The Jews and Italians

Growing up in a blended family in Brooklyn, New York, his mother was Jewish and his father was Italian, Alan Kasal explains the similarities he intuited as a child between these two groups.
To learn more about the Wexler Oral History Project, visit: www.yiddishbookcenter.org/tell...

[@sternandrew1]

My father is an Icelandic Jew my mother is Cuban. I'm an Icecube

[@genekendrick679]

🤣🤣🤣

[@aimtcb]

🤣🤣🤣classic

[@blairenovick5300]

That's an amazing mix!!

[@basedarsonist]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@mattfreelie55]

I had no idea we had representatives out in Iceland. That's awesome! 😂😂😂

[@reskinbozzioklan4691]

I’m Italian and have many relatives who are Jewish. Very common back in the day in Brooklyn to see Jews and Italians marry. The two cultures have always gotten along really well

[@turk5832]

I'm a Jew from Queens and I have many Italian relatives through marriage. I know exactly what he means. It's truly a comfort zone between Jews and Italians. When we get together for family occasions, an outsider couldn't tell who was Italian and who was Jewish! The comedian Sebastian Manascalco said it best...."Jews and Italians, very similar. They say same corporation, different division!"

[@deeznutz8320]

@Eric Sirias Italians from Italy do

[@moniquemonicat]

@@deeznutz8320 True. But Jews from the East Med and Mediterranean Italians DO share similar DNA, this is where the familiarity stems from. Nordic Italians and East Euro Jews I'm not sure. Italians can always tell Italians, just as an American always can tell who's American. But outsiders can't tell that is true!

[@moniquemonicat]

In regards to the food, Manascalco also said let the Italians cater the meals :) So true!

[@sternandrew1]

Until it's time to vote..

[@Julian-ke2tg]

But ur name is turk

[@Bulvan123]

Jews and Italians are very culturally similar.

[@JaneEva]

This is only southern Italians amd Jews who cultures are similar. I have a Jewish mother and a Northern Italian father and the two sides of my family could not be more different.

[@monsieurlemon]

Jews and Italians are both Mediterraneans, along with Greeks

[@sugarjoe50]

Sunday dinner: spaghetti & matzoballs.

[@marco86mir98]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha....

[@cuchulainnmcfie387]

Salmon carpacio and gefilte fisch.

[@morehn]

Good eye

[@ulexite-tv]

My Jewish mother married my Sicilian-American father -- and DNA shows me to be 85% Jewish, hence my "Sicilian" grandparents were, in part, crypto-Jews. DNA also shows me to have some North African Amazigh (Berber) ancestors.

[@Jason-hb9nu]

It's the same thing in Boston but it's the Italians and the Irish. Boston Mut, half Italian half Irish. Brooklyn Mut, half Italian half Jewish.

[@beholden1663]

Eric Sirias the Jews are present in Boston ( Brookline, Newton). Brandeis University is in the Boston area as well

[@Julian-ke2tg]

So in Boston there are many italians and Irish people?

[@moniquemonicat]

New York is where Italians and Jews share a sense of familiarity. Comradery. It was a decision. In many cases, similar physical characteristics. Definitely the Jewish mom and the Italian mom VERY SIMILAR!!! That's proof to me there's some ancient DNA ties.

[@bunnybird9342]

It's because most of the Italians that came to America were from the southern area which tends to be darker, most of the Jews in America are Ashkenazi, and Italians and Ashkenazim are closely related. It's not very hard.

[@Lagolop]

I look Swedish and I am 95% Ashkenazi Jewish ... you cannot stereotype Jews because we are diverse looking.

[@erectilereptile7383]

@@Lagolopare you Hasidic? Many Hasidic Jews look Slavic, even though Ashkenazi are genetically Mediterranean

[@moniquemonicat]

One word: ROME! Our physical similarities with Jews of East Med are undeniable, we lived side by side centuries. East Med surfaced in my Italian family's DNA. We have bravado, they have smarts; we don't like their religion, they don't like ours, despite this we like Jews and Jews like Italians esp in the USA. Only Italians and Jews understand this.

