We Jewish mothers have always suffered this maligned stereotype: That we’re neurotic, we’re overprotective, we’re kvetchers … Nevermind, I’ll just sit shivah in the corner until you apologize.

Hence all the jokes. (Here’s my current favorite: Non-Jewish mother: My child is tired and thirsty, he needs some juice! Jewish mother: My child is tired and thirsty, he must have diabetes!)

EYM teaching YG important life skills

But yesterday, as I was watching my dear famisht El Yenta Man tear apart the house for his wallet (it was on the table behind the couch all along) and had doozying flashbacks of my own daddy hollering that he couldn’t find his expensive sunglasses that were right there on his head, I wondered, where are the jokes about Jewish fathers? How come THEY don’t get made fun of? What, they’re chopped liver?

I found this JTA list from last year laying out the Nine Types of Jewish Dads on TV, but nowhere on it does it include the well-meaning and lovable papa who cannot simultaneously keep his wallet, keys, phone and glasses on his person at the same time, no matter what kind of fancy man purse you bought him last Father’s Day. Maybe because losing at least one personal belonging a day isn’t a Jewish dad thing, it’s just A DUDE thing.

So I guess I’ll follow the lead of today’s Forward, where author Larry Smith has collected Six Word Memoirs about famous Jewish fathers.

To my dear dad and beloved husband, both loving and loyal Jewish fathers no matter how often they yell “What did you do with my f@#$$ keys?!”, here is my six-word ode:

Lost wallet again? Try a stapler.

Happy Father’s Day to all the daddies out there, especially the ones in my life!