SALNER, Peter: Crossroads of Jewish Bratislava: An ethnological examination of the Jewish community between the 19th and 21st centuries. Berlin: Peter Lang GmbH, 2021, 160s. ISBN 978-3-631-85263-7.
In Crossroads of Jewish Bratislava, the author identifi es several key junctures that determined the history of Jews in Bratislava between the 19th and 21st centuries, especially in terms of their culture and way of life.
The autor attempt to answer two fundamental questions: 1. Whether the social changes and internal processes that have taken place in the Jewish community (particularly the shift away from Orthodox Judaism) constitute a step towards the community’s disintegration or a sign of its transformation? 2. Which factors determine the current shape of the Jewish community and its way of life? The fi rst part of the book (History) provides an overview of historical milestones, with a particular emphasis on the two totalitarian regimes (the Wartime Slovak State and Communist Czechoslovakia 1948-1989). The second part, entitled Dilemmas, examines the current situation of Jewish cemeteries, the consequences of the Holocaust, and the ongoing transformations of Jewish holidays. The author's research leads to the conclusion that traditional manifestations of Jewish culture are being reshaped by factors of selectiveness, streamlining, and individualisation.
Kľúčové slová:
history of Jews; Jewish Bratislava; social changes; Jewish community; way of life; Jewish culture; Jewish holidays
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