The Jewish Combat Organization(Zydowska Organizacja Bojowa - ZOB) was an anti-fascist alliance formed by Socialist Zionist youth groups Hashomer Hatzair and Dror Hehalutz, and the General Zionist youth group, Akiva. They were soon joined by the other Socialist Zionist youth groups in the ghetto, as well as by the anti-Zionist Socialist Bund, and the communists. The glue that kept ZOB together was a shared hatred not just of the Nazi occupiers, but of another Jewish resistance group, the Jewish Military Union (Zydowski Zwiazek Wojskowy; ZZW). The ZZW was created by the Revisionist Party – the right-wing Zionists who were followers of the credo of Zeev Vladimir Jabotinsky.

Below are the two recorded extracts of Yanky Fachler presenting the story of the Jewish Flag that flew over the Warsaw Ghetto during the uprising in 1944. The lecture was delivered on the occasion of Yom HaShoa this year and is part of an ongoing series of presentations by Historians and Broadcasters, in association with the Irish Jewish Historical Society. We would like to acknowledge the work of Clontarf Media in Dublin who digitally recorded this event.

On January 18, 1943, German SS and police units tried to resume mass deportations of Jews. A group of Jewish fighters, armed with pistols, infiltrated a column of Jews being forced to the transfer point and, at a prearranged signal, broke ranks and fought their German escorts. Most of these Jewish fighters died in the battle, but the attack sufficiently disoriented the Germans to allow the Jews arranged in columns a chance to disperse. The Germans suspended further deportations for 3 months, during which time ZOB and ZZW built subterranean bunkers and shelters.

The Germans planned the final liquidation of the Warsaw ghetto for April 19, 1943, the eve of Passover. When Waffen SS and police units entered the ghetto that morning, supported by a tank, the streets were deserted. Nearly all of the residents had gone into hiding places or bunkers. The renewal of deportations was the signal for an armed uprising within the ghetto – the Warsaw Ghetto Revolt, the first uprising against the Nazis in World War II. That day, the Germans fled in panic.

The following day the Germans renewed their attack on the ghetto. The stiffest resistance was offered by the ZZW fighters at 7 Muranowska Street. In 1993, a Polish woman, Alicja Kaczynska, who had lived on Muranowska Street outside the ghetto, opposite ZZW headquarters, published a book, At The Gates Of Hell, in which she describes the flags the ZZW had raised over the ghetto. “At one moment we witnessed an exceptional sight on that roof – a blue-and-white flag and a red-and-white flag were raised. We all cheered. Look! Look! The Jewish flag! The Jews have taken Muranowska Square! Our voices echoed on the stairs. We hugged each other, hugged and kissed.”

In 1944 when Tomi was just nine years old the Gestapo entered a shop in Bratislava as part of an operation to round-up remaining Jewish Communities in Slovakia. Along with 12 other members of his family he was taken to a nearby detention camp where the elusive Nazi War Criminal Alois Brunner had the power of life and death. Tomi was soon after transferred to Belsen where he remained until he was eventually liberated by the allies in 1945. 

Tomi has been on a journey for much of his life in an effort to understand the horror of the Holocaust and perhaps most importantly the motivations of those who actively participated, shouted in support or just stood by while it happened around them. Tomi believes that intolerance starts in the hearts and minds of individuals and becomes dangerous when focused on communities or individuals who may share different national, political or religious perspectives, it can happen anywhere and it has the potential to happen again if people are not vigilant.

Despite being caught up as an innocent nine year old boy in what has become known as the darkest period in human history. A period when new and unparalleled levels of cruelty and depravity were practiced through the use of forced labour camps, death marches and gas chambers designed solely with the intention of erasing the Jewish People of Europe, Tomi still speaks of the need for reconciliation. Last year he made contact with one of the guards who kept him and others captive in Belsen and who herself was part of the system that oversaw the murder of many others who died in the Holocaust. Tomi wanted to meet her not as an accuser but in a spirit of reconciliation and to show the futility of carrying on anger and old resentments.

Tomi now travels around Ireland telling of his experiences, sharing the wisdom he has developed over the course of his extraordinary life. He believes that hating people you don’t know because of their nationality, political views or their religion is a taught process not a thought process. And so Tomi encourages the children in school as well as older gatherings to think about the obligations and responsibilities we have to each other as fellow citizens and human beings.

Press Statement from the German Embassy in Dublin.

Note on the Award

The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany was instituted in 1951 by Federal President Theodor Heuss. It is the only honour that may be awarded in all fields of endeavour and is the highest tribute the Federal Republic of Germany can pay to individuals for services to the nation.
The Order of Merit may be awarded to Germans as well as foreigners for achievements in the political, economic, social or intellectual realm and for all kinds of outstanding services to the nation in the field of social, charitable or philanthropic work.

