International academic conference "November Hopes. Jews and the Independence of Poland in 1918"

The conference filled in the void in the historical awareness concerning the history of Polish Jews and in the study of their problematic relations– with the administration as well as with non-Jewish residents of reborn Poland.

• 29-30 November (Thursday - Friday), POLIN Museum, free admission

The main emphasis was laid on the presentation of varied attitudes and opinions voiced by the Jewish communities on the basis of new archival sources, including the sources available only in the Jewish languages.

The conference’s topic was the attitude of Jewish communities towards Poland regaining its independence in 1918. In the confesrence participated scholars from Poland, Lithuania, Germany, the United States, Canada and Israel.

Program available HERE [PDF] >>

The papers and discussions focused on varied attitudes amongst the Jewish community in Poland towards both the process of regaining independence itself and the shape of the reborn state. Delivered papers demonstrated how these events were received by diverse Jewish milieus: the traditional Jewish circles, the acculturated Jews, as well as the Jews affiliated with various political movements (e.g. Zionism, folkism, socialism).

During the conference, the scholars addressed the three main issues:

• the Jewish community’s hopes flared up by Poland regaining independence,
• fears fuelled by rapid political changes,
• the reality awaiting Jews in the newly reborn state.



 
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The conference took place on 29-30 November 2018 at POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw. 

For any additional information, please contact us at: [email protected]

The Institute of History at the University of Warsaw is the organizing partner

Conference is organized under the patronage of the Polish Society for Jewish Studies

The conference was made possible thanks to the support of the European Association for Jewish Studies.

This project is part of the commemoration of the centennial of the regaining of independence.

The international conference “November Hopes. Jews and Independence of Poland in 1918” is financed under contract no. 880/P-DUN/2018   by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education within the framework of disseminating research findings.

The conference is organized within the Global Education Outreach Program.

The conference was made possible thanks to the support of Taube Philanthropies, the William K. Bowes, Jr. Foundation, and the Association of the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland.