Smart is out, mediocre is in

"These clever girls," a friend said to me the other day, "they're taking it too far now. My son isn't going to want such a clever one. It's not going to be so easy for her to settle down, make a home..." 

"My daughter is doing brilliantly at university," said another.

"But I don't know what good it's going to do. It wouldn't hurt her to be a little less clever....at least in public."

For the first time in Jewish history, mothers are encouraging their daughters to underachieve. They shouldn't be too pretty, too smart or too competent for fear of scaring the boys away. It's particularly nerve-wrecking for Orthodox mothers who are concerned that their daughters are pricing themselves out of the marriage stakes with all their accomplishments. "With a PhD under her sheitel," thinks the anxious mother to herself, " a man is going to worry that my daughter will never be happy changing nappies and making kugel."

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Netball and Jewish women

Recent news that the Israeli netball team found glory in Ireland brought a warm glow to my face that I almost confused with the beginnings of a hot flush.
 
A couple of years ago, I heard about a friendly Jewish netball game in London. As I started to explain that it had been many years since I last played and that I was not in the best shape, Jenny, the team organiser, gently interrupted me: "Don't worry," she said. "Everyone says the same thing. You'll be fine."

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What is it with religious women and Sex and the City?

The text message on my phone the other day read: "Come and see Sex and the City and raise money for underprivileged kids.at the same time." 

Hundreds of religious women are flocking to see Sex and the City. 'It's a charity thing,' said one. 'It's just a bit of fun,' protested another. Seems to me that the money collected might be better spent on a bit of stomach stapling for these SATC doppelgangers from the London suburbs of Hendon and Hampstead Garden Suburb.

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