Jewish-Catholic Intermarriage in Poland Before, During and After the Holocaust

Magdalena Dziaczkowska, Postdoctor at Lund University

The purpose of the study is to understand how Jewish-Catholic couples experienced in everyday life being in a mixed marriage in a period of intense intergroup tensions (antisemitism and the Holocaust), and this purpose could be divided into five aims. Firstly, to understand the internal dynamic of a mixed couple in times of conflict. Secondly, to describe the differences in the experience of men and women and their gender roles in this setting. Thirdly, to grasp the relation of the spouses to their respective ingroups and then, their relation to the outgroup (their spouse’s group), both considering the gender factor. Finally, the study seeks to assess the influence of these couples on intergroup relations in their environments, as previous research suggests intermarriage is one of the most powerful tools in overcoming intergroup prejudice and tensions. These questions are considered in the timeframe of 1930’s until 1950’s, thus, the period directly preceding, encompassing, and following the Holocaust. The study will follow the experiences of these couples throughout the entire period (the chronological aspect being crucial), and will be limited to the Polish citizens, who either stayed in Poland or left for Sweden, Israel after the war. Specific research questions following these aims are:

  • What were the cultural and religious views on intermarriage that impacted the experience of the couples?
  • How were men and women treated when engaging in heterogamy? Why? How did it change over time?
  • Did intermarriage help Jewish Poles to survive the Holocaust? If so, how? 
  • What was the impact of these relationships on the respective ingroups?
  • What changed in the perceptions of the individuals in mixed couples regarding the outgroup? How was it related to the Holocaust? What other factors mediated the change?
  • What do these findings tell us about how mixed couples navigate intergroup conflict and violence? How can the findings be translated into contemporary multicultural, minority-majority communities today? What does it suggest about the gendered experiences of mixed marriage in general?

The project is realized within the framework of an International Postdoc financed by the Swedish Research Council. The administrating institution is Centre for Theology and Religious Studies at Lund University and the host institutions are: Hebrew University of Jerusalem, University of Haifa, Jagiellonian University, and Inez and Julius Polin Institute for Theological Research at Åbo Akademi.

Would you like an abstract of your research published here? Here are our Author Guidelines! We happily welcome your contribution.

Adherence to Jesus as an Orientation within Fourth-century Judaism?

The Case of the Pseudo-Clementine Homilies

Karin Hedner Zetterholm, Associate Professor in Jewish Studies at Lund University

I am currently working on the Pseudo-Clementine Homilies, a composite text redacted in the early fourth century that gives the impression of being both Jewish and Christia at the same time. The author/redactor prescribes a lifestyle for non-Jewish followers of Jesus based on the laws that according to Leviticus are binding on non-Israelites living among the Israelites in the land of Israel and presents adherence to Jesus as being in continuity with the teachings of Moses. He envisions two parallel lifestyles and paths to salvation, one for Jews through Moses and one for non-Jews through Jesus (an ideal text for interfaith dialogue!).


The Homilies are by most scholars seen as a Christian work and is studied as part of the history of (heretical) Christianity but given recent scholarship on the diversity within Judaism also after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 and the rabbinic movement’s slow ascent to power, one could argue that it should be included in the history of Judaism as well. Some scholars have convincingly demonstrated that at least some authors saw belief in Jesus as an orientation within Judaism as late as the fourth and even fifth century, and the discussion has moved on to attempts at establishing criteria for determining which texts, previously considered Christian, may rather be placed “within Judaism.” These efforts are highly significant for the scholarly reconstruction of the history of both Christianity and Judaism and have the potential to change our perception of them both. While rabbinic Judaism was earlier seen as the sole standard by which Jewishness was measured, the insight that Judaism in the early centuries CE was much more diverse than previously thought has led scholars to consider an increasing number of non-rabbinic texts as potential sources of information about Jews and Judaism in antiquity. In time, this will lead to a reassessment of what constituted Judaism (and Christianity) during the early centuries CE.

Would you like an abstract of your research published here? Here are our Author Guidelines! We happily welcome your contribution.

Autumn 2024 courses in Yiddish at Lund University: apply by 15th of April

Yiddish was once spoken by Jews in an area in Eastern Europe, spreading from Alsace to the Urals. In the 20th century, mostly but not only due to the Holocaust, it neared extinction, and is today on UNESCO’s list of definitely endangered languages: it is also one of Sweden’s national minority languages. Yiddish language and culture were important parts of European folk culture, influencing and being influenced by local languages and cultures, thus contributing to the works of great writers and musicians and broadening European culture. 

Lund University is the only university in Scandinavia that offers teaching and conducts research in Yiddish, and during the autumn term of 2024, several exciting courses in the Yiddish language and culture are offered.  These include, but are not limited to:

  • Yiddish: Beginner’s Course I – introductory language course focused on all four communicative skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing), and is the first of our two courses at beginner level. It is based on a study of simple dialogues and texts in Yiddish with elementary vocabulary and basic grammatical structures. Particular emphasis is placed on communicative skills. You get to start learning to speak and write the language, practice listening comprehension and do translation exercises between Yiddish and Swedish/English. You will also be introduced to Yiddish literature and culture.
    • On campus in Lund.
    • No prior knowledge is assumed.
    • Swedish/English
  • Jewish Cultural Responses to the Holocaust – The course provides an overview of the fundamental features of the Jewish remembrance of the Holocaust with a main focus on the cultural expressions of this remembrance in Europe (Western Europe, Central Europe and the former Soviet Union), the USA and Israel. How do younger generations, who did not experience the Holocaust first-hand but now live with the cultural trauma, remember it?
    • On campus in Lund.
    • Taught in English, though students with knowledge of Hebrew, Yiddish, German, and other relevant languages will also be encouraged to read in the original.
  • Modern Jewish Culture and the Narrative Art of Sholem Aleichem – In this course you will explore Sholem Aleichem’s narrative art in relation to the creation of a modern Jewish culture in Russia and the United States during the period 1883-1914. In summary, you will learn in what respects Sholem Aleichem’s unique art of storytelling is the main contribution to the creation of a modern, Jewish culture.
    • Taught online.
    • All texts/discussions in English, though students with some knowledge of Yiddish will also be encouraged to read in the original.

