yehudi
27 Dec 2009
News / Does Poland count in Europe or is it ignored? [427]
BrutalButcher
Not true. I hate status. I was told that I have none.
BrutalButcher
Not true. I hate status. I was told that I have none.
yehudi
24 Dec 2009
Life / Regional traits in Poland [27]
Maybe our classifications are out of date. A Jew from anywhere between Krakow and Brody would be considered a Galicianer, especially if he has a Hassidic background. We have in our family grandparents from Mielec, Ropczyce, Tarnow, Sienawa (pardon the spelling) and they considered themselves Galicianers. And they talked funny.
so they aren't associated with Galicia much
Maybe our classifications are out of date. A Jew from anywhere between Krakow and Brody would be considered a Galicianer, especially if he has a Hassidic background. We have in our family grandparents from Mielec, Ropczyce, Tarnow, Sienawa (pardon the spelling) and they considered themselves Galicianers. And they talked funny.
yehudi
24 Dec 2009
yehudi
24 Dec 2009
Life / Regional traits in Poland [27]
If everyone talks funny except Galicia then, let me guess, you're from Galicia?
Among Israelis the stereotypes are more or less like this:
(By the way, when we refer to Moroccans, Russians etc. we mean Jews from Morocco, Russia etc. We don't bother saying "Jews" because that's understood without saying):
Morrocans: hot tempered, very concerned about their honor and get into fights
Yemenites: Good natured, street smart, but lower in social status
Persians (Jews from Iran are called Parsis): Rich, tight with money
Romanians: Theives
Polish: (this refers to Jews who came in the 1930s): Bourgeois values, over-protective parents. An over-protective Israeli mother is called an "Ima Polaniah" (Polish Mother). To sepharadi Jews, Polish Jews are considered a bit uppity.
Russians: Every Russian street cleaner here claims he was an engineer or a chess prodigy back in Russia. They keep to themselves and don't bother integrating. Tough guys. The girls dress like sluts but they are very educated.
Gruzinim (from Georgia): Violent
Kurds: Simple, stubborn, not too bright
Syrians (mostly from Aleppo): Marry among themselves, rich, snobbish about their culture and history, women dress well.
Americans: Smart-ass, speak bad Hebrew, naive, rich
Iraqis: Business people and bankers, but live modestly, known for wearing pajamas all day around the house.
Ethiopians: Quiet, good natured, bottom of the social ladder.
Regional Stereotypes:
Tel Avivis think that the world is Tel Aviv and know nothing about the country around them. Very western in lifestyle, leftist politically, vote Labor, anti-religious (this is a gross overstatement since there are all kinds of people in Tel Aviv that don't fit that description at all).
Jerusalemites: Insular people who never leave the city and get lost when they visit Tel Aviv. Jerusalemites don't know how to swim (no beach). They go to sleep early.
Tiberias (Tverianim): Low class, but good sense of humor, have strange local expressions.
Sderot: Simple, low class, honest people, salt of the earth
Kibbutzniks: They think they're big shots just because their grandparents were big shots.
Moshavniks (small farming villagers): Thought of as selfish kulaks by the kibbutzbiks
I think I've insulted enough people for one post. Of course none of these stereotypes are true.
If everyone talks funny except Galicia then, let me guess, you're from Galicia?
do you have any stereotypes of american, ( todays ) european or israeli jews ( from different parts of the country )?
Among Israelis the stereotypes are more or less like this:
(By the way, when we refer to Moroccans, Russians etc. we mean Jews from Morocco, Russia etc. We don't bother saying "Jews" because that's understood without saying):
Morrocans: hot tempered, very concerned about their honor and get into fights
Yemenites: Good natured, street smart, but lower in social status
Persians (Jews from Iran are called Parsis): Rich, tight with money
Romanians: Theives
Polish: (this refers to Jews who came in the 1930s): Bourgeois values, over-protective parents. An over-protective Israeli mother is called an "Ima Polaniah" (Polish Mother). To sepharadi Jews, Polish Jews are considered a bit uppity.
Russians: Every Russian street cleaner here claims he was an engineer or a chess prodigy back in Russia. They keep to themselves and don't bother integrating. Tough guys. The girls dress like sluts but they are very educated.
