The theme for this year's Holocaust Memorial Day is Journeys. There were many journeys made during the Holocaust but before I talk about them, let me ask you what journeys you have made?
I think of numerous journeys I have made and am making: journeys to different countries either on holiday or for educational purposes, including the journey to Auschwitz-Birkenau which started my journey as a Holocaust Educational Trust Ambassador; the journey my family made from South Africa to Australia to Scotland to England; the journey I made through school; the journey I made to university and am making now; and, arguably the most joyful, journey of my Christian walk with God.
So what journeys have you made? Think about them now.
How similar or different are they to the journeys made during the Holocaust? Are those journeys truly unique journeys?
There were the Kindertransports that brought children all around Europe to this country and others. There were the journeys to the ghettos of squalid and cramped lifestyles. Then there were the most well-known journeys: to the concentration camps, the gas chambers, and up through the chimneys. There were long cold dark train journeys where victims were cramped into small compartments for hours on end like tinned sardines. There were the death marches. There were journeys away from loved ones: family, friends, belongings, homes. And yet, there were also journeys of hope. Journeys were made for freedom. Journeys were made by the liberators, bringing freedom and an end of Nazi persecution. There were the journeys to fresh starts in Palestine, in the Promised Land.
These is not an exhaustive list. There were many more and there are many unique stories of unique journeys. There are many more journeys made by victims of subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, Darfur. Our duty is to remember and never forget each of these. Our duty is to try and make the journeys of the future ones of hope and joy. Remembering the stories of the few remaining survivors we have now will allow the next generation and the next generation and so on to experience better journeys of all forms that will allow them to celebrate their diversity and achieve their potential.
Journeys: what will you pledge to do differently this year to bring about the best of them?
Friday 7 February 2014
Friday 20 September 2013
The Jewish September: a new year and two festivals
Rosh Hashanah! How has the start of the Jewish new year been for you? How has the new academic year been? How has the return to work been, if you took a summer holiday or vacation?
Mine has been relevantly quiet compared to the summer. This week is my first week back in Canterbury for university and I am settling into a new student house. Before I returned on Monday, I was able to relax a little at home after a very hectic summer of work at a Shetland Pony Club!
In stark contrast, for the Jews, the last three weeks have been a time of quiet and refreshment. For them September has been a time of reflection and awe; awe for the Lord their God and the forgiveness and goodness he has shown them. While it has been a quiet few weeks, it has also been a strict regulated few weeks for the more devote and orthodox Jews, it has been a time of celebration and rejoicing and relaxation.
September for the Jews began with their New Year, the year 5774 in their calendar. To celebrate their new year they send greetings cards and spend time with their family. Traditionally, it was the Feast of Passover that marked the start of the year. Passover remembered the time that God passed through the land of Egypt and every firstborn son in every household, who did not paint the doorposts of their houses with the blood of a lamb as commanded by the Lord to Moses, died. It was the time when Pharaoh finally let the people of Israel leave Egypt and they left guided by the Lord to the Promised Land that flowed with milk and honey. You can read about the Passover and the Exodus in the Bible in Exodus 12. Therefore, originally, the feast of Passover celebrated what God did: it was God who rescued and freed Israel from slavery in Egypt.
However, the rabbis, the Jewish rulers of the synagogues, wanted to be doing something at this time of celebration. Hence, Rosh Hashanah is also the time of the Feast of Trumpets. This feast, through the blasting of the shofar, a trumpet made from a ram's horn, calls Jews to wake up. From what? It calls them to wake up from their sins, to repent of their sins.
The new year leads immediately into the Ten Days of Awe, which is a time of reflection and repentance. It is a celebration where Jews can be doing something themselves, rather than just God's actions being remembered. Therefore, for ten days after Rosh Hashanah, Jews take time out from their everyday lives and jobs, to think about their sins and to, practically, restore their relationships which may have been broken or disturbed in same way. This all leads to the climactic and most important day in the Jewish year.
Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, is the most important day for Jews for many reasons. All the sins they have committed throughout the bygone year are atoned for on this day. This is the last day where they can appeal before their judgement and names can be can be sealed in the Book of Life. This is the last day where they can repent of their sins and make amends with God, family, and friends. You can read about the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 23: 26-32.
Yom Kippur is a complete Sabbath day. It is a 25 hour fast from eating and drinking, with many other rules and prohibitions, such as wearing white clothes as a symbol of purification and humility (read Isaiah 1:18). Most of the day will be spent at the synagogue praying and coming before God. In the form of services, the day continues until nightfall when the shofar will be blown.
Yom Kippur appears to us to be a hard and difficult day to uphold. However, when there is sincere devotion to the God of Israel (as Jews profess when they say the Shema, from Deuteronomy 6:4), there is the belief that strict adherence and effort to repent and atone for sins will save a person.
For Christians, the Day of Atonement is, and should not, be distanced from their faith. The principle and concept is found in the Hebrew Bible (I have listed the references for you to look up). We are called to repent of our sins continually but we do not have to continually seek atonement for our sins. We have been atoned once-for-all by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Through his death on the Cross and shedding of his blood, his innocent blood, we are freed from slavery to sin. We are made right with God and given access to a complete and satisfying relationship with him by his grace he showed in sending his Son to die for our sins. We are called to repent and believe in Jesus, therefore. It means that we can live without fear of sin, death, and judgement. For those who do believe that Jesus is the Son of God and died for our sins, we will be in the Lord's Book of Life.
