Is there anti-semitism in Wyoming? (Cheyenne, Casper: transplants, attorney, houses)

[BennyPhoenix]

I may be moving to Casper or Cheyenne this summer as part of my job. My boss gave me the option to move Or I can stay where I am. I dont like it much where I am so I would not object to moving.
BUT, I am an observant Jew and I wear a yarmulke. I can handle myself and anyone who wants to get violent will be surprised and will lose. However, I am more concerned for my children and wife. I dont want them being the objects of hateful, ignorant fools. I want them to be able to make friends and feel safe in school and public. I know what it's like to have comments made to you in school, I went through it and it was miserable, I dont want my children to have to go through it.
I would like to hear from both jews and non-jews.
Thank you in advance.

[sunsprit]

Wyoming (as well as NE Colorado area) has a very long tolerant history of Jewish immigration ... as cowboys, as well as shopkeepers. In Cheyenne, Mt Sinai Synagogue is the center of Jewish activity, with all welcome. I'd mention that they just got a new rabbi this summer, who alternates her time between a Los Angeles obligation and duties here in Cheyenne.

My attorney's family comes from Cheyenne ... he's a Cheyenne native, and his family owned several clothing stores in the region for many years (since early 1900's). They were pretty observant, and I've never heard him mention any adverse community (or individuals) reaction to their faith. Quite the contrary, I've heard nothing but how well liked and respected as members of the community and friendships that his family had in the area.

As I've mentioned in many other Wyoming posts, the only prejudice I think you'll encounter here is that which you bring with you. Come on out, be a responsible neighbor, friend, and member of the community ... and you'll do fine.

The last thing on most folk's minds out here is questioning your faith or ethnicity. We're more concerned with how you treat your livestock, keep your property, and ride your horse.

FWIW, there's also a substantial Mennonite community presence here in Cheyenne. They wear unique identifying clothing, head coverings, and are very identifiable in the community as being observant in their religious beliefs. You'll see them everywhere you'd go for shopping, hunting, fishing, or working. They have numerous businesses ... landscaping, excavating, trucking, farming, ranching, construction, fencing, farm products, etc. They do a lot of trade with non-members of their faith. As a group they don't have any problems here .... and they're well known for giving freely of their time to assist others around here when misfortune strikes. I know they recently spent a lot of time helping in the clean-up of Wellington (CO) after a tornado struck this year .... giving food and needed supplies to those who'd lost everything, and helped rebuild houses with their own labor and materials at no cost to the folks they helped. Significantly, they did it without any fanfare, publicity, or outside assistance ... they just showed up to help folks in need with their tools, equipment, materials, food, and labor.

[wyoman]

Originally Posted by bennyphoenix

i may be moving to casper or cheyenne this summer as part of my job. My boss gave me the option to move or i can stay where i am. I dont like it much where i am so i would not object to moving.
But, i am an observant jew and i wear a yarmulke. I can handle myself and anyone who wants to get violent will be surprised and will lose. However, i am more concerned for my children and wife. I dont want them being the objects of hateful, ignorant fools. I want them to be able to make friends and feel safe in school and public. I know what it's like to have comments made to you in school, i went through it and it was miserable, i dont want my children to have to go through it.
I would like to hear from both jews and non-jews.
Thank you in advance.

you don't have to defeat us just join us in our great state-you and your beautiful family will find wyo to enjoy the principles of faith that you do-one god-enjoyed by all by the way-we have great schools an great teachers that will ensure your children will be not singled out for any reason and will be given time to worship in the way they are used to give wyo a try-just don't get over push'y and give it some time-you will like it here

[mrkool]

Originally Posted by BennyPhoenix

. I can handle myself and anyone who wants to get violent will be surprised and will lose. .

Gee... really??? That's quite a statement there, bud. So essentially you are saying that you are tougher than just about *anyone.*
Maybe your true calling is to participate in a "Toughman" or "Ultimate Fighting" competition. Just a thought.

[BennyPhoenix]

Sunspirit,
I'm not very good on a horse, but am willing to learn. Maybe it's a good way to integrate into the community, I'm sure my family would like it.
The reason I am asking about anti-semitism is that I've lived New York city, Phoenix(where I grew up), L.A. and Boulder. I went to college in Boulder in the early '90s, it was the most hate filled place I have ever experienced. For a college town it was the most narrow minded intolerant place I've ever seen. It's proximity to Wyoming is why I am concerned.
Phoenix today is much better than it was when I grew up, and Los Angeles seems to be about the same. All places have their racists, I dont expect heaven, but I certainly dont want to live in another boulder.

