Survivor Warns of Europe's Echoes of 1937, Urges Jewish Unity

A 103-year-old Holocaust survivor named Walter has drawn a chilling parallel between contemporary Europe and Germany in 1937, warning that the continent's current trajectory reminds him of the years leading up to the Nazi era. Walter, who fled Germany as a child, recently projected photographs from his youth in the 1930s to an audience in Jerusalem, noting the familiar streets and seemingly safe world that preceded the Holocaust. He stated that "what is happening in Europe today reminds me of Germany in 1937." Despite his age and past trauma, Walter is planning a skydive to raise funds for lone soldiers serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), connecting his past vulnerability as a Jew in Europe with the present-day defense of a Jewish state.

Walter's warning highlights the persistent question of Jewish belonging and acceptance, a theme explored through literary and historical examples. The article references Shai Agnon's story "The Host and the Merchant," where a Jewish peddler named Yosef finds temporary refuge with a Christian woman, only to discover her hidden murderous intent. Yosef's near-assimilation and forgetting of his roots underscore the danger of seeking belonging based on the host's goodwill, as true security is not guaranteed by proximity or comfort.

The Dreyfus Affair is presented as another historical instance where Jewish identity complicated an individual's standing, even for a loyal French officer. Alfred Dreyfus was falsely accused of treason in 1894, with his Jewishness lending an air of credibility to the flimsy evidence in the eyes of many. Emile Zola's "J'Accuse...!" exposed this injustice and the societal failure to uphold equality, demonstrating how prejudice can exclude individuals from the national fabric. Theodor Herzl, witnessing this, concluded that a sovereign Jewish state was necessary for the Jewish people's future.

The article further discusses Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik's concept of a "covenant of destiny" (brit hay'ud) as a counterpoint to a "covenant of fate" (brit goral), which is based on shared persecution. Soloveitchik argued that true Jewish unity stems from a chosen commitment to shared responsibility and a common future, rather than solely from the memory of pain. This internal strength, he believed, is crucial for maintaining Jewish identity and preventing the erosion of selfhood, as seen in Agnon's story.

In a thought experiment, the article imagines a 2026 version of Agnon's story where a second refugee arrives, creating suspicion and division among the inhabitants, including Yosef. This scenario illustrates how animosity can persist and be transferred, with the original question, "What is a Jew doing here?" being asked by various groups today, including the far-right, parts of the far-left, and Islamist movements in Europe. The piece concludes by emphasizing that while Israeli sovereignty provides a national home, true belonging requires mutual responsibility and a shared commitment to tradition and heritage, even amidst internal disagreements.