An Unchosen People: Jewish Political Reckoning in Interwar Poland

A revisionist study of interwar Europe's largest Jewish community challenges traditional narratives of Jewish agency and explores the complexities of nationalisms, diasporas, Zionism, and the need for choices. It examines the works of Polish Jewry's most critical thinkers and reconstructs the desperate creativity of activists seeking a viable future in Palestine or Poland. The study recasts the history of modern Jewish political thought, highlighting the minority experience and the painful tradeoffs in a harrowing political reality.

Format: Hardback
Length: 400 pages
Publication date: 28 January 2022
Publisher: Harvard University Press

A Revisionist Account of Interwar Europes Largest Jewish Community

The history of interwar Europe's largest Jewish community has been rewritten in a revisionist manner, challenging traditional narratives of Jewish agency and revealing new understandings of nationalisms, diasporas, Zionism, and the importance of choice. This account upends histories of Jewish agency by exploring the complex reckonings of Polish Jews with the challenges they faced, including antisemitism, liberalism's collapse, and the emergence of nation-states.

In the 1930s, as the world was on the brink of a new era, intrepid analysts sought to understand the future of interwar Europe's largest Jewish community. They discovered a Polish Jewry grappling with a sense of "no tomorrow." Antisemitism was on the rise, and liberalism was failing, leaving some Polish Jews searching for new possibilities.

These thinkers explored a range of ideas and concepts, from the nation-state to minority communities' powers and the potential for a future. They questioned the rationality of politics and the limitations of resistance. They sought to counter despair by finding creative solutions, even if they could not address its underlying causes.

Kenneth B. Moss, in his book "An Unchosen People," delves into the works of Polish Jewry's most insightful thinkers as they grappled with political irrationality, state crisis, and the limits of resistance. Moss reconstructs the desperate creativity of activists who sought to find a viable future for themselves, whether in Palestine or Poland, individually or communally.

Moss's approach is unique in that he focuses not on ideals but on a search for realism. He recasts the history of modern Jewish political thought by highlighting a darker tradition characterized by painful tradeoffs amid a harrowing environment. This tradition reflects the complex realities of Jewish life in interwar Europe, where individuals and communities were forced to make difficult choices in the face of immense challenges.

Through his meticulous research and analysis, Moss provides a fresh perspective on the history of interwar Europe's largest Jewish community. He challenges traditional narratives and reveals the complex and multifaceted nature of Jewish life in this period. "An Unchosen People" is a valuable contribution to the field of Jewish studies and offers a new understanding of the challenges and choices faced by Jewish communities in the 20th century.

Weight: 780g
Dimension: 168 x 246 x 36 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780674245105