Ireland's Jewish community

Crock Rock · 11-07-2019 4:43pm #1

Do you personally know any Jews in Ireland?
There were only 2,557 Jews in Ireland as of 2017.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/ireland-s-jewish-population-rises-by-almost-30-1.3254834

I know only two. One of my college lecturers (I graduated 6 years ago) and a doctor who operated on my mouth. I obviously know the former better than the latter. I don't know any Jewish people on a personal level.

I think a certain poster who joined us recently is a young female Jew, but I could be wrong.

Do you know any Jewish people?

Cee-Jay-Cee · 11-07-2019 4:45pm

I think Ross on Friends was Jewish and Jerry Seinfeld...dunno anyone else.

Autecher · 11-07-2019 4:45pm

Jew wouldn't believe how many of them I know!

11-07-2019 4:49pm

I don't know any Jews, so I guess that makes me an anti-Semite now!:D

what are they like leprechauns or something now, I don't see any , do you know any protestants, Sheiks, Hindi's, Buddhists, Muslims etc.

Are they a pleasure to know so much more than others? I don't get the thread but it's given me a laugh though.

weird topic..

El Weirdo · 11-07-2019 4:51pm

The only one I know isn't really a Jew, he's Jewish.

Crock Rock · 11-07-2019 4:51pm

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

I think Ross on Friends was Jewish and Jerry Seinfeld...dunno anyone else.

Crock Rock wrote: »

Do you know any Jewish people?

:rolleyes:

JustAThought · 11-07-2019 4:51pm

A few - and I wouldn't have ever known that I knew them except that I was invited to an event and they all tyrned up and it turned out I was the only catholic there amongst us! They all joined in with hilarity and chimed the answers to the questions I was answering about synagogues & the like!Lovely people & total livewires. The women are stunning.

Crock Rock · 11-07-2019 4:54pm

So are the majority of Irish Jews of German or Central European descent who were escaping Hitler's persecution?

MarkY91 · 11-07-2019 4:54pm

JustAThought wrote: »

A few - and I wouldn't have ever known that I knew them except that I was invited to an event and they all tyrned up and it turned out I was the only catholic there amongst us! They all joined in with hilarity and chimed the answers to the questions I was answering about synagogues & the like!Lovely people & total livewires. The women are stunning.

Spent a week in Israel back in April.

Israeli women are the most attractive women on earth. There's no doubt in my mind. Gal Gadot is just an average looking Israeli over there.

Crock Rock · 11-07-2019 4:55pm

Berties_Horse wrote: »

No, and neither do you.

Did you read the OP?
I said I do. If I saw my college lecturer (we live nearby) we'd stop and chat.

Do you have a problem or somethihng?

McMurphy · 11-07-2019 4:56pm

Autecher wrote: »

Jew wouldn't believe how many of them I know!

I did Nazi that joke coming at all.

11-07-2019 4:56pm

Crock Rock wrote: »

So are the majority of Irish Jews of German or Central European descent who were escaping Hitler's persecution?

what are you doing a survey? I think we get your agenda there mate OISH!!! the rent!

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5 · 11-07-2019 4:57pm

A lecturer I had, but he was Polish.

I have an American friend who is and used to have a British friend, she went SUPER Jewish and moved to a kibbutz though, haven't heard from her in years.

We didn't really cover ourselves in glory after the war in terms of our attitudes to former Nazis living here, you'd be surprised once you start reading into it how much stuff there is that'd maybe make a Jewish person cross here off the list of places to go. The widespread attitude to Palestine probably doesn't help either.

There is or was a small established Jewish community in Harold's cross in Dublin and a bit in Cork too but afaik not much beyond that.

You can understand the craythurs figuring it's probably better to go somewhere with a bigger Jewish community and stick together given everything that's happened over the last, well, several centuries. People tend to think of the Holocaust as an eruption but it was just an escalation of what had been steadily getting worse for the previous 50 years or so in that part of the world which was just a rerun of what had happened in other parts of the world.

**** Israel though.

Jimbob1977 · 11-07-2019 5:03pm

My next door neighbours in Dublin are Jewish.

