A Date with a British Jew

By Marisa Davis
University of Pittsburgh

This past semester I had the pleasure of studying abroad in London, England, a glorious city filled with a Jewish population the size of my pinky finger. There are some Jewish areas, as marked by an increase in bagel stores and delis, but otherwise the presence of the Jewish population is very minimal.

However, I did have the pleasure of going on a few dates with an Orthodox Jew from Stratford, which is located inconveniently on the end of the Jubilee Line. He was obsessed with Friends, and wondered if "New Yorkers really acted like that." Daniel went to one of the only Jewish primary and secondary schools in London and continued on to University of Birmingham, a school traditionally populated heavily with Jews (sound like Binghamton!?). Throughout college and his post-college career as a blooming engineer (not a doctor or a lawyer?), he joined an organization called the European Center for Jewish Studies (ECJS), a popular group for young adults in London.

ECJS plans trips for young urban professionals to travel to different cities throughout Europe. The purpose of these trips is to give them the opportunity to socialize with other Jews on Jewish holidays such as Purim and other occasions like New Year’s Eve or Spring Break.

Except for my experiences with Daniel, I didn't have the opportunity to meet any other Jews in London. In fact, the entire Jewish population was so absent in London that I didn't even know when Passover was until the second day, when my mother called me to check if I was eating my matzah. However, notwithstanding my Jew-less experience, London was a wonderful city that should definitely be included in your travels.

Marisa C. Davis is a marketing major at The University of Pittsburgh. She is a brother in the business fraternity Delta Sigma Pi and has held positions on the executive board for the last two years. In addition, Marisa volunteers at the Humane Society and the First Tee of Pittsburgh.

[Posted 6/11/10]