Gotta Catch Em All!

Greetings people, I’m MaNishtana.

Now I’m a little bit annoyed. Why? Because every other day it seems, I get emailed concerning Jocflock. Sometimes by the well-meaning. Sometimes by morons. So pay attention now. This is my all-inclusive, comprehensive response to any such email that I receive from this point henceforth. So read up. Because I’m not answering anymore emails. I’m sorry if you get offended, but hey, it’s called “tough love”.

1-Everybody remember BlackPlanet.com? Or MiGente? For those unfamiliar [or more likely, beyond the 30-45 age bracket], these were pre-Facebook, pre-Myspace, hell, pre-FRIENDSTER social networks which catered to the African/Caribbean-American and Hispanic communities, respectively. Were other ethnicities welcome to join? Sure. But the point was–as stated, oddly enough, right there in the name–that their purpose was to cater to those specific communities. THAT was their target audience.

Now enter “Jocflock”. I’m reasonably sure that by now everyone knows what a “JOC” is.

Jocflock was created as a safehaven for those JOCs who have been harrassed, interrogated, or given the run around on other Jewish dating sites by either site moderators or users. It is a place where JOCs can put up their profile pictures without apprehension and where they can meet other JOCs.

However, I’m not particularly a segregationist. So please, stop sending me emails asking if non-JOCs can join the site. Just like BlackPlanet, MiGente, and Obama, yes you can. But equally, don’t send me emails when you’re shocked to find that–*gasp*–Jocflock is geared to cater to, shock of shocks, JOCs.

“Why are there no European ethnicities in the list?”

Because, again, this is JOCflock. There ARE no European JOC ethnicities. But feel free to indicate such in your profile and to peruse the site as much as anyone else.

“But what about us who are Jewish and white?”

Although, admittedly, it is beyond me why–with JewishSingles, JDate, Supertova, Frumster, FutureSimchas, SawYouAtSinai, JewishMatches, JWed, JPeopleMeet, JSoulmates, JewishCafe, JRetroMatch, DatingJewishNow, SingleJew, Orthodate, DosiDate, Bitachon, Shidduchim and eBashert–you need to come all the way to this corner of the sandbox to play on the ONE dating site for Jews of Color, let me just reiterate:

Read the name.

That is my target audience. That is the group who, thus far, has not been attended to. That is my primary focus. After all, you don’t go to a Chinese restaurant and ask “What about if I want Italian food”, right? It’s a CHINESE restaurant. Guess what they serve. Hint: it’s right there in the name. Instead of expending all this energy suggesting I cater my one site to YOU, perhaps you should bombard the plethora of “standard” Jewish dating sites to be more welcoming and inclusive and accessible to people like ME. Then that way my site won’t even have to exist, would it?

“But what if skin color doesn’t matter to me?”

Excellent! Congratulations and welcome to the human race. We’re glad to have you. If those are your actual non-illicit intentions, then fantastic and welcome aboard. Although I WOULD like to point out that the JOCs on Jocflock are very often looking for another JOC. If they aren’t, then if you just took two seconds to use the Advanced Search options on ANY of the regular sites I just named above, you’d find their profile there. Because many DO have a profile there. Some have been there for years.

Although, more often than not, people mosey on by Jocflock looking for something exotic to whet their palate. I’ve deleted/declined several non-JOC profiles so far. One was joining for “cultural curiosity”. Another, to find “someone sensual to explore with”. As an example for the class, let’s take a look at this video here.

http://www.metacafe.com/embed/1072809/

Now about two minutes in, the proud husband says “I read about the Jews of Kaifeng and I always wanted one.”
Huh??
“WANTED one?”

And this is why Jocflock holds such tight parameters. Because Kaifeng Jews are not fucking Pokemon to collect, and Jews of Color are not decorative ornaments that you stumble upon whilst leafing through the latest Sears catalog next to the lawn furniture as you wonder if you can ever manage to fit one into your budget because they’d look oh so nice on your arm. Or wrapped in those red satin sheets you picked out on page 14.

We are not “cultural curiosities” or “sensual” fetishes to “explore”.

So feel free to join Jocflock. Again, it’s not a separatist space. But it is OUR space. We invite you in, but the rules are OURS.

That is all.

But how cool was it when that Chinese girl busted out in fluent Israeli accented Hebrew?? Awesomeness.