Do you personally know any Irish Jews?

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

Wibbs

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.

Gyalist

Murt10 wrote: »

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.

Your story reminds me of Rodney Danker who used to have an antiquarian and secondhand bookshop on South King St. He defied the developers of the Stephen's Green Shopping Centre site for years and delayed the building works to get what he considered fair compensation for his business.

9959

minidazzler wrote: »

I've met loads of Israeli Jews in Ireland. But no Irish Jews... In Cork we have a place called Jew Town where we keep them.

minidazzler wrote: »

Sorry, forgot humour is not allowed in AH :rolleyes:

If you've ever been to Jew Town in Cork you'd realise it's a sh1thole of a place. There are no jews living there now though.

"where we keep them" is the unfunny disgusting bit.

Standard Toaster

Yes. I mean no.
What was the question again?

Sodastream.

mikom

Deleted User wrote: »

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

Sorry it's not "Everybody Loves Raymond".

Namlub

nocoverart wrote: »

It's not really the Jew comment. 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.

So you're just blathering on irrelevantly then? Pipe down, no-one cares.

bb1234567

I live beside a Jewish school, its called Stratford College. So yeah ..I do.

delthedriver

Yes, I went to school and grew up with Jewish children. They were a nice bunch of kids, though no different to the rest of us. It was a Private School with all religions and nationalities represented.

kenmc

is there such a thing? I thought all Jewish people were by default Israeli citizens by birth? or something like that ...

Namlub

kenmc wrote: »

is there such a thing? I thought all Jewish people were by default Israeli citizens by birth? or something like that ...

What?

padraig.od

Yep

Red Hand

kenmc wrote: »

is there such a thing? I thought all Jewish people were by default Israeli citizens by birth? or something like that ...

No. You can apply for Israeli citizenship if you can prove you are Jewish (usually through the mother's line), but that's no guarantee.

pragmatic1

Yes. My first love was an Irish Jew.

Strawberry Fields

Red Hand wrote: »

No. You can apply for Israeli citizenship if you can prove you are Jewish (usually through the mother's line), but that's no guarantee.

Well no wonder they keep expanding into the west bank

Death and Taxes

One of the best lecturers I had in college was jewish, Ronit Lentin, brilliant mind!

mikom

mikom wrote: »

Sorry it's not "Everybody Loves Raymond".

They wouldn't get away with such edginess.

notnumber

Nope never met one,do they hangout in 'The Foggy Dew' by any chance?

iCosmopolis

I spent my early years growing up near the inner city and we happened to have a good few Jewish neighbours (either side of us and a few in the nearby flats), my Grans lifelong best friend (told me amazing stories about her life), nearby, was Jewish, as was many of my Mam and her siblings friends and my biological father also. Long time ago:) but I remember my Grans friend was fairly ok off for the times and I was fascinated by her two big fridges she explained about Kosher. Despite being a veggie now, I ate my own weight in corned beef and matza as a small child. Mam gets all nostaliac if she sees it now. Our dog nicked their roast one time.
I know a good few Israelis also from work, and my late Grans favourite taxi driver.

bluecode

Yes I do and he was a gentleman. We discussed the fate of Jews in this country. It was a reflection of we Irish, emigration. I was in contact with his son in America for years. So I have a very positive view.

Quiet honestly I feel that the Jews in any country always have a positive influence. In that I am pro semitic. I always voted for Mervyn Taylor, a Jew.

I cannot understand anti semitism. If this country was run by Jews. We would all be rich. I am pro semitic.

dd972

Haven't read all the thread pages so it may have been mentioned already, but apparently Limerick had a thriving Jewish community, saw a doc on tv about it once, apparently during WW2 a couple of priests whipped up a furore of anti Jewish sentiment to the point where many emigrated

dd972

got the dates wrong, but this tells you more

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limerick_Pogrom

mikemac1

dd972 wrote: »

Haven't read all the thread pages so it may have been mentioned already, but apparently Limerick had a thriving Jewish community, saw a doc on tv about it once, apparently during WW2 a couple of priests whipped up a furore of anti Jewish sentiment to the point where many emigrated

Ah that was a lot earlier around 1900 or 1910. Around then anyway

Jewish businessman had a thriving business, something to do with cloth and clothes making I think

Another local businessman managed to whip up a storm and priests got involved too

It wasn't realy to do with religion, more a businessman looking to knock out the competition

It escalated quite badly though


edit: your link is very good ^^^^^

bluecode

bluecode wrote: »

Yes I do and he was a gentleman. We discussed the fate of Jews in this country. It was a reflection of we Irish, emigration. I was in contact with his son in America for years. So I have a very positive view.

Quiet honestly I feel that the Jews in any country always have a positive influence. In that I am pro semitic. I always voted for Mervyn Taylor, a Jew.

I cannot understand anti semitism. If this country was run by Jews. We would all be rich. I am pro semitic.

I'm not anti-semitic, sure I support Palestine.
Really though, I'm Jew-neutral or blind or whatever. Someone's background or religion is irrelevant as far as I'm concerned and logic like "if the country was run by Jews we would all be rich" is unsettling in a different way.

My name is URL

bluecode wrote: »

I cannot understand anti semitism. If this country was run by Jews. We would all be rich. I am pro semitic.

