Posts by Bialystoker555

Bialystoker555

25 Apr 2015

History / Pictures of Polish Jews holding coins and lemons? [25]

Dzień dobry! I am Jewish and live in London. My grandparents came from Poland before the war. For a number of reasons I have never really connected to my family's past until recently I have been more interested partly due to working with many Polish people in London who find my pigeon Polish highly amusing and I have formed firm friendships with them. I have visited Poland and found it a remarkable experience. My question to the forum is that some of my Polish friends and colleagues have pictures of old Jewish people in their houses often either upside down or holding coins or lemons. At first I instinctively found it insulting and offensive to hear of this (especially the coin and the upside down thing) however recently a Polish friend of mine asked me to bring her a Menorah (Jewish lampstand) from Israel when I visited recently. I was shocked she even knew what a Menorah was but she told me some of her friends have Menorahs at home. Does anyone know about the origin of all of this?

Also my family surname is Zaranski and they were from Białystok, does anyone know the origin of this name, thank you! Dziękuję!

Bialystoker555

25 Apr 2015

History / Pictures of Polish Jews holding coins and lemons? [25]

Thanks jon357 now I understand this more. I guess it's a little more politically incorrect than offensive. I am surprised sometimes when Poles ask me where my beard is or why I'm not dancing but these pictures explain this I suppose, the concept of all Jewish people being religious. I am very intrigued about the Menorah thing also. My family that remained in Poland certainly didn't have any money or good luck, quite the opposite in point of fact!

Bialystoker555

26 Apr 2015

History / Pictures of Polish Jews holding coins and lemons? [25]

Thanks Pol3
I now know more about my name! it sort of explains how as a young medical student in London during my oncology attachment I was assigned to look after a Polish lady dying of advanced cancer. She had been Poland's table tennis champion before the war and thereafter a fighter in the AK and survived and escaped a death march from Aushwitz. Her bed was surrounded by Catholic statues of the virgin Mary and crosses and other Catholic objects. I remember as a young naive Jewish student being mesmerised by her and she kept saying I was her 'sunrise over the forest'. To this day I never understood what she was talking about but now I realise she was referring to my name. Thanks for this!

Bialystoker555

30 Apr 2015

History / Poles and (Polish) Jews... Victims of war... and beyond [380]

Merged: Are Jews obsessed with Poles? Are Poles obsessed with Poles?

70 Years after the end of WW2. After hundreds of years together and a relationship that had ups and downs. Jews and Poles had a traumatic separation in a way neither ever wanted or imagined. Now Poland is an independent country. Likewise Israel is an independent country. Jews of Polish origin are still defined by their Polish roots and have a deep connection to Poland. Poles have strong and vocal opinions of Jews. Many young Poles have never met Jews. More and more Jews want to travel to Poland and not just for 'holocaust' tourism but to actually visit and experience Poland. Is this a love-hate relationship? Are Jews and Poles destined to have a deep connection with each other? Should Jews and Poles just forget all of this and move on? What do you think? What are your own personal opinions and experiences?