Ritual existence and the preservation of self- identity in the concentration camps: Time, body, and objects

In the midst of the horrors of the Holocaust, some Jews in the concentration camps sought to perform various ritual acts. Examining the role ritual plays in preserving self-identity in extreme circumstances, this article investigates the way in which such acts created a symbolic space as an alternative existence to the regime of death. The essay analyzes attempts by concentration camp prisoners to find in ritual a sense of time and continuity, a measure of control over their bodies, and a link with the past.