Israel – Prominent Zionist-religious figure Rabbi Zalman Melamed stated that Poland is an “impure country riddled with anti-Semitism” that Jews should refrain from visiting.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
Less than two months ago another leading rabbi, Shlomo Aviner, almost sparked a diplomatic incident with the Polish government after saying that Israeli students must not take part in educational trips to the Nazi death camps in the country, so as not to provide livelihood to “murderers” who assisted the Nazi regime.
According to Rabbi Melamed, the participation of youths in trips to Poland was “undesirable,” and yeshiva students would be best to avoid them, “because they do not need this journey in order to boost their Jewish and national identity.”
Rabbi Melamed further stated that Jews were halachically banned from leaving the Land of Israel, even if this was done in order to visit the burial sites of great rabbis.
Controversy in Israel and Poland
About two months ago Rabbi Aviner said that visiting the death camps was forbidden for both religious and humanistic reasons. “I’m not busy holding a grudge against the Poles, but we shouldn’t provide livelihood to people who allowed death camps to be built on their land and who are now making a profit out of it,” he explained.
Aviner’s words triggered heated controversy in Israel and Poland. Krakow’s Israeli rabbi, Boaz Pash said at the time that, “With his remarks Rabbi Aviner essentially strengthens the same anti-Semitic trends that still exist in Poland and that we’re fighting against.
“His words obviously aren’t helping the Jewish communities here. They contained sweeping generalizations that are taken lightly in Israel, but that are met with high sensitivity in Poland; he’s put us in a very difficult spot.”
For a little money to their government, it’s worth many Jews to have their Emuna strengthened
From one side he’s right, but how can I not go to my helige zeide’s tzion, the Reb Reb Elimelech m’Lizensk.
I do not condone Jews living in Poland or for that matter anywhere in Europe, a continent soaked with 1000 years of Jewish blood. But the face remains that Jews, and increasingly religious Jews, do live in Poland. Maybe Rav Aviner should review the halochos of language that can hurt another Yid, in any fashion. Does Rav Aviner ignore the Torah’s statement of “binu shnos dor v’dor”? What better connection to 6 million kedoshim than to stare in the face of the camps that killed them? How dare a Rov in any way try to stand in the way of remembering what the Germans and yes the Poles too did to our nation? Rav Aviner is giving fuel to the secular Jews who say, rightfully, that the religious Jews are forgetting the Shoah and if not for them, it would be entirely forgotten. And let the Poles see what they did to themselves by throwing us out, let them see what they’re missing, forever.
i agree – my father zt’l told me NOT to go back he said “the blood of your family is soaked into the soil of their land” …hy’d
Its about time too. I have been saying it for years.
How many millions of dollars have been given to Poland and many Eastern European countries through ‘tourism’ of the Nazi death machine and its effects on Europe??? When I was there, I came to realize that its not us laughing at them for being around – its them laughing at us – first they kill most of us, then they take our money for showing us how they killed our ancestors. Its not just the government there but many many people all over the country benefit from this ‘tourism’.
Instead of thousands of people visiting the graves of the gedolim of the past, the money used for the trips should be gathered and used to moved their kevorim to Eretz Yisroel.
“Jews were halachically banned from leaving the Land of Israel” ?
This is the new “Land of Israel” avoda zorah.
Its hard to understand this point of view. Rav Melamed, being much older than me, lived closer to that time period.
There are very few people left from that era. Just as in Germany. The inhabitants of these countries are different now. We see the preservation of these sites as “profit centers” for them. Why do we not respect them for not tearing them down and building strip malls?
I think this is a generational thing. My parents would burn their house down before they would park a German car in their driveway. The people today are not the same people. German is one of Israel’s biggest trading partners and frequently stands with Israel on international matters.