Knowing that my sins are forgiven and atoned for, certainly makes me want to believe and live wholeheartedly for the one true and living God. To simply say and believe the Shema , knowing that you do not have to live or work or follow any rules to be saved, is one of the most satisfying and fulfilling things ever, and it certainly causes me to want to give thanks for what God has done, through his Son, to save me.
This is what the second festival of Jews is about: celebration, joy, and thanksgiving. Succot, or the Feast of Tabernacles is a harvest-time festival. It is a time of celebration of God's goodness towards us, in forgiving and saving us. 'Succot' means 'booths' and during the festival, Jews construct temporary shelters that they spend the day, or days, in. It takes them back to the days after the Exodus when they lived in temporary shelters in the wilderness of the Sinai peninsula. This festival is instituted in Leviticus 23:33-44. It forces them to simplify life and enjoy the goodness and glory of God, who forgives and provides all that we need. Where else do we have to look for our help and aid? The psalmist tells us that it is God who is our refuge and strength (Psalm 46:1). Jews can remember through Succot that they are temporarily moving about and unsettled, but one day there is a Promised Land that the Lord will give them as their own and which is abundant in goodness, an important factor in the hope that many Holocaust victims had. For now though after all they have reflected upon and been through since Rosh Hashanah, this is the time to give praise and thanks to the Lord their God.
For Christians too the Feast of Tabernacles points to our promised and eternal life with God in heaven, beyond all that this world has to offer. It is only promised to those who repent and believe in Jesus as their Saviour, but if you do that, you are only foreigners and strangers passing though this world. The joy and peace that Jesus gives is better than anything else and makes you want to, in the same way as Jews do during Succot, want to praise and enjoy the glory of God all the more.
To conclude, these are three of the most recent festivals that Jews have and still are celebrating this month of September. Although it seems strange to be celebrating a new year halfway though the year, these Jewish festivals do well to remind us of our physical and spiritual conditions. Oh, how I would love Christian society to still keep and celebrate these feasts, and all the other ones that I haven't had time to write about. They are such brilliant reminders of the gospel of Jesus and grace of God in forgiving us. That is the great thing about the Christian faith though: we do not have to keep the rules and regulations of sacrifices and special days (sacrificing a lamb would be a bit weird now I think!). No, we can now be saved simply by believing in Christ and Christ alone. Faith in Christ crucified is all we are called to do and that causes us to celebrate and praise God not just one day, not just every Sunday, but all the time!
I'm not trying to convert anyone through this. All I want to do is tell you about the Jewish religion and culture that is so rich and part of our Christian faith. This is the life that Jews have lived for centuries, but which the Nazi regime destroyed or attempted to destroy during the Holocaust. And yet it lives on in Israel and across the world, and in Christianity, because these concepts are all agreeable with the Christian faith. The one difference is the fulfilment of these institutions and concepts in Jesus. It is good news that we do not have to abide to such strict rules and feasts as the Day of Atonement, but it is great to be reminded of our need to repent and our salvation and atonement in Jesus, that means that, like and with Jews, we can give praise and thanks to the Lord our God for all his goodness.
Next time... Israel!
Also, please leave a comment with any thoughts or questions you have from what I have written. It is something I would love to talk about!
Mine has been relevantly quiet compared to the summer. This week is my first week back in Canterbury for university and I am settling into a new student house. Before I returned on Monday, I was able to relax a little at home after a very hectic summer of work at a Shetland Pony Club!
In stark contrast, for the Jews, the last three weeks have been a time of quiet and refreshment. For them September has been a time of reflection and awe; awe for the Lord their God and the forgiveness and goodness he has shown them. While it has been a quiet few weeks, it has also been a strict regulated few weeks for the more devote and orthodox Jews, it has been a time of celebration and rejoicing and relaxation.
September for the Jews began with their New Year, the year 5774 in their calendar. To celebrate their new year they send greetings cards and spend time with their family. Traditionally, it was the Feast of Passover that marked the start of the year. Passover remembered the time that God passed through the land of Egypt and every firstborn son in every household, who did not paint the doorposts of their houses with the blood of a lamb as commanded by the Lord to Moses, died. It was the time when Pharaoh finally let the people of Israel leave Egypt and they left guided by the Lord to the Promised Land that flowed with milk and honey. You can read about the Passover and the Exodus in the Bible in Exodus 12. Therefore, originally, the feast of Passover celebrated what God did: it was God who rescued and freed Israel from slavery in Egypt.
However, the rabbis, the Jewish rulers of the synagogues, wanted to be doing something at this time of celebration. Hence, Rosh Hashanah is also the time of the Feast of Trumpets. This feast, through the blasting of the shofar, a trumpet made from a ram's horn, calls Jews to wake up. From what? It calls them to wake up from their sins, to repent of their sins.
