During the Holocaust, Jews tried to cope with their plight in different ways. While fighting for their very existence, they also strove to maintain their identity and culture. Marking personal milestones, including weddings and Bar Mitzvahs, and even the preparation and sending of birthday cards when conditions permitted, helped to assuage their emotional turmoil and gave them a sense of routine and stability. The customs that had accompanied the Jews for centuries were a source of comfort during the Shoah. They provided these perpetually anxious, hunted and persecuted individuals with a feeling of continuity and optimism: they were a link in the sacred generational chain and the custodians of venerable traditions. Marking personal milestones also enabled them to preserve a sense of humanity and selfhood.
