Hanukah in Warsaw, 2010
Photo: AP
Auschwitz (archives)
Photo: AP
A group of 22 young Poles, the descendents of Jewish families who lived in Poland during the Holocaust, came to Israel in August for a special three-week educational seminar organized by Shavei Israel.
As part of the program, held entirely in Polish, participants travelled throughout Israel, studied Hebrew and learned about Jewish culture, religion and the history of the State of Israel.
Most of the participants were raised as Catholics in Poland and only recently discovered their Jewish roots. Participants came from all over Poland, particularly Warsaw, Krakow, Katowice, Tychy, Gdansk and Cieszyn. For some, it was their first time in Israel.
Before the Holocaust, Jews in Poland numbered some three million. According to Shavei Israel, there are some 4,000 Jews in Poland today, though it is thought that others still hide their Jewish identity or are simply unaware of it.
In recent years, many Jews who lost all connection with Judaism or even converted to Christianity because of ignorance and anti-Semitism in Poland are returning to their Jewish roots. Some hid their Judaism from the communist authorities and now feel free to regain their family's lost identity.
In addition, young Jews who were adopted by Catholic families and institutions during the Holocaust and had no knowledge of their Jewish roots are being exposed to their Jewish past in various ways.
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