YIVO Explores the History of Polish-Jewish Relations with Key Figures in the Field

New York, NY – This fall, the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research will explore the complicated history of Polish-Jewish relations. It will partner with Fordham University and Columbia University for the “In Dialogue: Polish-Jewish Relations” series, and will present Dariusz Stola, the director of POLIN Museum.

This year, tensions between the Polish government and the international Jewish community rose following a controversial law making it an offense for anyone to accuse Poland of participating in the Holocaust or other Nazi crimes. In this context, exploring the history of Polish-Jewish relations, the tensions between history and memory, exclusion and belonging, national ideologies, and antisemitism, is more pertinent than ever.

YIVO’s programs will examine the way perceptions of the past have influenced contemporary memory in creating competing accounts of history.

In Dialogue Series

This series is co-presented by Fordham University, Columbia University, and YIVO. In addition to the programs below, the series will extend into 2019 with an additional lecture and daylong symposium.

Part 1

Program: In Dialogue: Polish Jewish Relations in the Pre-Modern Period
When: Thursday, October 4, 2018 | 6:00pm
Where: McNally Amphitheater | 140 West 62nd Street | Gabelli School of Business, Fordham University | New York, NY 10023
Tickets: Free
Reservations: yivo.org/In-Dialogue-PreModern

The first event of the series “In Dialogue: Polish-Jewish Relations” will focus on the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the period when the country was partitioned by Habsburg Austria, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Russian Empire. Magda Teter (Fordham University) and Brian Porter-Szűcs (University of Michigan) will discuss Jewish-Christian relations, the Jews’ place in the social fabric of the Commonwealth, and the transformation from the multi-ethnic Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth to nineteenth-century nationalist ideologies.

Part 2

Program: In Dialogue: Polish Jewish Relations in the Interwar Period
When: Thursday, November 15, 2018 | 6:00pm
Where: Fordham University Law School | 150 West 62nd Street | Room 1-01 | New York, NY 10023
Tickets: Free
Reservations: yivo.org/In-Dialogue-Interwar

In the second event of the “In Dialogue: Polish-Jewish Relations” series, Samuel Kassow (Trinity College) and Paul Brykczyński (University of Michigan) will discuss Polish and Jewish society and culture. They consider contested questions about Polish-Jewish relations, cultural, political, and ideological transformations of the time, including nationalism and antisemitism in the aftermath of World War I, and the eve of World War II.

Program: Exhibiting Difficult Histories: The 'Anti-Zionist' Campaign in Poland, 1967–1968, and Its Echoes Today
When: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 | 7:00pm
Where: YIVO at the Center for Jewish History | 15 West 16th Street, New York, NY 10011
Tickets: $10 for General Admission, $5 for YIVO Members and Students
Reservations: yivo.org/Exhibiting-Difficult-Histories

Dariusz Stola, the director of POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, examines the communist government of Poland’s 1968 campaign that slandered, harassed, and persecuted half of Poland’s Jews into exile. He will discuss the controversies surrounding the campaign, how it continues to impact Polish society and how it is portrayed in a new Exhibit at the Museum.

For any media inquiries please contact:

Alex Weiser
Director of Public Programs
(212) 294-6152

About YIVO

The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research is dedicated to the preservation and study of the history and culture of East European Jewry worldwide. For nearly a century, YIVO has pioneered new forms of Jewish scholarship, research, education, and cultural expression. Our public programs and exhibitions, as well as online and on-site courses, extend our outreach to a global community. The YIVO Archives contains 24 million unique items and YIVO’s Library has over 400,000 volumes—the single largest resource for the study of East European Jewish life in the world. yivo.org / yivo.org/the-whole-story