It's a very tight knit community because their numbers have dwindled over the decades.

Many of their relations would live in Israel. I think the older generations prefer to see out their final years in the Holy Land.

They always made an effort to celebrate Catholic traditions like Christmas, because it's roughly the same time as Hannukah.

Easter also falls at the same time as Passover.

There is an unfair perception that they are always mean-spirited and greedy. My neighbours could not be more generous!

It's probably true that most Jews in Ireland have professional jobs like bankers or doctors. At one point, three Jewish TDs (Briscoe, Taylor and Shatter) sat in the Dail. That's a great achievement for a community that makes up a tiny 0.1% of the population.

The Irish Jews are a mixture of Orthodox and Progressive branches. The Orthodox would be stricter, but nowhere as severe as their Israeli equivalent. The Progressives would be more secular.

These days in Ireland, I'd expect their major issues would be the dwindling population (and marriage opportunities) plus being held responsible for the Palestinian conflict.

JustAThought · 11-07-2019 5:06pm

I'd say its the same issues as everyone else - getting a job, making sure the mortgage is oaid, trying to find somewherw nice to rent or afford to buy,long commutes; entertaining nights out, finding someone to live or fall in love with, getting ahead. Just everyday, everyone issues - ordinary lovely people enjoying their lives.

TheValeyard · 11-07-2019 5:14pm

Yeah I know six or seven alright. Nice people, same as the rest of us.

Bannasidhe · 11-07-2019 5:17pm

Used to be a synagogue in Cork and a nearby area is still known as 'Jewtown' aka Hibernian Buildings.
Cork also had a Jewish Lord Mayor - Gerald Goldberghttps://www.rte.ie/archives/2013/0722/463890-a-jew-an-irish-man-and-a-cork-man.

Cork had a thriving Jewish community (mainly from Lithuania originally) but sadly there are only a few Jewish people lift as most emigrated. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/history-of-cork-s-jewish-community-to-be-commemorated-1.3082600.

The city does remember and celebrate them http://simonlewis.ie/jewtown/

And yes, I do know many Jewish people but none of them are Irish. They are either French, American, British, or Israeli.

BeerWolf · 11-07-2019 5:18pm

Don't think I've ever interacted with a Jew here in Ireland.

Crock Rock · 11-07-2019 5:23pm

BeerWolf wrote: »

Don't think I've ever interacted with a Jew here in Ireland.

You might have and you never knew it.
I never knew the doctor was Jewish until I found out myself somehow (I won't elaborate here how).

My lecturer supervised my thesis and he told me that his grandfather came here from Nazi Germany. He has what you'd call a "stereotypically-Jewish" first an surname. I won't post it here for obvious reasons. So it was plainly obvious about his origins before he even told me.

Junkyard Tom · 11-07-2019 5:24pm

Karl Marx.

TheValeyard · 11-07-2019 5:26pm

Crock Rock wrote: »

You might have and you never knew it.
I never knew the doctor was Jewish until I found out myself somehow (I won't elaborate here how).

Something related to a penis with no foreskin perhaps?

TheValeyard · 11-07-2019 5:27pm

Junkyard Tom wrote: »

Karl Marx.

He Dead

Crock Rock · 11-07-2019 5:29pm

Berties_Horse wrote: »

Your agenda is becoming clear. 3/10.

What agenda is that now?

Go on, be a man and come out and say it.

Autecher · 11-07-2019 5:31pm

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

I did Nazi that joke coming at all.

I read that while drinking my favourite drink, Gin and Jewce.

Junkyard Tom · 11-07-2019 5:31pm

Vanessa Feltz.

Crock Rock · 11-07-2019 5:32pm

Berties_Horse wrote: »

You're a wind-up merchant. Nothing more.

Am I? I'm starting a thread to discuss Ireland's Jewish community.

Please tell me specifically which part of my quoted post made you think that.

Thanks.

CrankyHaus · 11-07-2019 5:33pm

Crock Rock wrote: »

So are the majority of Irish Jews of German or Central European descent who were escaping Hitler's persecution?

No.They usually are descendants of people who came over fleeing earlier pogroms and general anti-semitism in Eastern Europe, especially Tsarist Russia.

