THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Friday, November 11, 1977 13 Most Polish Jews Assimilated, Bias Remains, Israel Backed By EDWIN EYTAN By European Bureau Chief (Copyright 1977, JTA, Inc.) (Editor's Note: Edwin Eytan was in Poland recently to investigate the status of that country's remaining Jewish popu- lation. His report follows.) Anti-Semitism continues to exist in Poland, espe- cially among the older people and especially in tman towns and the countryside. The new Polish gener- ation, younger people, many with higher education and bent on good relations with the outside world, seem to have lost their elder's pre- judices. These younger people have practically never met any Jews and their only contact with them is through history books. Even among the Catholic faithful, and they are numerous in Poland where a religious revival is under way, the attitude towards the Jews has changed today. Most Catholic priests and lay people express shock and shame at the hor- rors committed in the past. On Rosh Hashana I saw a number of women cleaning the Warsaw Synagogue, washing the floors and walls. Only later did I find out they were Catholics who come several times a year to clean the synagogue "as an expiation for former crimes." At the Catholic University in Lublin and at the Catholic Institute in Warsaw I found people interested in Judaism and Israel and keen to learn from Jews and cooperate with them. This does not mean that anti- Semitism has been elimi- nated but the picture has definitely changed from what it was 10 years ago. The Polish government fights anti-Semitism. This does not mean that the gov- ernment is helping the Jew- ish religious community. - The religious community, the"Vaad Hakehilot,"is as a result of this modus vivendi in a tragic situation: the remaining synagogues are in ruins; the Jewish ceme- teries, especially in War- saw, neglected; religious personnel non-existent. There is not a single rabbi left in the whole of Poland %rand not a mohel. . Jewish Former institutions, yeshivot, hospi- tals, schools and homes for the aged have been taken over by the government and turned into general, non- Jewish, institutions. Part of this is due to the mass exodus of Poland's Jews, part in the government's apparaent desire to sup- press "nationalistic tendencies." At the same time, the gov- ernment is actively support- ing a Jewish theater, con- sidered a "State Theater" Li and enjoying financial and artistic help on a scale barely imaginable elsewhere. The existence of the Yidd- ish Theater, which is more- over on a very high artistic level, helps Poland have a "visiting card" to show the world. It also seems inspired, however, by a desire to help preserve Poland's Jewish cultural heritage. Polish Jewish history is taught in a number of universities and officials repeatedly stress that there can be no com- plete picture of Polish his- tory and culture without mentioning the Jewish con- tribution. Before the war, there were nearly 3.5 mil- lion Jews in Poland — more than 10 percent of the coun- try's population. The government wants to steer the remaining Jews away from pro-Israel senti- ments. This explains the continued publication of the Yiddish weekly "Folk- sstimme." The paper's edi- tor, Shmiel Tenneblatt, is a member of the Communist Party and closely follows party directives on political matters. He also firmly believes, however, in Jew- ish culture and the Yiddish heritage and tries to keep these traditions alive. According to all, Jews and non-Jews, with whom I talked, including several dissenters, any anti-Semitic symptoms are harshly sup- pressed and the author of an anti-Semitic insult likely to find himself in.court. attitude The popular toward Israel is respect and admiration. Most Poles are somehow convinced that a majority of - Israel's inhabitants are of Polish origin and take as a Polish success Israel's victories. This is especially true in the military field with many Poles convinced that most of Israel's generals and sen- ior officers are of Polish origin. Today, the Polish popu- lation has practically no objective information on Israel. Many people, and practically all Jews, listen to Western radios. The Jews are especially keen for news concerning Israel. Many lis- ten to the Kol Zion Lagola broadcasts from Jerusalem. What is the Polish govern- ment's attitude towards Israel? The Polish govern- ment wants to improve its relations with Israel short of diplomatic relations, how- ever. All officials with whom I met stressed that Poland will be the first country in the Eastern bloc after the Soviet Union to resume diplomatic relations "when the day will come." No exact figures are available and estimates vary from 5,000 to 14,000 counting only those who consider themselves Jews. . An unknown number have chosen to assimilate and melt within the Polish mass. Most of the Jews left in Poland are there to stay. The older people because of their pensions or family problems — a Christian wife or a Christian son or daugh- ter-in-law. The younger people because they have become integrated into Pol- ish society. Those who wanted to leave have already done so. The man who uncon- testedly represents Poland's Jews today, in all their sep- arate and diverse factions, is the director of the War- saw Yiddish Theater Szy- mon Szurmej. He is not a member of the Communist Party but close enough to the authorities to enjoy their trust. He is deeply devoted to Jewish culture and espe- cially to Yiddish, and he even maintains relations with a number of fully assimilated people. Savings Program Focuses on Child Learning in Israel NEW YORK—A new sav- ings plan called The Gift of Education is being spon- sored by Bnai Brith Youth Organization, American. Zionist Federation, Ameri- can Zionist Youth Founda- tion, Women's American ORT, Pioneer Women and United Synagogue Youth. The program is based on a savings plan which helps parents and grandparents set aside money for a child's living expenses in Israel. The money deposited earns five percent interest compounded quarterly. Qualified students may study at any one of 140 uni- versities, technical, music and art schools and yeshi- vot. The free-tuition bonus can be applied to under- graduate or graduate study. The free-tuition benefits are paid for by the government of Israel and can be used from two to 12 years from the date the prograin is joined. Therefore, the sav- ings can be used for reduc- ing the costs of college edu- cation for a child in elementary school as well as for those already in _ college. For information, write The Gift of Ed .cation, 10 Rockefeller P,aza, Dept. PRJ, New York, N.Y. 10020. 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