“Can a moral man maintain his moral code in an immoral world?” Mordechai
For all of the questions that ask “What would you do” explain yourself, do not just put down yes or no.
What are your impressions for the first day? Here are some questions to help you remember what happened.
Where is Yitzhak and Mordechai trying to send their students?
How would you feel if you were Chairman Adam Czerniakow when dealing with the Germans?
Why is Tosia selling their family's goods?
What are your feelings towards the Commissar’s secretary when she was telling them that their 23 hostages were killed?
Would you negotiate with the Germans as Chairman Czerniakow does, or fight as Mordechai?
Why do the Jews still have schools, ballet lessons, orchestra performances inside the ghetto?
Would you be able to work for the Jewish police?
Would have you been able to play your violin?
First of all, I just have to say that Mordechai is probably the coolest name ever, just saying. Mordechai and Yitzhak are trying to send their students to Palestine. If I were Czerniakow I wouldn't bother to deal with the Germans because I know that everything I do will be in vain. Tosnia is selling her family's goods to earn money to buy bread for her father who is sick. I felt bad for the Commissar's secretary, because she didn't really know that the hostages were only children, and it's not like she could have done anything to save them, she was just the messenger. I would most likely fight like Mordechai. I'm the type who likes to get things done now, and I'd rather die quickly and with my choosing than living in fear. The Jews still have schools and such because it helps them to feel like things are normal. They're trying to find some way to stay positive. I would not be able to work for the Jewish police. The only way I'd work for them is if I were a double agent or something like that, working on the inside. I wouldn't be able to betray my own people. I probably would have played my violin. It kind of seems like a nice way to go, playing music.
ReplyDeleteLiving in the Ghetto would be the hardest thing to do in my life. Having my people being killed for little reason. In that type of situation I would be very scared and confused with what to do. I would try to be on the resistance and trying to help as much as I could. Today what caught my eye the most would have been when Yitzhak and Mordechai were trying to convince Adam Czerniaków that they needed his side and support for the resistance. That intelligence came to them and said that Jews were being gassed in vans. The mothers would hold their babies on their chest to keep them safe when all the Jews were dead they found the babies still alive. When the soldiers would then, take the babies and swing them against trees to kill them. I was really shocked and sick when I heard them say that.
ReplyDeleteI guess my impressions about today are pretty depressing. I think it's kind of awful that after all Tosia goes through, her father still dies by the time she gets bread. The killing a man while he plays the violin is absolutely horrible, although I guess as a musician, if I had to be killed by Nazis, I'd choose that. I wanted to punch the secretary in the face. Then kick her in the shins and possibly break a chair over her. She was straight up ridiculous. It disgusts me. I would probably fight over negotiate, I'd rather fight I think.
ReplyDeleteMy impressions for the first day was a positive towards the movie. Although there were times where it was just too much to see. For example, seeing those dead bodies made me really sad. Yitzhak & Mordechai are trying to send their students to Palestine to be free. If I was Chairman Adam Czerniakow, I would feel very stressed up to the point where I would want to go crazy. It must have been a very time consuming time and emotional stability to do this job. Tosia I am guessing is the blonde girl with green eyes. She is selling her families stuff so that she can earn money to buy food & help her family survive. My feelings towards the Commissar's were very violent. I really wanted to go in to movie and slap her because she was acting like a total snob. The part that made me mad the most was when she kept telling the poor Chairman to not get close to the desk. She was treating him like if he was some sort of rat or something. Personally, I would try to negotiate with the Germans at first and if they kept being as stubborn as they were, then I would probably make other people fight for me and me supporting them in everything to make the Germans understand my points. I think that the Jews were still able to have school because the Germans wanted them to believe that they were treated nicely in still letting them preform practices like daily life. I don't think I would be able to work for the Jewish police. I would not have been able to play my violin because I would be scared to do it.
