FRIENDSHIPS AND TENSIONS
Our narrators shared memories of their relationships with non-Jewish neighbors—both positive and negative. Many recalled the powerful, formative education about other cultures and religions that they gained through their friendships with non-Jewish friends and neighbors. Alongside these positive interactions, many also remembered experiencing or witnessing antisemitism and discrimination.
Hear about neighborhood relations
“There was one Chinese restaurant in Dorchester, and [the owner] spoke Yiddish!”
Audio file
“Whenever you tell someone that you're from Dorchester, if they're not Jewish, they want to know what parish you're from. So, you need to know what parish you were from.”
Audio file
“Not a lot, but I do remember walking home a few times and getting called a Jewbagel.”
Audio file