Both Irish and Jewish immigrants settled in Protestant Brahmin Boston in the late 19th century, where they found the myth of a land of opportunity and acceptance shattered by bigotry, exploitation, exclusion and discrimination. Even as both groups were victims of Brahmin discrimination, each harbored prejudice against the other as they competed for jobs, housing, and education.This provocative film chronicles the interaction between the two ethnic communities over the last 100 years and discusses figures such as the vicious antisemite Father Charles Coughlin, Boston's "Rascal King" Mayor James Michael Curly, and Cardinal Cushing (whose installation in the 1950s gave Boston its first decidedly pro-Jewish leader). Michalczyk's film provides a deep insight into the ties that have bound two underdog communities together over a century of struggle; communities that one commentator says "share profoundly ironic and droll ways of coping with existence."
Articles
"A SHARED PAST FOR THE JEWS AND IRISH",
The Jewish Advocate, September 2007
The National Center For Jewish Film
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