Going against long-held Polish tradition, Krakow's municipality will slowly phase out the souvenir caricatures after acknowledging the trinkets are antisemitic
Statement follows campaign by Polish Jews to stop the sale of models; some locals treat figures as charms for increasing revenues, typically depicting Orthodox Jews counting money
Candles depicting haredi Orthodox Jews are on sale in Poland. (Jewish.pl/Jan Gebert via JTA)
JTA Even among Jews in Poland, few are shocked at this point by the popular figurines of ultra-Orthodox Jews counting money that are sold in the country as good luck charms.
Yet even locals are pausing to take stock of the latest development on that controversial theme: scented candles that one retailer advertised as “giving a pleasant warm light during combustion.” Also, “The figure of the Jew is believed to be good for financial success.”
The Jewish candle phenomenon came to light earlier this month on a Facebook group called Życie Żydowskie, meaning “Jewish life.”