73 Jewish Would You Rather Questions

Ever found yourself in a lively discussion, maybe at a Shabbat dinner or a family gathering, where the conversation takes a wonderfully unexpected turn? That's often where Jewish Would You Rather Questions come into play! These aren't just silly games; they're a fun and thought-provoking way to explore different aspects of Jewish culture, traditions, and values, sparking lively debate and genuine contemplation.

What Are Jewish Would You Rather Questions and Why Are They a Thing?

So, what exactly are Jewish Would You Rather Questions? Simply put, they're a collection of "would you rather" scenarios that are specifically designed to touch upon Jewish experiences, beliefs, and practices. Imagine being presented with a choice: would you rather have to sing every prayer aloud in synagogue, or wear a kippah (yarmulke) that changes color based on your mood? These questions aim to be engaging and sometimes even a little bit silly, but underneath the humor, they often encourage us to think about what's important to us within our Jewish identity.

The popularity of these questions stems from a few key reasons. Firstly, they're a fantastic icebreaker and a way to connect with others, especially in a group setting. They can lead to hilarious moments as people try to justify their often peculiar choices. More importantly, though, these questions serve as a gentle yet effective tool for education and self-reflection. They can introduce younger generations to different Jewish concepts in an accessible way, and even for adults, they offer a chance to consider their own perspectives on tradition, observance, and community.

How are they used? Well, they pop up everywhere! You might hear them during:

Family get-togethers
Youth group activities
Holiday celebrations
Informal conversations among friends

They can be used to:

Spark discussions about Jewish texts and holidays.
Encourage critical thinking about ethical dilemmas.
Promote a sense of shared experience and identity.
Simply provide a moment of lighthearted fun and laughter.

Foodie Fun: Kosher Kitchen Dilemmas

Would you rather only be able to eat gefilte fish for the rest of your life, or only be able to eat matzah?
Would you rather accidentally eat a non-kosher hot dog at a baseball game, or accidentally serve a non-kosher dish at a Passover Seder?
Would you rather have to prepare every Shabbat meal from scratch without any modern appliances, or have to eat at a restaurant that serves only hamantaschen every day?
Would you rather have your bubbe (grandmother) teach you her secret challah recipe but you can never write it down, or have a famous chef teach you but you have to wear a chef's hat shaped like a bagel forever?
Would you rather only be able to drink Manischewitz wine, or only be able to eat Tofutti cream cheese?
Would you rather have to pronounce every Hebrew word in Yiddish slang, or have to say "oy vey" after every sentence you speak?
Would you rather have your entire fridge filled with kugel, or have your entire pantry filled with rugelach?
Would you rather have to eat a whole brisket with your bare hands, or have to eat a whole jar of pickles with chopsticks?
Would you rather have to celebrate Hanukkah with only latkes, or celebrate Purim with only hamantaschen?
Would you rather your dream vacation be a culinary tour of every Israeli falafel stand, or a deep dive into Jewish delis across America?
Would you rather have to give up all dairy for life, or have to give up all meat for life (while still keeping kosher)?
Would you rather your favorite Jewish comfort food be eaten cold, or be served with a side of extremely loud singing?
Would you rather have to make your own matzah by hand for every Passover, or have to eat only unleavened bread for 365 days a year?
Would you rather have to make tzimmes for every holiday, or have to make kugel for every single meal?
Would you rather accidentally swap your brisket with your neighbor's non-kosher roast beef before a Yom Kippur break fast, or accidentally use the wrong dishes for a Passover meal?
Would you rather only be able to eat kosher sushi, or only be able to eat kosher tacos?
Would you rather your personal chef be your mother-in-law who criticizes everything, or your mother-in-law who is a Michelin-star chef but only cooks non-kosher food?
Would you rather have to eat a whole babka by yourself, or have to share a single bite of a perfect babka with 100 people?
Would you rather have to make your own schmaltz from scratch, or have to spread butter on your bread during a kosher meal?
Would you rather your entire Sukkot hut be decorated with only kosher pickles, or only kosher olives?