The new year leads immediately into the Ten Days of Awe, which is a time of reflection and repentance. It is a celebration where Jews can be doing something themselves, rather than just God's actions being remembered. Therefore, for ten days after Rosh Hashanah, Jews take time out from their everyday lives and jobs, to think about their sins and to, practically, restore their relationships which may have been broken or disturbed in same way. This all leads to the climactic and most important day in the Jewish year.
Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, is the most important day for Jews for many reasons. All the sins they have committed throughout the bygone year are atoned for on this day. This is the last day where they can appeal before their judgement and names can be can be sealed in the Book of Life. This is the last day where they can repent of their sins and make amends with God, family, and friends. You can read about the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 23: 26-32.
Yom Kippur is a complete Sabbath day. It is a 25 hour fast from eating and drinking, with many other rules and prohibitions, such as wearing white clothes as a symbol of purification and humility (read Isaiah 1:18). Most of the day will be spent at the synagogue praying and coming before God. In the form of services, the day continues until nightfall when the shofar will be blown.
Yom Kippur appears to us to be a hard and difficult day to uphold. However, when there is sincere devotion to the God of Israel (as Jews profess when they say the Shema, from Deuteronomy 6:4), there is the belief that strict adherence and effort to repent and atone for sins will save a person.
For Christians, the Day of Atonement is, and should not, be distanced from their faith. The principle and concept is found in the Hebrew Bible (I have listed the references for you to look up). We are called to repent of our sins continually but we do not have to continually seek atonement for our sins. We have been atoned once-for-all by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Through his death on the Cross and shedding of his blood, his innocent blood, we are freed from slavery to sin. We are made right with God and given access to a complete and satisfying relationship with him by his grace he showed in sending his Son to die for our sins. We are called to repent and believe in Jesus, therefore. It means that we can live without fear of sin, death, and judgement. For those who do believe that Jesus is the Son of God and died for our sins, we will be in the Lord's Book of Life.
Knowing that my sins are forgiven and atoned for, certainly makes me want to believe and live wholeheartedly for the one true and living God. To simply say and believe the Shema , knowing that you do not have to live or work or follow any rules to be saved, is one of the most satisfying and fulfilling things ever, and it certainly causes me to want to give thanks for what God has done, through his Son, to save me.
This is what the second festival of Jews is about: celebration, joy, and thanksgiving. Succot, or the Feast of Tabernacles is a harvest-time festival. It is a time of celebration of God's goodness towards us, in forgiving and saving us. 'Succot' means 'booths' and during the festival, Jews construct temporary shelters that they spend the day, or days, in. It takes them back to the days after the Exodus when they lived in temporary shelters in the wilderness of the Sinai peninsula. This festival is instituted in Leviticus 23:33-44. It forces them to simplify life and enjoy the goodness and glory of God, who forgives and provides all that we need. Where else do we have to look for our help and aid? The psalmist tells us that it is God who is our refuge and strength (Psalm 46:1). Jews can remember through Succot that they are temporarily moving about and unsettled, but one day there is a Promised Land that the Lord will give them as their own and which is abundant in goodness, an important factor in the hope that many Holocaust victims had. For now though after all they have reflected upon and been through since Rosh Hashanah, this is the time to give praise and thanks to the Lord their God.
For Christians too the Feast of Tabernacles points to our promised and eternal life with God in heaven, beyond all that this world has to offer. It is only promised to those who repent and believe in Jesus as their Saviour, but if you do that, you are only foreigners and strangers passing though this world. The joy and peace that Jesus gives is better than anything else and makes you want to, in the same way as Jews do during Succot, want to praise and enjoy the glory of God all the more.
To conclude, these are three of the most recent festivals that Jews have and still are celebrating this month of September. Although it seems strange to be celebrating a new year halfway though the year, these Jewish festivals do well to remind us of our physical and spiritual conditions. Oh, how I would love Christian society to still keep and celebrate these feasts, and all the other ones that I haven't had time to write about. They are such brilliant reminders of the gospel of Jesus and grace of God in forgiving us. That is the great thing about the Christian faith though: we do not have to keep the rules and regulations of sacrifices and special days (sacrificing a lamb would be a bit weird now I think!). No, we can now be saved simply by believing in Christ and Christ alone. Faith in Christ crucified is all we are called to do and that causes us to celebrate and praise God not just one day, not just every Sunday, but all the time!
I'm not trying to convert anyone through this. All I want to do is tell you about the Jewish religion and culture that is so rich and part of our Christian faith. This is the life that Jews have lived for centuries, but which the Nazi regime destroyed or attempted to destroy during the Holocaust. And yet it lives on in Israel and across the world, and in Christianity, because these concepts are all agreeable with the Christian faith. The one difference is the fulfilment of these institutions and concepts in Jesus. It is good news that we do not have to abide to such strict rules and feasts as the Day of Atonement, but it is great to be reminded of our need to repent and our salvation and atonement in Jesus, that means that, like and with Jews, we can give praise and thanks to the Lord our God for all his goodness.
Next time... Israel!
Also, please leave a comment with any thoughts or questions you have from what I have written. It is something I would love to talk about!
Wednesday 18 September 2013
What a summer! Now to year 2!
Its been over almost two months since I said I would write about my visit to Israel. Now finally I can get round to doing so.
