Oh MY!! How would you have reacted????

[Katydid]

OK so we are having a yard sale. All prices ARE negotiable, but at any rate....

A man comes up, about 60 years old. He looks right at me and says "So, can I Jew you down"...

I looked at him and thinking I must have misunderstood, I said, "excuse me" very politely. He rolled his eyes and said

"So where is your husband?"

I said, "inside"

He said, "Well, I need to talk to your man".

So, I went in and got my husband. The man then looked at my husband and said again, "Can I Jew you down?"

My husband, after he picked his jaw up, looked at the man and said, "The prices aren't negotiable, and my wife is running the yard sale."

The man left, and I was thoroughly relieved.

But, how would you have handled this one?

I was at a complete loss.

[HadassahSukkot]

I had a similar experience with my lawyer.

He told me that he was going to have to hardnose with those "Jewish lawyers in Alabaster" (my area)... to get a better deal on my settlement.
I was glad I was on the phone with him rather than in person, because I'm afraid I would have probably slapped him.

I sat there silently and said "ok".

BUT, when someone said "jew down" around me recently I pitched a fit.
I pitch a fit if someone says they've been "gypped" (derog. against gypsies) or if someone is an "indian giver"... I'm part native too. . and it wasn't the "Indian" who gave and took back I remind them - it was the White who did.

I think I'd have asked him "Sir, do you believe in Jesus?" and if he said "yes" I'd go further down the line correcting him as a fellow beliver. If he said "no" , then I'd go from there asserting who I was and how language like that wasn't acceptable at my yardsale and please leave..

but that's me. :sorry:

[Sephania]

OK so we are having a yard sale. All prices ARE negotiable, but at any rate....

A man comes up, about 60 years old. He looks right at me and says "So, can I Jew you down"...

I looked at him and thinking I must have misunderstood, I said, "excuse me" very politely. He rolled his eyes and said

"So where is your husband?"

I said, "inside"

He said, "Well, I need to talk to your man".

So, I went in and got my husband. The man then looked at my husband and said again, "Can I Jew you down?"

My husband, after he picked his jaw up, looked at the man and said, "The prices aren't negotiable, and my wife is running the yard sale."

The man left, and I was thoroughly relieved.

But, how would you have handled this one?

I was at a complete loss. When he said, 'I need to talk to your man', I would have said, you want to talk to my human husband who is a gentile like you, or do you want to talk to my heavenly Husband who is Jewish, like me ?

:)

[Sephania]

Or something like this comes to mind ( of course not when you would need it) ;)

I would ask him, "how do you do that? Like, Yeshua taught us, if you have two coats give one to one in need? Are you in need? I can give it to you. Is that what you meant? Are you hungry? I can get you something to eat, thristy? I have water, coffee, juice, take your pick. "

:)

[MsAnne]

Great response, Zayit!

I'm not Jewish, but worked for a Jewish surgeon for years. I actually had someone use that phrase in our office. My doctor was nowhere around, but I was offended enough for both of us. What really surprised me was how the man seemed to have no clue that what he said was offensive.

[Katydid]

That is what it was like. This man acted like he had no clue that he was saying something offensive. And since he was older, I am thinking that he may have been saying this since he was young. I don't feel like defending him, but I do feel sorry for him.

[Kej]

This one pricks me pretty deep as I'm ashamed to say I grew up saying those very same things. "Jew you down" "Indian giver" "I got gypped" Along with fluent use of the N word when referring to African Americans.
What you must understand, though, is that where I grew up (the South) that kind of language is as readily accepted as "Have a nice day". I was clueless up until just a few years ago that these were horribly insulting things to day (no I don't live under a rock...but apparently I was pretty ignorant).
G-d has really opened my eyes in the past few years to these and other disturbing habits I adopted. The man probably didn't think anything offensive at all in what he said....as he has most likely heard it all his life and it has become commonplace.
This says alot about our society. Thorns in our speech should NEVER become commonplace and we should examine each word BEFORE it comes out of our mouth.
Ten years ago, had this happened, I'd have haggled with the man as I'd have understood that's what he wanted to do. If it happened today, I'd pull my Star of David pendant from behind my collar and asked him exactly what Zayit suggested...."Which 'man' would you be referrring to?"

[Torah]

OK so we are having a yard sale. All prices ARE negotiable, but at any rate....

Or even better: “It cost $100.00" lol

A man comes up, about 60 years old. He looks right at me and says "So, can I Jew you down"...

I looked at him and thinking I must have misunderstood, I said, "excuse me" very politely. He rolled his eyes and said

"So where is your husband?"