ReplyDeleteCan a moral man maintain his moral code in an immoral world? I think we’d like to believe that it is possible…and maybe it is…but I think in a situation such as this, the sacrifice may be their lives. If the question was if a moral man could maintain his moral code and still survive? The answer in this case would be probably not. Today was super depressing, but then again…the topic is super depressing. I’m very impressed by Mordechai and Yitzhak and all that they and the other members of their Resistance Group are going through. Yitzhak and Mordechai were trying to send the students to Palestine. While it may be easy to condemn Chairman Adam Czerniakow for not doing more to help or for dealing with the Germans, I can also see that he’s doing what he thinks actually helps. Also, he would put himself as well as all of the rest of the Jews in a dangerous position if he were to be caught participating in this group. Tosia was selling her family’s goods to try and pay for the ransom to get the children back. Well I thought the secretary seemed rude and heartless, I also understand that she isn’t exactly in a position to talk against the Nazis (no one was) so she wasn’t able to say anything. Also, even if she was against it and told the Chairman so, it’s not like she could’ve done anything about it. I think her being so cold was her way of trying to pretend it didn’t happen, or at least so that he would go away so she wouldn’t have to think about it. The Jews try to maintain a sense of normalcy within the ghetto in order to try to keep everyone from panicking and giving up hope. It’s also probably a way for them to pretend (at least for a little while) that everything is the way it was before. As a woman, I probably wouldn’t be able to work for the Jewish police force (at least I didn’t see any women), but if I had the opportunity, I probably would have. If I was that desperate to protect my family and be able to feed them, I would have done what I had to. I don’t know if I would have been able to play my violin (if I could).
ReplyDeleteI can't even imagine what life in the ghetto would be like. It bothers me how terribly the Germans treated the Jews. When the Commissar's secretary told the Head of the Jewish Council that the 23 hostages were killed, I was really angry. She seemed to have no feelings. I mean I understand that she probably didn't know what exactly happened and that the people were innocent but she could have shown a little sympathy. Mordechai and Yitzhak were trying to sent the students to Palestine. I think Czerniakow needs to listen to Mordechai and his ideas of using violence to help safe the Jewish people. Obviously just standing by and not doing anything isn't helping. They always say violence is not the answer but I think that's the only way for anything to work. Tosia is selling her family goods to try and get some fresh bread for her father who is very ill. I would definitely probably play the violin if the German soldiers demanded me to. Either way i know I would probably die just because if I refused to play then they would kill me but they killed the guy who did what he was told anyways and he still died so yes I would probably just play anyways. I like this movie so far and I am looking forward to watching some more!
ReplyDeleteThe first day was pretty intense. There was a lot of killing & such that set the scene for the movie. I can tell that this is going to be a good movie already. Yitzhak and Mordechai are trying to send their students to Palestine. I'm not sure if they just want to go there for religious reasons or to save themselves, or maybe both. The Chairman had a really tough job. He's really trying to do the best he can but Mordechai (i think) doesn't really think about this. We really see how hard Chairman Adam Czernaikow is trying when we see that he refused a ticket to Palestine where he could escape from the Holocaust. He is really committed to helping the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto. Tosia's the girl with the bread right? Well if that is her, she's selling her family's goods so that she can buy some bread. She wants bread for her sick father who she discovers is dead after returning home with a piece of bread. This is really sad because she was doing all she could to help her dad & it ended up being too late when she got home. The Commissar's secretary was a witch with a b when she was telling them that the hostages were killed. It seemed almost as if she was gloating at them. I'm not sure if this is right but the Jews might have had schools, ballet lessons, and orchestra performances to make life a little more bearable in the ghetto. They're still humans and need a little distraction from their lives in the ghetto. I don't think I'd be able to work for the Jewish police. Their job is to make their own people suffer (right?) and I don't think I'd be able to do that. I crack under pressure A LOT so if I had had to play my violin like my life depended on it, I would have messed up hardcore aaand then I would have been shot.
ReplyDeleteThe first day of viewing this movie was pretty interesting. It felt horrible to see all the people who were being killed and bodies being found and buried everywhere. The two characters named Yitzhak and Mordechai are wanting to send their students to Palestine. Czerniakow seems like he has good intentions as well by staying where he is and attempting to deal with the Jews to save them. I don't know if I personally would be able to negotiate with the Germans. The character I already like from the movie is Tosia. She has been raised right and is family oriented. It seems so wonderful that she would go to the other side of the fenced area to go sell goods so she can buy bread for her sick father. It kind of broke my heart when she comes to find her father is dead after being able to get him some bread. One of the questions was if i would be able to play my violin. For some reason, if I had a feeling that they were just going to kill me anyways, I wouldn't want to play my violin just because they told me to. I'm waiting to see what happens next in the film.
