An unhyphenated people [Interesting take on British attitudes towards Jews]

JERUSALEM POST ^ | Jun. 14, 2006 | JERUSALEM POST

[RegulatorCountry]

"British Jews, unlike their American counterparts, have anglicized their names and their customs."

The author evidentally has not met any assimilated, southern Jews in the United States, whose families go back to Colonial days on this continent.

[Alexander Rubin]

Are there many left? As a kid, I read a book called Mr. Benjamin's Sword, about Judah P. Benjamin, and it inspired me to go looking up the history of Jews in the US. Turned out that a large percentage, from what I gathered even the majority (until maybe the late 19th or early 20th century) were in the South.

If you could tell me a bit more, I'd be grateful.

[SJackson]

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[Alouette]

Jews in the Civil War

[MrCruncher]

Yep.

[Alouette]

"after 17 generations in Britain, I still consider my homeland and my primary my allegiance remains elsewhere"

Well, he made good on his declarations and moved to the Holy Land. What would you have preferred?

My family goes back 5 generations in the United States. Yes, we are all proud Americans, but my children have also chosen paths that led them to Canada, Israel, and Russia.

[GladesGuru]

None can squelch a twit quite like an Englishman. With his telling of the Disraeli squelch, the author makes most clear his essentially English weltanschaung.

[DennisR]

Okay, so I am not going crazy... :)

[familyop]

Some Americans make the false accusation that British Jews in general are not loyal to the UK. I suspect that the allegiance of those Americans is to Rome.

[familyop]

elmer fudd wrote:
"That was France, not the UK."

It's interesting as to how things change.

French sympathies swing towards Israel
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1648740/posts

And the British UN Deputy-Secretary General recently made some interesting comments about our USA.

America angry over "hypocrites" remark [Bolton got into it with British UN official.]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1646070/posts

'Stop the sniping at the UN' [Says UN Deputy Secretary-General to USA.]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1646073/posts

[vimto]

Well we have some nutter's over here who hate Jews, often the very visible skinhead neo Nazis - but it really isn't an issue as far as most Brits are concerned. I have only heard one anti-jewish statement my whole life (now 50 years old) - 'Hitler was much misunderstood". Other than that nothing.

kind regards.

[bvw]

An insult or a warning? This is not some Dixie Chickie or a John Kerry bad-mouthing the US of A whilst in France-- this is thoughful and considerate -- a fair warning to England. A warning. Inappropriate to cast it as insult.

Why did the Chief Rabbi of London have to warn English Jews not to wear skull-caps in public?

[Feldkurat_Katz]

"Britishness" is a hotly debated subject in those Isles today; many are asking what British means and how one attains this appellation. As opposed to some other parts of the world, it is not done to apply an adjective to your nationality. You cannot be "African-British" or "Asian-British." It is far more simple than that, you are either British, or you are not.

All European nations are tribal. It's not necessarily bad, but for someone who considers immigrating, United States (or Canada or Australia) would be a better choice.

[LexBaird]

If your allegiance to "G-d" causes you to insult your homeland publicly in a foreign country then you're a dirtbag.

Where did he insult his homeland? What he did was point out that antisemitism pervades the British upper classes. That's a criticism, not an insult.

[A. Pole]

This reply contains corrected version of the joke.

People often ask me where my family is from. I reply Britain, and they invariably ask me where my grandparents came from, and I reply again, Britain. Sometimes they will ask where my great-grandparents or great-great-grandparents came from and the reply is still Britain.

It reminds me a Russian joke:

Some guy comes to the civil records office and ask for change of his name.

The clerk says: "It will cost you a lot"

The guy answers: "I don't care. I have to change my name".

So the clerk ask: "What new name do you wish to have?"

"Pyotr Petrovich Petrov"

Clerk writes it down and asks: "Good, and what is you present name?"

"Ivan Ivanovitch Ivanov"

Clerks stares at the customer with curiosity, and says:

"Ivan Iwanovich Ivanov is a very good Russian name! Why do you want to change it?"

"Because people always ask me - what was your previous name?"

[Sabramerican]

The linked story merits a second look after reading this author's opinion.

Why would the British Monarchy be jealous of the success of the Jews?

http://209.157.64.201/focus/f-news/1591071/posts

[vimto]

Thanks for the link and psot, I hadn't read that article - missed me completely and the media hasn't flagged it up!?

Prince Philip is a straight talking man well out of step with today's prissy society.

Many people were taken in by fascism, It was clearly 'attractive' to many people (sadly it still is) The myth of the Jewish conspiracy was also rife. Philip comes across as a man of his times and is honest enough to say so.

I must qualify what I said above however, about Brits not being anti-Jewish. I've certainly not seen much of it, but some leaders (notable the ever-popular Ken Livingstone) is certainly antisemitic.

[Clemenza]

Rabbi Menassah Ben Israel of the Amsterdam community petitioned Cromwell to readmit Jews to a land which had not officially seen a Jew in over 360 years. Cromwell accepted the petition but only after a heated exchange with those who sought to prevent Jews from being readmitted.

I LOVE Oliver Cromwell. A SMART man, as well as a (necessarily) brutal bastard when he needed to be.

If only a NEW Cromwell would emerge to send those welfare cases from the House of Windsor-Hanover-Saxe Coburg to the gallows.

[Alexander Rubin]

Yeah, I spent the last year in Britain and didn't encounter any anti-Semitism. Only the contrary, if possible. Then again, I was in the countryside, in what could very well be considered flyover/redneck (or, in the case of Eastbourne, chav) country Britain.

Perhaps if I was in London, it might be otherwise, but then I suspect most anti-Semitism wouldn't come from the British right (except maybe a few inbred aristocrats), but from the British left, and particularly among immigrants. Likely belonging to a certain religion of peace and tolerance.

[Alexander Rubin]

He should get points for honesty. And Ken Livingstone should be tarred, feathered and rode out of London on a rail.