Is that supposed to be satirical?

sock puppet

My name is URL wrote: »

Is that supposed to be satirical?

Perhaps if we're nice to them they'll give us some of their Jew gold.

coolhull

Even if I met a Jewish person, how would I know? I'm hardly going to ask their religion, and I wouldn't expect them to ask mine. And as far as I know, they don't have any distinguishing features that makes them stand out from the crowd.

Wibbs

bluecode wrote: »

Yes I do and he was a gentleman. We discussed the fate of Jews in this country. It was a reflection of we Irish, emigration. I was in contact with his son in America for years. So I have a very positive view.

I'd agree with the emigration thing. The "wandering Jew" is well mirrored in us. If you're Irish and Jewish? 1) you're covered wherever you show up as far as bumping into someone you can click with and scab a bed/drink/possible job. 2) Your passport has more stamps than a philatelist conference. That said the question is then why would anyone have a negative view?

Quiet honestly I feel that the Jews in any country always have a positive influence. In that I am pro semitic. I always voted for Mervyn Taylor, a Jew.

TBH I'm "ProWhoeverIsn'tAGobshíte". Ethnicity or whatever is no barrier to being sound out, or indeed being a gobshíte.

I cannot understand anti semitism.

Ditto.

If this country was run by Jews. We would all be rich.

I dunno about that. Of the most profligate spendthrifts I've ever known two of them were Jewish lads(both Dubs. Cavan types of the Jewish persuasion may well be different). Prejudicial thinking can go both ways I've found, even if meant well.

Chuck Stone

coolhull wrote: »

Even if I met a Jewish person, how would I know?

Check his cock.

Death and Taxes

Chuck Stone wrote: »

Check his cock.

For what, to see if he is a Muslim?

coolhull

coolhull wrote: »

Even if I met a Jewish person, how would I know? I'm hardly going to ask their religion, and I wouldn't expect them to ask mine. And as far as I know, they don't have any distinguishing features that makes them stand out from the crowd.

I saw a Hasidic Jew get off a bus on O'Connell St. about a month ago, easy enough to tell in rare instances. :pac:

Chuck Stone wrote: »

Check his cock.

Could just be American.

Stheno

coolhull wrote: »

Even if I met a Jewish person, how would I know? I'm hardly going to ask their religion, and I wouldn't expect them to ask mine. And as far as I know, they don't have any distinguishing features that makes them stand out from the crowd.

Orthodox Jews have very distinctive appearances

Chuck Stone

WileyCoyote wrote: »

For what, to see if he is a Muslim?

If he has no beard and is not shouting Alahu Akbar the chances are he's Jewish.

coolhull

Chuck Stone wrote: »

Check his cock.

Funnneeee

If I checked yours, what would that tell me?

Chuck Stone

coolhull wrote: »

Funnneeee

If I checked yours, what would that tell me?

It would tell you you had a sore jaw. :pac:

Wibbs

dd972 wrote: »

got the dates wrong, but this tells you more

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limerick_Pogrom

Yea, interesting in that even though that twat of a cleric stirred up the shít, how those folks fleeing his madness were received. Especially in Cork. People opened their homes to fellow Irish people being fcuked over by a rabble rousing twat.

coolhull wrote: »

Even if I met a Jewish person, how would I know? I'm hardly going to ask their religion, and I wouldn't expect them to ask mine. And as far as I know, they don't have any distinguishing features that makes them stand out from the crowd.

Exactly. Unless you're buying into the propaganda of bullshít. Actually one guy I knew as a kid had an "Irish" first name and red hair. Oh yes. As if two thousand years of shíte agin his people wasn't enough the poor bastid was also a ginger. I mean he was really ginger. Lads and lasses of a similar bent would have looked at him and said "good god you could see him from space". Needless to say he was mercilessly ribbed about this. I bumped into him years later. Natures harvesters had had their wicked way and he was balding but what was left was so red you wouldn't believe.

sock puppet wrote: »

Perhaps if we're nice to them they'll give us some of their Jew gold.

*facepalm, sooooo much facepalm" Break out a pliers and check teeth while you're at it.

Chuck Stone wrote: »

Check his cock.

Yea he might be a Yank.

Wibbs

Chuck Stone wrote: »

It would tell you you had a sore jaw. :pac:

In fairness CS

delthedriver

coolhull wrote: »

Even if I met a Jewish person, how would I know? I'm hardly going to ask their religion, and I wouldn't expect them to ask mine. And as far as I know, they don't have any distinguishing features that makes them stand out from the crowd.

Interesting question. A bit like asking how one would recognise a Catholic or Protestant? I guess their name may give a clue?

iCosmopolis

coolhull wrote: »

Even if I met a Jewish person, how would I know? I'm hardly going to ask their religion, and I wouldn't expect them to ask mine. And as far as I know, they don't have any distinguishing features that makes them stand out from the crowd.

Sorry for stereotype but my Israelis spotted me a mile away from my two forenames (named after my Grans dear friend) and the nose I inherited from my jewish biological father!

Bullseye1

Don't know any Irish Jews but I am friends with a few American ones.

hyperborean

I know a good few spurs fans,

rain on

I had dinner with one once, I think he's dead now.