ReplyDelete“Can a moral man maintain his moral code in an immoral world?” I'm inclined to think that he (or she) could live up to his/her moral code. It would be hard, but possible. However, it comes down the the individual and whether or not they thought they could do it. I have to say that so far I am enjoying the film. Apart from the violence and blood and stuff. I actually did a report on the Warsaw Ghetto/ Uprising last year, so I didn't feel so confused when I was watching the film. Yitzhak and Mordechai are trying to send to students to Palestine where, I'm assuming, it's way safer and in better conditions than the Warsaw Ghetto. If I was Adam Czerniakow I'd be pretty much worried all the time. Thoughts such as: “Do I stay loyal to my people? Or do I say loyal to the people who hold my life in their hands (Germans)” would always be in the back of my mind. For a lack of better wording...it would pretty much suck to be in his position (am I allowed to say that? Cause I just did). Living in the Warsaw Ghetto would pretty much be like nightmare come true, unfortunately. Tosia was selling her family's goods to by bread for her ill father. When I was watching the film, I got this cold-hearted vibe from the Commissar’s secretary. She was kind of like, “yea all 23 of them died. So what? Can you leave now?” She pretty much made me mad, but I can't say I was surprised with her reaction. I'm a firm believer that violence is NOT the answer to a problem, but I would much rather fight as Mordechai. I only say this because I would rather live with myself knowing that I fought for something that I strongly believed in. I think the Jews still have schools, ballet lessons, and orchestra performances inside the ghetto because this was their way of trying to maintain some sort of peace inside the ghetto. They enjoyed things like these and it shifted their attention to something other than the harsh conditions of the ghetto, at least for a while. In all honesty, I don't think I'd be able to work for the Jewish police. I probably only would if it was the only means of survival (a bit selfish, I know). Seeing as I can't currently play the violen, I highly doubt I'd actually be able to play it without messing up.
ReplyDeleteCan a moral man maintain his moral code in an immoral world? Can they indeed. In my opinion, it very well depends on two things. The situation and the person. It is very easy for someone to say yes. They would completely retain their moral code. The truth is never quite that simple. When it comes to war and survival, black and white muddies to gray.
ReplyDeleteMy first impression of the movie is that it is a pretty accurate representation of the mood and the feelings of the time. It was at its core, desperation. The Jewish people had so little. Anything they could get was a treasure. A piece of bread was equal to gold. Yet, what most people don’t think about is the other side of the coin. Generally, German soldiers are viewed as the vilest creatures to ever walk the earth. Nonetheless, I cannot truly believe that is completely true. I think in this war, everyone was a victim of circumstance.
The poor Chairman Czerniakow has the extremely difficult task of being basically the leader and the voice of the Jews. Talk about being between a rock and a hard place. Truly and honestly I highly doubt I could “negotiate”
Anyone that knows me could tell you all that I …well am not the most level headed and calm when angry. I would rather see myself more as the eternal fighter and join Mordechai. Perhaps that’s very narcissistic and vain but hey there you have it.
They most heart-breaking scene, has to be the violinist playing his last song. The emotion and fear that had to have taken hold of those two musicians. Seeing your friend die in front of your eyes, at the hands of the man that is now going to do the same to you. I doubt that it would be easy to play a song on the violin, especially a happy song. However I think in a way, if you are going to die a terrible death such as that one. At the very least he died doing something he loved. Personally I have no idea how I would react. How could anybody? When faced with a life and death situation, no one truly knows.
“Can a moral man maintain his moral code in an immoral world?” People would hope so. But, I don't really think that it would be necessarily possible. If a person who is moral in a natural state wouldn't be able to just let his moral code to stay if his family members were being murdered for no reason what so ever.
ReplyDeleteYitzhak and Mordechai are trying to send their students to Palestine to escape the Nazi army. I think saving the youth is very important to a group of people.
