web analytics
May 24, 2013 /15 Sivan, 5773
At a Glance ▼
Sections
Sponsored Post
The Tosfos Yomtov was convinced that the death of 300,000 –600,000 Jews during the Chmielnicki massacres of 1648-49 were because of improper Tefila. Communicated: Tefilla

Chillul Tefila Bifarhesia, as well as halachicly challenged verbiage and dress, are external manifestations of a critical lack of personal yiras shomayim which has lethal consequences.



Polish Leaders In New York And Israel

Published: September 20th, 2006
tell a friend

         Last week, President Lech Kaczynski of Poland visited Israel, where he participated in many events in support of Israel and the Jewish community in Poland.

 

         Kaczynski visited Yad Vashem on Tuesday, September 12, meeting with Israeli high school students who have visited Poland or who will do so this year. Following the meeting with the students, an archival agreement between Yad Vashem and the Polish Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) was signed. The agreement, detailing cooperation between the two organizations in the field of Holocaust documentation, was signed by Avner Shalev, chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate, and Janusz Kuryka, president of the Institute of National Remembrance, in the presence of President Kaczynski.

 

         Kaczynski kicked off an Israeli exhibition on Jews in the Polish army. The Struggle for Freedom exhibition, at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem, is supported by the World Jewish Congress and the Polish Embassy in Israel. The exhibition provides details of famous Jewish military leaders who have fought for Polish independence, such as Lt. Col. Berek Joselewicz, celebrated for his role in a 1794 uprising and in battles against various forces that tried to tear Poland asunder. Also noted is the large number of Jews who served Poland in World War II – 10 percent of the forces fighting for Poland under British, Soviet and underground Polish command – some 100,000 soldiers. Among them was the future Israeli prime minister, Menachem Begin, who served in the Free Polish Army before emigrating to Palestine. The exhibition runs through Oct. 7.

 

         A new agreement paved the way for construction to begin on the Museum of the History of Polish Jews. The city of Warsaw, a major financier of the museum, signed a contract with Finnish architect Rainer Mahlamaki, which means construction can officially begin. The $55 million museum, in the works for more than a decade, will face the monument to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. It is slated to open by 2009. The museum will explore 800 years of Jewish life in Poland.

 

         The Polish prime minister, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, (twin brother of the president) will be in the United States for the opening of the General Assembly of the United Nations. During his stay in New York, he will meet with leaders of the Jewish community.

 

         There are many issues concerning the Jewish community in Poland. Some of the most pressing issues are restitution of private properties, restitution of communal Jewish properties, heritage protection, mass graves and anti-Semitism.

 

         The issue of restitution of private property in Poland has long been a sore spot for many Jews. A law is being considered that will allow for 15 percent compensation. It will also raise many problems for proving succession of title.

 

         The restitution of communal property has faced many obstacles. In many cases only small properties have been returned while larger buildings have been declined, even when there is sufficient proof of ownership.

 

         The protection of Jewish heritage in Poland is also an important issue. Often when a property is returned to the Jewish community, it is in a sad state of disrepair. Local authorities often demand that the sites are cleaned up, and fines are levied if this is not done in a timely fashion. The community wants to have more time to work on the many projects before penalties are placed on them, and are also asking for public funds.

 

         Mass graves are as important to the Jewish community as established cemeteries, but the Council for Protection of Memory of War and Martyrdom often ignores applications for protection.

 

         Anti-Semitism is on the rise in Poland, as it is in other places throughout Europe. As the Polish president and prime minister visit Israel and New York, it is hoped that they will return to Warsaw with a greater understanding of the needs and concerns of the Jewish community – both here and in Poland – and will address these issues correctly and in a timely manner.

 

         Shmuel Ben Eliezer can be contacted at jpolin2@aol.com

tell a friend

About the Author:


You might also be interested in:


no comments

You must log in to post a comment.

SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend

Current Top Story
Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich
Rep. John Conyers Apologizes for Louis Farrakhan’s Antisemitic Remarks
Latest Sections Stories
Respler-052413
Sections → Family → Marriage and Relationships

Dear Dr. Yael:

Do you really believe that the Internet is the reason why the divorce rate is so high among young couples? This may be so in some cases, but what about the fact that many singles are pressured to get married at a young age despite not having any idea what they are looking for in a mate? And add to that the fact that many are pressured to make a decision about marriage after dating for a very short period of time.

Neuman-Rabbi-M-Gary
Sections → Family → Marriage and Relationships

From the moment they stand under the chuppah, newlyweds have two years to enjoy the special bliss that new love brings. This new finding, reported by the New York Times, is based on a study undertaken by American and European researchers. 1,761 people who got married and stayed married over 15 years were followed. The research shows that after two years the couples moved into a more companionable state in their relationships.

Schonfeld-logo1
Sections → Family → Parenting Our Children

Shel Silverstein’s 1974 poem “Where The Sidewalk Ends” is intended to paint a magical picture of a world of peace and serenity far away from the “black and dark streets.” At the time, perhaps the end of the sidewalk was a place that was “measured and slow.” Today, however, for many parents, where the sidewalk ends can feel like a scary place.

Sections → Community → South Florida

Florida is famous for sparkling water. We have the beautiful Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico surrounding our coast. We have bays, lakes, canals and, of course, an incredible abundance of swimming pools in homes, resorts, apartment complexes and city parks.