Gruzinim (from Georgia): Violent
Kurds: Simple, stubborn, not too bright
Syrians (mostly from Aleppo): Marry among themselves, rich, snobbish about their culture and history, women dress well.
Americans: Smart-ass, speak bad Hebrew, naive, rich
Iraqis: Business people and bankers, but live modestly, known for wearing pajamas all day around the house.
Ethiopians: Quiet, good natured, bottom of the social ladder.
Regional Stereotypes:
Tel Avivis think that the world is Tel Aviv and know nothing about the country around them. Very western in lifestyle, leftist politically, vote Labor, anti-religious (this is a gross overstatement since there are all kinds of people in Tel Aviv that don't fit that description at all).
Jerusalemites: Insular people who never leave the city and get lost when they visit Tel Aviv. Jerusalemites don't know how to swim (no beach). They go to sleep early.
Tiberias (Tverianim): Low class, but good sense of humor, have strange local expressions.
Sderot: Simple, low class, honest people, salt of the earth
Kibbutzniks: They think they're big shots just because their grandparents were big shots.
Moshavniks (small farming villagers): Thought of as selfish kulaks by the kibbutzbiks
I think I've insulted enough people for one post. Of course none of these stereotypes are true.
yehudi
23 Dec 2009
Life / Regional traits in Poland [27]
It was like that in the 1930s, but it's not like that at all now. Hebrew's position is much more secure now and there are much fewer Yiddish speakers than there were before the war (an understatement) so there's no supression of Yiddish. It's looked at now with nostalgia,but not many people still speak it – mostly older people from Europe and Haredim (young and old).
Ashkenazim and Sepharadim are overlapping a lot now and many people are half and half. But the stereotype is that the Ashkenazim are more successful and snobby. The Russians in Israel are technically Ashkenazim but they are so different that we have separate stereotypes as about them.
(I have to go now, but I hope to see some interesting comments in the morning.)
What's the standing of the Ashkenazim in Israel of today? I've once read Yiddish is looked down upon and was even for awhile forbidden to push hebrew, is that still so?
It was like that in the 1930s, but it's not like that at all now. Hebrew's position is much more secure now and there are much fewer Yiddish speakers than there were before the war (an understatement) so there's no supression of Yiddish. It's looked at now with nostalgia,but not many people still speak it – mostly older people from Europe and Haredim (young and old).
Ashkenazim and Sepharadim are overlapping a lot now and many people are half and half. But the stereotype is that the Ashkenazim are more successful and snobby. The Russians in Israel are technically Ashkenazim but they are so different that we have separate stereotypes as about them.
(I have to go now, but I hope to see some interesting comments in the morning.)
yehudi
23 Dec 2009
Life / Regional traits in Poland [27]
Now that all the threads about Jews have gotten so boring and predictable, I want to open a different kind of discussion. I've been curious about this:
Among Jews we have some stereotypes about the Jews of different regions of Poland. For example, Jews from Galizia were said to be cheerful, friendly people, but not very intellectual. (My grandfather said that if you see a Jew walking down the street smiling for no good reason, he's probably a Galizianer.) Jews from the northeast and Lithuania are said to be dry intellectuals, and the Galizianers think of them as being less than pious. Jews from small towns in the Lublin area were considered very religious and a bit backward (at least to the more urban Jews from Warsaw). German Jews were thought of as rigid and obsessive about their traditions and about neatness and respectability. We also have stereotypes about Hungarian Jews. My question is: Do any of these stereotypes reflect a similar stereotype about non-Jews from these same regions?
Now that all the threads about Jews have gotten so boring and predictable, I want to open a different kind of discussion. I've been curious about this:
Among Jews we have some stereotypes about the Jews of different regions of Poland. For example, Jews from Galizia were said to be cheerful, friendly people, but not very intellectual. (My grandfather said that if you see a Jew walking down the street smiling for no good reason, he's probably a Galizianer.) Jews from the northeast and Lithuania are said to be dry intellectuals, and the Galizianers think of them as being less than pious. Jews from small towns in the Lublin area were considered very religious and a bit backward (at least to the more urban Jews from Warsaw). German Jews were thought of as rigid and obsessive about their traditions and about neatness and respectability. We also have stereotypes about Hungarian Jews. My question is: Do any of these stereotypes reflect a similar stereotype about non-Jews from these same regions?
yehudi
21 Dec 2009
Genealogy / I Gotta Ask: Who Else Is a Jewish-Polish Person With an Interesting Testimony? [48]
So does mine.