[NVDave]

Originally Posted by BennyPhoenix

Sunspirit,
I'm not very good on a horse, but am willing to learn. Maybe it's a good way to integrate into the community, I'm sure my family would like it.
The reason I am asking about anti-semitism is that I've lived New York city, Phoenix(where I grew up), L.A. and Boulder. I went to college in Boulder in the early '90s, it was the most hate filled place I have ever experienced. For a college town it was the most narrow minded intolerant place I've ever seen. It's proximity to Wyoming is why I am concerned.
Phoenix today is much better than it was when I grew up, and Los Angeles seems to be about the same. All places have their racists, I dont expect heaven, but I certainly dont want to live in another boulder.

Boulder is NOT like the rest of the west. It just happens to be in the west.

Boulder is the Berkeley of Colorado.

If you went to Berzerkely, California, you'd get the same invective and crapstorm - only worse.

I think you'll find that there is no place in Wyoming that is anything like Boulder.

[MRVphotog]

Originally Posted by NVDave

Boulder is NOT like the rest of the west. It just happens to be in the west.

Boulder is the Berkeley of Colorado.

If you went to Berzerkely, California, you'd get the same invective and crapstorm - only worse.

I'm laughing because that is so true. The only diference is that I always described Boulder as a combination of San Fransisco and New York City.

Boulder in the early '90s, it was the most hate filled place I have ever experienced. For a college town it was the most narrow minded intolerant place I've ever seen

I spent alot of time in Boulder starting in 1968 until I left the west in 1996. I always stayed with old friends who were Jewish transplants from NYC area who moved to Boulder in 1962. I'm Jewish. In those early years we always joked about how many CU students were driving around with Jersey/NY plates.

Being Jewish I understand why you wear a yarmulke but that is the main reason you experienced negetive feedback. It's not right that you were confronted with that, it just is.

In all the time I spent in Boulder I, nor my friends who still live in Boulder, their kids have gotten married, had kids who all except one still live in Boulder, experienced what you described above. Sure there were a few minor incidents over the years but that's pretty normal IMHO.

There are always locals who don't have alot of experience with a diferent culture and will therefore react poorly out of fear from ignorance. Not just in Boulder or the west but everywhere.

It's usually minor but the incident a few years ago outside of Laramie with the two gay men is one of the most violent examples of this for a country called the greatest melting pot of diferent cultures ever. Does this mean Wyoming is anti-gay. Hell no, nothing could be further from the truth.

You have a choice, you can only wear your yarmulke for just high holy days and when you go to your place of worship, it will mostly stop. If you have boys and make them wear on to school then you are setting them up for the same incidents you described if it a place with a small Jewish population.

If you feel you have no choice and have to wear your yarmulke, please understand I do admire your strength and conviction.

[BennyPhoenix]

MRV,
When I was in elementary school I did not wear a yarmulke and school was miserable. Phoenix, by the time I got to high school changed a lot and that started to go away. I started wearing a yarmulke at about age 13.
I've encountered anti-semitism everywhere I've lived, I know to expect a certain amount, most is just ignorance and after talking to some of these people I think I temper their ignorance. One white supremacist I spoke to actually has become one of my best friends and he has had relationships with non-whites. Some people can change.
What I experienced in boulder was more than mere words. I had rocks thrown at me, was shot at with a paintgun, and had people(college students) come up to my face and yell vile words at me(And mostly by women), this was on campus.
I travel through the west a lot, I've been in dozens of very small towns and all the major cities. But these were always short stays of a few days and the only thing I've experienced on these trips were people asking what I was wearing on my head and one person thought I was a priest. A few days in a place is not enough to know the true feel of a town.
Salt Lake City gets me the most questions, but I have to say it seems to be the place that is most respectful of my religion. I think they are the friendliest people as a whole.

[jwiley]

Originally Posted by BennyPhoenix

Sunspirit,
I'm not very good on a horse, but am willing to learn. Maybe it's a good way to integrate into the community, I'm sure my family would like it.
The reason I am asking about anti-semitism is that I've lived New York city, Phoenix(where I grew up), L.A. and Boulder. I went to college in Boulder in the early '90s, it was the most hate filled place I have ever experienced. For a college town it was the most narrow minded intolerant place I've ever seen. It's proximity to Wyoming is why I am concerned.
Phoenix today is much better than it was when I grew up, and Los Angeles seems to be about the same. All places have their racists, I dont expect heaven, but I certainly dont want to live in another boulder.

As a Northern Colorado native please do not attach the hate filled liberals in Boulder to the rest of the state, as they are the total opposite of the rest of Colorado natives. AS for my experience with people from and in Wyoming, they are the type who live and let live, as long as you do not try to push your beliefs on them, or mess with their lifestyle, you will be fine.

[BennyPhoenix]

jwiley,
I in no way meant to insult anyone. I was only stating my experience of living in Boulder for 4 years and how it compared to my experience living in other cities. From the responses to my comments it seems that boulder has a pocket of nazism in an area surrounded by normal people.
And I should also state that I met many, befriended some, and worked with many people in boulder who did not share the beliefs of those anti-semites that seem to flourish in boulder. There are many fine people in boulder. It is a pity that a city as beautiful as boulder also has such a large number of fools.