[@jimmasen9721]

What explains the Piedmont, Lombardy, and the Veneto. I get the sort of Love/Hate because we have too much in common. I agree in the US, Italian Jews blend in with any Sicilian, Neapolitan, Umbrian, etc. Although the Italian Jewish population is smaller in Italy today and not many outside of Israel, either.

[@saristeier6658]

What really explains this is the American Experience.

[@Chestermcfly420]

I am an Italian Jew from Philly And I must say I had a lot of mixed friends to some were black and white and me and them had a lot in common I never felt like I was white and I always felt like I was different

[@annavallone128]

I have a very interesting background. My father was born Jewish, my mother was born/raised Italian Catholic but my mother had an Orthodox Jewish conversion and married my dad. Many yrs later, their 2nd child (me), got into genealogy. I had 2 extensive DNA tests done and it turned out my mother's Italian DNA originated on the Iberian Peninsula. I also found my Italian grandmother's maiden name on the list of Jews expelled from Spain in 1492. A cousin on my mom's side from NV, a genealogist, told me my mother is Jewish by birth and sent me documents from Italy. When I presented all this to my mother, she said "does this mean I didn't have to convert?" (Yup) She then told me stories such as how when she was in Catholic school, if it was a Jewish holiday some kids would say, "why are you here? Isn't it a Jewish holiday?" Maybe they were just teasing her, or maybe they knew or sensed something she didn't?

[@budselectgoesoff]

🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮

[@SophiaMedici9]

I thought I was 100% Italian because all four of my grandparents were born in Italy. I recently took a DNA test and had a deep analysis done through a program called Gedmatch. The analysis estimated me to be 50% Jewish (Italian, Jew, French Jew, Sephardic, and Ashkenazi) and 50% central Italian. I wasn't exactly expecting that but I'm not surprised. While we were Roman Catholic, my mother and her sister always wore star of David under their clothes and my mother had a menorah with the star of David on it hidden away. Recently I tried to talk to my aunt about this who is still alive but she got defensive and asked if we could talk another day. So apparently there are Italian Jews who are in hiding and I am the result of their integration. I always used to hear tales of a secretbook that the family had in Italy no one ever told me was in the book.

[@SophiaMedici9]

Steve CVNT Niko i've never committed a crime nor do I plan on it

[@SophiaMedici9]

Lorenzo Roberto Cividini thank you for your response

[@67claudius]

It was not easy to be Jews in a Catholic country like Italy, even before unification. The central Italy was for a long time the Papal States and the Jews were ghettoized.

[@felixthecat2786]

Dude's a psycho, is it weird how conspiracy theorists seem to flock to Jewish related videos?

[@zzzr6765]

If you have 50% that means someone from your more recent ancestors had to Be jewish.

[@giusepperobertopiniaccio4449]

I'm italian from Germamy. I took a dna test and found out l'm 29 % sephardic jew.

[@maestrozilla]

whos last name in family was a noun? might be from that leg

[@maestrozilla]

Pinocchio is jewish lol

[@markochoversus842]

A closer circle than that, man... I couldn´t think about! Family above all, protect your ones by any way.

[@RightAway87]

Italian Americans, especially the Sicilian men, we go for either the Scottish or Irish, or Jew broads.

[@NYCfrankie]

As someone who's born and raised in Bensonhurst Brooklyn 100% Italian 50% Sicilian on my moms side 50% neapolitan on my dads this made me smile I've dated almost exclusively Russian Jewish women and Latinas and my Nonna use to always say if I wasn't gunna be with a Italian girl it had to be a Jewish girl not a putanna as she'd call most of my Puerto Rican or Dominican girlfriends because they understood us as a culture it was hilarious especially considering most of my Nonna friends were Italian or Jewish but I totally understand what he meant about the feeling in a Italian household or Jewish household its a comfort level we grew up similar compared to a Madigan household etc

[@Fit_Art1993]

To me personally, i believe he is the best of both sides/ best of both worlds. Bless his parents and all our parents .