I think it is important to not diminish the opinions, but to put them in the context from which they are being given.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe said clearly that no Jew should or need live in Poland again. Obviously, he saw that our spiritual rectifications had been completed there.
i don’t think that poland should be made a required trip for students in the eu, israel or america. individuals who nuture a visit to their loved ones or wish to visit a heiliga tzadik is ok. the poles are anti- semites and hate jews in their blood . of course there are exceptions. i recommend traveling with a small group whenever you do go there; never travel alone to poland. i have many a time wished to go there, to visit the grave sites and heiliga tzadikim that lie there, but refrain when i think that this country harbored the death camps of our loved ones . it is a big cemetary.
With all due respect to Rabbi Melamed, I think that a trip there does boost ones Jewish and National identity. From my personal experience, I recieved a great boost with my visit to the concentration camps. As for Rabbi Aviner, I dont understand the money issue. We were a large group and didnt spend a dime in poland, besides a few tips here and there. We brought along our own food , didn’t fly a polish airline, and stayed only in Jewish owned hotels.
If enough people don’t visit the concentration camps, then it would become more likely that the sites would at some point be destroyed. Is that something Rabbi Zalman Melamed would want? Poland is not a wealthy nation like Germany, however it seems like they do want to improve relations with Israel. Notice that Poland resumed full diplomatic ties with Israel in 1990. It seems that Warsaw Pact countries were pressured to end diplomatic relations with Israel after the 6 day war in 1967.
I can understand that Rabbi Zalman Melamed is still angry about how Jews were treated by the Polish in WW2. It is time for Israel to further strengthen its relationship with Poland.
I have never understood how a Jew could go to visit Aushwitz. It’s beyond my abilities to do so. In fact, my rabbi gave a sermon last week in shul that the Jewish schools should not be sending our kids to poland for “march of the living”.
You will NOT get me or any of my extended family to visit, spend $$ or tour in blood-soaked Europe.
“Jews were halachically banned from leaving the Land of Israel” ? There are many EY gedolim that will not leave Israel for any reason at all (mitzvah included).
Cheers to harav Melamed Shlita! After the Spanish Inquisition and Expulsion the Rabbonim of that generation decreed a Cherem: Cherem Sfarad. No Jew would have considered travel to that land for 500 years nor did we purchase any product of Spain. That Cherem ended in1992 and now travel exists. Do you think the Spanish Jews had no Kever Avos to reckon with? Do you think there were no k’varim of gedolim in Spain? There are Sfardim who have a minhag NOT to visit Kvarim…are they missing out on this Mitzvah of which you speak? It is quite reasonable to assume that there is no Kedushas Yisroel in Europe. (If someone harmed your parents, chas veshalom, you would hardly return to visit with them OR their descendants) Sadly we are seeing very few of the integrity of Rav Melamed come forward and lead bederech HaShem.
My great grandfather brought our family here a few years before the First World War. He was running away from the Poles, not the Nazis. Unfortunately, theer are many other groups in Eastern Europe that are not much better. The Ukrainians are the same trash as the Poles are. It blows my mind that frum people would hire Polish cleaning ladies. Frum businessmen hire Polish contractors. Hundreds of years worth of Jewish blood is soaked into Polish soil.
Yet, it is somewhat important for our youth to see the death camps. They must know what happened to our people. Both sides have some merits. Ailu v’ailu… The Poles, however, kulai alma agree, have none!
qustion for #14 how many times have you benn on a trip to israel and gone to the roots of our forefathers???? israel is the only place to find jewish identity if u were here and went to poland thats something but what abt the people who just go to poland??????????????
This whole new approach of visiting concentration camps and overmuch focusing on the Holocaust shelo leshaim shomayim is not a Jewish approach. It mostly leads to depression and other negative thoughts. Tisha B’av and the 3 weeks have been designated as appropriate times and the associated halachos provide the proper framework for mourning and dealing with these issues.
There is no record of Jews visiting pogrom sites for any purpose.
I was born in Germany after the war and my father was on Schindler’s list and my mother was in Auschwitz and I have no interest whatsoever in visiting the site of the most evil deeds nor do I want to meet the disgusting spawn of evil people that perpetrated these crimes.
