"chinese, japanese, dirty knees, look at these"... what does it mean and why do kids know it?
When I was little, this rhyme was done with hand gestures you took your hands and put them on your eyes and slanted them up and down, for the chinese japanese, you put your hands on your knees for dirty knees, then you pulled the front of your shirt out ( like you had breasts). I think we giggled alot after that. Kids have alot of stupid rhymes for jump rope and clapping games on the playground. At least we did, I would guess kids still do. I never thought it was a put down to anyone just fun.
Can you recognize a Jew by their face or appearance? Is there a racial characteristic of Jewish people?
Definitely not the size of the nose, as there are many jews with small noses.Now this might be complete coincidence or foolishness on my part, but a new student once walked into my university lecture of about 30 students. He had no Jewish form of dress, beard or clothing. But, as he looked around the room choosing a seat, I noticed that he had a certain shyness in his eyes and facial expression. I then suddenly felt that he might be Jewish, and I was the only other Jewish guy in that class. The next day he walked into the Jewish society meeting, so I was right.Feeling a sense of shame is a Jewish trait mentioned in the Talmud. The following is copied from the website Yevamot 89: The Top Three"Three signs are there for this nation: they are rachmanim, merciful; bayshanim, have a sense of shame[1]; and gomlei chasadim, perform acts of kindness[2]" (Yevamot 89a). The distinguishing mark of the Jewish people is not our observance of Shabbat, kashrut, and a host of other mitzvoth. Important as they may be, they are reflections of the values that are (or at least should be) the true hallmark of the Jew: mercy, shame, and kindness.It is a lack of these traits, the Gemara explains, that served as the basis for David HaMelech's refusal to accept the ancient Givonites as part of the Jewish people. Their vindictiveness in taking revenge against the children of Saul (see Shmuel 2, chapter 21) excluded them from entry to the Jewish people.The Rambam codifies this teaching into law, stating that "whoever has arrogance, is cruel, does not like people, and does not perform acts of kindness, we must fear them very much that perhaps he is a Givonite [and hence, not Jewish], as the hallmark of Israel the holy nation is bashfulness, mercy, and performing acts of kindness" (Issurei Biah 19:17).
Why do people have different skin colors?
Scandinavians are usually very pale skinned, Eastern Europeans and Middle Easterners tend to be lighter to medium toned, Africans medium tone to very dark tones. I know we are all the same - humans. We bleed, we get hungry, we feel emotions and physical ailments, etc... but we are various colors. My mother would say "Because God likes variety, but he loves us all." And I do believe that with all of my heart but what causes our skin tones to vary when you're from a different part of the world? Is this something that has changed over the years, I remember someone saying we were much darker 3,000 yrs ago and our skin has become lighter... ((shrugs)) maybe that's their own idea..., Is it possible that the people who are from the Middle East, E. Europe, Africa darker because it is more sunny and warm than the places like Scandinavia?