Introductory Course on Jewish Genealogy

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4^th Annual Lecture on Jewish Genealogy

Co-sponsored by the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Boston

and Hebrew College

Title: No Way In, No Way Out: The Jews of Interwar Poland

Speaker: Professor Adam Teller of Brown University

Time & Place: January 9, 2011, Sunday, 3:30 – 5:30 PM, Hebrew College, Berenson Hall, 160 Herrick Road, Newton Center 02459

Free and Open to the Public

Advance registration is required – Seating is limited. Register at www.hebrewcollege.edu/events. For more info, contact Renee Tepper at rtepper [at] hebrewcollege.edu or 617-559-8622.

Between the two World Wars, Polish Jews were caught in political and economic cross-winds as they emerged from the confines of the Russian, Austrian and German empires into a new world of competing national identities and powerful ideologies.  They responded with a broad spectrum of political movements and extraordinary cultural achievements in the face of growing anti-Semitism and economic hardship.

This lecture presents the history of the Jews in interwar Poland along two dimensions. The first is political, showing how the very nature of the new Polish nation-state presented enormous challenges for Jews who were struggling to support themselves and find their place in the new state.  Jews responded with various strategies:  the Zionists wanted acceptance as a national minority, Agudas Yisroel sought recognition as a religious minority, and the Bund demanded rights for the Jews as part of the urban proletariat. Each developed the institutions of modern political parties in the struggle for the Jewish future.

The second dimension is cultural. The extraordinary trilingual culture of Polish Jewry --Yiddish-Polish-Hebrew -- despite internal tensions, enjoyed an almost unprecedented period of blossoming in these twenty years.  Its remarkable achievements encompassed literature, the press, the theater, painting, and the cinema, while surrounded by mounting hostility.  This is the story of Polish Jewry's tragic second Golden Age. Refreshments will be served following the lecture.

Adam Teller teaches history and Judaic studies at Brown University and holds a Ph.D. in modern Jewish history from Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Born in London, Teller completed his undergraduate study at Oxford University and received his doctorate at Hebrew University in 1997. He was on the faculty of the University of Haifa before moving to Brown University this year where he is an Associate Professor of History and Judaic Studies.

Introductory Course on Jewish Genealogy

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Boston and Hebrew College are also offering a comprehensive introductory course on Jewish Genealogy beginning February 7 at Hebrew College. For information see www.course.jgsgb.org .

These programs are made possible with the generous support of Harvey Krueger.

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Boston is dedicated to helping people discover their Jewish family history and offers monthly educational programs, extensive research materials and an award-winning journal, Mass-Pocha. See www.jgsgb.org .

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