Letters. Irish-Jewish Link
AM writing because I would like both to address an Irish issue and share with your readers an idea that many of my family and friends have found helpful.
We all have Jewish friends. As a Catholic, many times in the past I have felt awkward in my expression of sympathy at the time of death of a family member.
It is against Jewish custom to send flowers. Needless to say, sending a Mass card from the local monastery may not be the most practical idea.
Recently I have resolved this dilemma. I make a memorial contribution in the name of the deceased to the Irish-Jewish Museum in Dublin, and in return they inform the family of the deceased of my donation.
All Irish people and people of Irish descent should be proud of Ireland’s Jewish heritage. Unfortunately, the subject of Irish Jewry has not received much attention in recent decades.
The Jewish contribution to Irish independence was extensive. In 1908, the Judeo-Irish Home Rule Association was formed. During the Troubles, many prominent wealthy Jewish women, such as Fanny Goldberg of Cork, joined Cuman na mBan as volunteers, while at the same time Abraham Spiro, another Irish Jew, secretly printed the main underground IRA newspaper on his family’s presses.
Countless Jews fought in the IRA, and many were highly decorated. These are just a few examples of the Jewish contribution to our independence.
In the 1940’s, there were more than 6,000 Jews in Ireland. In the 20th century, Ireland’s three largest cities, Dublin, Belfast and Cork, each elected a lord mayor of the Jewish faith, the most prominent being Dublin’s Robert Briscoe.
For decades, Dublin had its “Little Jerusalem,” while Cork had its “Jewtown.” Until the 1950s, Dublin’s Jewish community supported eight kosher butcher shops and 12 synagogues.
Unfortunately, the Jewish population has dwindled. One 1991 estimate stated that there were 1,581 Jews in the Republic and 410 in the North.
Many young Irish Jews have sought better opportunities in the U.S. and Britain. There are an estimated 350 Irish-born Jews living in Israel today.
Of course, the most famous Irish Jew who immigrated to Israel was Chaim Herzog, who was elected the president of Israel in 1983. Born in Belfast and raised in Dublin, Herzog spoke fluent English, Gaelic, Hebrew and Yiddish. His father was the chief rabbi of Ireland and later would become the chief rabbi of Israel.
Two books have been written on the subject, The Jews of Ireland by Louis Hyman (1972) and Jews in Twentieth Century Ireland by Dermot Keogh (1998). The best site for information in Ireland’s Jewish heritage is www.JewishIreland.com.
The Irish Jewish Museum is a fascinating place for all tourists to Ireland. When I have made a donation to the museum in the memory of a friend, the family is not only touched to receive the acknowledgement from the museum, but also the enclosed informational pamphlet fascinates them. Donations can be sent to — the Irish Jewish Museum, 3/4 Walworth Road, South Circular Road, Dublin 8, Ireland.
John F. Rahill
West Hartford, Connecticut
What’s ‘Real’ Torture?
SHOULD I and your columnist John Spain happen to find ourselves imprisoned together by a sadistic regime, for both our sakes, I pray to God that the two of us are subjected to punching, kicking, baton beatings, sodomy, attack dogs, nudity, electric shock, sex and feces humiliation and sleep deprivation, but not to any of that “real torture” the likes of which, according to Spain in his column in the May 26-June 1 issue, occurred when Saddam ran the prisons.
Martin Ames
Parkton, Maryland
The ‘Dish’ on EastEnders
WITH the cancellation of EastEnders on BBC America last September 27, the Dish Network picked up where it last left off on June 6. The schedule will include four episodes each on Sunday and Monday at 9:00 p.m. Encore repeats will be on Thursdays and Fridays.
You do have to pay $9.95 and whatever the monthly charges are for subscribing to Dish Network. Unfortunately, for most of us New Yorkers who live in apartment buildings, there is a problem with getting the Dish Network since satellites are not permitted on the rooftops, especially if the landlord disapproves.
