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“We Were, We Are, We Will Be:” Jewishness in Contemporary Poland
November 8, 2018 @ 5:00 pm
Talk by Rachel Rothstein, sponsored by the Alexander Grass Chair, Jewish Studies
In March 1968, the Polish government launched an anti-Zionist campaign, which forced over 12,000 Jews to leave Poland. Many saw the expulsion as the final chapter of Polish Jewish history. Yet, today’s Polish Jewish community is thriving with Jewish schools, summer camps, and Jewish community centers and congregations, often supported by international Jewish organizations. Polish non-Jews, too, have played a significant role in creating Jewish spaces which allow both Jews and non-Jews to celebrate Poland’s rich Jewish heritage and culture. This talk will explore the complexities surrounding Polish Jewishness today, amidst a rise in Polish nationalism fifty years after the monumental March Events.
Rachel Rothstein teaches Modern Jewish History at the Weber School in Atlanta, GA. She received her PhD in History from the University of Florida in 2015. Her current book project focuses on the relationship between American Jews, Polish Jews, and American and Polish government officials since 1968.