Israel was part of one of my most memorable summer breaks ever. Summer holidays can seem quite long and a little dull, if you are honest, when you are at school or studying, especially when, instead of going to a hot exotic country, you are stuck at home. If the summer is pro-active however, then its a completely different story. Your summer break can end up as one of the highlights of the calendar year.
Summer 2013 for me has been fantastic but quite different to previous years, not least because of Israel. This year, as the days grew longer and temperature increased, my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ has grown even more. Outwardly, I cannot clearly see it as I did during the past year at university, my first year studying and living away from home. Inwardly, though, I have grown stronger as a disciple of the Lord Jesus.
God allows us to face trials and temptations for exactly that reason: to test whether we are true disciples or not. I, having been tempted in various ways and having struggled giving time to meditating on His Word, the Bible, have come to understand more fully and more completely the rich righteousness and grace of God, and the once-for-all atoning sacrifice of Jesus for our sins. What it means to be a disciple, a follower adhering to the new life and freedom he brings of the Lord Jesus Christ, has been the result of this past summer.
Throughout August until now, I have been reading the book of the prophet, Jeremiah. He is a wonderful character of devotion and faith to God, despite immense suffering and isolation for it. Jeremiah has taught me a lot about God's faithfulness and wishes, including the desire to have a people for himself, a relationship with you and me. Vince Cable, the business secretary, has just, the other day, been likened to Jeremiah by the prime minister for prophesying that the coalition will fall apart before the next general election, but Cable noted that Jeremiah turned out right in his prophecies! And indeed Jeremiah was right because he listened and obeyed God, who in turn was faithful to the prophet and protected him.
There are some wonderful glimpses in the book too of the Lord Jesus, as in any Old Testament book: God is compassionate and merciful in that he gives us a way to be right with him and live a new and free life without suffering by repenting, believing, and following His only Son, Jesus. It was incredibly difficult to read in Jeremiah of the destruction of Jerusalem and the people of Judah, having seen how beautiful the city really is, but there is a similar result waiting for those who do not repent of their sins and their rebellion from the one holy and mighty God.
Anyone can repent and believe as it is such an easy thing to do; yes, it may be a hard life in this world to live, but it is definitely worth it for the hope at the end. For those, who have professed faith in Christ, I do not want to boast that I have grown in faith; rather, through self-examination, I have seen God's hand at work in my life this summer and want it to encourage you that anyone can grow in faith if they listen, hear, and spend time thinking and focussing on the Word of the Lord. You do not have to visit the Holy Land or have a unique spiritual or physical experience. My faith was complemented by my visit to Israel, but also simply by the times I was stuck at home this summer.
Now with the weekend behind us, I have returned to Canterbury and university. I have moved into my new 'first' house and am settling in, gradually! I am planning to help out with the Christian Union's fresher fortnight events and activities, beginning with tonight's international food evening. It looks to be a good year, starting with some fantastic housemates, but a year with a bigger workload compared to my fresher year.
On Saturday and Sunday, however, I was not very sure whether I was eager or anxious to return; there were lots of different questions and concerns racing around my head. Looking ahead now though I can see God will be in this year. If I remain focussed on him (I am definitely anticipating returning to the folk at Emmanuel Church Canterbury and participating in their plans for the year), he will be faithful and just to forgive us and sanctify us, making us righteous in his sight (1 John 1 v 9). Therefore, not only am I eager to share my experiences from Israel and lessons from the Holocaust, but I wish to share how I have come to be, and grown as, a follower of the Lord Jesus. That is the hope and foundation I stood on through trials and temptations this summer, and its the hope and foundation I plan to continuing standing on throughout the year ahead.
Israel was part of one of my most memorable summer breaks ever. Summer holidays can seem quite long and a little dull, if you are honest, when you are at school or studying, especially when, instead of going to a hot exotic country, you are stuck at home. If the summer is pro-active however, then its a completely different story. Your summer break can end up as one of the highlights of the calendar year.
Summer 2013 for me has been fantastic but quite different to previous years, not least because of Israel. This year, as the days grew longer and temperature increased, my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ has grown even more. Outwardly, I cannot clearly see it as I did during the past year at university, my first year studying and living away from home. Inwardly, though, I have grown stronger as a disciple of the Lord Jesus.
God allows us to face trials and temptations for exactly that reason: to test whether we are true disciples or not. I, having been tempted in various ways and having struggled giving time to meditating on His Word, the Bible, have come to understand more fully and more completely the rich righteousness and grace of God, and the once-for-all atoning sacrifice of Jesus for our sins. What it means to be a disciple, a follower adhering to the new life and freedom he brings of the Lord Jesus Christ, has been the result of this past summer.
Throughout August until now, I have been reading the book of the prophet, Jeremiah. He is a wonderful character of devotion and faith to God, despite immense suffering and isolation for it. Jeremiah has taught me a lot about God's faithfulness and wishes, including the desire to have a people for himself, a relationship with you and me. Vince Cable, the business secretary, has just, the other day, been likened to Jeremiah by the prime minister for prophesying that the coalition will fall apart before the next general election, but Cable noted that Jeremiah turned out right in his prophecies! And indeed Jeremiah was right because he listened and obeyed God, who in turn was faithful to the prophet and protected him.
