Polish Jewish in Israel


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Ethnic Religions (Judaism)
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

Polish Jews in Israel are upset and disappointed because personal property taken by the Nazis in World War II is not being returned to them. In 1939, over three million Jews lived in Poland. Most died in combat, in extermination camps or from starvation in ghettos. Several hundred synagogues were destroyed during that time, sometimes with the Jews being forced to set their own places of worship on fire. The remaining synagogues became factories, prisons, or places of entertainment. Millions of non-Jewish Poles also lost their property to the Nazis, and later to the Communists, so they don't think that the Jews should receive special treatment.

Today, the majority of Polish-speaking Jews live in Israel. Few of them lived through the ordeal of the Communist takeover of Poland after WWII, but the struggle and pain of earlier losses is still felt.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Language is one of the distinguishing features among Jews of this region. While Hebrew and Aramaic are the common languages of prayer, sacred, and legal matters, the Jews are quite at home with local languages and dialects. This includes Polish, the heart language of many Polish Jews who live in Israel. As time passes, the younger generations make Hebrew their heart language.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Though they are diverse in their adherence to Jewish doctrine, the Israeli Jewish people are committed to the rebuilding of the Temple. Many attend local synagogues for prayer, worship and to study the word of God. But nothing can replace the Temple in their hearts and minds. They go so far as to believe that any generation that is not committed to rebuilding the Temple is guilty of its destruction. Even secularized Jewish people yearn for the Temple to be rebuilt, though their motivation is for secular reasons rather than religious ones.

Judaism is roughly divided into three streams.

Almost half are Hilonim, secularized Jews. Their identity is in the nation-state of Israel, not in the Jewish religious system. They participate in Jewish rituals such as the Passover Seder and lighting Hanukkah candles because these reinforce their identity as being Israeli and culturally Jewish. They usually oppose shutting down businesses and public transportation on the Sabbath.

The Datiim are religiously devout Jewish people who believe in the God of the Bible and usually attend Jewish religious services. Unlike the most fundamental Jewish people, they want to travel the world, produce productive businesses, and get involved with politics and the military. They will not ride public transportation on the Sabbath or open their businesses for religious reasons.

The Haredim are the most religiously devout of any Israeli Jewish group. Their close friends are all within the Haredim community, and they will not marry outside their group. They are noted for being secluded from the rest of society. They dress far more conservatively than other Jewish groups. Haredim men usually attend religious institutions. There is an ongoing controversy about their exemption from military service. They have their doubts about the legitimacy of Israel as a nation-state because they believe the Messiah has not yet come to establish Israel.


What Are Their Needs?

Jewish people are in Israel largely because they need their own nation for protection. For hundreds of years, they dealt with severe persecution in Poland, Russia, Germany, Spain, and, to a lesser extent, other parts of Europe and Latin America. Their persecutors often used Christianity as an excuse to mistreat them. For this reason, most Jewish people want nothing to do with Christianity or Christ s followers. This is a major impediment to spreading the gospel.


Prayer Points

Pray the 21st century will be a harvest time for Polish Jewish people.
Pray for Israelis to rise above traditions and seek Yeshua as the Messiah for all Jewish people.
Pray that good fruit will come from efforts by Christ s followers to reach out to them.


Scripture Prayers for the Jewish, Polish in Israel.


References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Israeli_people_of_Polish-Jewish_descent
https://brill.com/display/title/58515
https://en-humanities.tau.ac.il/diaspora/projects/Polish_Jewry
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-last-generation-of-jews-


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Jewish, Polish-speaking
People Name in Country Jewish, Polish
Natural Name Polish Jewish
Pronunciation POHL-ish joo
Alternate Names Polish Jew
Population this Country 136,000
Population all Countries 144,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 3
PeopleID3 14432
ROP3 Code 108099
Country Israel
Region Africa, North and Middle East
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Country Israel
Region Africa, North and Middle East
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions (Judaism)
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.40 %)
0.60 %
Ethnic Religions
97.40 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
2.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Polish
Language Code pol   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
Hebrew
Primary Language Polish
Language Code pol   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
  Hebrew
People Groups Speaking Polish

Primary Language:  Polish

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1522-2016)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1553-1991)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1561-2018)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Polish Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Voice of the Martyrs resources Voice of the Martyrs
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app direct APK download SIL
Mobile App Android Bible app: Polish YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Słowo Życia Biblica
Mobile App Android Book Reading app: JM Polski: Jezus Mesjasz General / Other
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Polish YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Bible Gateway scripture Bible Gateway
Text / Printed Matter Cartoon Gospel tract General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Jesus Messiah comic book General / Other
Text / Printed Matter tools for gospel conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Poland - Flickr  Creative Commons 
Map Source Bryan Nicholson / cartoMission  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.