History Main / JewishMother

See also IHaveNoSon.

A StockCharacter that makes frequent appearances in Jewish humor, the stereotypical JewishMother is overbearing, emotionally manipulative, and persists on interfering in her children's lives long after they've become adults.

A related StockCharacter is the stereotypical Jewish Grandmother: just as much meddling and interest in the personal lives of her decendants, but more likely to provide highly caloric snacks (did we mention that being a SupremeChef is part of the stereotype?). The Jewish Grandmother is the occasional ally of her grandchildren, as she can use on their mother the techniques of guilt and shame that their mother does on them: "Why don't you let the kids play more? Study, study, study all the time is not good for them! And then they're too tired to even visit their grandmother. Are you trying to keep me from seeing them?" "No mama..." "You be quiet! Now get me that brisket."

Similar stereotypes about mothers and grandmothers are common throughout the Mediterranean Basin among Arabs, Berbers, Turks, Greeks, Italians, Spaniards, and Latin Americans. On the other hand, the stereotype is seen as uniquely Polish in Israel itself (apparently, the other Ashkenazim don't think it applies to them--not that there are all that many non-Polish Ashkenazim--and the first-generation Sephardim just saw it as "isn't that just how all moms are?" because their Muslim and Christian Arab or Iranian neighbors had the same stereotype).

Expect a more passive aggressive form of JewsLoveToArgue with her. Heck, she's a master of PassiveAggressiveKombat.

SubTrope of MyBelovedSmother.

** Her portrayal in ''TheLastTemptationOfChrist'' is the closest to this trope. WordOfGod is it was a deliberate choice by director MartinScorcese.

** Her portrayal in ''LastTemptationOfChrist'' is the closest to this trope. WordOfGod is it was a deliberate choice by director MartinScorcese.

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* Philip Roth's ''Portnoy's Complaint''.

* In ''{{Futurama}}'', [[SpaceJews Dr. Zoidberg's]] mother first criticizes him for wanting to become a comedian instead of a doctor, then for giving up his dream of becoming a comedian to go to medical school.

->'''Q:''' [[LightBulbJoke How many Jewish mothers does it take to change a light bulb?]]\\
'''A:''' (''[[YiddishAsASecondLanguage In a Yiddish accent]]'') Don't worry about me, I'll just sit here in the dark.

* Timon's Ma from [[TLK The Lion King 1½]]

->Once at a dinner party, I listened to an Indian (from India, not Arizona) telling funny stories about his mother. I listened with interest for he looked thoroughly Indian, and finally I could no longer resist. I asked in mock amazement, "Is your mother Jewish?"\\
He looked at me quite calmly and said, "My friend, all mothers are Jewish."
-->-- IsaacAsimov

* Technically, Jesus's mother [[TheBible Mary,]] although she is portrayed as being a nice lady, and virtually [[TheWoobie being forced to sacrifice even her own son without complaint]]. Then again, Catholics believe Jesus will do anything she asks of him, for instance, she's responsible for the Wedding at Canna miracle.

Usually, she'll speak with a [[YiddishAsASecondLanguage Yiddish]] accent and will often be heard boasting about her offspring ("my son, the doctor...") when she isn't nagging them. The only option in life for her children is college and (for the girls) marrying a {{nice Jewish boy}} (often parsed even more with "A nice [[AllJewsAreAshkenazi Ashkenazic]] boy" or "A nice Ashkenazic doctor" or "A nice Ashkenazic doctor with an apartment in New York and plenty of frequent flier miles to visit your mother"). Likewise, a Jewish son is expected to bring home a nice Jewish girl. No matter how nice, however, this girl will not be good enough. Heaven forbid he marries a ShiksaGoddess.

* Technically, Jesus's mother [[TheBible Mary.]]
** Perhaps more than technically. See Luke 2:48 ? as the ''Message'' paraphrase has it:
-->'''Mary:''' Young man, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been half out of our minds looking for you.
** And there's the incident at the Wedding at Cana.
*** ''Technically'' she's a Jewish Mother, but it's been said that the reason the Catholic church makes such a [[SeriousBusiness big deal]] of the Blessed Virgin is that everyone in the papal see for the past two millenia has a Catholic Mother.
**** Or maybe it's because if anyone's going to get God to obey them, it'd be His JewishMother.

