Re: [Cz-L] Explanation and Apology

To add and to comment on what Hardy wrote:

Even though it was no great Metzie to be Jewish, I think that most
Czernowitz Jews were quite happy and proud to be Jewish. Whether
justified or not, they thought themselves superior; Jews did not beat their
wives, did not drink too much and helped each other.
They were proud of Jewish institutions, such as the "Chevra Kadisha"and
"Hachnasat Kallah", also proud of every Jewish person who did well.

Yet they were divided by beliefs, social standing, background, wealth or
the lack of it, education and personal inclination.

There were in Czernowitz, in the later half of the 19th century and till
WW2, many different streams of Judaism and other systems of beliefs
and ideas. While many people stayed true to their ancestors' beliefs and
ideas and vigorously defended them against change, there were others,
who became persuaded that other beliefs and ideas were more correct
or appropriate.

Among the orthodox Jews, some belonged to the Rabbinical, or "Mitnagdim"
Stream, others were Hassidim of various rabbinical courts: Wiznitzer, Boyan,
Sadagura and probably some, I am not familiar with.

Among those who were not orthodox, some belonged to recognized
Jewish religious streams and others limited their religious practice to
the observation of major Jewish holidays and keeping the house "Kosher",
Even though they may have eaten "Treif" when away from home.
In addition there were some who kept none of the Jewish religious
observances, nor knew much about them.
Very few, if any, converted to Christianity.

On top of this division according to systems of belief, there were divisions
of political nature; Some were Zionists, some were not, or even against it.
Among those who were Zionists, there was a further division according
to left-wing, right wing and centrist orientation.
>From the point of view of general political orientation, there were
Socialists, Capitalists and Communists, probably also Anarchists.

Another division was based on linguistic preferences. Yiddish or German?
Later in the thirties, Romanian also became a choice.
Among the more tradition oriented there was a further division based on
the preference for either Hebrew or Yiddish as the national Jewish language.

In some cases the divisions held from one generation to the next, in others,
it did not, for instance, in the case of my mother's family, her ancestors
till the early 18th century were of orthodox rabbinical orientation. They
then became Chassidim of the Wiznitzer rabbi. My grandfather who came to
Czernowitz as an infant in 1879 or 1980 had strictly orthodox parents.
He was sent to study with a famous rabbi in Maramures. German he studied
on his own, against the wishes of his parents. In his teens he became a
fervent Zionist of leftist persuasion, was the founder of the "Poalei Zion"
in Czernowitz and in the twenties and early thirties published a weekly
Yiddish newspaper, called "Die Yiddishe Arbeiter Zeitung". He favored
Yiddish over Hebrew, till the first time he visited Palestine in 1923.
He remained strictly observant till his death in 1940.
Prayers and "Zmoorim" were sung in the Wiznitzer tradition and I remember
him putting on "Teffilin" each morning.

His four children were all given Hebrew names, some of which, like Yehoshua
and Bruria were difficult to pronounce in German. All belonged to Zionist
movements, two went to Palestine in the twenties and early thirties.
All but the oldest, preferred speaking German to speaking Yiddish. Still,
they read Yiddish books, went to the Yiddish theatre, told jokes in Yiddish
and referred to it as "Mameh Looshen". None remained religiously observant.

Mimi

On 12/11/12 12:00 AM, "HARDY BREIER" <HARDY3_at_bezeqint.net> wrote:

> Mimi's story is only a very superficial explanation.
> The truth is that most Jews did not want to be Jewish.
> If was not a very big Metzie - bargain that is.
> Except the ultra religious who believed they were the chosen people
> by the Almighty .
> We were born Jewish , by coincidence.
> Became special by circumstances.
> In Habsburghia of the 19 century an opportunity arose.
> Emancipation allowed the affluent Jews to grow mustachios
> drop the Talles and the Yarmelke and the Yiddish and their
> ancestry and move up - away of Jewishness.
> Even the lower income Jews were following suit.
> Not very successfully.
> ( This is a very much simplified version for the beginner)
> Hardy

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Received on 2012-12-11 10:51:55