There are some wonderful glimpses in the book too of the Lord Jesus, as in any Old Testament book: God is compassionate and merciful in that he gives us a way to be right with him and live a new and free life without suffering by repenting, believing, and following His only Son, Jesus. It was incredibly difficult to read in Jeremiah of the destruction of Jerusalem and the people of Judah, having seen how beautiful the city really is, but there is a similar result waiting for those who do not repent of their sins and their rebellion from the one holy and mighty God.
Anyone can repent and believe as it is such an easy thing to do; yes, it may be a hard life in this world to live, but it is definitely worth it for the hope at the end. For those, who have professed faith in Christ, I do not want to boast that I have grown in faith; rather, through self-examination, I have seen God's hand at work in my life this summer and want it to encourage you that anyone can grow in faith if they listen, hear, and spend time thinking and focussing on the Word of the Lord. You do not have to visit the Holy Land or have a unique spiritual or physical experience. My faith was complemented by my visit to Israel, but also simply by the times I was stuck at home this summer.
On Saturday and Sunday, however, I was not very sure whether I was eager or anxious to return; there were lots of different questions and concerns racing around my head. Looking ahead now though I can see God will be in this year. If I remain focussed on him (I am definitely anticipating returning to the folk at Emmanuel Church Canterbury and participating in their plans for the year), he will be faithful and just to forgive us and sanctify us, making us righteous in his sight (1 John 1 v 9). Therefore, not only am I eager to share my experiences from Israel and lessons from the Holocaust, but I wish to share how I have come to be, and grown as, a follower of the Lord Jesus. That is the hope and foundation I stood on through trials and temptations this summer, and its the hope and foundation I plan to continuing standing on throughout the year ahead.
Tuesday 10 September 2013
Pre-war Jewish Life: anyone would think it was us!
How many of you like food? I can say that I am a huge fan of
food, from eating to baking it! All the flavours, combinations, satisfactions,
joys from food make it one of life’s greatest pleasures. Food is a huge part of
our culture and it is a big part of the Jewish culture. Entering a Jewish
family circle or witnessing a Jewish festival will incorporate lots and lots of
food. On the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Ambassador Visit to Israel, we visited
one of the largest food markets in Jerusalem: there was a huge variety of
foods, such as sweets, fruit, pastries, spices, fish, cakes, and breads. In the
many Jewish festivals, when there is no fasting required, there will be a lot
of food as part of the remembrance and thanksgiving behind the special time.
Food is just one part of the richness of Jewish culture and society. However,
the culture that Jews show off now is very different to the one they encompassed
80 years ago.
Many Jews were merchants or shopkeepers, meaning they were based
in the centre of the towns and villages. Tzivia’s father was a grocery store
owner, resulting in their family being more middle-class. For this reason,
Tzivia and her brother could go to a public elementary school as well as a
religious elementary school. As I wrote about last week, Jewish schoolchildren had
many of the same experiences as pupils of today. One example from Tzivia of
this was the nickname given to her private Jewish teacher: ‘Berel the Melamed’
(Berel the tutor). It sounds as if she would have been taught, therefore, the
main subjects that we might learn today, but with a greater emphasis on the teachings
of the Jewish religion.
Judenpolitik in
Nazi Germany developed as Bolshevism and Socialism grew, particularly in the
Soviet Union. Tzivia and her family were active members of many youth and
social movements, including the left-wing Zionist youth movement. Zionism was a
hugely popular venture in Jewish society; the promise of a homeland for them
was a rallying point for Jews across the world. However, due to such changing
circumstances in Europe at that time, there was also significant support for
anti-Zionist and anti-religious movements. Followers of this pursued a cultural
autonomy, seeking a national Jewishness while integrating with those around
them.
Before the Holocaust there was a rich, vibrant, unique
culture among the Jewish people across Europe and the world. During the
Holocaust that way of life was turned upside down. In this blog-post, I wish to
highlight a few of the important and amazing aspects of Jewish life before the
war. Very often we can be distanced from the past. However, it should not be
like this because people in history are like us and, however the Jews have been
previously portrayed, they are not excluded. The Holocaust is relevant for today
because it shows what an ‘us’ and ‘them’ attitude can lead to. The Jews are as
like us as we are to the Jews.
In Europe, before the Second World War, the largest Jewish
community resided in Poland (see map). Due to the politics of Europe before the
First World War, the Jews were pushed into Eastern Europe. However, they were
unable to integrate with the rest of society, causing them to maintain their
culture and lifestyle. Jews have always wished to keep hold of their identity
and religion. However, one of the main features of twenty-first century Judaism
was not present in that community. Hebrew was not the most common language
among European Jewry. Rather 80% spoke Yiddish, 12% Polish and only 8% Hebrew. It
was one of the obvious changes caused by the Holocaust: Yiddish disappeared almost
entirely. Now most Jews, having either immigrated to Israel or moved to Britain,
speak English or Hebrew.
