The struggle over the restoration of Jews' pre-World War II
stolen property in Eastern Europe may bring unexpected
problems. It is feared that this could prevent the
restoration of property to the rightful heirs of the
destroyed communities.
A journalist in the Israeli daily Ha'aretz reports
that in Poznan, Poland, a group of gentile Poles has been
formed, who claim to be descendants of former Jewish
residents. They have declared themselves to be a "Jewish
Congregation" in order to receive Jewish communal property
which the Poles have agreed to return.
No Polish Jewish organization recognizes the members of this
group as Jews. According to prominent Jewish Poles, they are
in fact impostors, trying to benefit from the returning of
the assets of the Jews. They also appealed to Poland's
Ministry of Interior against the recognition which this group
was granted in Poznan. They further requested that the group
be denied access to any property meant to be distributed to
the Jewish institutions in the city.
Today there are nine Jewish communities in Poland, which
together form The United Jewish Communities. These organized
communities consist of approximately 1500 people. According
to the assessment of American Jewish officials operating in
Poland, however, there are actually about 30 thousand Jews in
Poland. Most of these, unfortunately, are not affiliated with
any of the Jewish institutions.
Noach Plugg, secretary of the Center of Holocaust Survivor's
Organizations in Israel, commented, "The arrangements with
the Polish Government suddenly turned the small Jewish
communities into beneficiaries of large sums of money. As a
result, many people began searching for Jewish roots, such as
Jewish grandparents. The Poles refer to these people as `Neo-
Jews.' This term defines a group of people who are either
searching for a new identity -- a Jewish one in this case --
or people who simply wish to embezzle Jewish funds under a
false Jewish identity."
This is an extreme example of what could happen to other
communities throughout Eastern Europe should chareidi Jewry
remain indifferent to this issue.
