Jewish Wisconsin is mad for mah jongg.
It’s a Chinese game that’s captivated a segment of the Jewish community since the 1920s, but plenty of people today in their 30s and 40s are playing mah jongg.
Mah jongg at Sundara Spa in the Wisconsin Dells
“It’s not just your bubbe’s game,” said Molly Dubin, the curator at Jewish Museum Milwaukee, 1360 N. Prospect Ave.
But bubbe is still present. In fact, that’s sometimes the whole point of it. Mah jongg has ensnared a new generation, with adult moms and daughters sometimes playing in pairs. Or women sometimes play to feel a sense of connection with prior generations, Dubin said.
In recent years, the game has seen a resurgence, with it jumping from homes and the JCC into coffee houses and retreat weekends. Diane Sobel, Koach Director at the Harry and Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center in Whitefish Bay, theorizes that years ago, when the JCC temporarily held games at Fiddleheads Coffee in Mequon during some renovations, it spurred the game out of homes and into more public places.
Getting the game out of the home makes it easier for today’s busy players, who like not having to clean, make lunch and entertain until the last person leaves, Sobel said. Mah jongg in the coffee shop or even while waiting at the airport is a reflection of our “fast-food culture.”
The game tends to attract more women than men, though there’s a theory that more men are starting to play. Mah jongg appears to have defeated bridge, at least in Jewish circles.
“Bridge is more of a science. Mah jongg is challenging but it’s more social,” Sobel said. “There is a chat element to mah jongg.”
It fulfills a social need and players in groups can typically count on it happening on schedule, without having to plan anything, and from that game an entire social life can evolve, she said.
The JCC offers Mah Jongg Mondays, where about 50 people show up to play, paying $3 for non-members and $2 for members.
“It’s challenging. It’s fun. It’s a wonderful social activity,” said Jody Herbert of Glendale, a Mah Jongg Monday regular who always plays with the same group.
“It’s kind of addicting,” said another player, Bea Warren of Mequon, adding that she likes the people involved.
To play mah jongg, one must draw and discard illustrated tiles, like playing cards, in an effort to collect a desirable grouping of tiles. People sometimes call the game “maj.”
“I love playing maj because it’s fun and I spend time doing something I love with my friends,” said Robyn Eiseman, 47, of Mequon. “My mom had been playing for over 40 years. I grew up watching her. Twelve years ago I asked her to teach me and 10 of my friends. We have been playing ever since.”
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