This multilingual community is displayed in the case study
of Tzivia Lubetkin. Having grown up in a Jewish family in Eastern Poland, she
spoke Yiddish at home, Polish at school, and Hebrew from the girls’ Cheder (a girls’ Hebrew school). Just as
your or my main language is usually the one spoken at home, this shows Yiddish’s
pre-dominance. However, there are other lessons we can learn from Tzivia about
the Jewish culture.
Many Jews were merchants or shopkeepers, meaning they were based
in the centre of the towns and villages. Tzivia’s father was a grocery store
owner, resulting in their family being more middle-class. For this reason,
Tzivia and her brother could go to a public elementary school as well as a
religious elementary school. As I wrote about last week, Jewish schoolchildren had
many of the same experiences as pupils of today. One example from Tzivia of
this was the nickname given to her private Jewish teacher: ‘Berel the Melamed’
(Berel the tutor). It sounds as if she would have been taught, therefore, the
main subjects that we might learn today, but with a greater emphasis on the teachings
of the Jewish religion.
The synagogue was the main place of worship for Jews since
they were and are without the Temple now; it was a centre in the Jewish
community where reformed and orthodox Jews would visit each Shabbat. Rabbis
held the highest authority, following the Jews’ rule-book called the Talmud.
This monotheistic religion found it difficult to live in a Christian Europe:
the concept of the Trinity, three parts in one God, is a sticking point for
Jews. The Shema, from Deuteronomy 6 verse 4 – “Sh’ma Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu,
Adonai Ehad” (Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one) – means they
see Christians as believing in three Gods, rather than the one absolute God,
they believe in. This and many other Judeo-Christian problems influenced the
direction that Hitler and the Nazis took during the Holocaust. However, Judaism
was not only recognised as a religion and was fast becoming what Christianity
is today: a national unifying identity and ethnicity for people.
Judenpolitik in
Nazi Germany developed as Bolshevism and Socialism grew, particularly in the
Soviet Union. Tzivia and her family were active members of many youth and
social movements, including the left-wing Zionist youth movement. Zionism was a
hugely popular venture in Jewish society; the promise of a homeland for them
was a rallying point for Jews across the world. However, due to such changing
circumstances in Europe at that time, there was also significant support for
anti-Zionist and anti-religious movements. Followers of this pursued a cultural
autonomy, seeking a national Jewishness while integrating with those around
them.
Zionism and Orthodox Judaism remain prominent today, and in
Israel, as well as Britain, you can recognise different forms of the religion,
particularly the orthodox with their black coats and hats. What may be less
recognisable today is Jewish celebrities; many people see individuals in the
spotlight without realising they are Jewish, such as the current leader of the
Labour party. In the 1940s, there were Jewish celebrities as well. For
instance, one of the most famous was the Jewish Beauty Queen and heroine, Sofia
Olda. Judaism was not just an historic and old-fashioned religion; it was a
glamorous and lively identity.
Thus, pre-war life for Jews was vibrant. Just as today’s post-war
society displays so too does that Jewish society declare: riches (and poverty),
change, and unity. There is no reason for us not to be interested in life back
then, because there were attractions then which we have now. That is what makes
the Holocaust so relevant to remember today: the Jews who lost a whole way of
life then were very much like us now. ‘Us’ and ‘them’ is just ‘us’ because they
have a complex community and culture of food, religion, politics, and popular
life. Do not just remember and reflect on a past, old, historic lifestyle but
on a vibrant, modern, thriving community.
Watch out in the future, for blog-posts about the many
different festivals that Jews celebrated...
Friday 6 September 2013
Thought for the day (and weekend)
"Against you, you only have I sinned. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." (Psalm 51 v 4,10)
The confession we all have to make: all have sinned but God has provided a way to be free of sin and made anew: faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The confession we all have to make: all have sinned but God has provided a way to be free of sin and made anew: faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Wednesday 4 September 2013
Starting school this week?
Across Great Britain, children and young people are
beginning or returning to school this week. After six weeks of a hot, sunny
summer and holidaying, including activities such as camping, travelling, or
relaxing, a new academic year begins.
These photographs show classes of Jewish children. It looks as if there was a different way to schooling then: the hats, crossed arms, smart clothing, and regimented lines suggest this. However, they actually show us very similar school days to us. As you observe them, think back to your first day of school, or first days returning to school, or when you sent your children to school for the first time. What was it like? What did you get? Who did you meet? How was the day structured? What were the teachers like? What did you have to wear? Think about these Jewish children: what did they wear, eat, take with them, and feel like? As our young people start or return to school this week, remember the young people of the 1930s and 1940s starting or returning to school as well.
This photograph tells us a lot about Jewish
schoolchildren’s pre-war lives. This little girl, named Liselote Ermann, is
holding a cone of sweets. She went to school in Germany, where it was customary
that schoolchildren received a cone of sweets on their first day of school.
Maybe you can remember something that your school gave you on your first day. I
know that I can think of many things, including timetables, which I received and
looked forward to receiving.
As the new academic year begins across this nation,
please view and share these photographs. Be inspired to take every opportunity
that arises at school or in the workplace, depending on where you are at. Be
inspired to make the futures of 2013’s young people bright. Be inspired to
fight hatred and injustice so that the lifestyles the Jews and us experience today
are not destroyed. This is just one way that the Holocaust remains relevant for
our society today.
