Moving to a Jewish area as a non-jew

[SilverDoublet]

Hi all, just a quick one as I feel a bit strange to be posting this. We are looking at moving house and recently saw a lovely house which ticked most of the boxes. It's been very hard to find somewhere like this as we have a larger than average family. On doing our research on the house and area, we realised there are quite a few Jewish families on the road and a staunch Israeli family a few doors down. My husband, Catholic, is now concerned that maybe our kids will have to deal with assumptions they are Jewish and deal with unpleasant behaviour possibly? We are not Jewish, so I don't know if this is even a thing, or if it is going on... Do Jews feel unsafe where they live and is there antisocial behaviour towards them in their areas? Also maybe the Jewish families would prefer a Jewish family to buy the house and we'll feel odd living there... Not trying to cause any offence to anyone here.
Thanks.

Is it a well known Jewish area? If so, there may be CST (special officers who patrol) presence.

Unless you look visibly Jewish you should be fine.

My husband has only received abuse when wearing his kippah and tzitziyot (tassels on his shirt).

In what way is the Israeli family staunch?? Do you mean Zionist?

Sorry if that came across as snippy! I’m just a bit paranoid at the moment.

Really it depends what type of Jews for their attitude towards you. Ultra religious Chassidic Jews (the type where the little boys have long sidecurls and they speak yiddish) probably won't have much to do with you. Other types of jews will probably be friendly enough, they may or may not be happy with your kids playing together. Most Jewish people in the UK live in mixed areas...I grew up in Hackney, we were on speaking terms with our neighbours but didn't really play with them (they were religious Muslims FWIW).

I don't see why people would think you are Jewish because you live in a Jewish area.

There is a Jewish school very close to it and a synagogue less than a 5 minute drive away. How would we find out if there are CST?
Yes, the Israeli family are Zionist. We don't look Jewish. Im just worried in case we might feel like the odd ones in there.

What’s the name of the area?

You'll be fine, but won't get along with your neighbours if you think Zionism is a dirty word.

FYI, the majority of Jews in touch with their Judaism are Zionists. It is just a belief that Jews should be afforded the same right to self-determination in their homeland, as all other peoples. It is not a racist, hateful ideology, no matter what people who have no idea what they're talking about try to say. The term has been hijacked. You're probably a Zionist if prodded.

Israel is a beautiful country, flourishing in art and science. There is nothing wrong with being proud of it or "staunchly Israeli".

The judgement of the phrase ‘staunchly Israeli’ would suggest this is not the house for you. Neighbours are important and if you are going in with this attitude you won’t be happy.

Israelis are… Israelis. They can’t really pretend to be anything more or less than that.

I don’t think you’d be at any particular risk (in fact I’m not sure what risk you’re worried about particularly) but I don’t think you’d feel at home there either.

I haven't met those particular Israeli neighbours. Another parent I know described them that way, and said they like to go into details of the politics of Israel and Gaza with anyone who will listen.
I've never been around anyone like that before, so not sure what to think. I don't agree with what Israel is doing. Do most Jewish people abroad support what is happening in Israel?

I cannot speak for most Jewish people. Or any Jewish people besides me. Another odd question.

With the assumption that you’re not trying to insult me, I would kindly suggest you keep looking.

I'm sorry. I am not trying to insult you. I thought people might discuss what is going on in Israel. It is certainly being discussed by all other areas of society.

I find your assumptions a bit odd. Ask yourself why you think it would be terrible to be mistaken for Jewish.

the more Orthodox the neighbours the less they will socialise with you (it’s not personal). But without knowing anything about the area or the types of people who live there I couldn’t say more.

If the area happens to be South Liverpool you’ll be fine

For your neighbours sake, I think you’d best look somewhere else.

Noooooo! We’ve enough anti Zionists here 😆

I'm not anti-semitic, I am easy going and don't get involved in the politics but I am aware there is a growing anti-semitic sentiment due to the war and wouldn't like my kids to have any issues with any of these people.... I don't know if any of you have experienced anti- semitism?

Are you trolling? This is such a strange post.

Of course we have experienced antisemitism. Every single Jewish person has. Every generation has.

I do not think you should buy this house.

G-d forbid you and your children should get caught up in it.

Meanwhile my children’s school has security on the doors.

My toddler daughter was heckled off a bus with my husband to shouts of “JEW!” and spitting.

My friend’s 12-year-old twins were burned alive in their homes on a kibbutz on October 7.

My great-aunt was gassed at Auschwitz at the age of 7.

I’ve been doxxed and cyberstalked. Told I should be gassed like my grandparents.

i could go on but I won’t.

This is appalling, whereabouts do you live? I'm not aware of anything like that around our area, but I never get public transport and kids are not in a Jewish school. But maybe I'm just not encountering it and it is out there...

Can I ask why would you encounter it if you’re not Jewish? The Jewish community is tiny, the visibly Jewish element even tinier.

actually that’s what makes me laugh when people comment about their ‘Jewish friends’ being anti Israeli. From a sheer numbers perspective it’s so statistically unlikely, and yet so many people manage to have these unicorns as friends 🤔

fwiw I lived in areas with large populations of Orthodox, traditional, non religious, and Hasidic Jews, and we had non Jewish neighbours too. Not many with families with young kids though that I can think of.

Living in a Jewish area, is all I'm asking about. If there was any sort of abuse directed towards the neighbours or a security issue at the Jewish school which is very near the house. Maybe it's a non issue, I just don't know, so that's why I asked here. My husband mentioned it first as he thought there was a security guard outside the Jewish school.

@SilverDoublet

I would be very surprised if Jewish people gave you grief / abuse for being a neighbour.

I am very surprised your husband and you seem to be unaware that Jewish schools may have or need security at them.

Do you know / realise that Synagogues have had security for years ?!!! I am going back to the 80's in NW London when I say that.

I would be very happy to live in a Jewish area, and when :) I win the lottery I shall be buying in / around Hampstead Garden Suburb.

As a non Jewish person I find your thread or at least your further replies on it suspicious.

Where I currently live, there are not many Jewish people. We are not in the UK so I was unaware. I'm not concerned about Jewish people giving us abuse at all, more that others might give abuse to the Jewish neighbours in front of my kids. Or assume my kids are Jewish and give them abuse.

Also have heard that Jewish people keep to their own cummunity a lot. It's not too much of a problem for me, but I'd like my kids to be able to play with other children on the road.
Not sure what you mean about my thread being suspicious...

Would depend on the community - some will very much keep to themselves, others won’t. It really depends on where you’re looking at. Some ( a limited few) speak Yiddish as their mother tongue.
cant comment on whether you’ll witness antisemitic abuse 🤷‍♀️

It’s a very odd question but also there’s too much unknown. If these are Orthodox Jews they won’t mix much with you for lots of reasons, if it’s a more liberal community they won’t care, if you keep talking about aggressively Israeli families they will all stop talking to you altogether. It sounds like you aren’t even in the Uk so anything we might know wouldn’t even help. I think if your big concern about antisemitism is that your poor innocent children might have to look at it, you should stay away.