[@spicysalad4140]

Both of my maternal grandparents were from New York (possibly both Brooklyn). My grandma was Neapolitan, and my grandpa was Ashkenazi. My dad's side of the family can be traced back to Brooklyn (and Southern Connecticut) Ashkenazim as well.

[@westhoboken8167]

It is very true that food is a big part of Italian and Jewish culture in America.I think that is why they basically got along with each other in the old neighborhoods.

[@saristeier6658]

However as a Jew I will say Italian food is sooo much better.

[@tonycasarrubia1394]

I agree and if you take the religion out of the picture it becomes more so.

[@tizianamorton4783]

no wonder I love my jewish friends.

[@yoelhorwitz3118]

Different division same conference

[@Chestermcfly420]

Same with me my father is Italian, born in Italy, and my mother is Jewish born in America

[@Fit_Art1993]

And i understand him, it makes alote of sense of how he explains everything. I agree.

[@zackf3688]

Yep, I'm 50/50 Jewish Catholic and I have to say the emphasis on food and playing cards are the two big ones.

[@jpecci1262]

Remember the uncles playing the Gin games and the Aunts playing bridge.

[@lonnyditella1569]

This is me

[@hughhughes4488]

My mom broke with the whole food obsession thing, since her mother aggressively pushed food on her and she's always (to this day) had a weight problem. She never pushed food on us, and all 4 of us have never had a weight problem.

[@morehn]

Sorry to hear

[@bitwawesome1]

Romance girl ❤

[@ruby055]

I grew up the Bronx NYC and Westchester County NY. In both areas we always seemed to be living together as a result I saw many mixed religion marriages that work. As a kid I thought the same and still do believe family and food 1st. Many of my friends were and are Jewish and I benefited greatly from our blended culture. Jews and Italians same corporation different divisions. It's strange religion isn't the glue... culture is. I have only a lots of Irish friends as I have lived in Boston for 30 years...however it's not the same. Jews always seem like family. It's really eastern and southern European vs. Northern European thing I guess.

[@sueme1954]

Southern Italians absorbed many Jews ever since the inquisition and before and even as far back as ancient Roman times. Many Jews left Italy, Spain for other parts of Europe but many stayed on.

[@user-kt1st4uu9x]

Spanish man have 20% Jewish blood on average do to mass convertion to Christianity during the inquisition

[@danielles3104]

Conversion not conversation

[@mrcreepypastaigotapastatop4461]

Conversion to catholic in Mexican inquisition Shepard jew or crypto jew from Spain or Portugal

[@jugganaut26]

Jewtalian represent.

[@blackcitroenlove]

He kind of looks like Dr Shakshuka....

[@hayleyscocoabear100]

I have this bible from the 1950s,I just got,but,talks about Paul in Rome,and the Jewish population there.King Solomon had like1,000 women,and Ephraim mixed with the nations.I am sure,many took wives where ever they found themselves.See the video Identity crisis by Jim Stayley.

[@hayleyscocoabear100]

I am 1/4 italian,on my dad`s side,but,never knew any of his family.

[@jjhall1963]

I hear ya!!! Sometimes circumcision is the only difference. :-)

[@DinaTous]

Totally agree

[@Cd-1991]

Yep

[@derisees8361]

I'm really curious to see if i've jewish blood. I would be happy. I like their culture.

[@eall5630]

what's your background?

[@moniquemonicat]

Not all Jews are of Mediterranean peoples; Jewish today it is a religion. Ancient times Jews were all Mediterranean peoples. Today there is no "Jewish DNA," shows as East Med Jews if related to Jews of ancient times; otherwise most Jews today are DNA of Europe esp Eastern Europe, these are of Mediterranean peoples.

