Life / Being a Jew in modern-day Poland; Israeli Jew who is of Polish descent [269]


Disappointing to read that, perhaps it depends on the neighbourhood? I have seen (very, very rarely though) some orthodox Jewish people walking around in skullcaps etc in the city centre here, and they seemed totally fine. There is also some memorial in Hebrew opposite one of the cinemas here and that memorial seems clean of any scrawls and well kept. It's probably just a few pockets dotted here and there. Of course, such pockets can poison a larger group, so nothing must ever be assumed. Indeed, there is a group (I have no connection) called 'Never Again' about keeping guard

nigdywiecej.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=237

Life / Being a Jew in modern-day Poland; Israeli Jew who is of Polish descent [269]

There's also this article about life in Warsaw: forward.com/articles/187138/poland-s-jewish-revival-marred-by-anti-semitism/


However, Jewish burial sites in the UK have been badly vandalized in the past too, for sure.

Life / Being a Jew in modern-day Poland; Israeli Jew who is of Polish descent [269]

Just to put it into perspective without wishing to suggest it's definitely insignificant as no one can know for sure -- but I recall seeing probably worse stuff on walls in the UK in the 1970s and maybe early 1980s including (in SE England) "Jews keep off the grass" along with swastikas and 'yids' etc etc etc. At my school, a memorable enough percentage of wooden desks had a swastika carved into them (something like 1 in every classroom at least, and it was a big school on a council estate).

One thing I just remembered, I was in Sepolno or nearby (part of Wroclaw) last month and saw a swastika on the exterior wall of a block of low rise flats but somebody had drawn a black X over it to cross it out. That's more than I ever saw in England to be honest. (Note in my most recent experiences in the South of the UK, approx the last 10 years, I don't recall seeing swastikas or a/s scrawls in the areas I visited.)

Life / Being a Jew in modern-day Poland; Israeli Jew who is of Polish descent [269]


I see the odd swastika here and there and have photographs of them. I also once saw 'Tusk Zydo/Zyd [can't remember exactly]' or something like that on the bus shelter near the main shopping mall in very large letters. Whether the people scrawling them fully realise what they mean is another question. Among some of the older Poles, I'd say there is some sort of grudge held by some of the more, shall we say, unsophisticated types. They (a small-ish minority, probably) seem to have some very strong idea that Any Jew=Evil Communist, period. Speak to younger members of the Jewish community if you can find any, and they seem unfazed and unconcerned. Around Wroclaw right now near Skytower (possibly Gajowicka street) there is a black hangman graffiti scrawl with a star of David where the noose goes. It is quite big, can be seen from my bus. I think there are a few around the city, they seem recent or at least I don't recall seeing them before. They are probably the work of a small number or just one person, but they do exist. I don't recall seeing similar things in England although probably there are similar ugly scrawls in parts of London and Manchester too. My point is, be open but don't forget.

(There are annual Jewish cultural events in Wroclaw advertised on posters from time to time and thankfully these have never been defaced to my knowledge.)

History / Polish Easter Tradition is also pagan! [47]

Attendance markedly down at the churches attended by people I know in Krzyki. However, plenty attended the basket 'blessings' in shifts in other parishes towards the city centre. Far fewer younger people at the 'blessings' than I recall seeing in the past. Starting to look like the UK where the younger ones drop out.

Life / What are the best cars to buy in Poland? [40]

Ditto.

Btw, how much would it cost to register a, for example, German plate car here in PL? Less than a monkey (in GBP) ? Many of the German used cars are considerably less to buy online.

Life / What are the best cars to buy in Poland? [40]

If I had the spare cash or a regular, definite income instead of having to pay ZUS come rain or shine each month, I'd buy new or nearly new from a main dealer. That said, I've heard bad tales about main dealers here - but of course we have rogue main dealers in the U K too.

If ever I need a new car, I'll look into whether it can be deducted against tax if purchased or leased.

Life / What are the best cars to buy in Poland? [40]

So far I've unintentionally got rid of 3 sellers (probably dealers) by politely mentioning in emails that I want to see the documents before I buy. They also seem very unwilling to give precise addresses. When buying a used car, it's very important to meet the seller somewhere that it seems they do work or live. If a private seller, you should make sure you see them exit the address's front door, so you can be sure it's them. A trick some suggest is asking to use their loo, so you can make sure they have access to the address on the reg document and are not a dealer or tea leaf.