I would be a very scared if I was Chairman Adam Czerniakow dealing with the Germans. I also would be very angry. The Germans are killing the innocent people and I can do nothing about it.
I hated the Commissar’s secretary when she told them that 23 hostages were killed. I thought it was stupid how she didn't care at all probably because they were Jewish.
If I was in the position to either negotiate with the Germans or fight I would probably fight for my people. Then eventually I probably would have gotten killed.
I would work for Jewish Police if it meant I didn't have to hit my own family but if I had to kill anybody I probably wouldn't do it. I would rather have my self killed then killing my own people.
I also wouldn't be able to play the violin if I just saw my friend be killed. I would have passed out then been shot.
It would be incredibly hard to stay positive during the execution of Jews and the invasion of Poland. Just watching the movie gave me feelings of grief, it would be so much worse to have to fight for freedom and rights when they feel so far out of reach. In reference to the movie, I felt bad for the Commissioner's secretary; however, I thought it was incredibly rude that she treated the head of the Jewish council the way that she did. It was obvious she felt guilty that children were killed but she had to do her job and she was only the messenger of the sad news. I think that the Jews still have schools to keep optimism in their minds and hope for things to change. It was sad when the Nazis came into the ballet school and trashed all the materials that made them happy. I think it would be hard to work for the Jewish police. I would have tried to flee the country but if I had to stay I would definitely try to fight to make things right. I’m really enjoying the movie this far.
ReplyDeleteYitzhak and Mordechai are trying to send their students to Palestine. I think if I were Chairman Czemiakow, I would feel so helpless. Germans were killing off his Jews and, in the movie when they took the 23 hostages I think it was, he got all the ransom money only to find out that they kids had been executed that morning. One could do one of two things, stand back and not rebel, or at least try to figure out some underground railroad type of thing and get people out of the ghettos. Both are dangerous and deadly. Tosia is selling her family’s goods so she can get food for her family, most importantly her dad who was sick and actually ended up dying. The secretary made me really mad but it just shows how people really didn’t care. Czemiakow was even saying you know, you’re with child, do you not have any sensitively towards these innocent kids who just died? I just… ugh it really upset me and made me really sad. Even seeing the Czemiakow’s sadness of him knowing that there was nothing that he could do. I think what I would do is act like I’m negotiating with the Germans but really trying to get as much information from them so I could be like Mordechai and fight. Both are really risky. I don’t really know why the Germans still let them have their classes and stuff, maybe to make the Jews believe that the Germans weren’t such bad people. I don’t think I would be able too just because I feel like I would be a burden to other Jews, but then I think of my family and if it would be what was best for them. I think I would’ve played my violin in a sarcastic way. If I knew I was going to die anyway I would’ve played a couple of notes or said something really smart butt like. That was a sad part in the movie.
ReplyDelete“Can a moral man maintain his moral code in an immoral world?” Well in all reality he can just that in order to keep his morality their is the bad chance that he may have to leave the immoral world if you know what I mean. My impression for the first day must be disgusted by all of the torture and killing that happened so far yet at the same time very entertained. Yitzhak and Mordechai attempt to send the students on an emigration to Palestine. Tosia was selling the family goods so she could buy bread for her father. In the end he ended up dying before she could even get the bread to him. One thing that definitely stayed in my head was the comment made that "You uphold Jewish Honor while I hold Jewish responsibilities". It really set the tone for the different sides on the point of views.
ReplyDeleteWe all have previous knowledge over this topic and what conditions for jew were during this time period, but seeing it makes it seem more real and relatable. In the movie Yitzhak and Mordechai are wanting to send their students to Palestine in order to escape the German army. At this point in the movie if I was Chairman Adam Czerniakow I would feel pretty hopeless, because despite my efforts to protect my people tons of innocent jews will continue to be killed. Tosia is selling their families good inorder to raise money to be able to buy her sickly father some bread to eat. The secretary was utterly rude but I think that it was probably out of fear because of course if she spoke out against the Nazis she would receive consequences. If i was living during this time period i would probably not be able to negotiate and resort to violence. I think the Jews still have till have schools, ballet lessons, and orchestra performances as a way to just not fall into a depression and keep things a bit cheery and try to give some hope to their children by making conditions seem somewhat the same as what they were before. No i dont think I would have been able to play my violin i would have ran away or something cause I would have been scared.