Tradition Talk: Observance and Rituals

Would you rather have to wear a kippah (yarmulke) that is bright pink and has googly eyes, or have to wear tzitzit (ritual fringes) that are excessively long and tickle your ankles?
Would you rather have to say the Shema (a central Jewish prayer) 100 times a day, or have to light Shabbat candles with your feet?
Would you rather your entire house be decorated for Hanukkah with only menorahs, or your entire house be decorated for Sukkot with only lulavs and etrogs?
Would you rather have to pray facing west every time, or have to sing all your prayers like an opera singer?
Would you rather only be able to pray on a trampoline, or only be able to pray while riding a unicycle?
Would you rather have to announce your Bar or Bat Mitzvah speech in a squeaky voice, or have to perform your Bar or Bat Mitzvah Torah portion while juggling?
Would you rather have to wear a tallit (prayer shawl) made of sandpaper, or have to wear tefillin (phylacteries) that are filled with glitter?
Would you rather have to attend synagogue every single day, or have to host a religious study group every single night?
Would you rather have to fast for 48 hours instead of 25 hours on Yom Kippur, or have to spend the entire day reciting only the Ten Commandments?
Would you rather your Bar or Bat Mitzvah gift be a lifetime supply of kiddush cups, or a lifetime supply of Torah scrolls?
Would you rather have to wear a costume of Moses to every Jewish holiday, or have to dress up as a Matzah ball at every Shabbat dinner?
Would you rather only be able to observe Shabbat by reading aloud from the Torah, or only be able to observe Shabbat by dancing the Hora for 12 hours straight?
Would you rather have to shout your prayers at the heavens, or whisper them so quietly no one can hear?
Would you rather your home always smell like frankincense and myrrh, or your home always smell like burning challah?
Would you rather have to wear a crown of thorns for Purim, or a costume of King Achashverosh for Purim?
Would you rather have to daven (pray) standing on one leg, or daven while humming loudly?
Would you rather have to give up all your cell phones for Shabbat, or have to give up all your books for Shabbat?
Would you rather your Havdalah candle drip wax all over the place, or your spice box smell overwhelmingly of cumin?
Would you rather have to explain the concept of tikkun olam (repairing the world) using only interpretive dance, or using only sock puppets?
Would you rather have to wear a kippah that plays "Hava Nagila" every time you move, or have to wear tzitzit that constantly hum?

History and Heroes: Navigating Jewish Narratives

Would you rather have to live through the Exodus from Egypt as the Israelites, or live through the time of the Maccabees?
Would you rather have to personally meet and advise Moses, or personally meet and advise Queen Esther?
Would you rather have to learn ancient Hebrew by deciphering cryptic scrolls, or by learning from a very strict and grumpy Rabbi from the past?
Would you rather have to witness the building of the First Temple, or witness the destruction of the Second Temple?
Would you rather have to teach King David how to play the harp, or teach Solomon how to build his kingdom?
Would you rather have to negotiate peace between the Israelites and the Philistines, or negotiate peace between the Jews and the Romans?
Would you rather have to personally carry the Ark of the Covenant, or personally carry the Chanukah menorah through the desert?
Would you rather have to explain the concept of the Promised Land to a group of confused Romans, or explain the concept of Diaspora to a group of confused Egyptians?
Would you rather have to wear the attire of a biblical prophet for a week, or the attire of a medieval Jewish scholar for a week?
Would you rather have to be the scribe writing down the Ten Commandments, or be the person carrying them down from Mount Sinai?
Would you rather have to convince the Pharaoh to let the Israelites go using only interpretive dance, or using only funny jokes?
Would you rather have to join the Bar Kokhba rebellion, or join the Maccabees in their fight?
Would you rather have to tell stories of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs to a group of skeptical aliens, or tell them to a group of rebellious teenagers?
Would you rather have to argue with a modern-day skeptic about the parting of the Red Sea, or argue with a modern-day skeptic about the existence of the Golem of Prague?
Would you rather have to wear a shield emblazoned with the Star of David into battle, or wear a shofar as a helmet?
Would you rather have to convince Abraham to pack his bags, or convince Sarah to leave her home?
Would you rather have to spend a day in the life of a Scribe in ancient Jerusalem, or a day in the life of a Philosopher in the Enlightenment era Jewish community?
Would you rather have to explain the concept of Kabbalah to a child using only simple drawings, or explain it to a scientist using complex mathematical equations?
Would you rather have to sing songs about the Exodus to lull a giant to sleep, or sing songs about the Babylonian Exile to wake up a sleeping dragon?
Would you rather have to be the one who hid the Torah scrolls from the Romans, or the one who found them?

