Download File - Miss Lawson @ Sullivan High School

Literature of the Holocaust
Unit Introduction
Who Are
the Jews???
Who are the Jews?
Jewish people believe in one God.
The religion has existed for over
2,000 years.
They believe that Jesus Christ lived,
but they do not believe he was the
Messiah as Christians do.
Some Basics
 Today there are about 14 million Jews in the
world
 Some of them are “secular”
 This means that they may do some Jewish
traditions but that they may not believe in
God or actively practice their faith
 Still they are considered to be Jews by
some people for many reasons
Who is a Jew?
 Jewish people believe that a Jew is any
person whose mother was a Jew or any
person who has gone through the formal
process of conversion to Judaism.
To clarify the issue...
 A person born to a Jewish mother who is an
atheist and never practices the Jewish
religion is still a Jew.
 A person who follows all Jewish religious laws
and traditions but who has not formally
converted is not a Jew.
 In this sense, Judaism is more like a
nationality than like other religions and being
Jewish is like a citizenship
Judaism - Race or Religion?
 Judaism is a religion
 People can choose to become a Jew
 We cannot choose to become a Caucasian
or a black person or an Asian
 However, many Jews have similar ethnic
backgrounds and come from similar areas
of the world - this has caused many people
to consider the religion to be a race
Different Types of Jews
 Jews can be divided in to several groups.
One main way of looking at the differences
among Jews is where they are from.
 There are two major divisions based on
where Jews developed “culturally” -Europe and the Middle East/Africa

Sephardic or Ashkenazic?
 Ashkenazic Jews are the Jews of France,
Germany, and Eastern Europe. The word
"Ashkenazic" is derived from the Hebrew
word for Germany.
 Sephardic Jews are the Jews of Spain,
Portugal, North Africa and the Middle East.
The word "Sephardic" is derived from the
Hebrew word for Spain.
Other Groups of Jews
 There are some Jews who do not fit into this
Ashkenazic/Sephardic distinction.
 Yemenite Jews, Ethiopian Jews, and Oriental
Jews also have some distinct customs and
traditions.

These groups, however, are relatively small
and virtually unknown in America.
Fitting in Locally...
 Historically, Sephardic Jews have been
more integrated into the local non-Jewish
culture than Ashkenazic Jews.
 In the Christian lands where Ashkenazic
Judaism flourished, the tension between
Christians and Jews was great, and Jews
tended to be isolated from their non-Jewish
neighbors, either voluntarily or
involuntarily.
Fitting in continued...
 In the Islamic lands where Sephardic
Judaism developed, no such segregation
existed.
 Sephardic Jewish thought and culture was
strongly influenced by Arabic and Greek
philosophy and science.
Same Religion but Very Different
 Ashkenazic Jews developed their own
language known as Yiddish, a combination
of German and Hebrew
 Sephardic Jews have their own
international language: Ladino, which was
based on Spanish and Hebrew
 Their foods, traditions, and religious
celebrations are very different from each
other
Jews in the World Today
 Most of the world's Jews are concentrated
in three countries:
 United States (6 million)
 Israel (3.7 million)
 Soviet Union (2.5 million)

Other nations with significant Jewish populations are
France (650,000), Great Britain (400,000), Canada
(300,000), Argentina (300,000), and Brazil (150,000).
Major Branches of Jews in the U.S.


Orthodox - Traditionalists
who observe most of the
traditional dietary and
ceremonial laws of
Judaism
Reform - The liberal wing
of Judaism, which
believes in adapting to
change


Conservative -They fall
somewhere between
Orthodox and Reform
Hasidic - Traditionalists
who emphasize the
importance of mysticism
rather than learning. They
give particularly high
reverence to the leaders of
their sects.
Hasidic Jews
More on Hasidic Jews

Hasidism began in Poland in the 18th Century.
Hasidic Jews were almost completely wiped
out in Europe in the Holocaust.

[Note: "Hasidic" is often spelled "Chasidic",
and it's worth using both versions, and a
double "s" as well when doing online
searches.]
What Do Jews Believe In?
 This is a very difficult question to answer
 Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, one of the
greatest medieval Jewish scholars who
was also known as Maimonides, came up
with a list of thirteen basic principles of
faith.
 He thought that these were the minimum
requirements of Jewish belief
Some of the
13 Principles of Jewish Faith

God exists

God is one and unique

God is eternal

Prayer is to be directed to God alone and to no
other

Moses’ prophesies are true, and Moses was the
greatest of the prophets
Some of the
13 Principles continuned

The the Written Torah (first 5 books of the Bible)
and Oral Torah (teachings now contained in the
Torah and other writings) were given to Moses

God knows the thoughts and deeds of men

God will reward the good and punish the wicked

The Messiah will come

The dead will be resurrected
Judaism is a Way of Life
 Judaism is not just a set of beliefs about
God, man and the universe. Judaism is a
comprehensive way of life, filled with rules
and practices that affect every aspect of
life: what a person can eat, what a persom
can wear, how to groom oneself, how to
conduct business, who a person can marry,
how to observe the holidays; and how to
treat God, people, and animals.
Halahkah = Rules and Practices
According to Orthodox Judaism, these
rules and practices (actions) include 613
commandments given by God in the
Torah as well as laws instituted by the
rabbis and Jewish scholars and longstanding customs
A Sampling of the 613
Commandments

