November 11 Marks 100 Years of Polish Independence after Poland disappeared off the map of Europe for 123 years. In 1795 the countries of Russia, Prussia, and Austria conspired against Poland and maneuvered to essentially conquer the country and divide Poland amongst themselves. Veterans Day in the United States, Armistice Day in the UK, and Polish Independence Day are all celebrated on November 11, as the date World War I ended, on the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month. For more information follow this link for my 2016 post on Polish Independence Day. It includes a link to a fun video of the TV show Jeopardy!
Category Archives: Jewish History
Shana Tova and Yom Kippur Greetings to My Jewish Friends
Shana Tova for the coming Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur greetings to my Jewish friends. I do not celebrate these holidays personally, but I do like the New Year tradition of Rosh Hashanah to reflect on the past year, pause, and look ahead to the coming year. Don’t we all need to periodically pause, breathe, push the reset button, and move forward with purpose?
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Passover greetings to my Jewish friends. Chag Sameach!
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Passover greetings to my Jewish friends and may you have a blessed Seder feast. The Jewish Passover celebrates the time God brought the Jews out of slavery in Egypt, as described in the book of Exodus in the Torah and the Christian Old Testament. The theme of release from slavery and the pursuit of freedom remains universal, poignant, and more timely than ever. Continue reading
Happy Mother’s Day to Irena Sendler
Photo taken 1942. Public Domain.
Happy Mother’s Day to Irena Sendler, a Catholic Pole, who smuggled some 2,500 Jewish children out of the Warsaw ghetto, from 1939-1943. She was assisted by about two dozen other members of Zegota, the Polish underground, but she alone knew the identities and locations of each child. When arrested and tortured by the Germans, she never revealed a single name. She barely escaped execution by firing squad, when members of Zegota bribed a German guard at the last minute. She passed away on May 12, 2008, at the age of 98. Continue reading