IT’S REALLY NOT DANGEROUS TO TRAVEL EAST
I was surprised to read Sandy Rashty’s article ( Comment, July 11) on the difficulties of a Jewish person going to Shoreditch. I do not regard myself as an “oh-so-enlightened eco-friendly & try-to-be-diverse Jew” or a “tree-hugging hippy” as she tweeted last week, but I still find myself in total disagreement with her argument.
While at work in Shoreditch last week, a non-Jewish colleague drew the article to my attention, asking: “Do Jews really think this?” I was embarrassed.
I would even go so far as to argue that suggesting that, as Jews, we can only mix with other Jewish “bankers, lawyers and teachers” is borderline racism. Imagine if a politician said they didn’t like going to Golders Green and mixing with Jews, or any other ethno-religious group.
The image this gives out to our non-Jewish neighbours is worrying, making us look insular, and only acting to encourage prejudice and antisemitism.
The outside world reading Ms Rashty’s article will simply assume that, as Jews, we are incapable of embracing British culture and mixing with anyone else. Sam Mohr Cyprus Road, London, N3
The East is clearly no place for nice Jewish girls, well at least ignorant ones.
“Modern” Jewish girl Sandy, with her not-so-modern perspective of the world outside the North London bubble, seems to think the East is no place for nice Jewish girls.
Sandy may not be aware of it but while the Jewish contingent in East London and Essex may be viewed as an endangered species by those on their northern pedestals, we are still very much here and enjoying our lives in fun, Jewish-princess-free places such as Shoreditch.
Being unwilling to disclose your Jewish identity to strangers is a personal problem, cultivated from judgments and biases that people like Sandy have convinced themselves they will be met with if they utter the taboo words of “I’m a Jew”.
Hardly modern of her to believe religion is going to make you a social pariah. Although you may be met by questions like “so you don’t eat bacon?” or “how do you feel about Hamas?” It’s about how you handle the situation that matters. Corinne Abrahams (22-year-old, nice Jewish girl from East London) Southdown Crescent, Ilford, Essex