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Teaching the Holocaust and other Genocides
 
Created in collaboration with the Holocaust & Human Rights Center, the NYS Education Department, and the NYS Archives Partnership Trust.

Jewish Life in Europe

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Activity Overview
Students read the historical narrative from Echoes and Reflections and watch the video from the United State Holocaust Memorial Museum and answer the discussion questions to gain a better understanding of the Jewish experience in Europe before World War II.
Grade Level
7-12
ELA Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies
RH1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
RH2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate, objective summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
RH7: Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.
WHST6: Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source
WHST7: Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Social Studies Framework
9.2a Belief systems developed beliefs and practices to address questions of origin, the requirements to live a good life, and the nature of the afterlife.
9.2b Belief systems were often used to unify groups of people, and affected social order and gender roles.
9.9b The Reformation challenged traditional religious authority, which prompted a counter reformation that led to a religiously fragmented Western Europe and political conflicts. This religious upheaval continued the marginalization of Jews in European society.
10.5d Nationalism and ideology played a significant role in shaping the period between the world wars.
SEL Benchmarks
2A. Recognize and build empathy for the feelings and perspectives of others.
2B. Recognize and affirm individual identities as well as individual and group similarities and differences, including those rooted in culture, ethnicity, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, ability, etc.
3A: Consider individual and collective social, emotional, and physical safety and well-being, as well as social context in making decisions.
Objectives
Students will understand the conditions of Jewish life in Europe before World War II.

Essential Question

What was the experience of Jewish Europeans before World War II?

Materials

Reading

“A Picture of Jewish Life in Europe Before World War II” from Echoes & Reflections

Video 

“Jewish Life before World War II”

“Before World War II, everyday life for Jews varied greatly. After Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party rose to power, Jewish life in Germany and throughout Europe changed forever. This narrated compilation of home movies provides glimpses into what was lost during the Holocaust through scenes of people walking and socializing in the street, dining in a cafe, celebrating holidays and birthdays, playing in a yard, vacationing, walking into school, exiting their synagogue, and more. The footage was shot in Poland, Germany, Denmark, Austria, Czechoslovakia, the Netherlands, the Soviet Union, and Trinidad.”


 

Discussion Questions

  1. How did modernization impact Jewish life in Eastern Europe compared to Western and Central Europe during the early 20th century?
  2. What were the main challenges faced by Jews when deciding between integration, maintaining traditional culture, or supporting Zionism?
  3. Why did some Jews choose to maintain traditional religious practices despite opportunities for integration and modernization?
  4. How did cultural achievements by Jewish artists, scientists, and intellectuals challenge prevailing antisemitic narratives during this period?
  5. In what ways did Jewish immigrants to the United States influence American culture and society during this period?
  6. How did the process of modernization affect Jewish life in Eastern Europe compared to Western Europe during the early 20th century?
  7. In what ways did Jewish communities contribute to the cultural and intellectual landscapes of European cities such as Warsaw, Vilna, Paris, Vienna, and Berlin?
  8. How did the rise of nationalism and antisemitism in the early 20th century impact Jewish communities across Europe?
  9.  How did events such as the Dreyfus Affair influence Jewish perspectives on assimilation and identity in Europe?
  10. What factors contributed to the flourishing of Yiddish press, literature, and theater in cities like Warsaw during the interwar period?