I am a bit sensitive to the term Jew as my wife practices the Jewish faith.
So does mine.
yehudi
21 Dec 2009
Life / Why do so many people in Poland have issues with Judaism? [69]
But the liberalism of Israel in relation to Arab society is only a small part of the conflict. The fact is that settlers, who the West sees as the main obstacle to peace are mostly religious Jews living a conservative lifestyle. The leftist "peace" advocates who call for giving the palestinians the west bank are mostly secular people who live liberal lifestyles. The Arabs hate both groups equally.
I agree 100%. There is a dichotomy in Israel. On the one hand there is a tradition of european liberalism. On the other hand there is the Jewish religious tradition. As a young society made up of people from all over the world it will generations to build a consensus on how society should function. I think we should be happy that this process is for the most part non-violent. America, for example, was a country torn apart by different ways of life and it had the Civil War where hundred of thousands of people were killed. France made the move from monarchy to liberalism by having the Reign of Terror. So in Israel we have differences within our society, but I believe that in time it will work out peacefully, and we will have a society based on Jewish religious values, following G-d's laws while being part of the wider world.
Part of the middle east crisis is that Israel is percieved as being too liberal, which, in this case, is just a euphemism for "western",
But the liberalism of Israel in relation to Arab society is only a small part of the conflict. The fact is that settlers, who the West sees as the main obstacle to peace are mostly religious Jews living a conservative lifestyle. The leftist "peace" advocates who call for giving the palestinians the west bank are mostly secular people who live liberal lifestyles. The Arabs hate both groups equally.
the Bible clearly states many times throughout the Old Testament, it's in the best interest of Israelites to follow God's commandments and not stray.
I agree 100%. There is a dichotomy in Israel. On the one hand there is a tradition of european liberalism. On the other hand there is the Jewish religious tradition. As a young society made up of people from all over the world it will generations to build a consensus on how society should function. I think we should be happy that this process is for the most part non-violent. America, for example, was a country torn apart by different ways of life and it had the Civil War where hundred of thousands of people were killed. France made the move from monarchy to liberalism by having the Reign of Terror. So in Israel we have differences within our society, but I believe that in time it will work out peacefully, and we will have a society based on Jewish religious values, following G-d's laws while being part of the wider world.
yehudi
20 Dec 2009
Life / Why do so many people in Poland have issues with Judaism? [69]
Breeding grounds? What are we , mosquitos?
Cast their net? What am I, Spiderman?
Why can't you just say that many Jews settled in Poland and that others lived in other parts of Europe? You can drop the sinister undertones. What I'd like to know is what the Scots are up to with their infiltration of their Polish educational system. Have they cast their net so far east? Where do these people breed?
Poland and Russia were fertile breeding grounds for them,
Breeding grounds? What are we , mosquitos?
They cast their net wide across Europe.
Cast their net? What am I, Spiderman?
Why can't you just say that many Jews settled in Poland and that others lived in other parts of Europe? You can drop the sinister undertones. What I'd like to know is what the Scots are up to with their infiltration of their Polish educational system. Have they cast their net so far east? Where do these people breed?
yehudi
20 Dec 2009
Genealogy / I Gotta Ask: Who Else Is a Jewish-Polish Person With an Interesting Testimony? [48]
That's like saying the term "Pole" is derogatory. It is only to someone who thinks it is.
The term Jew is derogatory
That's like saying the term "Pole" is derogatory. It is only to someone who thinks it is.
yehudi
12 Nov 2009
History / Pole, Jew and dog: all have the same faith. [33]
I don't know much about Ukrainian humour or TV advertising, but i do know that most of what you read in the newspaper is not true. So I would not be surprised if this TV advert never really happened. Maybe it was a sick joke of creative types who worked too late and smoked too much hashish. But did anyone actually see it on TV?
