Jewish mother stereotype

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The Jewish mother stereotype is a common stereotype used by Jewish comedians, usually when discussing (fictionally or not) their mothers. The stereotype generally involves a nagging, overprotective, and overbearing mother, one who is often getting involved in her children's lives long after they have grown up.

The character plays a role in many of the works by filmmaker Woody Allen, including Oedipus Wrecks, his contribution to New York Stories. Prime examples also include Sophie Portnoy in Portnoy's Complaint, Sylvia Fine on The Nanny, Doris Tupper on Dream On (the latter two both having been played by Renee Taylor), the mother of Kyle Broflovski (Sheila Broflovski) in South Park and the mother of Jerry Seinfeld (Helen Seinfeld) on the television series Seinfeld. The topic is also mentioned by Lewis Black in his 2005 Carnegie Hall performance. The internet strip Alien Loves Predator features an Alien Jewish mother character.

[edit] Characteristics

Typical characteristics of a stereotypical Jewish mother include:

Excessive pride in her children's achievements. Thus, she makes frequent references to "My son, the lawyer... ", or "My son, the doctor...". This theme was referenced by the Allan Sherman album entitled "My son the folk-singer", and subsequent albums with the same prefix.
Conversely, she persistently nags her children if she considers them to have underachieved academically or financially, or if they remain unmarried.
Constantly going on about religion and telling them not to do anything that would be against the Torah.
She attempts to (s)mother her children, even when they have grown up. The effect, according to Philip Roth in Portnoy's Complaint, is that "a Jewish man with parents alive is a fifteen-year-old boy and will remain a fifteen-year-old boy until the day he (or his parents) dies."
Usually very skilled in the kitchen, often making meals of Kosher quality in excessive proportions.
Acts a "worrywart" towards her children and constantly fears about letting them do something as she overly exaggerates things being "dangerous".
She often tries to set her sons up with various women she deems fit, usually of Jewish decent.
She stresses being respected and honored by her children. Hence, the classic dismissal of Freudian theory: "Oedipus shmoedipus! A boy shouldn't love his mother?"
Want their sons to be doctors when they grow up.
She manipulates her child through the use of guilt, as in the old joke:
- Q: How many Jewish mothers does it take to change a light bulb?
- A: (with mournful Yiddish accent) Don't worry about me; I'll just sit here in the dark.

Presumably this "syndrome" of a strong mother figure is in part the result of the traditional Jewish philosophy of the man running the "external" world of business and politics, and the woman running the "internal" world of family and household.