Jews and CluesJoin now to read essay Jews and CluesPreludeIn Poland, where the bulk of Jewry had established itself since the 13th century, a struggle between traditional Rabbinic Judaism and radical “Kabbalistic” mysticism became particularly acute after the Messianic movement of Sabbatai Zevi in the 17th century. Leanings to mystical doctrines and sectarianism showed themselves prominently among the Jews of the south-eastern provinces of Poop, while in the Lithuania provinces, rabbinical orthodoxy held sway. In part, this division in modes of thought reflected social differences between the northern (Lithuanian) Jews and the southern Jews of Ukraine. In Lithuania the Jewish masses mainly lived in densely-populated towns where rabbinical academic culture (in the yeshivos) flourished; while in Ukraine the Jews tended to live scattered in villages far removed from intellectual centers.
Lithuanian Orthodox Jews were also affected by a number of social and economic and political changes. Although the Jewish mass experience coincided with the transition from the Protestant to Judaism, a period of religious and philosophical revival of social and political organization emerged in post-Reformation Russia, especially in the later years of the 19th century (see p. 19). This revival took place especially during the nineteenth century and culminated in Russia’s first-ever reform law in 1868. To the Jewish question, the Reform era was, in general, a golden period in the development of Jewish national identity and culture, and its revival led to a growing and widespread Jewish public awareness of the role of the Orthodox as a religious and social force in Russia, especially in the context of its Jewish history. Between 1868 and 1885, the Orthodox population of Prussia increased by almost 60% (see p. 20). Over the last few decades, Prussia experienced a rapid growth in the number of Jews in the political, military and cultural sphere. The popularity of the Jewish-centric media, especially the radio and film studios (Chernayev et al., 1988), prompted many Prussiaans to view Jews with suspicion. In the Prussian city of Lviv, for example, some rabbis, and others Jews living abroad, became wary of the growing presence of Russian Jews in Prussia who were not permitted to adopt the Orthodox and religious traditions (Chernayev et al., 1988). These fears gave rise to numerous political and ideological changes in Prussia and throughout Poland. By the late 1960s, however, Prussian Jews were growing rapidly in Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Czechoslovakia, and the former Soviet Union. In the early 1980s, however, such changes led to significant change in the political and religious direction and the influence of the Jewish diaspora in the Prussian system. Indeed, some of the first leaders who started Jews’ education in the Prussian system were in Prussia, particularly Lidicev and Meckop (Hirsch, 1973), who were responsible for shaping the future leaders of the Jewish community in Prussia. Other leaders who were able to influence the development of Jewish culture in Prussia from a relatively nascent stage in the nineteenth century to a full-fledged leader who had reached maturity in the early 1980s were Yuriy Dzemelinskiy, the former president of Prussia and now living in Moscow, and Victor Vlachos (1943-1987), who was considered to be among Poland’s leading religious scholars. Following the fall of the regime of Zemol in 1990, many of Prussia’s leading citizens, including its founders, decided to leave. The latter and many others, as well as members of the Lubavitchernik, and other Jewish leaders, were left largely untalented after this move. Although there is substantial evidence that the Jews of Poland have been influenced by the influence of Prussian Jewry in Israel, there is no evidence that there was anything particularly dramatic in Israeli leaders’ influence on Polish leaders. In addition to the political and spiritual changes that have influenced Poland over the years, the Polish Jewish people must have suffered in some measure during this period (Chernayev et al., 1988), which includes a massive generation of Jewish youths, an increasing share of the population of Prussia and in the city of Lviv.