I don't know much about Ukrainian humour or TV advertising, but i do know that most of what you read in the newspaper is not true. So I would not be surprised if this TV advert never really happened. Maybe it was a sick joke of creative types who worked too late and smoked too much hashish. But did anyone actually see it on TV?
yehudi
8 Nov 2009
yehudi
8 Nov 2009
News / JEW YOUTH SHOULD CLEAN UP THEIR ACT IN POLAND [420]
It's just not true. What you are referring to is Lehi (aka "Stern gang" by the british) who had some of it's people trying to make a deal with the nazis, who looked at that point like they might win the war, to work against Britain who they saw as preventing the only hope for the Jews - a safe haven in palestine. It was a stupid, immoral idea and it wasn't carried out. And that group was in no way representative of the overall Zionist movement. They were outcasts in pre-independence jewish palestine. Some of their people later became prominent politicians, after they became considerably more moderate.
As for Irgun supporting the Nazis ? I just throw this into any Zionist thread as it gets them going
It's just not true. What you are referring to is Lehi (aka "Stern gang" by the british) who had some of it's people trying to make a deal with the nazis, who looked at that point like they might win the war, to work against Britain who they saw as preventing the only hope for the Jews - a safe haven in palestine. It was a stupid, immoral idea and it wasn't carried out. And that group was in no way representative of the overall Zionist movement. They were outcasts in pre-independence jewish palestine. Some of their people later became prominent politicians, after they became considerably more moderate.
yehudi
8 Nov 2009
News / JEW YOUTH SHOULD CLEAN UP THEIR ACT IN POLAND [420]
Any other groups killed there just for being born?
Any other groups feel the need to drape themselves in a flag or just the Israelis ?
Any other groups killed there just for being born?
yehudi
8 Nov 2009
News / JEW YOUTH SHOULD CLEAN UP THEIR ACT IN POLAND [420]
1jola
An armband perpetuates our status as victims. The national flag of israel expresses our current status as an independent, free nation. The Israeli youth who visit the camps don't just want to empathize with the victims (often their own grandparents), but also to express their rejection of victimhood.
So it might look superficially like football hooliganism, but beneath that is a very real and relevant expression. In any event it's not an anti-polish expression at all. But it is sometimes flaunted in the face of Poles because they were the witnesses of our humiliation and destruction, so now there is an urge to make them witness our rebirth.
1jola
've travelled to many countries, and have never felt to wear my flag to feel proud. Star of David armbands would be more appropriate.
An armband perpetuates our status as victims. The national flag of israel expresses our current status as an independent, free nation. The Israeli youth who visit the camps don't just want to empathize with the victims (often their own grandparents), but also to express their rejection of victimhood.
So it might look superficially like football hooliganism, but beneath that is a very real and relevant expression. In any event it's not an anti-polish expression at all. But it is sometimes flaunted in the face of Poles because they were the witnesses of our humiliation and destruction, so now there is an urge to make them witness our rebirth.
yehudi
2 Nov 2009
News / JEW YOUTH SHOULD CLEAN UP THEIR ACT IN POLAND [420]
I never said that Poles are hateful. I said that Sokrates is hateful. But that's nothing a rabies shot won't solve.
If Poles are so hateful, tell me, why my wife and I have such a hard time to get tickets to see a play at the Jewish Theatre in Warsaw?
I never said that Poles are hateful. I said that Sokrates is hateful. But that's nothing a rabies shot won't solve.
yehudi
2 Nov 2009
News / JEW YOUTH SHOULD CLEAN UP THEIR ACT IN POLAND [420]
OK. So maybe Pilsudski wasn't a wonderful guy. I don't really know who the hell he was and I don't care. I know who you are though. You're a bitter, hateful person who can't find a way to express his polish patriotism without dumping on "THE JEWS". Good thing I didn't run into you on my trip to poland. I might have gotten the notion that Poles hate Jews.
Your people Yehundi, and you are just too immersed in your own racism and prejudice to talk with.
OK. So maybe Pilsudski wasn't a wonderful guy. I don't really know who the hell he was and I don't care. I know who you are though. You're a bitter, hateful person who can't find a way to express his polish patriotism without dumping on "THE JEWS". Good thing I didn't run into you on my trip to poland. I might have gotten the notion that Poles hate Jews.
yehudi
2 Nov 2009
History / Marek Edelman (1922 - 2009) [14]
That's your understanding of Hitler and Nazism, that there was an incompatibility of business methods?! That's why he gassed babies and murdered defenseless people by the millions? You twerp! Don't "Viva la resistance" me. You don't understand the first thing about any of this. Where were you educated?
