Current sectionJewish WorldShare to FacebookShare to XArticle printing is available to subscribers onlyPrint in a simple, ad-free formatSubscribeComments: Zen reading is available to subscribers onlyAd-free and in a comfortable reading formatSubscribeHistorian Emma Zohar, author of "Within the Pale of Pleasure: Polish Jewry and the Pursuit of Happiness." Credit: Rami ShllushAccording to historian Emma Zohar, the stereotype of sad and grim Polish Jewry was a fabrication of Zionism – and the Nazis. These Jews had controversial beauty contests, vacation plans and – yes, really – good food12:02 AM • July 06 2026 IDTIn early 1929, the Jewish-Polish newspaper Nasz Przegląd announced a competition to choose the most beautiful Jewish woman in Poland, under the name "Miss Yehuda." A similar competition was held a year later by Unzer Express, one of the most important Jewish dailies in Warsaw during the interwar period. Jewish women from across Poland were invited to send their photographs to the newspapers, which displayed the images for months.In the NewsMichigan Primary Narrows to AIPAC Favorite vs. Progressive Israel CriticIsraeli Government Approves $9M Plan to Expand West Bank Hotel IndustryIsraeli President, Officials Push Back Against Gov't Decision to Defy High CourtIsraeli Justice Ministry Chief Blocks Effort to Combat Crime in Arab CommunityLikud Minister: 'No Real Difference' Between Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir's PartiesRemembering and rebuilding two years laterICYMIAdvanced Israeli Systems Sold to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Documents and Images ShowIsrael 2026 Election Poll Tracker: The Latest ProjectionsIsrael Has Long Ignored Warnings of a 'Diplomatic Tsunami.' Now It Has ArrivedAn Israeli Principal Desegregated a Tel Aviv School. Here's What Happened103 Nails on the Map: How Israel's Government Is Burying the Two-state SolutionDumber Than a 10-year-old: Are Israeli Students Really That Stupid?