A Hunger To Survive: The Holocaust and the Jewish Food Journey

By Jared Heller

A Hunger To Survive presents a fascinating journey into the rich history of Jewish food, and provides intriguing insight into the impact of the Holocaust on the path of Jewish food ways in America. This compelling study explains how food has played a crucial role in preserving cultural and religious identity, even motivating those in camps and ghettoes and hiding to survive, providing sustenance in body and spirit, and enabling communal bonding and resistance. Through a wide variety of primary sources, including testimonies, diaries and survivor cookbooks, Jared Heller offers a compelling case that Jewish foods and accompanying rituals in the years post-Holocaust have become more uniform and widely embraced by Jews, as much as part of their common identity as the Holocaust itself and their unbroken collective will for Judaism and the Jewish people to survive.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9798369404386

Jared Heller

About the Authors David Heller, PhD, is the author of thirty-three books, including numerous contributions that touch on the psychology and spirituality of everyday life. He is a summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Harvard, and he received his doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Michigan. Jared Heller has previously coauthored two books, The 200 Most Important Things Kids Need to Know about Life and When Darkness Reigned and Light Was Barely Visible. He is an editor and reporter on his school’s online newspaper that recently won a New England Journalism Prize. In addition to receiving several character awards, he has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity. He is a four-sport athlete, serving as captain of his team and achieving all-league recognition as a freshman.

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Copyright © 2023 by Jared Heller.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Rev. date: 07/31/2023

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CONTENTS

Abstract

Acknowledgments

Dedication

Introduction

Literature Review

Thesis Statement

Background: Jewish Culture and the Centrality of Food

The Place of Kashrut in Jewish History and Religion

Food, Persecution, and the Jewish Journey

Symbolic Foods on Jewish Holidays

The Role of Jewish Cookbooks

Jewish Food in Europe Before World War II

Location-based Differences in Jewish Food Culture

Jewish Persecution and Relocation Efforts in Pre-World War II Nazi Germany and Europe

Jewish Migration and Adaptation to New Countries

Jewish Food During and Immediately After the Holocaust

The Warsaw Ghetto

In Memory’s Kitchen: A Legacy from the Women of Terezín

Recipes Remembered: A Celebration of Survival

The Holocaust Survivor Cookbook

Changes to Post-Holocaust Jewish Food and Culture

Kosher Practices and Religious Rituals for Jews in Displaced Persons’ Camps

A Survivor’s Haggadah

The Holocaust’s Impact on Food and Family Tradition

Conclusion

Bibliography - Primary Sources

Bibliography - Secondary Sources

ABSTRACT

This work explores the significance of Jewish food in the survival of Jews during the Holocaust. The study examines how food played a crucial role in preserving cultural and religious identity, motivating those in camps and ghettos to survive, providing sustenance and nourishment, and enabling communal bonding and resistance. Using a variety of primary sources, including survivor testimonies, diaries, and cookbooks, this work analyzes the ways in which Jewish food practices and food memory were adapted and utilized in the ghettos and concentration camps in order to preserve the pre-war Jewish food culture. The book begins by providing an overview of the role of food in Jewish culture and religion, discussing the significance of kashrut (kosher), Shabbat, Passover, and other food-related rituals. The thesis argues that these practices provided a sense of identity, continuity, and community among Jews, even in the face of Nazi persecution. The study also considers how food-related rituals and memories continued to shape Jewish identity and culture in the post-Holocaust era. The story of Jewish food during the Holocaust is a testament to the human capacity for resilience and resistance in the face of unimaginable adversity. This book highlights the importance of cultural traditions and rituals in preserving identity and community in times of crisis by providing a comprehensive analysis of the importance of Jewish food in the survival of Jews during the Holocaust. Overall, this book argues that the preservation of Jewish foodways was an essential aspect of Jewish resilience and resistance by emphasizing a shared cultural and religious identity, while enabling communal bonding and resistance during one of the darkest periods of human history.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Writing this book has been a challenging but rewarding journey, and I am deeply grateful to all those who have supported me along the way. First and foremost, I would like to thank my parents for their unwavering support and encouragement throughout my academic journey. Their love, guidance, and patience have been essential in helping me navigate the ups and downs of this process. Throughout my childhood, my mother cooked many incredible Jewish dishes which kept my family’s memory alive, and my stomach happy. My Father made sure we celebrated the High Holidays, Passover and Hanukkah, and always reminded me of our family’s past legacy. I also would like to express my gratitude to my advisors, Professor Krippner and Professor Ullman, for their amazing guidance, expertise, and encouragement throughout the entire process. Their insights, feedback, and constructive criticism have been invaluable in shaping this work. Additionally, I would like to thank the faculty and staff in the Haverford History Department for their support, guidance, and encouragement throughout my academic expedition. Their dedication to teaching and scholarship has been an inspiration to me, and I am honored to have been a part of such a vibrant and intellectually stimulating community. I am indebted to the survivors whose stories I learned about, and whose testimonies formed an essential part of this book. Their courage, resilience, and perseverance in the face of unimaginable adversity are a testament to the human spirit and an inspiration to us all. Finally, I would like to thank my friends and Lucas Voit in particular who have provided me with invaluable feedback, support, and encouragement throughout this process of discovery. Their enthusiasm and support have made this book a collaborative effort and a labor of love. I am grateful to all those who have supported me, challenged me, and inspired me throughout this process. Writing this book has been an unforgettable experience, and I am honored to have had the opportunity to undertake this work.

DEDICATION

I dedicate this work to my grandfather, Marcus Heller (Pa), who survived the Holocaust. Pa’s life story has been a constant source of inspiration and courage to me, and his resilience in the face of unimaginable adversity has shaped my own values and worldview. Growing up, I often heard stories from my grandfather and about my grandfather concerning his experiences during the Holocaust. His tales of survival, resistance, and perseverance were a testament to the human spirit and an inspiration to us all. Despite the horrors he faced, Pa remained steadfast in his faith, his values, and his commitment to justice and peace. This book is a tribute to my grandfather and to all those who survived the Holocaust. It is a reminder of the importance of remembering and honoring the past, and of the resilience and strength of the human spirit. It is also a testament to the power of cultural traditions and rituals in preserving identity and community in times of crisis. Thank you, Pa, for your unwavering courage, your steadfast faith, and your enduring love. Your life and your legacy will continue to inspire and guide me for generations to come.

INTRODUCTION

My grandfather, Marcus Heller, survived the Holocaust, the Battle of Stalingrad, and the Battle of Berlin not only due to luck and his survival instincts but in part thanks to food. A member of the Polish army when the Russians and Germans invaded Poland in September of 1939, he was