Not to stand by idly
when a human life is
in danger

Not to wrong any one
in speech
Not to bear a grudge
 Not to leave a beast,
that has fallen down
beneath its burden,
unaided

Not to carry tales


Not to cherish hatred
in one's heart
To give charity
according to one's
means

To love the stranger

Not to take revenge

More of the 613 commandments

To honor father and
mother

Not to do wrong in
buying or selling

Not to demand from a
poor man repayment
of his debt, when the
creditor knows that he
cannot pay, nor press
him

Not to delay payment
of a hired man's
wages

That a man should
fulfill whatever he has
uttered

Not to favor a great
man when trying a
case
And Other Important Beliefs
 Judaism maintains that the righteous of all
nations have a place in the world.
 Judaism generally recognizes that
Christians and Muslims worship the same
God that Jews do
 They respect people of other religions
 Jews feel mutually responsible for each
other
AND NOW A LITTLE...
Jewish History
Jewish History

The Old Testament
books of the Bible
describe numerous
struggles of the Jewish
people. After their
triumphant Exodus
from Egyptian captivity
following Moses, they
wandered around in
the desert for forty
years before entering
the Promised Land.
More Jewish History

They had many conflicts
with neighboring
societies, yet for several
centuries were able to
maintain a unified state
centered in Jerusalem.
Jewish History continued

This occupation of the Promised Land was not to
last, however.

In 722 BC, the northern part of the Hebrew state
fell to Assyrian raiders.

By 586 BC, Jerusalem was conquered by
Babylonians.

The land of Israel was successively ruled by
Persians, Macedonians, Greeks, Syrians, and
Romans in the time that followed.
More Jewish History

As a result of a Syrian
King’s attempt to
suppress the Jewish
religion, a rebellion led by
Judas Maccabaeus in 167
BC resulted in the
independence of the
Jewish nation.

This is celebrated today
by the festival Hanukkah.
More Jewish History
 Many years later in a little town called
Bethlehem a boy named Jesus was born to
Jewish parents named Mary and Joseph
 He became a scholar and religious leader
 He was persecuted and killed
 A new religion, following his teachings, was
created and became known as Christianity
More Jewish History
 In 70 AD, the Roman army destroyed
Jerusalem, and the Jews were forced out of
the area and settled in Mediterranean
countries and in other areas in southwest
Asia.
 This migration of the Jewish population is
known as Diaspora.
Diaspora and Rise of Christianity

While the Jews were leaving the Middle East as a
part of the Diaspora, Christianity as a religion was
growing.

In time many Jews settled in Europe where they
were persecuted by Christians and other people
who had strong “nationalistic” feelings.

Ghettos and slums became their homes and
massacres were common because they rarely
converted and maintained their traditions.
Judaism versus Christianity
 Once basically the same religion, the
Judaism and Christianity conflicted
and problems started.
Jews fill an “unpopular” niche
 Jewish life in the Middle Ages was for the
most part a story of social and economic
isolation, persecution and massacres.
Jews were isolated both physically and
socially.
 However, they filled an important niche in
the predominantly Christian world.
Jewish Moneylenders
 Christianity
outlawed usury, the
lending of money.
Jews were
permitted to fill
this vacuum by
acting as
moneylenders and
financiers.
Jews isolate themselves
 At first, Jews in the Diaspora segregated
voluntarily. This was partly for selfprotection, but it was perhaps more the
result of the requirements of the Jewish
religion: to be close to a synagogue and
other religious institutions.
Jewish Ghettos

The isolation of Jews in
ghettos had the effect of
ending assimilation
with the host
communities and
preserved and
enhanced the survival
of the Jewish culture
The Jews of Western Europe
 Generally, Jews who settled in Western
Europe (France, Holland, Germany, Austria,
and Italy, for example) were more
assimilated than their "eastern"
counterparts of the Soviet Union, Poland,
Lithuania, Latvia, Rumania, and Hungary.
Jews of Western Europe cont’d
 They were more likely to speak the
language of their host nation, less likely to
be religiously observant, more likely to
intermarry, more likely to be urban settlers,
and more likely to be middle-class.
Jews of Western Europe cont’d

Western European Jews were more likely to be
accepted by their host countries as full citizens.

For many Jews in Western Europe, they were Jewish
by religion, but identified with their host country.

For the most part, they were able to live side by side
with their non-Jewish neighbors, free from the threat
of physical attacks and anti-Semitism.

Eastern European Jews did not feel safe from
pogroms.
Isolation of Jews sets up
problems for them later

Jews of both
Western and
Eastern Europe
created a culture
of religious
practice, arts and
music, language
(principally
Yiddish), and
education.
Poster: Call for financial support for
Yiddish secular education
Poland, 1927
A group set a part. . .
 Thus it was easy
to identify Jews in
most places
 They were
different
 They did not fit in
 They were
convenient
scapegoats
These differences . . .
These differences and the
situation in Germany after WW I
set the stage for the Holocaust
Add in some personal vendettas
and there is a recipe for trouble. . .
How Did We Get to the Holocaust ?

