Torah scroll, hidden during Holocaust, brought to Yad Vashem

A Torah scroll hidden in the attic of a synagogue in Poland that was ransacked on Kristallnacht was placed in the Holy Ark at Yad Vashem, Israel’s official Holocaust remembrance centre. Read more

Polish ultranationalist MP extinguishes Chanukah candle

An ultranationalist MP in the Polish parliament has used a fire extinguisher to put out a candle on a menorah that was lit for Chanukah. Read more

Yad Vashem: Polish parliamentarian’s effort to silence historian ‘a new low’

A member of the Polish parliament allegedly assaulted a Polish-Canadian historian on May 31 who suggested that Poland was complicit in Nazi atrocities. Read more

Israel and Poland restore relations after Holocaust-related spat

President Isaac Herzog has discussed with Polish President Andrzej Duda “the promotion of their countries’ bilateral relations” and agreed to restore the relations “to their proper course”. Read more

Renovation work in Poland finds 60 Jewish tombstones near old Gestapo building

Dozens of Jewish tombstones were discovered this week in the Polish town of Radzyń Podlaski (also known as Radin), about 35 miles from Lublin, near a building that had been used as headquarters for the Gestapo during the years of World War II and the Holocaust. Read more

Polish diplomat fired after calling country’s Holocaust speech law ‘stupid’

A Polish diplomat has reportedly been fired after calling his own government’s laws regarding speech centred around the Holocaust “stupid.” Read more

Heard again: Cries of ‘Death to the Jews!’ in a Polish city

In her recent co-authored book Philo-Semitic Violence: Poland’s Jewish Past in New Polish Narratives, the Warsaw-based literary scholar Elzbieta Janicka recounts an episode from Poland’s past that sheds a great deal of light on Poland’s present…writes Ben Cohen. Read more

FIFA president urged to take action against Polish referee’s anti-Jewish rant

Jewish and antisemitism watchdog groups are urging FIFA to take a stance concerning a Polish soccer referee who went on a rant against Jews. Read more

Imbecilic insanity

Former United Kingdom Prime Minister, Tony Blair, is reported as having called the American Administration’s total pullout from Afghanistan as imbecilic. Read more

‘There is more to Polish restitution law than Lapid portrays’

The question on everyone’s mind in Poland in recent days was what prompted Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid to react in such a critical manner to their government’s decision to put a statute of limitations on property claims that date back more than 30 years?…writes Ariel Bulshtein. Read more

Fighting antisemitism should not be Israel’s primary concern

Antisemitism is a phenomenon at least two thousand years old. Read more

Israel takes diplomatic action against Poland after bill limiting restitution of property lost in Holocaust signed into law

Israel’s leadership has taken significant diplomatic action and has issued harsh condemnations against Poland after a law limiting the ability of Holocaust survivors and descendants of Holocaust victims to reclaim their property passed through the final stage of legislation. Read more

Israel up in arms after Polish Parliament passes law limiting restitution of property lost in Holocaust

The Polish parliament approved on Wednesday a law limiting the ability of Holocaust survivors and descendants of Holocaust victims to reclaim their property, prompting Israeli officials to take action and issue harsh condemnations. Read more

Outdoor exhibit about history of Polish Jews travels to Eastern European cities

A new travelling outdoor exhibition about the history of Polish Jews is making its way through five cities in Poland following successful showings in Croatia and Norway. Read more

Row between Israel and Poland over Holocaust property restitution escalates

The dispute between Israel and Poland over an amendment to a Polish law that would hinder Holocaust victims’ ability to claim their property in the country escalated Sunday when both countries summoned each other’s ambassadors for a dressing down. Read more

Poland: FM Lapid’s attack on Holocaust Reparations Law is ‘indicative of ignorance of the facts’

Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid’s attack on Poland’s amended Code of Administrative Procedure that relates to reparations for Jewish victims of the Holocaust is “indicative of ignorance of the facts and the Polish law,” Poland’s Foreign Ministry charged. Read more

British Government strongly affirms support for Holocaust-era property restitution in Poland

The British Government has strongly reaffirmed its support for Holocaust-era property restitution in Poland and other countries, in reply to a question asked in the House of Lords by Baroness Ruth Deech. Read more

A chill wind from Poland

I’ve known Rafal Pankowski, the Polish academic and campaigner against antisemitism and racism, for almost 20 years, but I don’t think I’ve heard him sound as worried about the political situation in his country as I did when he addressed a seminar last week on Polish antisemitism. Read more

Truth is not selective: Poland vs. Netflix

Poland’s government won an important victory on the battleground of history last week. Read more

Shavuot in Lodz

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Polish prime minister: Restitution to Holocaust victims a ‘victory for Hitler’

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Friday that was Poland to pay restitution for those whose property was stolen in the Holocaust it would violate “international law and would also be a posthumous victory for Hitler;” therefore, “something like this will never happen.” Read more

Polish antisemitism is serious, but Yair Lapid is overreaching

Over the last year, Yair Lapid, the co-chair of Israel’s opposition Blue and White Party, has made several outspoken statements about Poland, Polish antisemitism and the Holocaust. Read more

World Jewish Congress condemns antisemitic effigy burning in Poland

Reacting to reports that on April 19th, an image of Judas Iscariot made to look like a stereotypical Jew had been hanged and burned in effigy in the town of Pruchnik in south-eastern Poland as a part of an Easter ritual with hundreds of people including children taking part, World Jewish Congress CEO Robert Singer expresses disgust and outrage at this latest blatantly antisemitic manifestation. Read more

WJC President Lauder decries deterioration in ties between Poland and Israel

World Jewish Congress  President Ronald S. Lauder commented on the rift between Israel and Poland. Read more

Former Chief Rabbi: Poles ‘shot selves in foot’ with Holocaust law

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Must Jews and Poles keep fighting about the Holocaust?

It’s never wise to get into an argument about the Holocaust with Yad Vashem…writes Jonathan S. Tobin/JNS. Read more

Polish moves to rescind criminal penalty from Holocaust Law

The World Jewish Congress has welcomed Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki’s decision to recommend to parliament that it reopen discussions on its new Holocaust Law so as to rescind criminal penalty for suggesting that Poles bore some responsibility for the destruction of Polish Jewry.  Read more

Losing the plot

In the northern hemisphere spring is arriving. In Israel it has sprung but in parts of the USA and in Europe/UK the winter thaw is delayed…writes Michael Kuttner. Read more

Post Purim hangovers

Once the Purim carnival festivities are over and the masks removed the real world again intrudes into our daily lives. Read more

Israeli lawmakers author counter-bill criminalising Polish Holocaust denial

In a direct response to a bill passed by Polish legislators criminalising terms that link Poland to any involvement of the heinous crimes in the Holocaust, 61 members of Israel’s Knesset co-sponsored new legislation whereby exonerating Polish involvement in crimes against humanity during World War II will be considered a form of illegal Holocaust denial. Read more

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