I said, "inside"

He said, "Well, I need to talk to your man".

So, I went in and got my husband. The man then looked at my husband and said again, "Can I Jew you down?"

My husband, after he picked his jaw up, looked at the man and said, "The prices aren't negotiable, and my wife is running the yard sale."

The man left, and I was thoroughly relieved.

But, how would you have handled this one?

I was at a complete loss.
I would have looked him right in the eye and said “I’M JEWISH”. And watch his jaw drop.

This happen to me and my daughter not to long ago. We were out shopping for a car when the sales lady say’s “let’s go talk to the manger I believe we can Jew him down a bit.” My daughter gives me a look that says “O-no pleas don’t dad!” [She knows me]
I say to my daughter “lets go” this sales lady is following us to my car saying “is it to much, we have other cars cheaper, what’s wrong?”. I stop in my tracks turn around looked her right in the eye and said, “Were Jewish”. I never seen a person turn white before, but she did. And she said “ bu…I…we…sor…di..mea…wh….I..I..I..
And we drove off.

I know I know, She wasn’t trying to be a bigot, she might not have known what she was saying…Ect…Ect. “She knows now!” and she will think twice before she uses that statement again.

[talmidim]

I on the other hand would have said, "So you're a Jew that you deserve a discount? OK, I'll consider it... What synagogue do you attend? Are you Reformed or Conservative ?... because you really don't appear to be Orthodox. What's your family name and where are you from? Do you know Larry or Barry Zimmerman? How about Rabbi Schwartz?" *giggle snicker tee hee hee*

[plum]

i've never heard that phrase before in my life. honestly. i had never even heard "indian giver" until i was like... 15. and i never knew what it meant.

[Bon]

I would have looked him right in the eye and said “I’M JEWISH”. And watch his jaw drop.

This happen to me and my daughter not to long ago. We were out shopping for a car when the sales lady say’s “let’s go talk to the manger I believe we can Jew him down a bit.” My daughter gives me a look that says “O-no pleas don’t dad!” [She knows me]
I say to my daughter “lets go” this sales lady is following us to my car saying “is it to much, we have other cars cheaper, what’s wrong?”. I stop in my tracks turn around looked her right in the eye and said, “Were Jewish”. I never seen a person turn white before, but she did. And she said “ bu…I…we…sor…di..mea…wh….I..I..I..
And we drove off.

I know I know, She wasn’t trying to be a bigot, she might not have known what she was saying…Ect…Ect. “She knows now!” and she will think twice before she uses that statement again.


I got a good laugh from your post....:D

I can imagine how your daughter felt......My dad used to do stuff like that too. hehe!

Bon

[MattyJames]

Yeh I never even heard of thoes terms. But then again...I'm in country Australia...we're still under the log in many ways...LOL.

MJ

[MattyJames]

Ohh Good post Torah. LOL I like it.

MJ

[jgonz]

I tend to be shocked when I hear that kind of thing, and then I freeze up and don't think up a good responce until later on. Then I get mad.

However the "where's your man" remark would have snapped me out of it. That stuff Ticks. Me. Off. I would have probably said something to affect that it's MY garage sale, and he should leave.

[Tishri1]

I use to be ignorant too and say stupid things not even realizing it was insulting like this line I said to my Jewish friend....I got such a great deal on my new coat, it was 75% off ...I always find deals like that I must be Jewish:clap:
:eek:the look in her eyes told me exactly what I had done:sigh:

[P_G]

This EXACT thing happened to me about a year ago except I was on the buying end. I was looking at some golf clubs at a yard sale and the lady looked me in the eye and said "You can Jew me down if you want to" I said WHAT?
She repeats it

And I said

"I am Israel Chai and you are a racist pig"

I left and all of her friends around just stopped and stared not knowing what to do.

You know her husband who gets his newspaper where I get mine in the morning still to this day can't look me in the eye.

Do not stand for Anti Semitism NOT EVER!

You should have tossed him out!

Pg

[stone]

If i ever find myself in that situation i will tell them that what they said is rude and that they should never use the term again.

[Sephania]

It's sad, but people are raised to say these things without even thinking. Also even sadder I have three Jewish grandparents , and one german. My grandmother had to keep her Jewishness hidden for all their marriage, and my grandfather was anti-semetic and taught my mother to be too. As a child when I would hear something like this I knew in my soul? spirit? that is just wasnt' right but also knew I must obey the 5th commandment and never said anything. And neither did my grandmother. Imagine how that life must have been for her, they were married almost 67 years and she could never say a word. :(