Jewish Revival in Contemporary Poland: Extending National Boundaries through the Symbolic Other

Abstract

Antisemitism, already widespread in Polish politics, has further intensified under the conservative Law and Justice government, with Jews framed as antagonistic to Poles and a threat to national cohesion. In this context, pro-Jewishness, which manifests itself in renewed interest in Jewish culture, is often perceived as anti-Polishness. This view is prevalent not only in conservative discourse but also in studies on the Jewish revival, which conceptualise the phenomenon as a deliberate rejection of national self-identification. As this article argues, however, the Jewish revival is not about rejecting the national category but about redefining it through the category of the Other; it is a nation-building project, which aims to achieve a more pluralistic society through the materialisation of ethnic difference. Nationhood is not a fixed category, but an ongoing discourse, and Polishness should not be merely identified with its dominant model. Instead, it should be recognised as defined by its members, and thus being subject to continuous contestation. Focusing on heritage activism in the Kazimierz neighbourhood in Kraków and engaging with the works of Lehrer (2013) and Zubrzycki (2002, 2006, 2016), this article offers a detailed investigation into the risks and possibilities of the Jewish revival. Such a critical approach towards nation-building is crucial in the face of increasing discrimination against minorities in Poland; one should remain attentive to 'bottom-up efforts' at reclaiming the right to national belonging.