Blog 2: People Watching at Jerusalem Deli

Physical Descriptions: Inside of a Jewish restaurant in South Euclid, Ohio.

1There is a non-Hasidic Jewish family of four at the table across from us.

• The parents look to be in their late forties or early fifties.
• They have two sons, a teenager and one around eight years old. 
• The two sons have a bright multicolored yarmulke on as opposed to the father who wears a plain black one. 
• The elder son is very energetic and is talking about college football with his father.

2. The waiter we have is an African- American man.

• He has the word ISIS shaved into the side of his head.
• He wears tight jeans and a button up shirt.
• He also has "hipster" glasses on

3. There is a group of four thirty-something men.

• They all came in excited and seemed very confident.
• One larger one was wear a Seattle Sounders FC scarf.
• Two had knit sweaters on.
• All wore light blue jeans.

Interpretations:

1. When I first came in and saw these four I assumed they would be having a strict, non-talkative dinner. It was nice to see that they were a happy fun loving family. I think much of my assumption was based on the fact that the neighborhood to the north of John Carroll is heavily populated by Hasidic Jews. And when one sees the all black clothes and the long sideburns it can be intimidating. They are also traditionally very strict people.

2. This waiter came off as seemingly out of place. I think because stereotypically one does not picture Jews as African-American. But this was clearly not the case seeing as he was confident enough to have Isis in his hair. He seemed very ahead of the time fashionably and was also not wearing a yarmulke which made me think he was not as serious of a practicing Jew.  

3. These  men immediately made the impression that they were regulars. They came in confident and went quickly to their table of four. I do not believe these men were Jewish, but much like us just patrons at one of their favorite restaurants.

Reflection:

   The one thing I did not expect to find when I went to a Jewish deli in a Jewish neighborhood was diversity. Yet that was exactly what I found. It was interesting looking at people from all walks of life and trying to pick out what my own personal biases may be regarding first impressions. I do believe that in the end I was very fair in my assumptions about the people I encountered. I did my best to see the world through their eyes, which truly is what one must do in order to understand others. Especially when it comes to students in the class room. A teacher has no idea that background of all the new children funneled in each year and it is their job to be prudent in judgment before they accomplish a true understanding of the child.