We have a group of
religious people who
pretty much stay to
themselves and treat
others as they wish to
be treated . . . So how
do we get to . . .
GENOCIDE ? ? ?
Anti-Semitism
 Is the hatred of Jews
 People who are anti-Semitic believe that
Jews are inferior - physically, morally, and
intellectually
 Modern Anti-Semitism is a Nazi invention
which regards Jews as an inferior race
How did Anti-Semitism evolve?
 The differences Jews had with their non-
Jewish neighbors led to separate social
and religious lives.
 Intolerance and suspicion of these
differences led to fear and hatred.
Anti-Semitism is the
basis of the Holocaust

In order for the
Holocaust to have
occurred, it required the
perpetrators to have
developed and spread
the most virulent strain
of anti-Semitism, whose
roots can be traced back
to ancient times.
Jews get conquered but stick to
their religion and customs

For most of recorded
history, the Jewish
people had been the
subjects of
conquerors, such as
the Persians, Greeks,
Babylonians,
Assyrians, and
Romans.

Most Jews refused to
convert to the religion
of their hosts and
instead maintained
their own religion,
rituals and customs,
often at great
personal sacrifice.
That Really Ticked Off People
 Who do they think they are?
 Are they better than we are?
 We conquered them!
 They better do what we say!
 They’re different!!!
Classical Anti-Semitism
 We hate them for being different and not
conforming to us. . .
• The Jewish religion forbids Jews to bow down to
any person or god other than the Creator
• This conflict between observing the Jewish
religion and being sensitive to local customs was
the basis for much of the anti-Semitism the Jewish
people endured.
Jews married Jews
 Jews were not
supposed to marry
outside their faith,
and most did not.
Thus they did not
make “Family Ties”
with non-Jews.
A Different Sabbath

Jews also could not,
according to their law,
work on the seventh
day., which starts for
them on Friday night.
Christians observe
Sunday as their
Sabbath, and Muslims
observe Friday as
their Sabbath. As a
result, Jews were
often "out of step."
Not fitting in . . . continued

Jews maintained their
traditional dress and
continued to wear beards
and earlocks even when
styles changed among
their hosts.
 The result was
that Jews
became more
easily identified
as a stereotyped
culture
Jews Get Accused

Jews are accused of
causing the “Black
Death” or the Bubonic
Plague

Jews are accused of
Blood Libel, or using
the blood of killed
Christian children to
make matzoh for
Passover
The Inquisition and
the Protestant Reformation
Inquisition’s goal to
seek out and punish
any insincere
converted Jews
 Jews by the thousands
are executed and
many Spaniards are
fearful of persecution

Martin Luther begins
starts Protestant
movement
 He is upset that Jews
will not convert to his
new religion
 He preaches bitter
anti-Semitism

Modern Anti-Semitism
 The RACE of Jews is inferior and should be
eliminated. . .
 Jews are mystical and separatists -- two
bad things
 They are not nationalistic. . .
 The Protocols of Zion scared people . . .
 Jews didn’t help in WWI and made Germany
fall on hard times . . .
Modern Anti-Semitism and Hitler
 Extreme nationalism, modern racial
theories, and the publication and
distribution of forged and slanderous
publications about the Jews paved the way
to Nazi anti-Semitism.
Moderns Anti-Semites:
 They believe Jews are an inferior race.

Anti-Semites exploited the fact that Jews
had been forced into exile by saying as
"fact" that their "rootlessness" had a
genetic basis.
 A Jew was a Jew not because he or she
practiced any particular religion but
because it was a part of his or her blood.
Jews don’t fit in “Nationalistic”
Society - They’re “Outsiders”
 Jews, as outsiders who did not share the
common language, culture, religion, and
values, were seen as a threat by extremists
in the nationalist movement. As such, they
became the targets of anti-Semitic
persecution.
Blame for Troubles. . .
 In the 1800s Germans place blame of a lot
of misfortunes at the feet of Jews
 Racial purity and non-mixing of “blood”
become very important to many Germans
through their national church.
 German Workers party gains a lot of votes
in Reichstag in 1930. It will later become
the Nazi party led by Adolf Hitler.
And so it was that things were
ripe for prejudice and evil
The Holocaust was
about to begin
 Many people were
bystanders for various
reasons
 Some people tried to
help, but others were
too afraid

After the Holocaust . . .
 Today the United States has the largest
population of Jewish people of any country
in the world.

The highest concentration areas are in
New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston,
Miami, and Washington D.C.
Almost over…
 6 million of the 9 million Jews in
Europe in the 1930s and 1940s were
killed during the Holocaust…
 The majority of Jewish children under
the age of fifteen were killed – an
estimated 1.5 million of the 6 million
Jewish victims
Thank you for learning . . .
Miss Lawson