Worth noting that Israeli leader Chaim Herzog was born and raised in Ireland. His father was the chief rabbi of ireland, a Gaelgoir and supporter of ours during the war of independence.

Our Jewish population has been in decline for decades. It's probably now too small to be self sustaining, as many who want to marry in the community need to go over to the UK. Others have simply integrated and married into the Irish mainstream to the extent that you wouldn't know their Jewish background unless they told you. One family I know are like this. You'll meet a disproportionate amount in the law, though still not many.

donaghs · 11-07-2019 5:36pm

Crock Rock wrote: »

So are the majority of Irish Jews of German or Central European descent who were escaping Hitler's persecution?

Most fled the pograms in the Russian Empire in the late 19th century. Especially from the Baltic area.

branie2 · 11-07-2019 5:39pm

Not a lot

1o059k7ewrqj3n · 11-07-2019 5:39pm

Alan Shatter is Jewish no?

branie2 · 11-07-2019 5:39pm

He is

suicide_circus · 11-07-2019 5:40pm

donaghs wrote: »

Most fled the programs in the Russian Empire in the late 19th century.

hosted by Ray Darcy no doubt?

TheValeyard · 11-07-2019 5:40pm

donaghs wrote: »

Most fled the programs in the Russian Empire in the late 19th century. Especially from the Baltic area.

A load of them were tricked by ships Captains in Cork that they were in America, so the tickets could be sold on.

Crock Rock · 11-07-2019 5:41pm

TheValeyard wrote: »

A load of them were tricked by ships Captains in Cork that they were in America, so the tickets could be sold on.

Is that true??

:eek:

suicide_circus · 11-07-2019 5:42pm

TheValeyard wrote: »

A load of them were tricked by ships Captains in Cork that they were in America, so the tickets could be sold on.

Cobh and Ellis Island look very similar to be fair

Gimme A Pound · 11-07-2019 5:49pm

Yeah I know one from Cork (not "Jewtown"). Israeli father.

TheValeyard · 11-07-2019 5:52pm

Crock Rock wrote: »

Is that true?? :eek:

No idea. But it's a story a couple of Rabbi used to tell in Dublin years back.

11-07-2019 5:56pm

I’ve got some very good friends here in Dublin that are Jewish.

As they don’t go around talking Hebrew and wearing a kippah, though, oddly enough, people don’t often think they are Jewish.

branie2 · 11-07-2019 5:59pm

Amy Huberman is Jewish as well

gozunda · 11-07-2019 6:06pm

Thread title made me think back on all those old style jokes starting an Irishman, a Jewishman etc..

Many originated from Britain - where these groups were minorities ...

I had read an interesting article on this a while back

There Was an Englishman, An Irishman and a Jew...: Immigrants and Minorities in Britain

David Feldman
The Historical Journal
Vol. 26, No. 1 (Mar., 1983), pp. 185-199

steddyeddy · 11-07-2019 6:07pm

There's people who are also of Jewish descent whose ancestors were forced to convert due to Cromwell ect.

James Brown · 11-07-2019 6:10pm

A load a jewish folk up near me. I only know because they've a museum near by, (which my Israeli friend finds hilarious for some reason - the idea of Irish Jews) and the lad in the local xtravision, back in the day was jewish. Mind the local synagogue became a Mosque of all things. Don't forget the Israeli Mossad with fake Irish passports, but I suppose that doesn't count.

Stroke Politics · 11-07-2019 6:12pm

Went to a Jewish wedding at Castle Lesley years ago when I started dating my wife. Was great craic watching the wedding party dance up to the huppa, smashing glasses, etc. They had lamb at the reception, and lots of champagne. We still meet up with the couple when they visit Ireland, they are America based...

11-07-2019 6:19pm

Stroke Politics wrote: »

Went to a Jewish wedding at Castle Lesley years ago when I started dating my wife. Was great craic watching the wedding party dance up to the huppa, smashing glasses, etc. They had lamb at the reception, and lots of champagne. We still meet up with the couple when they visit Ireland, they are America based...