[@eccoeco3454]

Aaaaah It took me a bit to understand what he meant, the american definition of italian, I was like what does he means there's plenty of Jewish italians from the italim, the romim (kind of a mess jews of Rome, some time called romim, which is itself a mess as greco Turkish jews use the same term, and the italim jews are kind of in a never ending debate on whose the true italian rite, well don't think anybody really cares about it anymore but a jew from Rome will probably tell you that their way are the true italian Jewish way if you ask him), the venetian jews (which used to be two separated groups the Ashkenazim and the sephardim but today mostly consider themselves mostly as one Jewish venetian community), the northern Ashkenazim, the sephardim

[@khanhquach3088]

Gambino & cosa notra

[@JaneEva]

Why is his name Kasal? That's not Italian.

[@kidmack1121]

He doesn't say which Brooklyn neighborhood he grew up in.

[@morehn]

Probably East Flatbush or somewhere nearby

[@TheGreatWhiteCount]

You get a lot of Irish and Jews marrying in Queens

[@erectilereptile7383]

True

[@goldiz1978]

Northern Italians have Phoenician ancestry Southern Italians have Greek ancestry..

[@luisatequiero1]

What you write... it's wrong!!

[@valepomponio]

Also byzantins,lombards,vikings,arabs,french,german and spanish

[@Lagolop]

Northern Italians are not phoenicians or have that DNA...LOL. If anything they are more like Austrians, Swiss, Germans and Ashkenazi Jewish.

[@BenjaminGessel]

English and Germans, Greeks and Turks, Yoruba and Igbo, Japanese and Koreans, Mongolians and Kazakhs, Navajos and Hopis, Russians and Poles, French and Dutch/Flemish, Spanish, Basque and Portuguese, Chinese and Vietnamese, Indian/Pakistani and Persian, Filipino and Fijian, Mexican and Colombian, Swede, Dane, Finn, Icelander and Norwegian, Irish, Welsh and Scottish, Arab and Egyptian, Ethiopian and Somalian, Zulu, Swazi, Sotho, and Xhosa, Iroquois and Algonquin, Sioux and Pawnee, Czech and Slovak, Serbian and Bosnian, Cambodian, Laotian and Thai, etc.

[@paulstieler4468]

Jimmy Hoffa / Put in for Saint Hood.

[@thatdamnmojo6321]

so what race is Jewish?

[@shawnkelly4582]

They have a different religion

[@thatdamnmojo6321]

The SNES kid. no shit but what race?

[@shawnkelly4582]

MAC VANCE Israeli

[@67claudius]

Basil Ramel Admitting true, the hypothesis of the Rhineland origin of the Askenazite Jews, they are, however, of Caucasian race.

[@maxmassimo1412]

in the 80s it was the Ohrbachs rummage sale. you should've seen tanta yetti dash to the front door at opening time

[@scottutting2729]

My fathers Jewish and my mother’s Irish

[@hoboroller5642]

You're a very lucky man 😁

[@dominickn914]

Jews lived in Italy (4% of the population of Sicily was Jewish at one point) when things turned , some left, many simply remained, adopted Catholicism. I dont think Italians see Jews as 'other' ..Italians first..Invented Religion later.

[@maestrozilla]

current its estimated at 50% jewish decendance

[@cosacercononloso]

🇮🇹❤🇮🇱

[@Sunny.352]

That’s actually interesting. I thought they hate each other

[@deeznutz8320]

In Europe yes. In America its different

[@beholden1663]

Deez Nutz in Europe ? I wouldn’t say that. Rome has an amazing synagogue that Pope John Paul visited

[@bgates275]

The strange thing, is that there is often a fine line between love and hate. An intense passion can indicate a strong connection.

[@moniquemonicat]

@@deeznutz8320 That's very true we found kinship in the USA, but remember Europe is over 50 countries and in ITALY we have good relations with Jews despite our distaste for each other's religion.

[@moniquemonicat]

@@bgates275 No, there is no hate between Italians and Jews so it is not that. We do share a type of kinship dates back to ancient times and the Jews we have good rapport especially with Jews of Mediterranean peoples.