“Achduth” – B’nei B’rith Lodge of Stanyslaviv in the Light of Documents Found in the Local Archive

Abstract

In the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th, many Jews belonging to high society and undertaking freelance occupations began to assimilate with their usually Christian environment. This was often a necessary prerequisite (also legally) for their social advancement. Nevertheless, their assimilation was rarely complete. In most cases, it was only partial and concerned clothes, everyday habits and education. The change in religion did not become a mass phenomenon in either Europe or America – quite the opposite. This limited assimilation was testament to the Jewish attachment to their religion, regardless of the centuries-long life in the Diaspora. Although numerous changes had occurred in the world, many of the rules respected by Jews throughout history remained valid. For instance, in their hierarchy of importance, education remained higher than wealth