Modern Times: Jewish Life Today

Would you rather have to explain the meaning of "chutzpah" to your boss every day, or have to explain the meaning of "schmooze" to your colleagues every day?
Would you rather have to attend every Jewish film festival, or every Jewish food festival?
Would you rather have your social media feed filled only with pictures of challah, or only with pictures of menorahs?
Would you rather have to speak in a Yiddish accent for a week, or have to speak in Hebrew for a week (even if you don't know much)?
Would you rather have to argue about Israeli politics with your family every Shabbat dinner, or have to sing Israeli folk songs at every family gathering?
Would you rather have to wear a t-shirt that says "I'm Here for the L'Chaim" every day, or a t-shirt that says "Kosher & Proud"?
Would you rather have to start every conversation with "Nu?" or end every conversation with "So, what's new?"
Would you rather have to donate 10% of your income to a Jewish charity every month, or volunteer 10 hours a week at a Jewish community center?
Would you rather have to have a personalized menorah that lights up with your face, or a dreidel that spins your favorite song?
Would you rather have to always bring a Jewish novelty gift to every party, or always bring a Jewish joke to every meeting?
Would you rather have to argue with your friends about which Israeli dance is the best, or argue about which Yiddish word is the funniest?
Would you rather have to organize an interfaith dialogue about the best way to make falafel, or an interfaith dialogue about the proper way to tie a tallit?
Would you rather have to speak only in riddles related to Jewish holidays, or only in proverbs related to Jewish wisdom?
Would you rather have to have a pet that is a matzah ball, or a pet that is a singing dreidel?
Would you rather have to explain the significance of a mezuzah to every delivery person, or explain the significance of a tzedakah box to every stranger?
Would you rather have to wear a kippah that changes color based on your political views, or a t-shirt that displays your favorite Jewish quote in glowing letters?
Would you rather have to be the designated storyteller at every Jewish playdate, or the designated chef for every Jewish potluck?
Would you rather have to sing every song in a minor key as if it were a lament, or sing every song in a major key as if it were a joyous celebration?
Would you rather have to always offer guests a shot of Manischewitz, or always offer guests a piece of babka?
Would you rather have to have your phone ring with the tune of "Hava Nagila," or have your alarm clock wake you up with the sound of a shofar?

The "Oy Vey" of Everyday: Relatable Scenarios

Would you rather accidentally wear your Shabbat clothes to work on a Tuesday, or accidentally eat ham (not kosher!) at a non-Jewish event?
Would you rather have your bubbe (grandmother) call you every day to ask if you're eating enough, or have your zaide (grandfather) call you every day to give you unsolicited life advice?
Would you rather have to wear a bright yellow "I Love Matzah" t-shirt for a week, or have to sing "Oy Vey" at the top of your lungs every time you stub your toe?
Would you rather have your family insist on telling embarrassing childhood stories about you at every family gathering, or have your family constantly ask you when you're going to get married and have children?
Would you rather have to explain the concept of "kvetching" (complaining) to someone who has never complained in their life, or have to demonstrate the proper way to "schlep" (carry) groceries?
Would you rather have your car horn play "Hava Nagila" every time you honk it, or have your phone autocorrect every word to a Yiddish slang term?
Would you rather have to attend a Jewish singles mixer where everyone is dressed as a historical Jewish figure, or a Jewish singles mixer where the only food served is gefilte fish?
Would you rather have to translate every sentence you speak into a dramatic monologue, or have to narrate your life like a documentary filmmaker?
Would you rather have to always wear mismatched socks that are proudly Jewish-themed, or have to wear a giant Star of David pendant that constantly gets caught on things?
Would you rather have to respond to every question with a sigh and an "Oy," or have to respond to every compliment with excessive humility and self-deprecation?
Would you rather have to lead a singalong of "S' Dreidel" at every party, or have to perform a dramatic reading of a recipe for kugel?
Would you rather have to have your name legally changed to something like "Meshugge McJewface," or have to wear a sign that says "Ask Me About My Bar Mitzvah"?
Would you rather have to apologize to inanimate objects for bumping into them, or have to apologize to people for things that aren't your fault?
Would you rather have to wear a hat that is permanently shaped like a challah, or have to wear shoes that make a klezmer music sound with every step?
Would you rather have to explain the meaning of "naches" (pride and joy) to your pet, or have to explain the meaning of "tsuris" (troubles) to your plants?
Would you rather have to greet everyone with a hearty "Shalom!" and a kiss on both cheeks (even strangers), or have to respond to every compliment with "It's all thanks to my mother's cooking"?
Would you rather have to write a haiku about every Jewish holiday, or have to compose a rap song about the weekly Torah portion?
Would you rather have to wear a suit of armor made entirely of matzah, or have to wear a cape made entirely of dried bagels?
Would you rather have to respond to every question about your future with "G-d willing, we'll see," or have to respond to every question about your past with "It was a different time"?
Would you rather have your fridge constantly stocked with only pickles and herring, or have your freezer constantly stocked with only ice cream shaped like dreidels?

As you can see, Jewish Would You Rather Questions offer a wonderfully diverse range of choices, from the deeply meaningful to the hilariously absurd. They're a testament to the richness and complexity of Jewish culture, providing a playful yet insightful way to engage with our heritage, spark conversations, and even learn a little something along the way. So, next time you're looking for a fun way to connect, try throwing out a few of these questions and see where the conversation takes you!