I agree about the Swift, it's on my shortlist and has been for some time.

USA, Canada / Is it possible to send chocolates for Easter from USA to Wroclaw? [3]

Customs regulations, you mean?

Or do you mean something like Interflora but for chocolates?

If the latter: I don't know them, but try chocobox.pl for local chocs.

UK, Ireland / Language students in Reading, UK, any groups/classes I can join? Set a group up? [8]


Yes, Slough. It's about 30 mins away by car.

Perhaps also try: facebook.com/polonia.reading

Travel / Where do Polish people fly to for beach vacations in the winter? [34]

I think most fly out to Clacton in the UK: visitessex.com/clacton/

It's brill.

Life / Pączki Day--do Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme count? [39]

I'll try it, although not in front of my Lent-observant Polish companions !

I hope Biedronka's doesn't contain palm oil (olej palmowy) as palm oil is controversial to say the least
saynotopalmoil.com/palm-oil.php

I've now almost completelt cut out palm oil products from my weekly shop. It isn't too difficult.

As much as I dislike Carrefour, their own brand crisps seem to have veg oil, not palm, so I always buy my crisps there.

Life / Pączki Day--do Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme count? [39]

It's fascinating what people did in times past. Thanks again for this insight. I'm not sure whether modern times through enlightenment make for gentler and more humane treatment of one another, or less. Perhaps I need to read more history to truly compare, but I like to think we're less barbaric to one another now on this planet, although doubtless the Holocaust and more recent genocides would probably put a lot of doubt on this.

Anyway, back to the doughnuts. I'm enjoying one (sorry, not a Catholic) while reading some of Cindy's pages. Although I'm not her target audience, the book holds a reader's attention:


And if you want to know what happens next, you'll have to download the book -- or promise me a doughnut!

(Nie nie nie, I won't really do a spoiler, Cindy, don't fret!)

Life / Pączki Day--do Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme count? [39]

@DominicB
A great history, and as Cindy says:


Seconded!

Life / Pączki Day--do Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme count? [39]

Thank you for correcting me. I wasn't previously aware it was actually tied to Ash Wednesday, I'd thought it was just a happy coincidence as FT is taken as a bit of fun when as AW is of course an official religious date in the calendar based on when Easter falls.

By the by but something I didn't know:

Do you have to give something up for Lent starting on Ash Wednesday?

While it's encouraged by some Christian denominations to give up something for the duration of Lent, it is by no means an obligation, at least for Catholics. Aside from abstaining from meat on Fridays during lent, and fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, Catholics are not required or forced to give up anything on Ash Wednesday or the duration of Lent.

It seems Ash Wednesday falls 46 days* before Easter, and the date of Easter varies, so:
Why does the date of Easter vary by more than a month?

Because the ancient Egyptians and Hebrews used different calendars. The Egyptians had one based on the movement of the sun, which was passed on through the Romans and Christian culture to become the modern world's standard. The Jews had one based on the phases of the moon - as Islam does, which is why the month of Ramadan moves round the calendar and takes places at different times of the year each year, with Muslims waiting for sightings of the moon before they know what day it will begin.

Easter is one of the festivals which tries to harmonise the solar and lunar calendars. As a general rule, Easter falls on the first Sunday, following the first full moon after 21 March. But not always.

I've gone some way off topic or so it would seem, but was not previously aware that by eating a doughnut on FT I would be, in some way at least, participating in AW!

*While Lent is 40 days, Sundays are not included in the count.There are six Sundays that fall within the 40 days of Lent, so Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, falls 46 days before Easter every year.

Life / Pączki Day--do Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme count? [39]

I'd no such luck as home-made ones. Yes, I think I heard something about marmalade ones too, but I got a shop-made rose jam example, which was interesting shall we say!

Life / Pączki Day--do Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme count? [39]

Well, this is going to seem unbelievable but I've never had a Dunkin' Donut or Krispy Kreme etc etc. From what I recall of seeing them being eaten by others, they have icing or fancy choc finishes. The doughnuts here are similar to British ones but slightly bigger. They are traditional in appearance, soft and mostly without icing, a sugary coating, but sometimes some decent jam in the middle which squirts down my white shirt when I least expect it. Of course, fancy specimens can be found, but they're not the ones typically seen around office desks on FT.

