“Joseph and Jesus were supposed to have been carpenters”
The translation actually is “laborer” — could be anything from a bricklayer to a carpenter. Given the lack of wood in Israel, I suspect a bricklayer.
How come a Jewish guy knows this? (Probably because I lived in Israel and go “wood?”)
Yes ... of course, that makes perfect sense. And no doubt they both had strong biceps from lifting and chiseling stone. Wood source is limited in the Holy Lands. I recently purchased a lovely nativity set hand carved from olive wood.