My sister in law is Jewish. My brother thought a traditional Jewish wedding would be a good idea, because he somehow thought lots of people would pin money on the bride and groom.

Than my sister in law pointed out that Jewish people aren’t exactly famous for throwing money around and besides, he’d have to have an anesthetiser free circumcision.

That kind of ended that idea.

Hurrache · 11-07-2019 6:21pm

Crock Rock wrote: »

Do you know any Jewish people?

What a weird question though. Maybe I do, maybe I don't. I couldn't care less the religion of anyone I know.

CrankyHaus wrote: »

No.They usually are descendants of people who came over fleeing earlier pogroms and general anti-semitism in Eastern Europe, especially Tsarist Russia.

I only watched a documentary series on this lately. I've read and watched a lot on this area but this was so awful I stopped and deleted the remaining episodes. Too depressing. Militant nationalists should be made watch it Clockwork Orange style only they'd probably enjoy it.

Badly Drunk Boy · 11-07-2019 6:25pm

I sorta knew a Jewish girl in my hometown years ago. I saw her a few weeks ago...still looking good.

In college, I came into contact with a few through the course I was doing. Could there have been a Jewish equivalent of a crock of gold up for grabs if I'd nabbed one of them?

Crock Rock wrote: »

So are the majority of Irish Jews of German or Central European descent who were escaping Hitler's persecution?

From Wikipedia:

The earliest reference to the Jews in Ireland was in the year 1079. The Annals of Inisfallen record "Five Jews came from over sea with gifts to Toirdelbach [Toirdelbach Ua Briain, the king of Munster], and they were sent back again over sea".[1] They were probably merchants from Normandy.

corner of hells · 11-07-2019 6:26pm

I've an Israeli born Jewish friend married to a friend of mine ,at 50 odd years she still looks amazing, also an Ethiopian Falash friend and the headbanger I'm married to is of Jewish descent.

Gloomtastic! · 11-07-2019 6:28pm

There was a good few in our year in secondary school in South Dublin, was friends with most of them. All of them have emigrated as far as I know, leaving just their parents behind, which is sad.

Consulted for a bit for a Jewish company in London, all the staff of 30-odd people, bar two or three, were Jewish. They've had to learn to stick together. Phenomenal business people. The deals that are done on the Sabbath (Saturday), when they're not allowed to cook, so all go out to Jewish restaurants together.

Have a friend here in Dublin who is forever marching on the Israeli Embassy in protest about Palestine and asks us along occasionally. We've managed to dodge her so far!

11-07-2019 6:34pm

I find Jewish people and their history fascinating.

I mean if you're part of a group of people designated "The Chosen People", and you've been involved in many of the greatest outrages and dramas of the history of mankind, that's fairly compelling.

Hope that doesn't sound condescending. Obviously Jewish people are just ordinary human beings who live and eat and work and go to the toilet like the rest of us. What I mean is that their culture and its own internal dynamic, and their place in the world, is what's fascinating.

I have a couple of Jewish friends, but none in Ireland. This wasn't always the most hospitable of environments for the jewish population, not that many places were.

Gimme A Pound · 11-07-2019 6:35pm

Hurrache wrote: »

What a weird question though. Maybe I do, maybe I don't. I couldn't care less the religion of anyone I know.

I dunno. There is a tiny population of Jews in Ireland, so it's interesting to me and others to meet Irish Jewish folk.

Not just nationalists are anti Semitic now - if anything I find that there is a fake solidarity with Jews these days, whereby they're being used to create anti Islam feeling, by people who would have been anti Semitic in the past, or associated with hardline neo fascist types.

Hilariously, loyalists pretend to have great time for Jews.

Judging by what was revealed on BBC's Panorama last night re the British Labour Party, there is major anti semitism among far left folk. They deem Jews ultra capitalist and of course: Israel.

Lau2976 · 11-07-2019 6:38pm

My mother’s Jewish but I was raised multi-faith. I had and still have Jewish friends.

I’m the dud of the family looks wise but my sisters would be more stereotypically Jewish looking and based on the many boyfriends they had as teens men seem to like that!

Ireland's Jewish community

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