The night before they return this week, children
will be preparing their bags, laying out their uniforms, and ensuring they have
remembered everything for the first day back. It is probably a nervous final
night of the holidays for those who are starting school for the first time. On the
other hand, it may be an anticipated evening with the promise of meeting friends
again, receiving a new timetable and diary, and getting back into routine the
next day. Starting school is a recurring event throughout childhoods but it
never ceases to bring surprises. Each year as they return, they return a year
older with a greater amount of work each time (which unfortunately means that
when you get to my age and university there is a great deal of work indeed!). Starting
school is not unique only to our society today though. 75 years ago life was
very similar and starting school was very much part of it.
These photographs show classes of Jewish children. It looks as if there was a different way to schooling then: the hats, crossed arms, smart clothing, and regimented lines suggest this. However, they actually show us very similar school days to us. As you observe them, think back to your first day of school, or first days returning to school, or when you sent your children to school for the first time. What was it like? What did you get? Who did you meet? How was the day structured? What were the teachers like? What did you have to wear? Think about these Jewish children: what did they wear, eat, take with them, and feel like? As our young people start or return to school this week, remember the young people of the 1930s and 1940s starting or returning to school as well.
Schools of the 1940s were dramatically changed and
altered however. The Second World War and specifically, the Holocaust wiped out
a complete lifestyle. The people seen in these photos (courtesy of the Holocaust
Memorial Museum, Yad Vashem in Jerusalem) saw a school life utterly destroyed.
The ‘cheder’, or religious, classes of the Jews, particularly those in Poland,
were completely destroyed. The children of Jewish schools were forced to
experience a new lifestyle if they were put on the Kindertransport across
Europe or taken to one of the many labour or concentration camps. The teachers
were forced to emigrate, hide or face the atrocities of Nazi persecution.
Jewish schools were similar to ours until the Nazis came to power.
Below are more photographs for you to look at. Many of
the children and what happened to them during the Holocaust are unknown.
However, thanks to the work of Yad Vashem and survivors who are in these
pictures, some of the children have been named. For example, three of the teachers
in the third row in the first photo currently reside in Israel.
To finish, although we are only half way through
2013 and despite beginning a new academic year, in the Jewish calendar,
September 5th is Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. I wish everyone,
therefore, a happy and successful new academic year.
(This is a New Years card sent from the town of Plunge in Lithuania in
1935. The Jewish population in 1940 was about 1,700. Only 221 Jews from Plunge
survived the war.)
Friday 30 August 2013
Dr Martin Luther King Jnr's March on Washington speech still resonates today
I expect most people know something of the preacher from Atlanta, Georgia. If they don't know about Dr King as a person, they will probably know his famous 'I have a dream' speech. What makes it so memorable? The masses he spoke too at the National Mall in Washington D.C.? The gentle rise and fall in his tone? The way he pushed his papers aside and spoke of an ideal future America?
Looking at the pictures from that day in 1963, and there are thousands of pictures, Martin Luther King's speech was an incredible feat because it was centred on hope and faith in his country. Dr King gave his life for his people and country, because he knew there was something better. There was a better way for America to go than the segregated restaurants, buses, cities, and states. A better way where his children and his fellow citizens' children could play side-by-side. A better way where black men and white men could work and live together happily. He knew there was a Promised Land somewhere. A Promised Land where there is no hatred, racism, discrimination, injustice. A Promised Land where peace, love, and compassion towards one another would be viewed.
As he looked out over the promenade in front of Lincoln's Memorial and spoke those famous words, Dr King probably saw a glimpse of that better nation he dreamt of: in the crowd that day, there were white and black people united and unified. Was that what Dr King's dream was: a country that reflected what he saw before him from that platform?
Martin Luther King's dream has not been fulfilled completely. Yet, progress has been made on the journey towards the Promised Land he believed in and died for. As America and the world celebrates the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, looking towards the future, there are clear signs that Dr King's dream is being realised.
First there was the hope that Abraham Lincoln showed as he signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1883, so fervently described by Dr King and remembered by the memorial in Washington. Then there was the hope that Dr King brought in 1963, now remembered with the newest memorial in the United States' capital. Although he did not live to see significant progress, before his assassination in 1968, Dr King continued and continues to look over America, and indeed the world as this anniversary shows, as his dream and the hope for peace, love, and compassion towards one another continues.
The memorial is not just a symbol for America though. It is for the world. The things Dr King died for still resonate today globally. While the Holocaust and First and Second World Wars provide important lessons for today, the history of the American Civil Rights Movement is also relevant for today. It is not just a racial relevance though. Injustice... racism... discrimination... hatred... are seen in the news, media, and society today. Yesterday, the House of Commons voted against British action in Syria. President Assad and his side, the rebels, the jihadist groups are engulfed in a situation that involves all of these. The British Prime Minister has said that war crimes have been committed there. Whoever is doing so worse is irrelevant for now. The point is that the democratic, equal country and peaceful, compassionate Promised Land Dr King dreamt of is not happening. Syria is only one example. There are many more cases where inequalities are apparent. The values of peace, equality, justice and unity must be the driving force of any solution to the Syria conflict and other global situations. Dr King's famous speech to America is not just a pro-America and pro-democracy one, but a pro-world and pro-peace one.
