Why the connection?
When the 1920s fad faded, many groups of Jewish women in New York and other cities kept playing. The game suited the social life of their communities: regular, home-based, sociable and absorbing. The National Mah Jongg League, founded in 1937 in New York, grew out of this world.
The weekly game
For decades the weekly game was a fixture. Players met in rotation at one another's homes, in synagogue halls and at summer resorts in the Catskills. The games were sociable and competitive, with modest stakes and a strong sense of tradition.
A living tradition
Mah Jongg sets, racks and card collections were passed from mothers and grandmothers to daughters and granddaughters. Museums have documented this history; the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York presented a well-known exhibition on mahjong in Jewish life. Community organisations continue to offer lessons and games.
Recent revival
In the 2020s American Mah Jongg experienced a remarkable revival, bringing in younger players of every background through classes, clubs and social events. Many newcomers learn from teachers who themselves learned from older relatives, linking the new wave to this deep history.
