Mah-jongg's New Generation of Tile-Philes

Another Takoma Park group member, Arlene Pangelinan, 43, was familiar with Filipino-style mah-jongg but has since learned the American rules. She moved to the D.C. area from Hawaii last year and joined the group to meet new people. Pangelinan has played only three times with this gang, but they have already figured out her "tell." "I learned last time that sometimes she purrs when she's excited, sometimes when she's frustrated," Horowitz confides.

An online version of mah-jongg has introduced the game to even more players. Purists such as Horowitz, who admits he can be a little dictatorial when it comes to the rules, don't consider playing on the computer to be true mah-jongg. "It's important to learn to play in standard rule set," he says.

Janine Carlson, 37, who joined the Takoma Park group to "eat, drink and be merry," agrees. "When I tell people I play mah-jongg, they say, 'Oh, I play on the computer.' But that is totally different. That's more solitaire."

Sara Schwimmer, 31, runs the Web site PopJudaica.com and is among the new generation of enthusiasts. She plays a version of mah-jongg solitaire that she downloaded for free to her iPhone.

PopJudaica.com specializes in cultural Jewish products and in the past four years has stocked a variety of mah-jongg paraphernalia, including a travel set, magnets, oven mitts, aprons and cheese spreaders. An umbrella printed with mah-jongg tiles is a big seller, Schwimmer says.

"I knew that mah-jongg was huge among Jewish grandmothers, but after [the products] were put up on the site, I noticed they were attracting a younger demographic," she says. "I think there's definitely an element of retro."

The opportunity to get to know people and have a sense of community is what attracts people to the games at the D.C. JCC. Graubart says one elderly woman played at the center for three years, and when she told fellow players that she had cancer, they offered to take her to get chemotherapy and cook her meals. After she died, her son sent Graubart an e-mail.

"He told us that his mother had died and what made her happy living here was his family, his kids and her mah-jongg group," she says. "There are connections that are made at the mah-jongg table that go way beyond the tiles. People really take care of each other."

Get in the Game

Take part in free open mah-jongg games Tuesdays from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. and Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. A three-session mah-jongg class ($75) starts this week, meeting Tuesdays from 7:30 to 9 p.m. A tournament ($22) is planned for Dec. 7 from 2 to 5 p.m. D.C. Jewish Community Center, 1529 16th St. NW. 202-777-3268.

http://www.washingtondcjcc.org.

Look Who's Playing

Think mah-jongg is only for old fol ks? These sightings in pop culture suggest otherwise: