How many Jewish partisans were there?

What is a Jewish partisan and how many were there?

A partisan is a member of an organized body of fighters who attack or harass an enemy, especially within occupied territory; a guerrilla.

Approximately 20,000 to 30,000 Jews, many of whom were teenagers, managed to escape to form or join organized resistance groups. They are known as the Jewish partisans, who, along with hundreds of thousands of non-Jewish partisans, fought against their common enemy across much of Europe.

Faye with her CameraPhotographer: Moishe Lazebnik, Toronto, Canada, 1999

“I want people to know that there was resistance. Jewish people didn’t go like sheep to the slaughter. If they had the slightest opportunity to fight back, they did and took revenge. Many lost their lives heroically.

“I was a photographer. I have pictures. I have proof.”

See Faye Schulman's photos in the exhibit "Pictures of Resistance" coming to Hillel in January. For information on the exhibit and programming, click here.