I'm left wondering if you even know any Jews beyond what you may have picked from Mad About You reruns -- or if you are Jewish, if you really loathe your religion that much. Contrary to what you may think, some Jews don't only want to be doctors or lawyers. And they are not all accustomed to Gucci heels and BMWs. How demeaning.
If you were to get out of the office once in a while, you'd find that many Jews punch a clock, work their asses off, and care about things other than making their mothers happy. If you were to write a similar article about homosexuals or African Americans, and made them all out to be AIDS-infected perverts or crack-addicted rapists, like you lumped all Jews together, they would run you out of town.
But I guess Jews don't enjoy the same protected status that other minorities get on the pages of Scene.
Ryan Tirk
Strongsville
A staff of morons: Your article plays on some stereotypes that simply don't exist, though you might like to believe that they do for the convenience of your lackluster reporting. A more clever article would have debunked some of those urban myths and legends. I defy you to show me sprawling lawns in Beachwood and Orange. Have you ever set foot in these communities? Do you know that Corky & Lenny's is in Woodmere? Do you know how to spell "Louis Vuitton"?
I'm curious about where you found the stat that "nearly 90 percent of married Jews in Cleveland mate within the faith." You don't provide attribution and, frankly, that sounds way off.
And where do you get off saying that "only 10 percent of the area's 81,500 Jews are in their twenties and thirties. That's what happens when you nag your children to become lawyers and accountants -- they're too busy studying patent law to breed." Excuse me? I fail to see how you've connected those dots. It sounds more like you've got your own axe to grind.
And where did you get that "Beachwood, Lyndhurst, and Pepper Pike" are where "they" are "largely congregated"? Did you mean Jews in general? I highly doubt that the single folks out there in their twenties can afford any of these communities. In any case, have you heard of Shaker Heights? Maybe Solon? What about University Heights and Cleveland Heights?
The ignorant and lazy reporter (one and the same, in your case) perpetuates tired and erroneous information by letting Beachwood be the flypaper for your stupid stereotypes. The fact is that in this economic climate, most people can't afford to be as indulgent as you'd like to believe them to be. Sorry about that.
Just one more thing -- whoever put the angel wings on the baby is a moron. That's a Christian concept. But if accuracy is not a concern, then bravo.
June Scharf
Beachwood
The case against matzah balls: Regarding your article "Cupid's Crisis": What a bunch of vain religious and racist bullshit.
The big danger of Jews inbreeding for money is that they'll end up being nothing more than rich and greedy degenerate hillbillies -- kind of like the Bush family, only with more Hebrew-sounding names.
Ladies, please don't bad-rap the West Side. All you JAPs need are some men with lotsa balls, not matzah balls. I'm sure there are plenty of Pollocks here that would be more than happy to knock the dust off your pussies. You'll throw large rocks at Jewish nerds like Gabelman, Greenberg, and Simon after they're finished with you.
Oy vey!
Jim Lascko
Cleveland
Mating deficiencies are everyone's problem: The problem of single young Jewish adults meeting new people and finding lasting love in Cleveland doesn't just affect our particular subset. It represents a microcosm of the challenges facing our region.
That is why it is so critically important that there are organizations such as the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland, Cleveland Bridge Builders, Team NEO, Fund for Our Economic Future, and others, focusing their efforts to ensure a strong and vibrant Cleveland. We should all do what we can to support them in their efforts.
Scott Simon
Cleveland
Disservice With a Smile
Sharing notes on incompetent waiters: I actually laughed out loud while reading the review of Thyme [Café, December 13]. My wife and I recently met another couple for dinner. It sounds like our waiter, dubbed "The Boy Blunder," could have been your waiter. Skinny kid with a goatee.
I had the macadamia-nut-encrusted grouper that was so good, I became emotional during the last bite at the thought of the fish being gone. But "The Boy Blunder" kept the evening memorable by screwing up even the simplest of tasks. Had I been asked by the owners about the kid's execution, I would have voted in favor.
Feel free to pass my comments on to the Kolars. If John and Kathy can find someone -- anyone -- to competently wait tables, they will be in business for a long, long time.
Rick Bradley
Lorain