A stereotype and a StockCharacter that makes frequent appearances in Jewish humor, the JewishMother is overbearing, emotionally manipulative, and persists on interfering in her children's lives long after they've become adults.

The Jewish Mother eventually becomes a Jewish Grandmother: just as much meddling and interest in the personal lives of her decendants, but more likely to provide highly caloric snacks (did we mention that being a SupremeChef is part of the stereotype?). The Jewish Grandmother is the occasional ally of her grandchildren, as she can use on their mother the techniques of guilt and shame that their mother does on them: "Why don't you let the kids play more? Study, study, study all the time is not good for them! And then they're too tired to even visit their grandmother. Are you trying to keep me from seeing them?" "No mama..." "You be quiet! Now get me that brisket."

Similar stereotypes about mothers are common throughout the Mediterranean Basin: Arabs, Berbers, Turks, Greeks, Italians, Spaniards, and Latin Americans will all nod with recognition and sympathy upon seeing your average (US) TV Jew deal with his/her mother. On the other hand, the stereotype is seen as uniquely Polish in Israel itself (apparently, the other Ashkenazim don't think it applies to them--not that there are all that many non-Polish Ashkenazim--and the first-generation Sephardim just saw it as "isn't that just how all moms are?" because their Muslim and Christian Arab or Iranian neighbors had the same stereotype).

Similar stereotypes about mothers are common throughout the Mediterranean Basin: Arabs, Berbers, Turks, Greeks, Italians, Spaniards, and Latin Americans will all nod with recognition and sympathy upon seeing your average (US) TV Jew. On the other hand, the stereotype is seen as uniquely Polish in Israel itself (apparently, the other Ashkenazim don't think it applies to them--not that there are all that many non-Polish Ashkenazim--and the first-generation Sephardim just saw it as "isn't that just how all moms are?" because their Muslim and Christian Arab or Iranian neighbors had the same stereotype).

Similar stereotypes about mothers are common among Arabs, Turks, Greeks, Italians, Spaniards, and Latin Americans. On the other hand, the stereotype is seen as uniquely Polish in Israel itself (apparently, the other Ashkenazim don't think it applies to them--not that there are all that many non-Polish Ashkenazim--and the first-generation Sephardim just saw it as "isn't that just how all moms are?" because their Muslim and Christian Arab or Iranian neighbors had the same stereotype).

A StockCharacter that makes frequent appearances in Jewish humor, the JewishMother is overbearing, emotionally manipulative, and persists on interfering in her children's lives long after they've become adults.

Usually, she'll speak with a [[YiddishAsASecondLanguage Yiddish]] accent and will often be heard boasting about her offspring ("my son, the doctor...") when she isn't nagging them. The only option in life for her is college and (for the girls) marrying a {{nice Jewish boy}} (often parsed even more with "A nice [[AllJewsAreAshkenazi Ashkenazic]] boy" or "A nice Ashkenazic doctor" or "A nice Ashkenazic doctor with an apartment in New York and plenty of frequent flier miles to visit your mother"). Likewise, a Jewish son is expected to bring home a nice Jewish girl. No matter how nice, however, this girl will not be good enough. Heaven forbid he marries a ShiksaGoddess.

A degree of TruthInTelevision not only for Jewish mothers, but also the entire [[strike:Eastern]] Mediterranean: similar stereotypes are common among Arabs, Turks, and Greeks. And Italians. And Spaniards. And Latin Americans (illustrated by the fact that when given an order by ones mother one must answer "yes ma'am" because saying just yes just wouldn't be polite enough) . And Berbers are actually MATRIARCHAL. On the other hand, the stereotype is seen as uniquely Polish in Israel itself (apparently, the other Ashkenazim don't think it applies to them--not that there are all that many non-Polish Ashkenazim--and the first-generation Sephardim just saw it as "isn't that just how all moms are?" because their Muslim and Christian Arab or Iranian neighbors had the same thing going).