Eli Yassif, “Review of ‘Jewish Poland – Legends of Origin: Ethnopoetics and Legendary Chronicles’, by Haya Bar-Itzhak,” Fabula, vol. 44, no. 1-2 (2003): 152-157 (original) (raw)

This review critically engages with Haya Bar-Itzhak's book, "Jewish Poland – Legends of Origin: Ethnopoetics and Legendary Chronicles," which addresses Jewish folklore in Poland, particularly the legends of origin. It emphasizes the interplay between history and fiction, examining how these legends reflect the self-perceptions and struggles of Polish Jewry within the societal and cultural context of Poland. The review concludes with a somber reflection on the limited impact of folklore in altering societal attitudes, particularly in light of the atrocities faced by Jews during the Second World War.