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Do you personally know any Irish Jews?

Smashius_Clay

The Jewish population in Ireland is extremely small (1,930 in the 2006 census). I was wondering if anyone here knows or has ever met a Jew living in Ireland? I know Portobello in Dublin had a large Jewish population at one stage, apparently.

I don't just mean knowing people in the public eye, like Alan Shatter, but actually knowing ordinary, practicing Jewish people.

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Wibbs

Hung out with quite a few when I was growing up. Kids who didn't have to go to mass, but couldn't eat sausages at birthday parties and the like

Though I remember one lad tried one. We were egging him on of course. Poor bugger actually threw up. Guilt I suppose. Kids can be right feckers, though he did throw up on the chief egger on so Karma baby

I remember one guys granny was a brilliant teller of stories of old Dublin. Stories of the rising and the Flu epidemic of all things(apparently people were dying at a terrible rate and rarely talked about now). A fair number of them went to the US or the UK back in the 80's, just like a lot of my mates in general. One guy went to Israel, but came back cos and I quote "it's too fookin hot".

The population declined a fair bit back then, with mostly older people left. Now it's on the rise. Fair few folks from eastern Europe and the like. Still know a couple now.

super_furry

Went out with a Jewish girl from Dublin for a few months. She was sound.

spcw

there used to be two jews in sackville street.

BUBBLE WRAP

I don't know a jew OP.

Madam_X

nocoverart wrote: »

I just can't stand people from Cork. You lot actually think it's the centre of the Universe, it's a feckin sh1t hole! I don't usually like generalising but you lot are really all the same.

That's like something a teenager would say. You may claim to not like generalising but I doubt it when you can make a false and very silly statement about tens of thousands of people you don't know, and "hate" them too.
Obviously it's not the centre of the universe - objectively not a sh1t-hole though; Kiev probably is.

eyeroad yearowl one

Bassfish wrote: »

Amy Huberman is half Jewish. There's a Zion road in Rathgar and apparently there's a Jewish golf course somewhere in the posh end of Dublin. There's also 'Jewtown' in cork which is pretty much just one street.

Does "half Jewish" mean the same as saying someone is "half protestant" or "half muslim"?

chughes

Bassfish wrote: »

Amy Huberman is half Jewish. There's a Zion road in Rathgar and apparently there's a Jewish golf course somewhere in the posh end of Dublin. There's also 'Jewtown' in cork which is pretty much just one street.

I think that's Edmondstown Golf Club. Apparently you are not allowed shout "fore" there

Red Hand

To Alcohol wrote: »

Yes. His great grandfather was emmigrating from Lithuania to the US and the ship they were on docked in Cobh to pick up passengers. His grandfather got off thinking he was in New York and the ship left without him.

Depending on how you look at it:

Greatest/worst thing that could have happened to him.

Maybe I have met/known Irish jews, but I don't go round asking people if they are or not.

Death and Taxes

I know two, both hard working sound blokes.
There are a good few around the Terenure area.

Wibbs

The Jews have a long and fascinating history in Ireland with many of them becoming prominent on a few fronts, even though they were small in number. Organised help in the great Famine, fair few of them were involved in struggle for our independence too. Show up in the arts too, the hero of Jimmy Joyce's Ulysses an ode to Dublin in many ways is a Dublin Jewish bloke. IIRC there was a Jewish museum in Dublin? Can vaguely remember going to it, but can't remember where it was/is.

super_furry

chughes wrote: »

I think that's Edmondstown Golf Club. Apparently you are not allowed shout "fore" there

Playing Skins golf is also frowned upon.

Outkast_IRE

I know someone with a jew-fro , does that count

charlemont

I hate to break it to ye but that area in Cork by Shalom Park is actually named NewTown and I doubt it contains any Jews now as its mostly very small houses.

Crann na Beatha

This post has been deleted.

Stheno

Wibbs wrote: »

The Jews have a long and fascinating history in Ireland with many of them becoming prominent on a few fronts, even though they were small in number. Organised help in the great Famine, fair few of them were involved in struggle for our independence too. Show up in the arts too, the hero of Jimmy Joyce's Ulysses an ode to Dublin in many ways is a Dublin Jewish bloke. IIRC there was a Jewish museum in Dublin? Can vaguely remember going to it, but can't remember where it was/is.

Portobello, near a very nice bakery

I've a friend who's Jewish he moved abroad to get married.

mikom

*Shouts*

"Free rashers"

*Irish Jews heads explode*

PhlegmyMoses

I interviewed Raphael Siev, who ran the Irish Jewish museum in Dublin, a few years back for an article I was doing. Remarkable character, if a little cranky in his old age.

Gyalist

Wibbs wrote: »

The Jews have a long and fascinating history in Ireland with many of them becoming prominent on a few fronts, even though they were small in number. Organised help in the great Famine, fair few of them were involved in struggle for our independence too. Show up in the arts too, the hero of Jimmy Joyce's Ulysses an ode to Dublin in many ways is a Dublin Jewish bloke. IIRC there was a Jewish museum in Dublin? Can vaguely remember going to it, but can't remember where it was/is.

The Jewish museum is in Portobello. A few years back I was helping a friend clear a house that she had recently bought in Portobello and we found documents in the attic dating back to the '30s that belonged to the matriarch of a certain prominent family. Things like Alien registration cards and letters.

I know 3 people (all related) with the Bloom surname, though I've never asked them if there is a connection to the character in Ulysses.

I used to play cricket at the old Carlisle Cricket Club in Kimmage and so met and became friends with a lot of Jewish people.

