22/8/2008

Poles apart in Jerusalem.

 http://www.israelity.com/?p=5599

The rebirth of Jewish identity and culture in Poland is old news. Many projects are underway to refurbish various community institutions that were destroyed in the Holocaust, and more and more Poles are wondering if they are descended from secretly Jewish stock, forming a new, vibrant generation interested in exploring Jewish identity. The Polish Jewish population is officially numbered at around 4000, but many times that number are either unaware that they are Jewish don’t (yet?) identify as such despite their heritage.

Israel has been loathe to sit this one out, and 2008-09 is “Polish Year in Israel,” a partnership between the two nations that manifests mostly as sponsored Poland-themed cultural programming for Israeli audiences.

A Jerusalem organization called Shavei Israel (Returners to Israel) is dedicated to reaching out to the Polish Jew-curious on a theological as well as nationalistic level, proliferating education programs and aliyah outreach through two offices in Poland and encouraging visits to the homeland.

A few days ago, a group of 22 young Poles hailing from seven different cities completed three weeks of studies and Judeo-Zionist acculturation – all in Polish. According to YNet,

This seminar is the first of its kind, and it will take place in Jerusalem and be held entirely in Polish. As part of the program, the participants will travel throughout Israel, study Hebrew, and learn about Jewish history, culture and religion, as well as the history of the State of Israel.

Considered by Shavei Israel to be “Hidden Jews from the Holocaust,” some of the participants have even decided to stay here a little longer to continue studying. The organization has already begun planning similar upcoming programs, as Shavei Israel founder and chairman Michael Freund says, “in the hope that it will lead to a strengthening of Jewish life in Poland and ensure that the younger generation of Polish Jews remains connected to their Jewish heritage.”