If one wants to go for Kivrei Tzadikim,
In terms of a cherem, Rav Kook in his sefer igros raaye chelek 2 siman 632 questioned whether cherem seforad was a cherem or an oath and in any case he said that it is no worse than the prohibition of returning to Egypt which is only a prohibition on living there and not on visiting.
There is no known prohibition on any country outside of Egypt and Spain whose prohibition expired.
What is so holy about Russian anti Semitism? WHy didn’t this rabbi speak about Russia too and there other countries also.
europe is soiled with the blood of millions of jews. the entire continent is worthy of being flushed down the toilet, and they can take russia with them. jews have been told to leave. pity they’re not listening.
Yossi says:
I’ve read all of the posts, and . I appreciate the various sentiments expressed, but only one of you claim to have been to Poland.
I’ve been taking my High school talmidim and adults to Poland, Lithuania, Belerus, and the Ukraine for 12 years. EVERY SINGLE CHILD and adult who’s been there comes back a changed person. I can’t overemphasize what a life changing experience it is.
The frum become Shtarker, the traditional become frum- the trip if done properly is literally “mi-chayeh” people!
Heritage, and other groups based in Eretz Yisrael have taken over 10,000 students and adults and have changed the face of the Jewish world.We don’t just take the kids there. We teach them for weeks in advance, have survivors accompany them, say the appropriate tefilos, sing when our Neshamos are breaking, and spend hours afterwards dealing with how this will impact on us, and how we’ll change our lives.
When we leave Auschwitz, where the ashes of 1.2 million lie, or the mass grave in the Lipochowa forest, or Babi Yar in kiev-103,000- or the Kever Achim in Berditchev hidden in a wheat field-18,350-WE have all become the Shearis Hapleta, we are all survivors in some sense.
And when we go to Eretz Yisroel from there- often for only a day- the feeling is overwhelming! EVERY ONE KISSES THE GROUND! Even people who’ve been to Eretz Yisroal 40 times feel a s if it’s the first time.Our davening- and remember, a lot of these kids aren’t really what you’d consider frum- is over the top! For many of them, this is what gets them to commit to learning in Eretz Yisroel for a year. As so many have said, if I don’t take my Yiddishkeit more seriously from now on, it means that they died for nothing!
Everyone, on some level feels the Achrayoos to ensure that Netzach Yisrael lo Yishakayach!
Yes, many of the locals have been nursed on their parents’ vicious anti Semitism,but I would respond that:
1.We spend as little time and $$ there as possible,
2.Yatzah Hefsaido Bescharoe- the benefit is so overwhelming that that issue is irrelavent,
3. Whereas we see no “light” at all in Lita and the Ukraine- who were MUCH worse than the Poles, if you know your history- as much as I’d rather not concede this, because there’s some kind of security in believing that the Poles of today are as bad as the WWII generation, but if you’re interested in the truth, not hearsay, you’ll find out that there is a movement in Poland today, where thousands of Poles are waking up and learning about the horrors which many of their parents perpetrated. If I put the number at 20-30,000, where there was nothing before the fall of Communism in ’89, I’m not exaggerating, and the number keeps growing, although this point is totally irrelavent to our going! I’m merely responding to this thought.
Yes, we ALWAYS have an anti semitic incident or two, but we ALWAYS meet people who risked their lives to save yiddin’ who’s Midos are truly humbling- and for those Yichidim it’s certainly worth it, as well as many Poles of our generation who- I know that I’m saying a heresy now- are not anti- semitin!
Your parents- and my parents are right -THEY don’t have top go back to the Lager and shouldn’t! But we their children should, if we’re able to, to insure that the Mesiras nefesh, the Tza’ar, the Kiddush Hashem remain fresh in our minds- or if it’s not there, to create it!
