How did judaism change after the holocaust?

pinkshmrkbrun: How did judaism change after the holocaust?
I’m doing a research paper on a country, but my thesis statement is the holocaust changed the jewish religion for many countries. It pretty much sucks for writing a paper. I can find plenty of effects of the holocaust, but not how it might have changed Judaism itself.

Answers and Views:

Answer by jojo
increased zionism as a primarily concern for jews as opposed to religion itself, which could be argued therefore increased assimilation.

Answer by brainstorm
It became much more extreme.
The jews learned two lessons from the Nazis, the use of overwhelming force against a weaker opponent and the value of propaganda.
This has enabled them to steal the land of the Palestinians while at the same time appearing to be the victims.

Answer by lejeune42
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Religious Responses to the Holocaust

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Significance of Terminology:
Holocaust
Shoah
Hurban

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The slowness of the religious response:
General silence until 1966-67
American Jewry’s lack of confidence in raising “parochial” concerns.
None is Too Many, While Six Million Died, “Hollywoodism” phenomenon.
Systemic Antisemitism in Western society, tried to suppress knowledge [including Middle-East-related reasons].
American Jews’ disconnection and ignorance of Judaism and Jewish affairs.
Publication of Rubinstein’s After Auschwitz; Fackenheim, Quest for Past and Future (cf. E. Wiesel: Night)

Revived awareness of Holocaust
Six-Day War 1967.
Yom Kippur War 1973.
“Holocaust” Êtelevision miniseries (1978)
“Schindler’s List” (1993).
Transformation of Holocaust into central consensus of American Jewish identity. Problems with this situation.

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The question of ritual commemoration of the Holocaust
Related to questions of uniqueness within Jewish perspective. Is this just another (albeit more serious) pogrom, or something unprecedented.
Yom Ha-Shoah and relationship to Warsaw Ghetto uprising.
“Ultra-Orthodox” [Haredi] refusal to observe Yom Hashoah [replaced by 10th of Tevet; day to recite Kaddish for the unknown victims].
Israeli tendency to identify with partisans, but not with victims [Change of attitude in 1973].
Eschatological implicaitons of sequence of modern commemorative dates
Yom Ha-Shoah.
–> Independence Day.
–> Jerusalem Liberation Day.
Eschatological implications of Holocaust as “birthpangs of Messiah.”

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Leo Baeck
Leo Baeck (1873-1956)
Prominent Berlin Reform rabbi and theologian
Deported to Theresienstadt concentration camp in 1943, where he was distinguished for the spiritual guidance and inspiration he gave to the inmates.
Pre-Holocaust work The Essence of Judaism presents a “conventional” interpretaiton of Judaism as ethical monotheism. Strongly influenced by Hermann Cohen.
His post-Holocaust work This People Israel focuses on the miraculous dimensions of the survival of Judaism as a voice of rational morality in an irrational world.

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Eli Wiesel
Elie Wiesel (1928-)
From strict Hasidic background in Romania, deprted to Auschwitz at age 15.
Novels describe bleak, unspeakable evil of Auschwitz.
Later in his life he focuses increasingly on vital richness of Jewish tradition, especially Hasidism.
Practical lessons of Holocaust:
Support for Israel and oppressed Jewish communities (“Jews of Silence” in Soviet Union)
Advocacy of Human Rights causes.

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Eliezer Berkovits (1908-82)
Traditionalist interpretation of Holocaust.
Occasion for heroic martydom, in line with previous responses to persecutions in Jewish history. The spiritual attitude with which a Jew faces death can be a religious act.
Although the Holocaust was the greatest catastrophe in its proportions, it was not unique in its quality.
Contrary to the traditional Jewish response to catastrophes, the Holocaust should be ascribed to Jewish sins. It is a profound mystery, a “hiding of God’s countenance.”
God’s failure to interfere with human evil is a condition of human free will.
The correct response to the Holocaust is to reaffirm the vitality of traditional Judaism and Zionism.

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Emil Fackenheim
Emil Fackenheim (1916-2003)
Was distinguished German philosopher before the War, authority on Hegel. Devoted most of his work after the Holocaust to Jewish issues.
Spoke of the uniqueness (or unprecedentedness) of the Holocaust.
The 614th commanemdment: Not to give Hitler a posthumous victory by allowing Judaism to die. The survival of Jews and Judaism are a central religious imperative.
–> Support for the state of Israel is a necessary response to the Holocaust.

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Richard Rubenstein
Argued that Holocaust shattered the main beliefs of traditional Judaism.
It is no longer possible to believe in an all-powerful, benevolent God who guides history.
It is no longer possible to believe in the covenant between God and the Jewish people.
Argued for less emphasis on historical dimentions of Jewish theology, and rediscovery of God in nature.
Jews must learn to utilize power in order to survive.

Answer by allonyoav
The holocaust did not change Judaism at all. The prayers, rituals etc are still exactly the same as before the Holocaust- there has been no change to the religion.

The only debate is over the date of Yom HaShoah (Holocaust remeberance day); many on the religious establishment object to the current date since it is in a period when we are not meant to eulogise people and thus Yom HoShoah has become a contentious issue date wise. However, since it is actually a secular rememberance rather than a religious occasion- the no-Orthodox Jewish world (in other words the majority of Jews world wide) is likely to continue to celbrate it on the current date- with various Orthodox communities holding their own celebrations on more appropriate days. To many in the Orthodox world it seems bizarre that we should the remember the righteous dead on a date when we should not be doing so under Jewish law! To us, it is inappropriate.

Maybe a better them for your thesis is going to have to be the reislience of Judaism despite secular disasters.

Answer by flowerpower
do not listen to ”?”…that person is an idiot. The holocaust did not change Judaism as a religion at all. The practices,tradtions,beliefs are the same as they were thousands of years ago. It changed the lives on many Jews who lost entire families and were exposed to such scary stuff but it did not change the religion.