Secret Jewish heritage converts neo-Nazi

[Srelex]

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europ ... tml?hpt=C1

Warsaw, Poland (CNN) -- Pawel sits in the synagogue learning the Torah, praying and getting advice from his rabbi.

He appears to be enjoying a happy life married to his childhood sweetheart and the mother of his two children.

But he and Ola have traveled further than most -- from hate-filled neo-Nazism through the shock and anger of learning their heritage was Jewish to taking their place in the synagogue as Orthodox Jews.

They met at school in Poland's capital, Warsaw, when they were 12, but as their teen years passed Pawel first and then Ola grew into the neo-Nazi scene.

At 18 they married and a few years later Ola was nagged by a conversation with her mother that she barely remembered -- something about Jewish roots.

She found her answer at the Jewish Historical Institute, which says it has collections documenting 10 centuries of Jewish experience in Poland.

While there she said she felt compelled to also check Pawel's family history -- and he too came from a Jewish background.

"Something told me to... It was unbelievable -- it turned out that we had Jewish roots. It was a shock. I didn't expect to find out that I had a Jewish husband," she said.

"I didn't know how to tell him. I loved him even if he was a punk or skinhead, if he beat people up or not. It was a time in Poland when this movement was very intense."

Reeling from the news, she had to return home to her neo-Nazi husband and tell him of their Jewish heritage.

There were 350,000 Jews in Poland after World War II -- about 10 percent of the Jewish population before the war.

In the 25 years after WWII ended the overwhelming majority left to escape persecution by the Soviet-controlled government.

For those who stayed, their Jewish heritage was hidden often even from their own children.

It provided a culture where anti-Semitism could thrive and in 1980s Poland, Pawel was embracing the hate festering in the concrete tower blocks of Warsaw.

When Ola brought home the documents to show Pawel his own history, he rushed to confront his parents, and they told him the family secret.

"I was a nationalist 100 percent. Back then when we were skinheads it was all about white power and I believed Poland was only for Poles. That Jews were the biggest plague and the worst evil of this world. At least in Poland it was thought this way as at the time anything that was bad was the fault of the Jews..." he said.

"Emotions, it is difficult to describe how I felt when I found out I was Jewish... my first thought was what am I going to tell people? What am I going to tell the boys? Should I admit it or not? I was angry, sad, scared, unsure."

Over time, Pawel's anger and confusion subsided and he approached Chief Rabbi of Poland Michael Schudrich.

Speaking in the synagogue where he now worships, Pawel said: "The mirror was a big problem. I couldn't look at myself. I saw a Jew. I hated the person in the mirror then I grew accustomed to it, came to terms with it somehow.

"I came here to the rabbi and said, "listen, they are telling me I'm a Jew, I have this document in my hand, my mom and dad have said something. Who is this Jew and what is it? Help me because I am going to lose my mind otherwise.'"

In the years that followed they became friends with the chief rabbi and he has been a mentor to them.

Pawel, now 33, said: "I'm not saying that I don't have regrets but it's not something that I walk around and lash myself over... I feel sorry for those that I beat up... but I don't hold a grudge against myself. The people who I hurt can hold a grudge against me."

Today, they're active members of the Jewish community in Warsaw. Pawel is studying to work in a slaughterhouse killing animals according to the Jewish Kosher requirement and Ola is working in the synagogue's kitchen as a kosher supervisor."

Schudrich said: "The fact that they were skinheads actually increased the amount of respect I have for them. That they could've been where they were, understood that that was not the right way, then embraced rather than run away the fact that they were part of the people who they used to hate."

"I think also it says on a personal level, never write somebody off. Where they may be 10 years ago doesn't have to be where they are today. And the human being has this unlimited capability of changing and sometimes even for the better."

[Alyeska]

That story is... Its both depressing and heart warming. Seeing people raised in an environment filled with hate, but they managed to see through it and accept who they are and their ancestory. It speaks volumes for their character. And I suppose it also speaks volumes to the parents who raised them.

[Chaotic Neutral]

What a douchbag, he changes his views just because of his distant family AND changes religions. Does he have no integrity whatsoever?

[Aaron]

What a douchbag, he changes his views just because of his distant family AND changes religions. Does he have no integrity whatsoever?

Honestly? Better this then a life time as a skinhead, those folks are fucked in the head.

"I was a nationalist 100 percent. Back then when we were skinheads it was all about white power and I believed Poland was only for Poles. That Jews were the biggest plague and the worst evil of this world. At least in Poland it was thought this way as at the time anything that was bad was the fault of the Jews..."

Yeah, not seeing much worth keeping there.

[Chaotic Neutral]

Honestly? Better this then a life time as a skinhead, those folks are fucked in the head.

Yeah, not seeing much worth keeping there.

When I have an opinion, I make sure not to have one so flimsy that my heritage effects it.

[Aaron]

Congrats. Your not him though. Perhaps he had doubts for a while and this was a catalyst. *shrug*

[Bakustra]

Honestly? Better this then a life time as a skinhead, those folks are fucked in the head.

Yeah, not seeing much worth keeping there.

When I have an opinion, I make sure not to have one so flimsy that my heritage effects it.

So you think it would be better had he remained a violent neo-Nazi rather than accept that Jews are people too?

[Raw Shark]

"I think also it says on a personal level, never write somebody off. Where they may be 10 years ago doesn't have to be where they are today. And the human being has this unlimited capability of changing and sometimes even for the better."

