Hasidic Responses to the Holocaust in the Light of Hasidic Thought by Pesach Schindler (1990, Hardcover)

It took me a while to track down a copy of this book, which is out of print, but it was well worth it. Most books on the Holocaust have little to say about the responses or actions of the Hasidic Jews. In fact, the non-Orthodox Jews have tended to write them off altogether. Right after World War II, the focus shifted to building the State of Israel, and religious Jews who "didn't fight back" were seen as cowards. What little was said about them was often negative. But, as it turns out, there are true hero tales here, too -- not necessarily about grabbing guns to physically fight (most Hasidim were pacifists), but resistance just the same. For example, Schindler documents that there were virtually no cases of Hasidic Jews collaborating with the Nazis (as did many secularized Jews in the hope of escaping death.) Even the secularists themselves confirmed this. The Hasidim were people of strong faith, ready to become martyrs rather than give in. Even in the concentration camps, they found ways to fulfill the commandments of God by smuggling in ritual objects, setting prayers to secular music to sing on the way to work assignments, holding secret Torah study sessions. The author explains various points of Hasidic philosophy, and how they are applied to ther Holocaust. Now that there is a revival of interest in Orthodox Judaism, perhaps these unsung heros will finally take their rightful place in Jewish history. This book is a fine step in that direction.