Official Information On the Award

Holocaust Education Trust Ireland
Clifton House
Lower Fitzwilliam Street
Dublin 2
Tel: +353 1 6690593
Email: info@hetireland.org
http://www.hetireland.org/

A substantial part of the program is devoted to the life and death of Ettie Steinberg who is the only Irish citizen who was Jewish to die in the Holocaust. Genealogist Stuart Rosenblatt who has written extensively on the history of Irish Jewish ancestry give details of Ettie’s family and life in Ireland before she left for Europe in 1937. When war did come in 1940 and the Nazi’s invaded  Belgium and Holland, Ettie and her family went into hiding to escape the advancing German forces, however in a tragic irony she and her family were rounded up the day before their Irish Visas were issued and she was deported to Auschwitz.

The programme ends with some recorded highlights of the Holocaust Memorial event held at the Mansion House last year.

Born in 1935 in Bratislava to a Jewish family, Tomi was arrested by the Gestapo in October 1944 while standing in a grocery store. Tomi as well as twelve other members of his family were taken into custody and then transported in cattle wagons to Bergen Belsen and Buchanwald. At the conclusion of the war it was discovered that Tomi had lost 35 members of his family following their detention in these camps. Tomi Moved to Ireland in 1959 and settled down to raise his family and build a new life here in Dublin in the 1960′s.

In recognition of his tireless work in the combating of xenophobia and racism, and in particular his commitment to the cause of reconciliation and highlighting the futility of hatred, His Excellency the German President, Joachim Gauck has decided to Honor Tomi with the Nation’s Highest award to an individual, the Order of Merit.

The Ceremony of presentation will take place on January 29^th 2013 at the German Embassy in Dublin and the presentation will be made by His Excellency the German Ambassador to Ireland Dr. Eckhard Lübkemeier.

Tomi spoke to Joe Duffy on the RTE Liveline Radio program on Tuesday Jan 8th, about the award and his reaction to hearing the news.  Click Here to Listen to Tomi on Air

Note on the Award

The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany was instituted in 1951 by Federal President Theodor Heuss. It is the only honour that may be awarded in all fields of endeavour and is the highest tribute the Federal Republic of Germany can pay to individuals for services to the nation.
The Order of Merit may be awarded to Germans as well as foreigners for achievements in the political, economic, social or intellectual realm and for all kinds of outstanding services to the nation in the field of social, charitable or philanthropic work.

Official Information On the Award

Press Release 

Former Chief Rabbi of Ireland is appointed UK Chief Rabbi

For Immediate Release Tuesday, 18 December 2012

The Jewish Representative Council of Ireland has warmly welcomed the announcement that Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis is to be appointed as Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom. Rabbi Mirvis who was born in South Africa, served as Chief Rabbi of Ireland from 1985 to 1996 where he developed strong bonds with the community here in Dublin.  Speaking from his home in Dublin this morning Rabbi Zalman Lent said;

“The Irish Jewish community have fond memories of Rabbi Mirvis who served as Chief Rabbi here for over a decade. Both he and his wife Valerie were greatly admired and respected and they and their children made many lasting friendships here. We are all delighted at his appointment and wish him the very best.”

The 55-year-old South African-born rabbi, the son and grandson of religious leaders, has spent a large part of his career serving Anglo-Saxon communities. In the period prior to becoming Chief Rabbi of Ireland in the mid 1980’s; he spent three years as minister of Dublin’s Adelaide Road Synagogue.

Rabbi Mirvis comes from a family of rabbis and teachers. His grandfather, Rev Lazar Mirvis, was a minister in Johannesburg, while his father, Rabbi Dr Lionel Mirvis, led the Claremont Synagogue in Cape Town. His mother, Freyda, was principal of the Athlone Teachers Training College, which, during the apartheid years, was the only college for black teachers of pre-school instruction in South Africa.

Rabbi Mirvis follows in the footsteps of two former Chief Rabbis of Ireland who went on to lead chief rabbinates in the UK and Israel. Rabbi Isaac Herzog was the first Chief Rabbi of Ireland (1921-1936) and went on thereafter to become the first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of the State of Israel; Chief Rabbi Emanuel Jakobovits a noted scholar and writer, served in Ireland between (1949 and 1958) and went on to become Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom and a respected member of the House of Lords.

Ends.

Chanukah, Festival of Lights, is when we each get the chance to add a small amount of light to brighten up a sometimes dark world.

Each night of the festival we light another flame, one on the first night, two on the second, until we reach eight on the final night. The symbolism of this is very powerful – in the Chanukah story a small band of determined Maccabees had faith in G-d, and were victorious against enemy forces far greater in number; in the modern day Chanukah story every small act of goodness we do can chase away swathes of darkness and negativity. If each one of us adds a single extra act of kindness, one a day, every day of the year … what a wonderful world we would live in.

So let us take than message of the Chanukah lights out into the world, one light at a time, one day at a time, to bring Heaven down to Earth.

Rabbi Zalman S. Lent

The Rabbi thanked all those who attended and in particular the Lord Mayor for his hospitality in hosting the Event.

So once again a Very Big Thank you to all who helped us and contributed so generously.

The Dublin WIZO Committee