How the Holocaust has Impacted the Jewish Identity
Religious Studies: KS3, topic 1.2.34
How the Holocaust has Impacted the Jewish Identity
Jewish people have different ideas of what it means to be a Jew.
What does it mean to be Jewish?
- Some see being Jewish as a religious commitment to the Torah and Talmud.
- Others see it as an ethnic group.
- Others might define it in a more personal way.
- No matter what, the Holocaust has had a huge impact on Jewish identity.
Responses to the Holocaust
- For some, the Holocaust is a call to return to Orthodox Judaism.
- Survival shows that God and the Jewish people still matter.
- For others, it is a call to mix more into the non-Jewish world to avoid such things from happening again.
- Any aspect of Judaism that might cause a separation is rejected.
- This approach might include hiding Jewish ancestry.
Responses to the Holocaust (cont.)
- For some, the Holocaust shows the need for a Jewish homeland where Jews can defend themselves and be welcomed to live a Jewish life however they like.
- A commitment to the idea of “Never Again” can be demonstrated in many ways, including:
- A Jewish education
- A high birth rate - which is common amongst Orthodox Jews
- A general pride in being Jewish
The effects of the Holocaust
- The Holocaust has affected all those who were born before, during, or after it.
- The post-Holocaust birth of a Jew is a statement against Nazism - even if it is an unconscious one.
- The Nazis wanted to destroy the Jewish people, but Jews still exist.
Test yourself on How the Holocaust has Impacted the Jewish Identity
What is the common phrase used to demonstrate a general pride in being Jewish?
The post-Holocaust birth of a Jew is a statement against what?