Call me crazy, but these two don't sound like they're changed at all to me. She didn't care if he beat people up or not because the movement was very intense? Those are the words of a born follower; they've just found a new and different identity to throw themselves into in the course of their desperate search for one, after the first proved invalid. It's not enough that we're going to be Jews, we're going to hang with the Chief Rabbi, get uber-Jewish jobs in Kosher food, and be the best fucking Jews ever! It's nice that they're renounced prejudice, but they're still a couple of sheep.

[Chaotic Neutral]

So you think it would be better had he remained a violent neo-Nazi rather than accept that Jews are people too?

I'm saying that just because this guy converted, doesn't mean he isn't an ignorant douchbag.

[Bakustra]

So you think it would be better had he remained a violent neo-Nazi rather than accept that Jews are people too?

I'm saying that just because this guy converted, doesn't mean he isn't an ignorant douchbag.

What does that have to do with integrity? I mean, the guy's not necessarily a particularly bright bulb, but if he's no longer assaulting people, I can't really bring myself to condemn his decisions.

[Ford Prefect]

What a douchbag, he changes his views just because of his distant family AND changes religions. Does he have no integrity whatsoever?

The irony in this statement is ridiculously staggering. Yes, how dare a person change. Yes, how dare a person stop being a Nazi.

[Molyneux]

What a douchbag, he changes his views just because of his distant family AND changes religions. Does he have no integrity whatsoever?

Judaism is important at least as much as an extended tribal grouping or family as it is as a religion. I am glad that there are two fewer neo-Nazis in the world.

I don't blame the guy for changing his views based on a family connection, there are few things that are better-suited to shake the foundations of his world-view than finding out that the "other" he fought against, the scary, dangerous, alien Jew...was him, and his parents, and wife, and children.

[mr friendly guy]

While I am glad that we have two less neo Nazis in the world, I can see where Chaotic Neutral is coming from. If this guy believes the premise that "I believed Poland was only for Poles. That Jews were the biggest plague and the worst evil of this world" etc etc its a weak justification (from a logical consistency POV) to change it just because he is a Jew. If he was consistent he should get out of Poland since Poland was only for Poles. Obviously he changed his view over time, but thats where CN is coming from. Or at least I think thats what he is saying, he can of course correct me.

EDIT - I wouldn't call him a douchebag for changing his views alone, however the fact that it appears he doesn't regret that he beat people up raises red flags with me. Its like that South Park episode when Cartman launches a pogram against "gingers", then when it turns out he is one he leads the "gingers" against people who don't have red hair. While not quite as extreme, I can see what CN is saying.

[Phantasee]

CN is also a retard because it's obvious the guy didn't wake up one day and say "Holy shit I'm a Jew! Well, better get this swastika tattoo removed and go find a menorah!". If he can live with himself for what he was and did before, great. Shows that people can move on.

I really don't see how he is a douche bag.

[Chaotic Neutral]

I really don't see how he is a douche bag.

He was a neo-nazi. His douchbagedness is just going to point elsewhere, not go away.

[open_sketchbook]

Holy shit, dude. That's not how people work. People don't choose to become neo-nazis because they think it'd be hilarious to be mean to Jews, they do it because they got suckered in by the line of thinking. They were drawn into their neo-nazi views as teens, and teenagers don't fucking know anything! Most people who get into patterns of thought like this never break out; it is a good thing these people did, that they had the balls to confront reality instead of burying it in denial like most people do when their convictions matter more to them than reality.

Besides, from what world do you come from where people sticking with their views when they are wrong is a good thing? If you see strong evidence against something you believe, that means you have to stop believing. Sticking to your guns when you have been shown to be wrong isn't a virtue, dumbass.

But of course, that's stupid. Anyone who holds bad views, ever, at any time, is clearly a monster forever.

[Chaotic Neutral]

Besides, from what world do you come from where people sticking with their views when they are wrong is a good thing? If you see strong evidence against something you believe, that means you have to stop believing. Sticking to your guns when you have been shown to be wrong isn't a virtue, dumbass.

But of course, that's stupid. Anyone who holds bad views, ever, at any time, is clearly a monster forever.

I'm saying that you shouldn't hold such flimsy views that heredity makes you immediately drop them AND change religion. Not only that, he is so weak, he immediately becomes Jewish after this revelation, not even any thinking or reasoning. If he was against Muslims and found out his family was Muslim, I have no doubt he would be Muslim now.

No integrity.

[Phantasee]

CN is also a retard because it's obvious the guy didn't wake up one day and say "Holy shit I'm a Jew! Well, better get this swastika tattoo removed and go find a menorah!".

[General Zod]

Besides, from what world do you come from where people sticking with their views when they are wrong is a good thing? If you see strong evidence against something you believe, that means you have to stop believing. Sticking to your guns when you have been shown to be wrong isn't a virtue, dumbass.

But of course, that's stupid. Anyone who holds bad views, ever, at any time, is clearly a monster forever.

I'm saying that you shouldn't hold such flimsy views that heredity makes you immediately drop them AND change religion. Not only that, he is so weak, he immediately becomes Jewish after this revelation, not even any thinking or reasoning. If he was against Muslims and found out his family was Muslim, I have no doubt he would be Muslim now.

No integrity.

It wasn't immediate you retard. If you bothered reading the article you'd know it took him years to finally reconcile the situation.

[fgalkin]

Honestly? Better this then a life time as a skinhead, those folks are fucked in the head.

Yeah, not seeing much worth keeping there.

When I have an opinion, I make sure not to have one so flimsy that my heritage effects it.

Even when that opinion is that everyone of that heritage is to be exterminated? Do you kill yourself first, or last?

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin