“What’s the difference between Jewish and Chinese mah jong?” I once asked my mother. I couldn’t tell by her answer if the games were different or just her attitude toward Chinese and Jewish people. “Entirely different kind of playing,” she said in her English explanation voice. “Jewish mah jong, they watch only for their own tile, play only with their eyes.” Then she switched to Chinese: “Chinese mah jong, you must play using your head, very tricky. You must watch what everybody else throws away and keep that in your head as well.