Sections → Community → South Florida

The buzz is back as Camp Gan Israel Florida Overnight gears up for another fantastic summer, CGI Florida style. What makes CGI Florida so different from all the other overnight camps? It’s all in the details.

Sections → Magazine → Teens and Twenties

Leah Katz, a TeenZone camper at Oorah’s TheZone summer camp and an 11th grader at Midwood High School, read her winning essay about how TheZone changed her views on Judaism at the Jewish Heritage Awards Ceremony held at Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes’s office in April. The purpose of the Jewish Heritage Essay Contest is to acquaint public school students with Jewish history and customs and to help foster a deeper understanding of Jewish culture. The contest is open to students of all ethnic and religious backgrounds. Leah’s essay is reproduced in full below.

Sections → Jewess Press → Impact Of Women On Jewish History/Prof. L. Jackson

Moshe Sharett, the head of the Jewish Agency’s Political Department, visited Egypt in 1945. In Cairo he met a most remarkable young woman, a beautiful journalist who was the darling of Egyptian high society – from high-ranking military brass, to culture icons and Muslim sheikhs, to the court of King Faruk.

Sections → Family → Marriage and Relationships

The two proceeded to talk about everyday things and surprisingly her mother-in-law did not find anything else to criticize. This occurred a few more times, with my client changing the topic every time by complimenting her mother-in-law or mentioning something positive about her.

Sections → Family → Parenting Our Children

There is always a lot of confusion surrounding sensory processing disorder – mainly because there are many different diagnoses that fall under the catch-all phrase sensory processing disorder (SPD). Among them are three specific subcategories:

Sections → Family

The doctor had warned us that even if we did everything right and followed the protocol after the follicle was of the right size, there was no guarantee of success. Fertilization still had to occur, and just like couples do not necessarily become pregnant every month, we had no way to know if we were actually expecting for two full weeks.

More Articles from Shmuel Ben Eliezer
Sections → Magazine → Archives

The official beginning of World War II was September 1, 1939. On that day German soldiers invaded Gdansk after bombarding the city with a military warship. As part of the Polish Government’s official series of events marking seven decades since the start of World War II, Poland’s Jewish community and the Jerusalem-based “Shavei Israel” organization held a special ceremony yesterday in the Gdansk synagogue to commemorate the outbreak of the war, which paved the way for the Holocaust.

Sections → Magazine → Archives

The official beginning of World War II was September 1, 1939. On that day German soldiers invaded Gdansk after bombarding the city with a military warship. As part of the Polish Government’s official series of events marking seven decades since the start of World War II, Poland’s Jewish community and the Jerusalem-based “Shavei Israel” organization held a special ceremony yesterday in the Gdansk synagogue to commemorate the outbreak of the war, which paved the way for the Holocaust.

Sections → Magazine → Archives

September 1, 1939 is the date on which Germany invaded Poland, starting WWII. While it should be said that the start of the war was not the start of the Shoah, which actually began with the rise of Nazism in 1933, it was a major milestone in the annals of the Holocaust. Within the first few days of the war, Germany had conquered and/or bombed much of Poland, including the capital, Warsaw.

Sections → Magazine → Archives

September 1, 1939 is the date on which Germany invaded Poland, starting WWII. While it should be said that the start of the war was not the start of the Shoah, which actually began with the rise of Nazism in 1933, it was a major milestone in the annals of the Holocaust. Within the first few days of the war, Germany had conquered and/or bombed much of Poland, including the capital, Warsaw.

Sections → Magazine → Archives

In September 1939 the Germans started establishing ghettos in the occupied territory of Poland. Ghettos played an important role in the Jewish extermination policy. They were filled with Polish and Western European Jewish deportees. The ghettos differed in times of existence, size, internal organization, and living conditions. The Germans called them ” death boxes” (Todeskiste). The city of Lodz belonged to the Wartheland District and the Germans changed its name into Litzmannstadt.

Sections → Magazine → Archives

In September 1939 the Germans started establishing ghettos in the occupied territory of Poland. Ghettos played an important role in the Jewish extermination policy. They were filled with Polish and Western European Jewish deportees. The ghettos differed in times of existence, size, internal organization, and living conditions. The Germans called them ” death boxes” (Todeskiste). The city of Lodz belonged to the Wartheland District and the Germans changed its name into Litzmannstadt.

Sections → Magazine → Archives

Growing up in the U.S. during the second half of the 20th century, I, along with most people, know very little about the First World War. The little that I did know was about the trench warfare in France and Belgium. The Eastern Front was barely, if ever, mentioned and usually stated that it ended with the Russian Revolution and overthrowing the Czar.

Sections → Magazine → Archives

Growing up in the U.S. during the second half of the 20th century, I, along with most people, know very little about the First World War. The little that I did know was about the trench warfare in France and Belgium. The Eastern Front was barely, if ever, mentioned and usually stated that it ended with the Russian Revolution and overthrowing the Czar.

    Latest Poll

    If you could only choose one of the following scenarios regarding Chareidi IDF service, which would you choose?





    View Results

    Loading ... Loading ...

Printed from: http://www.jewishpress.com/indepth/columns/polish-leaders-in-new-york-and-israel/2006/09/20/

Scan this QR code to visit this page online:

Related posts:

  1. Suit Fights Plan for Jewish Center in Place of Ghetto-Era Building
Close