Today, our tour guide—once she was clear that we were willing to engage with the more difficult history of Lithuania and the ways in which working class Jewish support for the Bolsheviks helped shape resentment leading into WWII—decided to tell us a joke. I’m paraphrasing only a little here.
A Jewish man decides to go visit his son in Israel. He takes with him a bust of Lenin.
First, he is stopped by Soviet authorities, who open his suitcase and say “What is this?“
“It’s not what, but who,” says the Jewish man. “It’s Lenin, and I’m taking it to my son in Israel to bring the truth of our great revolution to that country.”
The Soviet authorities like that answer, and let him go.
Next, he is stopped by the Israeli authorities, who open his suitcase and say “What is this?”
“It’s not what, but who,” says that Jewish man. “It’s Lenin, and I’m taking it to my son to remind him of the great wrongs of the Soviet empire and why he must never become a communist.”
The Israeli authorities like this, and let him go.
Finally, he arrives at his son’s flat and opens his suitcase.
“What is this?” his son asks.
“It’s 50 gm of gold shaped like a bust of Lenin,” says the Jewish man.
It’s not a terrible joke. The Jewish man outsmarts everyone, and what’s not to love about that? But it’s still, ultimately, about Jews and money. Our tour guide today was very knowledgeable and she did an excellent job, but several times she said things like “trading is in their blood” or “the Jewish were very good at using credit to develop loyal customers.”
Every non-Jew who has lead a tour we’ve been part of in Europe has said similar things about Jews and money; they never mean it maliciously, and yet it still always feels like a dangerous kind of stereotyping to me.
I know some Jews with great business acumen who have moved from misfortune to wealth in one generation. I also know some Jews—probably more Jews—who have no business acumen and aren’t at all interested in making a fortune; they just want to get by. I know some Jews who live in or close to poverty. I don’t actually think I know any stingy or avaricious Jews, but I’m sure they exist.
All of this is also true of the non-Jews I know. And yet, I don’t imagine that tours of European cities that aren’t focused on Jewish history spend quite so much time on the financial histories of the people who inhabit those places.
Anyway, we laughed and were good-natured about it, because I (and probably some of you) always walk through this world worried about doing anything that would be “a shanda before the goyim.” But it does two things. First, it rubs me the wrong way. But second, and maybe more important, it seems always to point to the truth that we were instrumental in building these places where we no longer exist in any real numbers, and where our history continues to be taught as a history of outsiders in spite of that fact.
So, anyway, when your European tour guide says they want to tell you a joke, maybe brace yourself for smiling and laughing even if you don’t really feel like it. Or saying something. I don’t know. Maybe it’s wrong that I don’t, but I’m a visitor here, and what I mostly want to leave behind is the a positive impression.
What are your thoughts, friends?
I always want to leave a friendly, unassuming impression. I’ve felt this was my task for a long time. In some instances I may be the only Jewish person with whom they will have a conversation. I am the only Jew in many situations in my daily life. It is my absolute obligation to be a nice person. I have been known to say “ oh you may think we’re all …..( whatever) but let me tell you about my cousin Gerald” and then with a laugh describe some sort of non-stereotypical person. Very important to end with a friendly laugh, and just hope what you said left a little click.
( we don’t have a cousin Gerald, by the way)
In situations like that I feel like I'm an undercover spy gathering info on the other side.