The Holocaust was a period of time in which Jews suffered in a myriad of ways, with all these methods encompassing fear and animosity. Techniques ranging from concentration camps, forced hiding, and ghettos were some facets that individuals faced, with the latter holding much complexity. Ghettos, which were confined areas where Jews were secluded, were highly used throughout Western Europe, and although these areas are typically categorized as dark, some quantities of light were sporadically found, especially in the case of the Vilna Ghetto. This particular ghetto held many artistic events/organizations that depicted the brighter side of life, and these instances were made known in Yitskhok Rudashevski's diary. In Rudashevski's diary, the various …show more content…
The implementation of cultural, educational, and social organizations in the ghetto greatly aided Rudashevski in finding happiness and hope during his time there. These events enabled him to be pulled out of his despair and reshaped his demeanor to look forward to life. This could be seen when he finally goes to school on October 5th, 1942, as he happily proclaims, "My own life is shaping up in quite a different way!" This sentence, despite being short in stature, depicts a significant shift in how this moment allowed Rudashevski to approach and reflect on life differently. It shows how his new productivity was the means for him to retain a semblance of life in this hostile environment. Moreover, this gave him hope about what more he can do now that he can live a little more, boosting his morale and brightening his outlook. This increase saves him from a mental collapse, as he is constantly faced with the brutality of the Holocaust in a first-hand way, such as his watching his grandmother being taken away by German …show more content…
Rudashevski was very dedicated to this goal, however, the diary ended before anything could come out from this and posed a question of the success of this resistance movement. This shows the complexity of the period, that though resistance had been formed, it was shut down before anything could come from it and created “what if” questions regarding its abilities. That said, it goes to show that despite Jews facing immense brutality and despair, a feeling of determination to fight had been planted among ghetto members. This helps to create the understanding that it was likely the implementation of intellectual activities that boosted their spirits and understanding of right and wrong, and led them to take such a revolutionary step. Hence, despite nothing coming from this movement, the fact that it was created helps to show the shift in the ghettos' approach to life and depict the complexity, as well as difficulty of life under the Nazis. Overall, Rudashevski's diary not only shows the story of a young adult in the ghetto but also of the