ProudDUB

My mothers optician was Jewish. Forget his name, but I remember being taken in to him for an eye exam when I was quite young. He must have been really good as my mother was incredibly paranoid about her eye sight, and wouldn't go to just anyone. He had a daughter who was a photographer. I remember my parents going to exhibitions of her work and wishing they could afford to buy some it.

I worked with a lad once whose father was Jewish, but he and his brother were raised as Catholics. He grew up not knowing his fathers side of the family as he was disowned by his family for marrying outside the faith. I remember reading an article a few years ago about how hard it was for Irish Jews to find Jewish partners as the population in Ireland is so small. A lot of them are moving to England to do so, which further diminished their numbers. Knew a lot of Jewish people when I lived in the US. All very sound people. Their weddings are BAD ASS too !

Strawberry Fields

I know a few Palestinians if that's any use.

Gyalist

ProudDUB wrote: »

My mothers optician was Jewish. Forget his name, but I remember being taken in to him for an eye exam when I was quite young. He must have been really good as my mother was incredibly paranoid about her eye sight, and wouldn't go to just anyone. He had a daughter who was a photographer. I remember my parents going to exhibitions of her work and wishing they could afford to buy some of her work.

!

She's my optician and a very well known photographer too.

Our man in Havana

Does Alan Cantwell count?

Chuck Stone

Don't know any Jews. Would like to try Jewish food.

lounakin

Peculiar thread...
I am jewish, though non-practicing. I know there is a jewish society in Trinity and yes, there are more ethnic jews in Dublin than you'd think, but not as much as the other countries I've been in.

Eve_Dublin

Wibbs wrote: »

The Jews have a long and fascinating history in Ireland with many of them becoming prominent on a few fronts, even though they were small in number. Organised help in the great Famine, fair few of them were involved in struggle for our independence too. Show up in the arts too, the hero of Jimmy Joyce's Ulysses an ode to Dublin in many ways is a Dublin Jewish bloke. IIRC there was a Jewish museum in Dublin? Can vaguely remember going to it, but can't remember where it was/is.

Yep, near Portabello. I was sitting here racking my brain on whether I'd ever met an Irish Jewish person before and you reminded me. I lived in Portabello for a few months between living foreign and went over to the museum one Sunday morning on me own and got talking to them. One of the older men gave me a tour. He was lovely. Interesting place and free as far as I remember. I've a good Jewish friend in Spain and actually, one of my very distant cousins is half Jewish now that I think about it...which kind of makes me part Jewish sort of?

EdenHazard

Dads mums parents were Jews from Lithuania.

Murt10

ProudDUB wrote: »

My mothers optician was Jewish. Forget his name, but I remember being taken in to him for an eye exam when I was quite young. He must have been really good as my mother was incredibly paranoid about her eye sight, and wouldn't go to just anyone. He had a daughter who was a photographer. I remember my parents going to exhibitions of her work and wishing they could afford to buy some it.
!

His name was Mendle Stein. A real gentleman.

Apparently, way way back, when money was really tight with everyone, you could get your glasses off him on tick and pay it off by the week.

He had his shop near Harcourt St. Opticians were not allowed advertise at the time, they could only place a few glasses in the window. To get around this Mendle had the front window of his shop made in the shape of an eye.

The area around him became developed and he stood his ground. There was a brilliant picture in one of the daily newspapers at the time. There was this little one story shop, with its window in the shape of an eye, surrounded by modern skyscrapers. Talk about an eyesore.

He eventually moved to 4 Camden Market, Grantham Street, Dublin 8. I spoke to him after he moved. He told me that he really didn't want to move as he had built up his trade at his old address. On the plus side he told me that as he had put up such a protest that most of his trade followed him to his new premises.

He has since passed on. His daughter, Amelia, the photographer now runs the practice.

All my family use her and are very satisfied with her.

EDIT. I have come across the attached site which gives the story of Mendels battle and pictures of his window and the buildings behind it. I knew there was a picture. Cannot believe it was back in 1983

http://comeheretome.com/2012/03/27/stein-opticians/

ceegee

Murt10 wrote: »

His name was Mendle Stein. A real gentleman.

Apparently, way way back, when money was really tight with everyone, you could get your glasses off him on tick and pay it off by the week.

He had his shop near Harcourt St. Opticians were not allowed advertise at the time, they could only place a few glasses in the window. To get around this Mendle had the front window of his shop made in the shape of an eye.

The area around him became developed and he stood his ground. There was a brilliant picture in one of the daily newspapers at the time. There was this little one story shop, with its window in the shape of an eye, surrounded by modern skyscrapers. Talk about an eyesore.

He eventually moved to 4 Camden Market, Grantham Street, Dublin 8. I spoke to him after he moved. He told me that he really didn't want to move as he had built up his trade at his old address. On the plus side he told me that as he had put up such a protest that most of his trade followed him to his new premises.

He has since passed on. His daughter, Amelia, the photographer now runs the practice.

All my family use her and are very satisfied with her.

Theres skyscrapers on Harcourt St.?
News to me

[Deleted User]

Wibbs wrote: »

The Jews have a long and fascinating history in Ireland with many of them becoming prominent on a few fronts, even though they were small in number. Organised help in the great Famine, fair few of them were involved in struggle for our independence too. Show up in the arts too, the hero of Jimmy Joyce's Ulysses an ode to Dublin in many ways is a Dublin Jewish bloke. IIRC there was a Jewish museum in Dublin? Can vaguely remember going to it, but can't remember where it was/is.

Went to it with school a few years ago, didn't think much of it, the lad showing us around did a very superficial treatment of every topic.

mikom wrote: »

*Shouts*

"Free rashers"

*Irish Jews heads explode*

Did you get that from a book of jokes overheard from primary school playgrounds?

RADIUS

I went to primary school with an Irish Jew named Declan.