He fought for all those innocent Jews who did nothing wrong. They have different business methods that Hitler couldn't accept and what he did to them was unforgivable.
That's your understanding of Hitler and Nazism, that there was an incompatibility of business methods?! That's why he gassed babies and murdered defenseless people by the millions? You twerp! Don't "Viva la resistance" me. You don't understand the first thing about any of this. Where were you educated?
yehudi
2 Nov 2009
News / JEW YOUTH SHOULD CLEAN UP THEIR ACT IN POLAND [420]
Calm down boy.
I wasn't referring to the Polish statesman Pilsudski, who was apparently a wonderful guy. I was referring to the demented participant on this forum who calls himself joe pilsudski.
Calm down boy.
I wasn't referring to the Polish statesman Pilsudski, who was apparently a wonderful guy. I was referring to the demented participant on this forum who calls himself joe pilsudski.
yehudi
1 Nov 2009
News / JEW YOUTH SHOULD CLEAN UP THEIR ACT IN POLAND [420]
I what capacity?
I was present at one march of the living,
I what capacity?
yehudi
29 Oct 2009
News / JEW YOUTH SHOULD CLEAN UP THEIR ACT IN POLAND [420]
This is right out of 1984! Jews in WWII were the ones committing genocide?! We were the ones with paranoid racial theories that threw the world into war? You can repeat a lie as many times as you want and it still won't be true. What is your problem with Jews? We don't live in your blood-soaked country anymore, and we don't run your economy or your government. We don't walk around the streets of your cities anymore. All we do is send some school kids to visit your graveyards, and you scream bloody murder. You keep protesting at the thought that there is antisemitism in Poland and all you do is froth at the mouth at anything Jewish. You are sick.
You can rest assured that here in Israel, no one gives a cr*p what you think of us.
during WW2 they went from borderline racists to genocidal murderers and traitors.
This is right out of 1984! Jews in WWII were the ones committing genocide?! We were the ones with paranoid racial theories that threw the world into war? You can repeat a lie as many times as you want and it still won't be true. What is your problem with Jews? We don't live in your blood-soaked country anymore, and we don't run your economy or your government. We don't walk around the streets of your cities anymore. All we do is send some school kids to visit your graveyards, and you scream bloody murder. You keep protesting at the thought that there is antisemitism in Poland and all you do is froth at the mouth at anything Jewish. You are sick.
You can rest assured that here in Israel, no one gives a cr*p what you think of us.
yehudi
27 Oct 2009
News / JEW YOUTH SHOULD CLEAN UP THEIR ACT IN POLAND [420]
Wow! My daughter went on a trip to Poland with her israeli school class. I thought they were just visiting places of interest to Jewish history and going to see the camps. I didn't realize they cut a swath of destruction across the holy soil. Apparently they outdid the Tartars. I'm surprised Sokrates is left to bear witness.
Wow! My daughter went on a trip to Poland with her israeli school class. I thought they were just visiting places of interest to Jewish history and going to see the camps. I didn't realize they cut a swath of destruction across the holy soil. Apparently they outdid the Tartars. I'm surprised Sokrates is left to bear witness.
yehudi
30 Sep 2009
Life / Are Polish traditions dissapearing [93]
Don't blame other religions for the problems of catholicism. I know a good religion i can recommend. Not easy to get in to. Not easy to follow. Not popular. But it's fascinating once you get to know it. It has a very long track record and was once quite widespread in Poland too.
But as I grew up, I found that we were taught a bunch of lies.Therfore I lost all faith in all religions.
Don't blame other religions for the problems of catholicism. I know a good religion i can recommend. Not easy to get in to. Not easy to follow. Not popular. But it's fascinating once you get to know it. It has a very long track record and was once quite widespread in Poland too.
yehudi
29 Sep 2009
Language / POLISH ETHNIC PEJORATIVES [23]
As a Żyd myself, I'd like to know what parchy means literally.
Żydzi - parchy
As a Żyd myself, I'd like to know what parchy means literally.
yehudi
31 Aug 2009
News / Most important invention made in Poland [53]
Esperanto was a nice idea but turned out to be a pretty useless invention, didn't it.
I'd vote for gefilte fish.
