Introduction

This book began as an outgrowth of the Poland Forum at the Finkler Institute of Holocaust Research at Bar-Ilan University, composed of scholars specializing in the history of the Jews of Poland and those active in the field of Holocaust education and commemoration. At the Forum’s international Zoom seminar, in addition to hearing about its members’ ongoing research and new projects, there was a subtle subtext: what working on these topics meant to the scholars conducting the research, and how it affected them not only on a professional level but also on a more personal one. Consequently, this volume combines chapters dealing with the history of the Jews in Poland right before, during, and after the Holocaust with those discussing the impact of personal involvement of the historians who are members of the Poland forum. Together, the different sections of this volume offer the reader a rich portrayal of the history of Jews in Poland in the 20th century and insight into the lives and activities of a number of the historians who have dealt with this topic.