ReplyDeleteI would for sure not act like the chairman I would be more like Mordechai. I will not be able to take the horrible treatment that the Jews received. I would stand up and shoot the Nazi’s like Morderchai did in the movie. At this time so many people died, and even if one person couldn’t make a difference at least some of the Nazi’s would get the hint of what it felt like to be tortured. If I new how to play a violin I would be shaking and crying I would be way to scared. If I was the guy who saw his friend die I would probably kill myself for seeing that I probably would have lost my reason to live with all that’s going on anyways.
ReplyDeleteSo far, I'm really liking this movie. It accurately depicts the hardships that the Jewish people faced in the Warsaw Ghetto. Personally, my morals would shift. Due to the unreasonable prejudices that the Jews faced, trying to negotiate with the Nazi's would be ineffective. I would fight as Mordechai did, although I would be a little less impulsive and plan my attacks better. I would not be able to passively stand by, I would have to do something.
ReplyDeleteI think that a moral man can maintain his moral code in an immoral world. It would be difficult for him but it’s possible.
ReplyDeleteThe first day of the movie was a little bit confusing and sad. If I was Chairman Adam Czerniahow when dealing with the Germans I would be angry. But I would probably control myself and try negotiate with them. If I was sure I could fight like Mordechai and win then I would fight. Tosia goes to the other side of the ghetto to sell her family’s goods because she needs money to buy bread for her father who is very sick. I find that act very brave because she is risking her life to buy just one piece of bread. I noticed that in order to keep the room where her father was warm, they had to get parts from the furniture to burn it.
The secretary’s attitude made me angry when she kept telling the man to get away form her desk. I noticed that she did not know the hostages were children. At first, when she was telling the Chairman that the 23 hostages were killed she said it like it was no big deal but when he told her that they were only children I could tell she was surprised.
The Jews probably keep having school, ballet lessons, and orchestra performances inside the ghetto to keep their minds off what is happening. After one of the performances, a soldier asked a Jewish man to play the violin and the man was brave enough to play it even though he probably sensed his death. I don’t think I would of had the strength to play it. I would probably be shaking and terrified.
Mordechai is a brave man. My first thoughts were just wow because of what he was doing. Tosia had to sell the things in order to feed her family. Yitzhak and Mordechai are trying to send their students to Palestine. If i was the Chairman I would be very nervous when dealing with the Germans with fear of them shooting me at any time. I would probably be like Mordechai and fight.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that a moral man would be able to maintain his morals in an immoral world. We would like to think that we would be able to do this but there are many factors that sway us away from being moral in an immoral time, for example having a family could make people do whatever they can to help their family. When there is a lack of the basic needs then that is also when people do what they can to survive.
ReplyDeleteMy first impressions of the movie were that it was an ok movie that really showed close to the truth about what really happened.
I thought it was quite interesting to see how they tried to keep their moral and not kill a man. But because of what was going on, it was quite obvious that Mordechai would not be able to keep his moral. But chairman Czerniakow is also important. I would have to agree that he is trying to prevent more killings of the Jews. But seeing how cruel the Nazis are, I think that Mordechai had a good view and trying to rebel against the Germans. As for being able to play the violin, I think it would have been quite difficult to have been able to play.
ReplyDeleteI was not here unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteThe answer would depend on whether or not the moral man is strong enough to stay moral in an immoral world. If he can fight it out and finds his morals to be very important then yes a moral man could keep his morals in an immoral world, but if that man is not strong minded then that immoral world will change that moral man. The first day of the video I was like wow this is what really happened. How could their be Jews working for the Nazis and how could the chairman negotiate with the Germans. If I was in that situation I wouldn't negotiate I would be trying to fight them by anyway I could. The reason they would hold ballets and recitals was because if they wouldn't do it. Then the world would be much darker than it already was. They did it so they could hide the darkness and use those recitals as a light.
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