Esperanto was a nice idea but turned out to be a pretty useless invention, didn't it.
I'd vote for gefilte fish.
yehudi
30 Jul 2009
News / New York Post : "Polish" Death Camps and more [278]
Maybe it's the hunger. Today is a fast day for Jews, marking the destruction of the first and second temples – the last one in the year 70. We've been doing this every year since then. No eating or drinking for 25 hours. Who said being religious is easy.
In short, if evolution is not arbitrary, then where did the rules come from that guide it? Where did the laws of biology, physics, and mathematics come from? Were they self-created?
Gotta go rest now. I'll see you answer later.
Maybe it's the hunger. Today is a fast day for Jews, marking the destruction of the first and second temples – the last one in the year 70. We've been doing this every year since then. No eating or drinking for 25 hours. Who said being religious is easy.
In short, if evolution is not arbitrary, then where did the rules come from that guide it? Where did the laws of biology, physics, and mathematics come from? Were they self-created?
Gotta go rest now. I'll see you answer later.
yehudi
30 Jul 2009
News / New York Post : "Polish" Death Camps and more [278]
Of all the millions of possible mutations that can occur at any moment in millions of species, the series of mutations that survived lead to a human who calls himself SeanBM and writes messages on the Internet, itself invented by humans who came from that same series of impossibly lucky mutations. Sean, you are the proof that G-d is the creator, you atheist you.
There is nothing arbitrary about evolution.
Of all the millions of possible mutations that can occur at any moment in millions of species, the series of mutations that survived lead to a human who calls himself SeanBM and writes messages on the Internet, itself invented by humans who came from that same series of impossibly lucky mutations. Sean, you are the proof that G-d is the creator, you atheist you.
yehudi
30 Jul 2009
News / New York Post : "Polish" Death Camps and more [278]
I can't speak for Torq's religion (he does a good job of that himself) but you sure don't understand mine. Judaism is all about taking full responsibility for one's actions.
Exactly. "Fear of heaven" is a major concept that helps guide moral judgement of humans.
The Jewish religion is not meant to provide Jews with a "comfortable" life. It's meant to fulfil a relationship with G-d. That includes the burden of judging yourself by G-d's rules.
You can't prove or disprove the existence of G-d scientifically but to me the idea that the world just happened arbitrarily with no creator is more absurd than saying that the Mona Lisa wasn't painted by Da Vinci but just happened when some paint spilled on a canvas.
Unlike religious people, i have to take full responsibility for my actions
I can't speak for Torq's religion (he does a good job of that himself) but you sure don't understand mine. Judaism is all about taking full responsibility for one's actions.
I don't feel comfort AT ALL. It makes me tremble with fear when I think that one day I will have to face the judgement of the living God.
Exactly. "Fear of heaven" is a major concept that helps guide moral judgement of humans.
The Jewish religion is not meant to provide Jews with a "comfortable" life. It's meant to fulfil a relationship with G-d. That includes the burden of judging yourself by G-d's rules.
Can you disprove that there is a spaghetti monster? No but it still does not make it true.
You can't prove or disprove the existence of G-d scientifically but to me the idea that the world just happened arbitrarily with no creator is more absurd than saying that the Mona Lisa wasn't painted by Da Vinci but just happened when some paint spilled on a canvas.
yehudi
29 Jul 2009
News / New York Post : "Polish" Death Camps and more [278]
You're very welcome. I'm impressed with the hebrew.
Toda mikol halew for the good laugh :-)
You're very welcome. I'm impressed with the hebrew.
yehudi
28 Jul 2009
News / New York Post : "Polish" Death Camps and more [278]
G-d made it our homeland back then, and we lived in it for about 2000 years till we were forced out.
And since then we've made it clear that we still claim it, and every nation we lived with made it clear that they wished we'd go back to it.
If the Visigoths were around today you could ask them. But they aren't. We are, and that's a big difference.
What exactly makes the ME your homeland?
G-d made it our homeland back then, and we lived in it for about 2000 years till we were forced out.
You left it 2000 years back.
And since then we've made it clear that we still claim it, and every nation we lived with made it clear that they wished we'd go back to it.
Lots of tribes wandered during these times...should they all now too demand their old haunts back?
If the Visigoths were around today you could ask them. But they aren't. We are, and that's a big difference.