Cultural faux-pas, and question of the day:

[erinlefey]

[Public]

Last night I was at a party, and was introduced to a gentleman with a beard and cool hat. Typically when I'm introduced to someone, I hug them, and brother, when a economy-size woman hugs you, you know it. I could sense some unease though, and just offered to shake hands. The lovely woman who was introducing us explained that he was an Orthodox Jew, and Orthodox Jewish men cannot touch a woman with whom they are not married. Whups.

Did not know that, and it's nifty to learn, and glad I learned it before I violated a cultural more of his. My question to My Dear Readers is this: Are there any similar cultural differences you've run into socially? What are they and how do you deal with it?

Comments

[erinlefey.livejournal.com]

The Orthodox Jewish rules regarding opposite-gender touch is apparently called Negiah. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negiah

[apryl-knight.livejournal.com]

Very interesting! I saw him last night, and my first thought was "wow...doesn't get more Jewish than that!" I figured it was just a coincidence. Go figure that he really was!

[stacycat69.livejournal.com]

There was a woman at the party who didnt shake hands, and we had a conversation about the social norms of greeting.

[zahav.livejournal.com]

so, the interesting thing that i think about in relation to Jews who are shomer/shomeret-n'giah (observant of n'giah) is this: how does it apply to gay Jews, for whom physical contact with someone of the opposite sex is relatively inconsequential? (and there definitely ARE gay Orthodox Jews who would like to be shomer/shomeret-n'giah)

[liddle-oldman.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. If I were a woman, and were introduced to someone who "could not touch women" because his imaginary godlet told him so, I would just rub myself all over him until he cried.

That being said, no, I haven't run into it. None of my friends keep kosher, and probably wouldn't recognize it if it bit them. We're all pretty assimilated out here.

[red-tanya.livejournal.com]

Southern Indians move their head from side to side to indicate they're agreeing with you. I've been told this prior to encountering it. I've been immersed in it for almost a month. I've even learned how to do it myself when there.

But it still feels weird when you're telling one of them something reasonable and they seem to be silently smiling and shaking their head at you.