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...
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