It is just very unfair that only one cable provider is offering this service and not DirecTV, Comcast or Adelphia. I am speaking out for most of the EastEnders fans here in the U.S. to take action along with myself, and fight to get this program on the other pay-per-view cable companies by writing to BBC America and not leave the rest of us in the cold.
Hopefully with the success of Dish Network, all the other cable companies will jump the bandwagon if BBC America has no intentions of ever picking up the best British soap opera ever to come out of the U.K.
Anne Marie O’Dea
New York, New York
Follow Christ in Work
GOD is not a Republican, nor is he a Democrat. However, the Democrats who were at one time the home party for many Catholics have, it seems, in many cases deserted the Catholic Church, and Christ, by their pro-abortion stand.
I do think the Kennedys, Kerrys, Cuomos, McGreeveys and the like should not be allowed to duck the issue of abortion and the church — and that goes for a few Republicans too. I am personally opposed, but I must obey the law of the land.
To equate the death penalty with abortion, as was done by Tom Deignan in his “Sidewalks” column of May 12-18, is reckless and misleading. His Holiness, who has spoken against the death penalty, did add that it could be used in rare instances. This is surely quite a difference from a total ban on abortion, the killing of innocent, defenseless life.
I’m happy that the bishops have taken a stand against political scoundrels. I would not prohibit them from receiving the sacrament, but I would instead instruct the people not to vote for these pro-choice political advocates. Surely our Catholic politicians should, in their work, follow Christ.
John Dillon
Bronx, New York
Washington for Sinn Fein
SINN Fein translates, “Ourselves Alone” and/or “Ourselves Together.” George Washington favored both concepts.
He endorsed the complete political and economic independence and separation from the British monarchy (the Ourselves Alone notion). He also supported the idea of political and economic unity, not only for America, a United States, but also for Ireland, a united Ireland (the Ourselves together notion).
History records that George Washington fought for and dedicated his life to the universal (Sinn Fein) ideals of freedom, independence and unity.
Today, Washington would stand with Sinn Fein and defend the moral high ground of popular sovereignty; the belief that power, to be just, must be given freely, and come from the people.
Washington, for these beliefs was defamed as a criminal, a traitor, and an outlaw. Why?
Because he publicly condemned and protested as outrageous and tyrannical British laws allowing, without popular consent, forced military occupation. He also condemned laws forbidding the holding of elections and the right to vote, and laws giving Parliament a permanent veto over all local legislation.
Washington particularly opposed laws establishing a centrally controlled, military-type police force. He wanted police, like Sinn Fein does today, to be organized and controlled locally.
Washington condemned these acts in 1776. Today, Sinn Fein also condemns these British policies in Ireland as immoral and illegal.
Washington today would be an active Shinner because Sinn Fein is the only party in Ireland that truly and consistently champions Washington’s ideals.
Washington maintained in 1776, as Sinn Fein does today, that good government is based on authority, not force. Government based on military force or parliamentary decree is not legitimate.
The facts show that Washington would vote Sinn Fein for the simple reason that Sinn Fein has been a popular mandate by Irish Nationalists.
Washington, before, and during, his presidency, gave public support for Irish national independence.
Hal Cousins
Del City, Oklahoma
The Irish Liberals
THE Irish Voice these days is replete with diatribes against America and Israel. It would seem that contempt for our nation and the Jewish state has become a core value of the “Massachusetts liberal” crowd –- in tandem, of course, with enthusiasm for the abortion holocaust.
Your pages also indicate that many of our Irish cousins, in stride with the Vatican, are much more critical of America’s efforts to liberate and stabilize Iraq than they ever were of Hitler’s endeavors to enslave all of Europe. The blindest indeed are those who will not see.
We can but hope and pray that come next November Irish America will prove itself, once again, to be made of sterner stuff.
Tom Mahoney
Buffalo Grove, Illinois
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