18 Things A Shiksa Should Know Before Dating A Jewish Man

As a Jewish guy who has only dated shiksas (non-Jewish girls), I have come up with 18 things that she should know before dating a Jewish man.

1. The Mother

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Jewish mothers can be a little bit more overbearing than your typical mother, but it is only because they truly love their sons. Overprotection is the Jewish way.

2. When there is a "ch" you pronounce it with a "chhhh"

When you are talking about things like Chanukah or challah bread you have to "chhhh" when you say it!

3. Conversion

No matter how your man looks at Judaism--as a religion, a race, or a culture--know that conversion to another religion loses that connection. You need to be aware of that, respectful of and sensitive to it. Most of us are willing to celebrate your holidays, too!

4. Kosher Questions

Not all Jews keep kosher, but make sure you ask before you make a dish for a family function. Keeping kosher is all about how the food was prepared, not whether it was blessed by a Rabbi. There is also a difference between "keeping kosher" and "kosher-style." Become familiar with the differences!

5. Way to his heart = Jewish food

Traditional Jewish food is the best way to your man's heart. It can be anything from baking a fresh challah to chicken schnitzel and matzo ball soup.

6. The importance of Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year. It is like our Easter. It is the day we repent our sins for the previous year. Please check the calendar and do not schedule anything for this day!

For example: Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax refused to pitch a game in the World Series because it was on Yom Kippur.

7. ח י = Good Luck

Jews, through tradition, assign a numerical value to Hebrew letters. The letters ח and י (pronounced "chai") equal to 18. The value has become a popular number that represents good luck. That is why Jews give multiples of 18 as gifts at weddings, bar mitzvahs, and at other occasions.

8. Why our holiday dates fluctuate every year

The reason our holidays fluctuate (like Thanksgivukkah of 2013) is because Judaism has its own calendar that uses a lunisolar calendar instead of the Western Gregorian calendar that is used by many other cultures.

9. Need to learn: Yiddish Words

As a shiksa, you need to learn the vital yiddish words that Jews use in their everyday vocabulary. Words like: chutzpah, goy, klutz, kvetsh, mentsh, nosh, oy vey, shlep, schmmoze, schtick, tuches and tchatchke -- just to name a few.

10. Jewish Holidays

Jewish holidays start the day before at sundown and last until sundown of the actual day. For example, Yom Kippur 2014 starts on Friday, October 3rd at sundown and ends Saturday, October 4th at sundown.

11. Formal education is key

In Judaism, higher education is one of the most important values!

12. Synagogue Dress

If you get invited to Synagogue, know that it tends to be more formal than a lot of other houses of worship. It is always at least business causal, but usually professional attire is required, so never come in jeans!

13. I'm not a "Jew"!

Even though it is technically not incorrect to call someone a "Jew," coming from a non-Jewish person it will often sound and be interpreted as derogatory. Instead, simply stick with calling us Jewish.

14. Significance of Star of David

The Star of David is a six pointed star that consists of two triangles. It has no real religious significance but it is our symbol of unity. It is named after King David. Yes, that same David (the ultimate underdog) that defeated the giant Goliath.

15. We do not speak Jewish!

There is no such thing as the Jewish language. There is Hebrew and there is Yiddish. Do not get caught making this rookie mistake.

16. We don't read from the Bible!

Jews read from the Torah not the Bible. What's the difference? The Torah only contains the writings of the Old Testament and it is in Hebrew.

A Bar/Bat Mitzvah is the day a boy/girl gets to read from the Torah for the first time and it signifies their religious passage into adulthood.

17. We generally avoid confrontation

We hate confrontation and do not like to fight. Period. End of conversation.

18. And yes, ladies, all Jewish men are circumcised!

All Jewish boys are circumcised eight days after birth in a ceremony called a bris.

Honorable Mention - No Christmas Ornaments!

It does not matter if it is his favorite team. Do NOT get him a Christmas ornament if he does not have a Christmas tree!