a list of Muslims of the Year (I never heard of one) and also whether everyone who is not Jewish is considered a "Gentile" (Yes, but I don't understand why you put it in quotation marks.)

    The post reminds Katherine in Bay of Plenty, New Zealand of the novel Daniel Deronda by George Eliot and wonders if anyone here has read it (I haven't, but Wikipedia has a plot summary that made my head hurt).

    Pat in Arkansas finds the post truly interesting and says I do find the most interesting tidbits to share with my readers (well, I certainly try).

    Putz/David in Utah is his usual self and says some of the most funny people (spelling mine) he knows are Jews and some of the most unfunny people (spelling still mine) he knows are non-Jews, gentiles (Since my mother was Jewish and my father was not, it is difficult to determine what Putz thinks of me).

    And our friend Yorkshire Pudding, late of Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, and currently teaching school in Bangkok, Thailand tells me that if I were more rough and less gentile he is sure I would have made the list (this is Thai/English humor/humour at its best, a play on words for good spellers. Wouldn't I have to be more gentile, not less, to have made the list?).

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