This was a very meaningful post, Gary. It brought back memories of the trip Bernie and I had to Krakow in 2006. We were accompanied by a Jewish Studies faculty member at Jagiellonian University. I think she was Jewish, but in any case, we were impressed that there were, at the time, around 20 professors in that department. As you noted, Kazimierz was fascinating...non-kosher restaurants where you could get Jewish foods related to every holiday on the calendar, all at once! I took a particular interest in the Isserles shul, as I have a document claiming that I am descended from the Remah. I recall standing at his grave and telling him, aloud, that I am back, and that we Jews are still here. And of course, we learned that the annual Jewish music festival features non-Jewish performers. Even though I think the Polish government pursues connection with Jews because it brings in tourists, I am glad that Jewish life continues there. Hitler did not win after all.
The apparent large number of people discovering/suspecting Jewish ancestry reminds me of those in the American Southwest & in So. America who are discovering/suspecting ancestry from the Crypto-Jews of the Inquisition.
This was a very meaningful post, Gary. It brought back memories of the trip Bernie and I had to Krakow in 2006. We were accompanied by a Jewish Studies faculty member at Jagiellonian University. I think she was Jewish, but in any case, we were impressed that there were, at the time, around 20 professors in that department. As you noted, Kazimierz was fascinating...non-kosher restaurants where you could get Jewish foods related to every holiday on the calendar, all at once! I took a particular interest in the Isserles shul, as I have a document claiming that I am descended from the Remah. I recall standing at his grave and telling him, aloud, that I am back, and that we Jews are still here. And of course, we learned that the annual Jewish music festival features non-Jewish performers. Even though I think the Polish government pursues connection with Jews because it brings in tourists, I am glad that Jewish life continues there. Hitler did not win after all.
The apparent large number of people discovering/suspecting Jewish ancestry reminds me of those in the American Southwest & in So. America who are discovering/suspecting ancestry from the Crypto-Jews of the Inquisition.