Research on the Jewish Community in Polish Social Sciences: Achievements, Perspectives and Scientific Challenges over the Last Two Decades

In my paper, I would like to focus on the achievements of researchers studying the Jewish community and culture in Poland. In recent decades, there have been numerous publications in this area. It must be admitted that most of them are historical works. However, I would like to draw attention to slightly dispersed studies in the field of social sciences (sociology, psychology, pedagogy). Who are the researchers who deal with Jewish themes? What are the common and individual elements of their scientific approaches? Are all of these elements part of the discourse of research on the ‘renaissance of the Jewish community and identity’? I would like to look at the explorations of both researchers connected with the Jewish environment and ‘outsiders’ (including young foreign researchers interested in Polish Jews). The scope of their research is therefore quite diverse and includes issues such as: building Jewish identity and institutional structures; religious life and the activities of religious and secular associations; relations with dominant culture; informal education, Jewish education and family upbringing.W artykule chciałabym skupić się na analizie dorobku badaczy kultury i społeczności żydowskiej w Polsce. Ostatnie dekady przyniosły liczne publikacje z tego zakresu. Przeważają prace historyczne, ja jednak chciałabym zwrócić uwagę na nieco rozproszone prace badawcze z zakresu nauk społecznych (socjologii, psychologii, pedagogiki). Kim są badacze podejmujący tematykę żydowską? Co ich łączy, a co indywidualizuje podejście naukowe? Czy wszyscy wpisują się w dyskurs badań nad „renesansem tożsamości i społeczności żydowskiej”? Przy tym, są to zarówno naukowcy związani ze środowiskiem, jaki i prezentujący spojrzenie z zewnątrz (też młodzi badacze zagraniczni interesujący się polskimi Żydami). Zakresy ich badań są dość zróżnicowane, obejmują m.in.: kwestie związane z budowaniem tożsamości żydowskiej, struktur instytucjonalnych; życiem religijnym i działalnością stowarzyszeń religijnych oraz świeckich; relacjami z kulturą dominującą; edukacją nieformalną oraz szkolnictwem żydowskim, wychowaniem w rodzinie

The role of NH2-terminal positive charges in the activity of inward rectifier KATP channels

Approximately half of the NH(2) terminus of inward rectifier (Kir) channels can be deleted without significant change in channel function, but activity is lost when more than ∼30 conserved residues before the first membrane spanning domain (M1) are removed. Systematic replacement of the positive charges in the NH(2) terminus of Kir6.2 with alanine reveals several residues that affect channel function when neutralized. Certain mutations (R4A, R5A, R16A, R27A, R39A, K47A, R50A, R54A, K67A) change open probability, whereas an overlapping set of mutants (R16A, R27A, K39A, K47A, R50A, R54A, K67A) change ATP sensitivity. Further analysis of the latter set differentiates mutations that alter ATP sensitivity as a consequence of altered open state stability (R16A, K39A, K67A) from those that may affect ATP binding directly (K47A, R50A, R54A). The data help to define the structural determinants of Kir channel function, and suggest possible structural motifs within the NH(2) terminus, as well as the relationship of the NH(2) terminus with the extended cytoplasmic COOH terminus of the channel

Structural and Functional Determinants of Conserved Lipid Interaction Domains of Inward Rectifying Kir6.2 Channels

All members of the inward rectifiier K+ (Kir) channel family are activated by phosphoinositides and other amphiphilic lipids. To further elucidate the mechanistic basis, we examined the membrane association of Kir6.2 fragments of KATP channels, and the effects of site-directed mutations of these fragments and full-length Kir6.2 on membrane association and KATP channel activity, respectively. GFP-tagged Kir6.2 COOH terminus and GFP-tagged pleckstrin homology domain from phospholipase C δ1 both associate with isolated membranes, and association of each is specifically reduced by muscarinic m1 receptor–mediated phospholipid depletion. Kir COOH termini are predicted to contain multiple β-strands and a conserved α-helix (residues ∼306–311 in Kir6.2). Systematic mutagenesis of D307-F315 reveals a critical role of E308, I309, W311 and F315, consistent with residues lying on one side of a α-helix. Together with systematic mutation of conserved charges, the results define critical determinants of a conserved domain that underlies phospholipid interaction in Kir channels

Szalom bajit – religijna rodzina żydowska i dziedzictwo kulturowe

Its main purposes were to establish patterns of Jewish family life and to identify the main forms and content of the family message regarding cultural heritage at the disposal of religious families. The qualitative research involved identifying four main elements of the transmission of tradition. According to Jerzy Nikitorowicz, they are: a functional element – transmission mechanisms; an objective element – content of the cultural goods transmitted; a subjective element – carriers of tradition; and an educational element. At the first stage of the research, several free-form interviews (similar to expert opinion survey) Based on the interviews the most important contexts regarding the transmission of cultural content in the modern family and the essence of the transmission of Jewish religious and linguistic heritage were sought.W artykule zaprezentowano wstępne wyniki badań realizowanych wśród polskich rabinów. Ich głównym celem było ustalenie wzorów żydowskiego życia rodzinnego oraz zidentyfikowanie głównych form i treści rodzinnego przekazu dziedzictwa kulturowego, pozostającego w dyspozycji rodzin religijnych. Projekt o charakterze jakościowym zakładał ustalenie czterech głównych elementów przekazu tradycji, wedle Jerzego Nikitorowicza są to: czynnościowy – mechanizmy przekazu, przedmiotowy – treści przekazywanych dóbr kultury, podmiotowy – nosiciele tradycji oraz edukacyjny. Na pierwszym etapie zrealizowano kilka wywiadów swobodnych (zbliżonych do eksperckich). Na podstawie wywiadów starano się wskazać na najistotniejsze konteksty dotyczące transmisji treści kulturowych we współczesnej rodzinie oraz istoty przekazu żydowskiego dziedzictwa religijnego i językowego

„Zdecydowanie żydowskie, wyraźnie polskie”… Strategie narracyjne twórców Muzeum Historii Żydów Polskich Polin

This paper aims to establish a framework of discursive narratives about the idea of the Polin Museum of the History of Polish Jews. Most of these narrative strategies concern the implementation of this huge project, arrangement of exhibitions, topics presented and the importance of the museum for the community of Polish Jews and Poles. The qualitative analysis of the narratives is conducted based on the content of periodicals published by the Jewish community in Poland: „Midrasz. Pismo Żydowskie” and „Chidusz. Magazyn Żydowski”. The analysis involves 11 speeches given immediately after the ceremonial opening of the Museum in 2013 and later, primarily at anniversary celebrations

The magazine “Chidusz” as an exemplification of the potential of the young generation of Jews and their public activity

The article analyses the content of the Jewish magazine “Chidusz”. The journal was created from the transformation of the Jewish religious community the information bulletin of the Jewish religious community in Wrocław and has become one of the most recognised Jewish magazines within the Polish publishing market. The aim of the analysis was, inter alia, to determine the dominant contexts, whether they have a didactic and educational character, and whether they can constitute a valuable source of information for people with Jewish roots. To what extent does “Chidusz” respond to the needs of the young Polish Jewish community? In particular, will young readers obtain information and tips on how to build their Jewish cultural identity, as well as creating a family and bringing up children according to the model of Jewish tradition