People pass mah jongg sets down from one generation to another. On top of the elements of the game that keep it alive, there are all these other things that create their own momentum. Cultural rituals keep things alive. Courtesy of Harvey Abrams. There are also rhythms between rounds, there is just enough time to shuffle and chat. What was it about mah jongg that you think has such a powerful draw for Jewish women in the 20th century, in particular? In the early 20th century, Jewish women and men participated in the mah jongg fad alongside mainstream American engagement with the game.
The Jewish connection has its historical roots in the shared s fad, but takes unique form from the combination of ethnicity in a time of newfound, mass upward mobility for many children of Eastern European immigrants , and the possibilities and constraints women are experiencing from the increasingly domestic culture. The NMJL was founded by Jewish women , so the game spread through their networks, even though they wanted this to be a national phenomenon. Jewish Americans were at the forefront of creating these leisure patterns, such as family resorts in the Catskills and other vacation communities.
Jewish women were experiencing a widely shared, gendered experience, in part because of a notable generational shift. There was greater acceptance of white ethnics after World War II — Jewish women were upwardly mobile, relocated to the suburbs, disproportionately highly educated, and many had worked outside the home before having children.
Mah jongg is a game of intelligence and strategy and provides an opportunity to connect with others who are also having this new American experience. Part of what happens is that mah jongg becomes one of multiple ways to hold onto and demarcate the Jewish American experience in the context of upwardly mobile, suburban, middle class assimilation. Although that enfolding into whiteness offers a lot of possibilities and promises, it also poses risks of cultural loss.
Recently there has been some critique about the game being appropriated from Chinese culture by white women. What do you think about that? Their friends gave the set back when they learned my mother was taking lessons last year. According to Melissa Martens, director of collections and exhibitions at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York and a mah jongg expert, it was then popularized by businessman Joseph Babcock, an American who had traveled to China with Standard Oil.
He patented an American version of the game with its current and curious double-G spelling. I thought everyone knew Jews love Chinese food because Chinese restaurants used to be the only ones open on Christmas. It connects me to the generations of women in my family and my faith; it provides a similar cultural context for me as, say, bagels and Hava Magila ; and it offers excellent mental stimulation to carry me successful into my next stage of life.
And as we know from Eleanor, you can play Mahj at any age! I hope to teach my own daughters the game so that they can carry on this legacy, in their own way, in their own time. And, in the tradition of our foremothers, I will pass my set down to them and watch proudly over their shoulders, even if only in spirit, as the click of the tiles lulls their own children to sleep. CJP welcomes an open dialogue! Please refer to our policy for more information.
Please login to leave a comment. I very much enjoyed your article about mah jongg. I am a relatively new player, going into my third year. I, too, love the camaraderie, the challenge, the sisterhood, and the relaxation. One thing I want to touch upon that wasn't mentioned in the article: more and more non-Jewish people are playing mah jongg, and more and more men are playing.
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