Doktorandtjänst i historia med inriktning mot Förintelsen och antisemitism

Historiska institutionen vid Lunds universitet utlyser en doktorandtjänst med inriktning mot Förintelsen och antisemitism. Tjänsten förutsätter kunskaper i svenska. Sista ansökningsdag är 21 april. Mer information finns här:

https://lu.varbi.com/se/what:job/jobID:712264

Call for Papers: Postgraduate Conference on Jewish Studies in Scandinavia

Noa Ben-David, University College London, is arranging an event that will offer an opportunity for postgraduate students working in the area of Jewish Studies in Scandinavia to engage in meaningful discussions, form a network, and present their research. The event is an interdisciplinary conference dedicated to the study of Jewish histories, cultures, and languages across the Nordic region.

Date: Monday-Tuesday, 13-14 May 2024, online. Keynote speakers: Prof Lily Kahn&Dr Riitta Valijärvi, UCL | Dr Jon Reitan, NTNU

The past few years have seen a growing recognition in the academic community of the need for intellectual forums which can be accessed irrespective of location or financial means. Our event will meet this demand, providing an online platform where postgraduate and early career researchers working on some aspect of Jewish life in Scandinavia can build connections and share research in a fruitful and encouraging environment. 

This year’s pilot will be completely live and online, comprising panels of 20-minute papers and discussion. We seek to bring together researchers from across departments and universities, to form a Fellesskap – a sense of fellowship – in our interdisciplinary field. To help participants meet and connect with one another, the event will offer plenty of opportunities for virtual socialising.

We encourage creative proposals centring on Jewish ideas, objects, individuals, and communities in the broad Nordic region. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Early and modern histories and cultures 
  • Linguistics and languages 
  • Literatures and communication
  • Sociological approaches to Jewish integration and identifications 
  • Transnational perspectives

Please submit a 200 word abstract and a short biographical note to Noa Ben-David uclhben@ucl.ac.uk by Monday 8 April 2024. Feel free to get in touch via this email address if you have any questions.

The Nordic Network for Jewish Studies was founded and is run by Dr Katharina Keim and Dr Karin Zetterholm at the Centre for Theology and Religious Studies at Lund University.

Don’t forget to subscribe to our blog to receive the latest news from the Network in your email inbox! You are always welcome to get in touch with us at admin[dot]nordicjewishstudies[at]ctr[dot]lu[dot]se.

Call for Papers: Postgraduate Conference in Scandinavian Jewish Studies

Monday–Tuesday, 13–14 May 2024 online. Keynote speakers: Prof Lily Kahn & Dr Riitta Valijärvi, UCL | Dr Jon Reitan, NTNU. The event is organized by Noa Ben-David.

We are pleased to announce an exciting opportunity for postgraduate students in Scandinavian Jewish Studies to engage in meaningful discussions, form a network, and present their research. Nordisk Judaistik is an interdisciplinary conference dedicated to the study of Jewish histories, cultures, and languages across the Nordic region.

The past few years have seen a growing recognition in the academic community of the need for intellectual forums which can be accessed irrespective of location or financial means. Nordisk Judaistik will meet this demand, providing an online platform where postgraduate and early career researchers in Scandinavian Jewish Studies can build connections and share research in a fruitful and encouraging environment. 

This year’s pilot will be completely live and online, comprising panels of 20-minute papers and discussion. Community is the driving force behind Nordisk Judaistik, and we hope that networks made at the conference will be long-lived. We seek to bring together researchers from across departments and universities, to form a Fellesskap – a sense of fellowship – in our interdisciplinary field. To help participants meet and connect with one another, Nordisk Judaistik will offer plenty of opportunities for virtual socialising.

We encourage creative proposals centring on Jewish ideas, objects, individuals, and communities in the broad Nordic region. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

Early and modern histories and cultures 

Linguistics and languages 

Literatures and communication

Sociological approaches to Jewish integration and identifications 

Transnational perspectives

Please submit a 200 word abstract and a short biographical note to Noa Ben-David uclhben@ucl.ac.uk by Monday 8 April 2024. Feel free to get in touch via this email address if you have any questions.

The Nordic Network for Jewish Studies was founded and is run by Dr Katharina Keim and Dr Karin Zetterholm at the Centre for Theology and Religious Studies at Lund University.

Don’t forget to subscribe to our blog to receive the latest news from the Network in your email inbox! You are always welcome to get in touch with us at admin[dot]nordicjewishstudies[at]ctr[dot]lu[dot]se.

Assistant Professor (Tenure-Track) / Associate Professor (with tenure) in Ancient Judaism at the University of Copenhagen

The Faculty of Theology, University of Copenhagen, invites applicants for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position or a permanent position as Associate Professor of Ancient Judaism to be filled by 1 August 2024 or as soon as possible thereafter. More information is found here: https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/?show=161111