Jewish?

DipDab93

Are there any practising Jews in Ireland?


I noticed while filling out the census that Judaism was not available?

Peregrinus

Judaism wasn't one of the suggested categories, but in each census only the top five religions/denominations, as measured in the previous census, get suggested as options to tick. The sixth option is "other, please write in", and you can tick that box and write in "Jewish".

In the 2016 Census, 2,557 people identified as Jewish. That makes for a pretty small community but, actually, it represents an increase of nearly 30% since the 2011 Census (1,894 Jews).

The Irish Jewish community, never very large, declined steadily for most of the twentieth century, mainly due to emigration. It was generally considered that the community was too small to be self-sustaining in the long term, and many Irish Jews emigrated as young adults because they did not think it likely they could find a Jewish spouse in Ireland.

The community reached a low point in 1991 (1,581 Jews) and has been increasing since then, probably mainly due to immigration.

However, your question is about practising Jews. The census gives no information about that. You'd need to talk to people in the Jewish community in Ireland (which is concentrated in Dublin) to get a sense of whether they feel that the community is growing. Many of the newly-arrived Jews are people who have come to Ireland to study or have been posted here to work. A lot of them are young single adults and they may not all be well-connected with the Irish Jewish community or its institutions.

There are three active synagogues in Dublin, and one in Belfast.

DipDab93

I suppose it makes sense.

Does that mean there are no hebrew schools here?

Hanwellian

There are at least two in the public eye, a T.D. and a television personality. I thought there was a small Jewish community in Dublin.?

DipDab93

Alan Shatter and Mario Rosenstock from Waterford?
Thats another point.
If the heart of the Jewish community here is in Dublin then is Mario Rosenstock's family from Dublin originally?

Hanwellian

I was thinking Amy Huberman, that makes three then!

DipDab93

DipDab93 wrote: »

I suppose it makes sense.

Does that mean there are no hebrew schools here?

I'm sure i was in college with a lad who claimed he went to a Jewish school... Might have been around the Rathgar area.

Hanwellian

Stratford National School in Rathgar, only Jewish primary school in the state.

DipDab93

Did there used to be a synagogue in Cork?

Mancomb Seepgood

DipDab93 wrote: »

Did there used to be a synagogue in Cork?

Yes,though sadly it closed it's doors around a year ago due to lack of numbers.

DipDab93

Are you guys Catholic etc?

DipDab93

DipDab93 wrote: »

Are you guys Catholic etc?

I am

Hanwellian

DipDab93 wrote: »

Are you guys Catholic etc?

Church of England.

DipDab93

ah nice to meet you!

Hanwellian

Incidentally, Tottenham Hotspur is my team.............. traditionally a 'Jewish' club, famous for our 'Yids' chant.

I'll be there on Sunday against the Arse!

DipDab93

suppose ill have to cross the waters so haha

Peregrinus

DipDab93 wrote: »

I suppose it makes sense.

Does that mean there are no hebrew schools here?

"Hebrew school" normally refers to what in Christian circles is often called "Sunday school"; it;'s religious education (and, in Hebrew schools, instruction in the Hebrew langugage) provided to children outside the regular school system, usually at weekends.

One of the synagogues in Dublin, the Dublin Jewish Progressive Congregation in Rathgar, operates such a school on Sunday mornings.

The other synagogues in Dublin are Orthodox, and Orthodox congregations tend not to operate Hebrew schools on this model. They prefer where possible to provide religious education integrated into mainstream education. There's a Jewish national school and a Jewish secondary school co-located on the same campus in Rathgar which offer instruction in Hebrew language and the Jewish religion to their Jewish pupils. (Well, to any of their pupils, I suppose, but I suppose it's likely to be the Jewish pupils who take it up.)

moonstone63

Jewish dad, catholic mum, and I am an agnostic buddhist