Sparks Amidst the Ashes : The Spiritual Legacy of Polish Jewry

During the four centuries preceding the Holocaust, Poland was a major centre in the Jewish world. Many Jews believe that after the destruction of the Temple in AD 70 the "Golden Age" for Jews occurred in Spain. In this book, however, Byron Sherwin shows that the Golden Age of the Jewish soul actually occurred in Poland, resulting in unprecedented works of the spirit and religious intellect.

For hundreds of years, Poland served as the epicentre of Jewish life. As a result of the Holocaust, though, Poland has become a "Jewish Atlantis". Yet the majority of Jews in the world today have their genealogical roots in the historical lands of Poland. In this book, Sherwin demonstrates how the unprecedented works of intellect and spirit produced during the Jewish "Golden Age" in Poland can provide contemporary Jews with the spiritual and intellectual resources required to ensure Jewish continuity in the present and future. Sherwin introduces us to the vast range of mystical speculation, evocative stories, talmudic dialectics, theological ideas, and social realities that were muted by the destruction of Polish Jewry during the Holocaust. Sherwin critiques the tendency among contemporary Jews to disregard the precious legacy bequeathed by Polish Jewry, and presents a plan for re-creating Jewish life after the Holocaust that draws from the wisdom of the spiritual magnates and from the communal experience that characterized Jewish life in Poland. Sherwin concludes with a controversial proposal for the future of Polish-Jewish relations.