Lithuanian Orthodox Jews were also affected by a number of social and economic and political changes. Although the Jewish mass experience coincided with the transition from the Protestant to Judaism, a period of religious and philosophical revival of social and political organization emerged in post-Reformation Russia, especially in the later years of the 19th century (see p. 19). This revival took place especially during the nineteenth century and culminated in Russia’s first-ever reform law in 1868. To the Jewish question, the Reform era was, in general, a golden period in the development of Jewish national identity and culture, and its revival led to a growing and widespread Jewish public awareness of the role of the Orthodox as a religious and social force in Russia, especially in the context of its Jewish history. Between 1868 and 1885, the Orthodox population of Prussia increased by almost 60% (see p. 20). Over the last few decades, Prussia experienced a rapid growth in the number of Jews in the political, military and cultural sphere. The popularity of the Jewish-centric media, especially the radio and film studios (Chernayev et al., 1988), prompted many Prussiaans to view Jews with suspicion. In the Prussian city of Lviv, for example, some rabbis, and others Jews living abroad, became wary of the growing presence of Russian Jews in Prussia who were not permitted to adopt the Orthodox and religious traditions (Chernayev et al., 1988). These fears gave rise to numerous political and ideological changes in Prussia and throughout Poland. By the late 1960s, however, Prussian Jews were growing rapidly in Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Czechoslovakia, and the former Soviet Union. In the early 1980s, however, such changes led to significant change in the political and religious direction and the influence of the Jewish diaspora in the Prussian system. Indeed, some of the first leaders who started Jews’ education in the Prussian system were in Prussia, particularly Lidicev and Meckop (Hirsch, 1973), who were responsible for shaping the future leaders of the Jewish community in Prussia. Other leaders who were able to influence the development of Jewish culture in Prussia from a relatively nascent stage in the nineteenth century to a full-fledged leader who had reached maturity in the early 1980s were Yuriy Dzemelinskiy, the former president of Prussia and now living in Moscow, and Victor Vlachos (1943-1987), who was considered to be among Poland’s leading religious scholars. Following the fall of the regime of Zemol in 1990, many of Prussia’s leading citizens, including its founders, decided to leave. The latter and many others, as well as members of the Lubavitchernik, and other Jewish leaders, were left largely untalented after this move. Although there is substantial evidence that the Jews of Poland have been influenced by the influence of Prussian Jewry in Israel, there is no evidence that there was anything particularly dramatic in Israeli leaders’ influence on Polish leaders. In addition to the political and spiritual changes that have influenced Poland over the years, the Polish Jewish people must have suffered in some measure during this period (Chernayev et al., 1988), which includes a massive generation of Jewish youths, an increasing share of the population of Prussia and in the city of Lviv.
Lithuanian Orthodox Jews were also affected by a number of social and economic and political changes. Although the Jewish mass experience coincided with the transition from the Protestant to Judaism, a period of religious and philosophical revival of social and political organization emerged in post-Reformation Russia, especially in the later years of the 19th century (see p. 19). This revival took place especially during the nineteenth century and culminated in Russia’s first-ever reform law in 1868. To the Jewish question, the Reform era was, in general, a golden period in the development of Jewish national identity and culture, and its revival led to a growing and widespread Jewish public awareness of the role of the Orthodox as a religious and social force in Russia, especially in the context of its Jewish history. Between 1868 and 1885, the Orthodox population of Prussia increased by almost 60% (see p. 20). Over the last few decades, Prussia experienced a rapid growth in the number of Jews in the political, military and cultural sphere. The popularity of the Jewish-centric media, especially the radio and film studios (Chernayev et al., 1988), prompted many Prussiaans to view Jews with suspicion. In the Prussian city of Lviv, for example, some rabbis, and others Jews living abroad, became wary of the growing presence of Russian Jews in Prussia who were not permitted to adopt the Orthodox and religious traditions (Chernayev et al., 1988). These fears gave rise to numerous political and ideological changes in Prussia and throughout Poland. By the late 1960s, however, Prussian Jews were growing rapidly in Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Czechoslovakia, and the former Soviet Union. In the early 1980s, however, such changes led to significant change in the political and religious direction and the influence of the Jewish diaspora in the Prussian system. Indeed, some of the first leaders who started Jews’ education in the Prussian system were in Prussia, particularly Lidicev and Meckop (Hirsch, 1973), who were responsible for shaping the future leaders of the Jewish community in Prussia. Other leaders who were able to influence the development of Jewish culture in Prussia from a relatively nascent stage in the nineteenth century to a full-fledged leader who had reached maturity in the early 1980s were Yuriy Dzemelinskiy, the former president of Prussia and now living in Moscow, and Victor Vlachos (1943-1987), who was considered to be among Poland’s leading religious scholars. Following the fall of the regime of Zemol in 1990, many of Prussia’s leading citizens, including its founders, decided to leave. The latter and many others, as well as members of the Lubavitchernik, and other Jewish leaders, were left largely untalented after this move. Although there is substantial evidence that the Jews of Poland have been influenced by the influence of Prussian Jewry in Israel, there is no evidence that there was anything particularly dramatic in Israeli leaders’ influence on Polish leaders. In addition to the political and spiritual changes that have influenced Poland over the years, the Polish Jewish people must have suffered in some measure during this period (Chernayev et al., 1988), which includes a massive generation of Jewish youths, an increasing share of the population of Prussia and in the city of Lviv.
Pessimism in the south became more intense after the Cossacks Uprising (1648 – 1654) under Chmielnicki and the turbulent times in Poland (1648 – 1660), which completely ruined the Jewry of Ukraine, but left comparatively untouched that of Lithuania. The economic and spiritual decline of the Jews of what would later become southern Russia created a favorable field for mystical movements and religious sectarianism, which spread in the area from the middle of the 17th to the middle of the 18th century.
Besides these influences, deeply-seated causes produced among many Jews a discontent with Rabbinism and a gravitation toward mysticism. Rabbinism, which