Lies and Friends

Ah, here we are at the beginning of summer. The heat has really set in here in Denver, we have balmy days and nights where you can just wear flip flops to your favorite frozen yogurt place. We recently gained two amazing fro yo places: Pinkberry and my favorite, Yogurt Guru. I actually got invited to the "pink VIP tent" at the Pinkberry grand opening recently, but that night had the ingredients of another, rather repulsive story.

So anyway. I've been on and off of jdate for years -- too many years, really. I have gone on dozens (if not hundreds!) of dates. By now, my instincts are pretty fine tuned. I scrutinize profiles of men who contact me very carefully before responding. One of the things that catches my attention is when they describe their ethnicity as something other than "Ashkenzai" or "Sephardi". This could mean that both parents are Jewish, but of different descents, or it could mean that one or neither parent is actually Jewish.

The guy I met last month, who I got to know over two dates and tons of texts and phone conversations (thanks a lot, Weird Background Goy, my most recent Verizon bill was over $145 . . .) had classified himself as "culturally Jewish but not practicing." Turns out, he was not technically Jewish at all, only had a very attenuated connection to Judaism. I have never studied Jewish law says on the subject, but I'm pretty sure that at least under Conservative or Orthodox Judaism, being born out of wedlock to a Jewish man and a Christian woman, then raised by Christian parents, does not a Jewish boy make. Yes, this guy has a very unusual background, thus my moniker for him, Weird Background Goy (WBG for short).

Do you think WBG should be on Jdate in the first place? Isn't it rather deceptive to say you're "culturally Jewish" if neither of your parents are?

WBG was also very concerned about the fact that I have some male friends. He thinks they all want to sleep with me. He made me think about this, a lot. I think he may be right about some of them, and I have made a concerted effort not to make one on one plans with my male friends recently.

It's all very confusing to me. On the bright side, there is another prospect just around the corner, and he drives the coolest car ever! (Not that that matters. . . )