The Klozinberger rebbe, the Blushiver, Rav Pam, Rav Tuvia- any of the Gedolim who knew, said that Churban Europe was worse than the Churban Bayis Sheni in many respects, AND YET OUR CHILDREN KNOW NOTHING about it!!!!
I have spoken to many of our Chosheve Rabbanim, and they have all encouraged these trips, if done properly.We take the kids to Licenszk, Krakow, Ger, and Bobov, to the Kivrei Tzadikim there, as well as to the Kivrei Millions of Tzadikkim in Belzec, Ponary, Treblinka and Maidanek.Can anyone of you out the re be i”sha-air which Makom has greater kedusha, and who’ll be a greater Mayleetz Yosher?
Bemm’cheelas K’vod Rav Melamed and Rav Aviner- and I am Afar tachas Kapos
raglayhem- but perhaps they don’t appreciate the incredible opportunity for chinuch, kiruv Krovim, and Kiruv Richokim involved. .
Unfortunately we’ve lost Rav Noach, but he was the first to acknowledge the tremendous Koach for Aliya Ruchni in such trips.
Before you make up your minds rabboisai, please consider daati hapi-uta and don’t be mivatel those who go and come back closer to the Reboinoi Shel Olam and our doros of tzaddikim.
While I personally feel that there is a lot of hatred towards Jews in Poland, and am uncomfortable with the idea of visiting as well, perhaps everyone should take a closer look at the following countries that boycotted the Durban let’s-pretend-we’re-against-racism conference:
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a letter of gratitude to the states that boycotted the UN anti-racism conference in Geneva this week. He also praised the countries whose representatives walked out during Iranian President Ahmadinejad’s speech. The states that boycotted the conference, in addition to Israel, are the U.S., Germany, Italy, Holland, Poland, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. The states whose representatives walked out during Ahmadinejad’s speech are Austria, Ireland, Estonia, Bulgaria, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, Hungary, Greece, Luxemburg, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Slovenia, Slovakia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Spain, Portugal, Finland, Czech Republic, France, Cyprus, Romania, and Sweden. (Ynet News)”
Rabbi Melamed is wrong. Every single Jew should go to visit the camps because every single Jew needs to see it firsthand so it’s REAL to them. Especially these days with Antisemitism rising fast all around the world, and another Holocaust on the horizon if Israel is divided into two states. The Jews in Israel need to SEE what their outcome will be AGAIN if they do not wake up and get rid of the Erev Rav government and Rabbonim in their midst. They need to see firsthand what will be the fate of their children, once again. Otherwise it only remains an abstract concept in their minds, the Holocaust.
Any Rabbi who would prevent this, needs to be carefully scrutinized to see why he would not want Jews to understand on a personal level, the Holocaust. Why he would not want Jews to feel the REALITY of it, rather than it remain a long-ago abstract concept. This Rabbi might just be Erev Rav. If not Erev Rav, then completely misguided and blind on this issue.
To further say that every Jew is basically banned from leaving Israel, even to visit a grave of a Sage, is not Torah whatsoever.
Furthermore, his words will cause ill will in Poland against Jews, and that’s the last thing they need there.
This Rabbi’s words should be kept in mind as highly suspect.
As far as I know Poland is a democratic and not a theocratic country. Since when did the Rabbis words become so high and mighty. What did the Jews ever do for the freedom of Poland, anyways? The Rabbi may want to reconsider his stance in light of Pope Benedict XVI visit to the Holy Land in the beggining of May. People have their opinions and beliefs. Some should choose to keep their opinions quiet. There are many examples of Jewish aggression towards Poles (especially in Russia). Why would Jews not want to come and visit the place where many of their forefathers were born and died? Imagine if it were illegal for the Jews to visit Poland. What would they say then?
If history becomes blurred in just 60 years, than as a world society we are doomed to repeat the majority of our stupid primitive mistakes from the past – I mean people are still alive from that time period, but already the manipulation of the truth is hard at work. Placing the blame on Poland for the holocaust is making Adolf and his Nazi German crew dance with joy in hell.