Latvia, Lithuania: People beaten up because they look Jewish

British pop-culture monthly Uncut excited music fans this month with its review of what may be the world’s first Finnish-Jewish blues trio. Trouble was, the magazine got it wrong. Talmud Beach may have a Jewish name, but none of its players are members of the tribe. The band’s moniker, though, bears a Semitic connection. Bearded, hat-wearing guitarist Aleksi Lukander nearly got beaten for his “Jewish” looks, “and the experience led to the phrase Talmud Beach,” says their label’s website. 

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I didn’t think too much of it before in Riga and Kaunas some drunken men were quite offensive towards me and only because of how I looked. We also had to face one truly violent accident and our Esthonian friends got beaten up very badly by some Russian guys — it was also so clearly reminiscent of the complicated history of Russia and Esthonia.

More: Jewish Daily Forward