The Transnational Jewish Revival in Poland Zach Smerin

Despite significant attempts by many Polish Holocaust survivors (about a tenth of the pre-war population) to rebuild their life locally in the aftermath of the Second World War, the desire to leave a country where Jewish life was industrially annihilated, exacerbated by state indifference in combating continued popular antisemitism, rendered any communal task virtually impossible – a difficulty that was further exacerbated by a thinly veiled government-sponsored ‘anti-Zionist’ campaign in 1968. The minority that did not emigrate largely kept their Jewishness hidden, including to their children, with many changing their names and renouncing Jewish customs and culture. This makes the Jewish revival after the end of one-party rule in 1989 all the more remarkable. With new political freedoms, connections with the outside Jewish world were re-established. Catalysed by philanthropic donations and state subsidies, further developments took place – religious kehilot received their property back after six decades, Jewish Community Centres were established in Kraków and Warsaw, and there has been a renewed fascination with Jewish culture, going hand in hand with the study of Jewish history. All of this has been made more visible to the outside world, with the increase in Jewish tourism and pilgrimage becoming an important part of many local economies, affecting both Jewish and non-Jewish residents.

Of course, much work still needs to be done for Jews in Poland to reach higher states of cultural and communal fulfilment - particularly as popular antisemitism persists in a substantial section of the population - but the achievements of the last three decades should fill Jews throughout the world with pride and hope for future developments. Although the majority of the work has inevitably been conducted by locals (including many non-Jews) it is important to emphasise the transnational nature of the process, personified by emissaries from various organisations, hired leaders of religious services, as well as immigrants who may have come to Poland primarily for unrelated reasons but are committed to helping rebuild local Jewish life. These immigrants come from the United States, Britain, France, Israel and other countries, but by far the largest contingent in recent years has arrived from Ukraine. All of this means that it is now commonplace at communal events to hear conversations in three or four languages at different tables. As well as acting as a living rejection of ethnonationalism, the mortal enemy of Diaspora Jewry, these developments demonstrate the wonderful diversity of Jewish life and culture. Leaving aside the crude notion that Jewish communities should pragmatically avoid unnecessary entry barriers and divisions, especially smaller ones, what is also important is that Jews joining us from abroad are likely to have experienced methods of Jewish organisation, with all their values and limitations, in larger and more established communities. It is with that in mind that I strongly encourage those organising trips to Poland, or even individual travellers, not only to visit us to commemorate the past - important as that is - but to witness the rebuilding of Jewish life in Poland. This applies particularly to student and youth organisations, who help build the future of the community. For young Polish Jews, the experience of UJS staff and Anglo-Jewish students would be extremely insightful, and the development of stronger ties and regular contacts could be priceless. International organisations also have a role to play. Unfortunately, the European Union of Jewish Students still lists ŻOOM (Polish Jewish Youth Organisation) as its Polish member, despite its liquidation in 2016. ŻOOM’s dissolution was a step backwards, but the JCC Youth and Hillel Student Clubs in Kraków and Warsaw are excellent starting points for UJS, EUJS, and others to forge ties with Polish Jewish youth - not just to educate these brave young trailblazers, but also to learn a thing or two about the Diaspora themselves.