Listen to global figures read Dr King's 'I have a dream speech' (the link is at the bottom) and remember the hope that he had for his people and country. However, you may also feel that due to the concept of the video and recording, his speech is suddenly relevant for the world; it does not sound like it is just a personal matter, relevant for the black people, rather it sounds like he is speaking to you and to me. Democracy is about 'them' as much as it is about 'us'. 'I have a dream today' is about 'us' as much as it is about 'them'.
There are many other links, videos, and articles about Martin Luther King, his speeches, and civil rights movement on the BBC website to explore. History can tell us a lot about today so have a look at them. Look into the reasons and decisions around Syria and the British vote. What about writing to your MP about the issue; after all it is a democracy where they represent the people. But let's remember and celebrate that famous speech, man, and day 50 years ago, and not just for that famous line, 'I have a dream'.
Click to listen to this new recording of the speech:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23853578
[at the bottom of the page there are further links to other material]
Click to find out about the British vote in parliament:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23892783
Click to learn about the US's response:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/obama-administration-prepares-intelligence-case-on-syrian-use-of-chemical-weapons/2013/08/29/3002f180-10b6-11e3-bdf6-e4fc677d94a1_story.html?wpisrc=nl_politics
Click to find your local MP and how they voted [plus, information about how to contact them]:
http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/index.php
Looking at the pictures from that day in 1963, and there are thousands of pictures, Martin Luther King's speech was an incredible feat because it was centred on hope and faith in his country. Dr King gave his life for his people and country, because he knew there was something better. There was a better way for America to go than the segregated restaurants, buses, cities, and states. A better way where his children and his fellow citizens' children could play side-by-side. A better way where black men and white men could work and live together happily. He knew there was a Promised Land somewhere. A Promised Land where there is no hatred, racism, discrimination, injustice. A Promised Land where peace, love, and compassion towards one another would be viewed.
As he looked out over the promenade in front of Lincoln's Memorial and spoke those famous words, Dr King probably saw a glimpse of that better nation he dreamt of: in the crowd that day, there were white and black people united and unified. Was that what Dr King's dream was: a country that reflected what he saw before him from that platform?
Martin Luther King's dream has not been fulfilled completely. Yet, progress has been made on the journey towards the Promised Land he believed in and died for. As America and the world celebrates the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, looking towards the future, there are clear signs that Dr King's dream is being realised.
First there was the hope that Abraham Lincoln showed as he signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1883, so fervently described by Dr King and remembered by the memorial in Washington. Then there was the hope that Dr King brought in 1963, now remembered with the newest memorial in the United States' capital. Although he did not live to see significant progress, before his assassination in 1968, Dr King continued and continues to look over America, and indeed the world as this anniversary shows, as his dream and the hope for peace, love, and compassion towards one another continues.
The memorial is not just a symbol for America though. It is for the world. The things Dr King died for still resonate today globally. While the Holocaust and First and Second World Wars provide important lessons for today, the history of the American Civil Rights Movement is also relevant for today. It is not just a racial relevance though. Injustice... racism... discrimination... hatred... are seen in the news, media, and society today. Yesterday, the House of Commons voted against British action in Syria. President Assad and his side, the rebels, the jihadist groups are engulfed in a situation that involves all of these. The British Prime Minister has said that war crimes have been committed there. Whoever is doing so worse is irrelevant for now. The point is that the democratic, equal country and peaceful, compassionate Promised Land Dr King dreamt of is not happening. Syria is only one example. There are many more cases where inequalities are apparent. The values of peace, equality, justice and unity must be the driving force of any solution to the Syria conflict and other global situations. Dr King's famous speech to America is not just a pro-America and pro-democracy one, but a pro-world and pro-peace one.
Listen to global figures read Dr King's 'I have a dream speech' (the link is at the bottom) and remember the hope that he had for his people and country. However, you may also feel that due to the concept of the video and recording, his speech is suddenly relevant for the world; it does not sound like it is just a personal matter, relevant for the black people, rather it sounds like he is speaking to you and to me. Democracy is about 'them' as much as it is about 'us'. 'I have a dream today' is about 'us' as much as it is about 'them'.
There are many other links, videos, and articles about Martin Luther King, his speeches, and civil rights movement on the BBC website to explore. History can tell us a lot about today so have a look at them. Look into the reasons and decisions around Syria and the British vote. What about writing to your MP about the issue; after all it is a democracy where they represent the people. But let's remember and celebrate that famous speech, man, and day 50 years ago, and not just for that famous line, 'I have a dream'.
Click to listen to this new recording of the speech:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23853578
[at the bottom of the page there are further links to other material]
Click to find out about the British vote in parliament:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23892783
Click to learn about the US's response:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/obama-administration-prepares-intelligence-case-on-syrian-use-of-chemical-weapons/2013/08/29/3002f180-10b6-11e3-bdf6-e4fc677d94a1_story.html?wpisrc=nl_politics
Click to find your local MP and how they voted [plus, information about how to contact them]:
http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/index.php
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