The Cool Girl’s Guide to Mahjong

Hey! Team GOLDA here, bringing you the first installment of our summer guest guides. Kicking off our series is Dara Katz, founder of the chic Jewish jewelry brand Mamaleh. She’s here with a tribute to the hottest game of the moment, and the style inspired by it. Enjoy!

I remember sneaking down the stairs to watch my mom and her friends play mahjong—the clinking of the tiles, the smell of decaf, the sight of our dining room full of women who’d said goodnight to their (should-be) sleeping children to be here.

Now I’m the mom. My oldest has just begun her own ritual of tiptoeing down to spy on what happens after bedtime. And while most nights she’ll catch me zoning out to 47 hours of Love Island USA, elbow-deep in my secret stash of Hint of Lime Tostitos, I like to imagine her stumbling upon something else: the long-held Jewish American tradition of mahj-ing with the mishpocha.

So, how exactly did we get to mahj-ing with the mishpocha? There’s a much longer, more complex story as to how the Chinese game came to American tables, but the reason we associate mahjong with bubbes, coffee cake and Ring Jells is because Jewish women formed the National Mah Jongg League (NMJL) to standardize the American version of the game. Nearly 90 years later, the NMJL still releases the annual American Mah Jongg card for $14 or so a pop.

Mahjong is a game. And it’s something… else. A portal, a bridge, a break. It’s a moment to sit where our mothers or grandmothers once did, as much as it is to kvetch about Sheryl from marketing.

It tells us where we came from. And somehow, at the same time, it invites us to build something new—for whoever sneaks down the stairs next.

So if you’re ready to channel your inner bubbe, reclaim a little post-bedtime joy, or just look cute while pretending you know the difference between a bam and a crack—here are a few essentials to mahj-ing with the mishpocha.

GoldieLox Menschie Mahjong Set

GoldieLox, founded by Viv Judson, is a Dallas-based company. There’s literally a Gold Rush of mahjong in the South, and Judson brilliantly brought to market the “Menschie Set” that incorporates the gorgeous (and trendy AF) aesthetic of modern sets populating social feeds galore with Jewish imagery. Cracks = matzo, bams = olive branches, dots = evil eyes, and jokers = sweet bubbies offering up a bowl hot matzo ball soup! Sets aren’t cheap, but these are top tier convergence of tradition meeting THE MOMENT.

The Hulken

Another female-founded brand (and…*said in my grandma’s knowing whisper,* Jewish). You’re going to schlep, so why not shlep in style? All the mahjong girlies are rolling their bulky sets from E. 72nd to Delancey with Hulkens because they’re cool and durable as hell.

Coffee Cake Kugel

If the Kronut could do it, why can’t coffee cake and kugel? After all, mahj and coffee cake belong together. This recipe from my friend and amazing chef, Micah Siva (go follow her right now for veggie forward Jewish food @noshwithmicah), is sweet, savory and the perfect distraction from a bad hand.

Vintage Caftan

The vibe is Andy Sweet’s Miami meets the Dallas mahjong renaissance. Let’s channel some mod-1960s lines with bright contrasting florals that have also found their way onto new mahj sets. 

Mamaleh Mahjong Tile Charms

Sometimes when I’m designing for Mamaleh, I feel like an imposter—am I Jewish enough to design Jewish jewelry? But with these charms, I came back to the inspiration for Mamaleh in the first place: pieces that are rooted in our evolving culture and landscape—connecting you to something that came before you.

Also…they’re just, like, fun and cute.

GOLDA may earn a commission from any purchases made through links in this article.

We’ll be back next week with a guest post from Liz Rose (aka @jewishlyliz). Until then, stay GOLDA!