Life / Pączki Day--do Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme count? [39]

For anyone new to Poland and browsing the forum, the OP is probably referring to the Polish tradition of "Fat Thursday" which is the last Thurs of the month of Feb. It's traditional to eat doughnuts/donuts on that day or other sweet or fattening things.

I had a rose jam filled doughnut. Interesting but not a patch on Sainsbury's jam-filled loose doughnuts last time I tried one.

With Lent starting tomorrow for religious people, sales and consumption of doughnuts was markedly up on Thursday and probably today.

Life / Is a prescription needed to get morning after pills in Poland? [34]

I think it's prescription only, yes.


Recent law change? Wikipedia says this: Poland

Postinor-2 and Escapelle are available by medical prescription.[/quote]
Here it says the same, ie prescription only
ec-ec.org/emergency-contraception-in-europe/emergency-contraception-availability-in-europe

News / Der Spiegel: "Poles are now the masters of Europe" [49]

Yeah - Krakow's Air Quality Among the Worst in the World

Law / Starting small local shop in Poland - the steps? [17]

Perhaps you should get your wife's agreement to do this in Poland, after all if she was happy to do it then she'd seek this information for you herself directly from the proper bodies and offices, wouldn't she. Remember, marriage is a partnership, a two-way thing, and you have demonstrated that she is not in agreement or otherwise you'd not need the forum, would you Nigel?

Food / The great British baked bean in Poland [26]

They're about 5zl a tin if you know where to look ;o)

Love / What do you like most about Polish girls? :) [120]


I hate being fussed over, ugh so clingy and unsexy. I like to be left in peace, after they've made and served dinner and fetched me my slippers and glass of malt whisky. If they're very well behaved, I may pleasure them later (read them some Catherine Cookson, what did you think I meant?)

Work / What are the income tax rates for someone living in Poland as a resident? [8]

If I was earning US$6000 a month, I'd find some cash to pay a lawyer and accountant for professional advice rather than ask on a forum. Funny old world.

Life / Help with Polish address - the correct way of putting that on an envelope? [29]


That's interesting, and suggests that either the person is found by their name in the village or that they have a unique postcode for their dwelling, presumably a house or cottage if in a village, because there is no house name or number. In the UK, that would be an incomplete address, for sure. That said, UK post offices have been known to find people by just surname and village name when an envelope is only partially-addressed -- they regard it as a bit of an interesting challenge, perhaps. (Of course, at other times a correctly addressed and postcoded letter for Birmigham ends up delivered 6 months late via Istanbul.)

Life / Help with Polish address - the correct way of putting that on an envelope? [29]


No, I don't think so. You have the name of a village and county, but no first line of the address to get the letter to their letterbox unless the family is well-known in the village, and of course you're also minus a postcode/ZIP which might be something similar to 62-510 (eg 6?-???)

Someone else might know how to get the ZIP and how to get the building address.

Law / Laws on walking a dog in Polska [67]


Although I understand where you're coming from, bear in mind that what you said to her (rightly or wrongly) could've landed you in hot water, especially if she was a dolled-up off-duty police officer, and stranger things can happen, especially as she may be keeping fit for a reason. Anyway, tomorrow's another day, enjoy your dog walking and put the whole thing down to a learning exercise which we all have both at home and abroad. On the subject of dog health, there is this worrying and mystery disease in the UK at present, be on guard for lesions etc (fatal, possibly Alabama Rot)

telegraph.co.uk/health/petshealth/10586412/Dog-owners-put-on-alert-of-killer-disease.html

Law / Laws on walking a dog in Polska [67]

One man and his dog -- many diametrically opposed views.

I had always thought CS doesn't work on dogs, lately I've been advised that they're sold here specifically for that purpose.

Law / Laws on walking a dog in Polska [67]


Do you speak Polish? I get some cheek thrown my way at times here, I often wish I could verbally slap them in Polish. Sorry to hear of that aggro, btw. Silly moo, sounds like some Brits I know in the UK. I suppose in her defence she might have been bitten before or as a child. I have met at least two Poles here who have been attacked and scarred by dogs as children. Brit postmen will also tell you that what seems like a cute, family dog can turn very nasty when they visit a house to bring mail.

Work / Teaching English in Poland? I am American and I have the CELTA certification. [42]

You're normally right, in my experience on here.