Eyebrows and that sort of thing

Eyebrows and that sort of thing

global100.adl.org/did-you-know

 

I was 23 years old, a working girl in NYC, and decided it was high time to try out a little eye shadow for the first time.  So I trotted over to Saks Fifth Avenue and asked for a little help.  Which color would be best for me?

In her phoniest voice, the clerk assured me … “With those thick eyebrows, nothing would help!”

Well, my feelings were bruised, and back at the office, my pals at Reader’s Digest General Books were horrified when I repeated her words. Which counter they asked, after kindly suggesting that my furry eyebrows had never gotten in the way of my social life.  I smiled. My Jewish eyebrows have been mine from the start.  I like it that way.

It was back in 1976, and I boycotted the store for a while — and then I wrote a letter to the president of Saks describing the incident.  And he wrote back.  It didn’t take long — and no, there was no gift certificate inside, only his promise that a meeting with his cosmetics staff would be called to make sure that this sort of thing would never happen again.  My friends were amused and suggested that he was probably afraid that word would get around…

I know —  it would have been a pain in the neck to give a tolerance lecture about not insulting thick eyebrowed customers. Even if the lesson could perhaps help boost the bottom line… and what about a little integrity here and there.

And to think… that offensive saleswoman could have made a nice sale if she only had half a brain!

Please take a close look at the enlarged ADL link on top.  Anti-semitism is as virulent as ever.  And pretending it isn’t real doesn’t make it go away.  That’s why these days, when I hear anti-semitic comments, I call them out instantly!

Like I did when a tourist on the beach talked about “schlepping” something  — quickly adding: “Not that I’m Jewish…”

I gave her a sharp look and said: “I am.”  I could feel a quick chill at first.  But, all in all, it was a painless confrontation  — and I didn’t have to nurse a knot in my stomach for not rebuking her obnoxious comment.  A few hours later, we had a delicious dinner together with our husbands and parted with spirited hugs.

 

 

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