Schindler's List Race and Religion Quotes

This scene establishes the film as a story about Jews, and tells us that people were still observing their traditions in the face of war.

The line is actually a bit of a joke, since it's uttered by a Jewish man in a Catholic Church. But it demonstrates how this character is willing to bend the conventions of religion in order to find a way to survive in very brutal circumstances.

This is a very spiritual moment, and the fact that it occurs within the midst of a massacre is very telling. Even here, the woman's faith helps her comfort the boy.

The engineer says this right before she gets shot in the head for daring to argue with a Nazi. But her meaning is tinged with religious overtones. It says that she's a part of something greater, and simply shooting her in the head won't destroy that.

Goeth uses a joke to tar Schindler with the Jewish brush here, but he's actually serving to remind Schindler of why he's doing this. He really is saying, "Let my people go."

It's been so long since the rabbi observed the Sabbath that he's lost track of the days. But by lighting the candles—in color, just like the candles in the beginning—the rabbi reconnects with his religious observances. Anyone can pray in private, of course, but this overt expression is hugely meaningful to the rabbi and very generous of Schindler.

This is the first time that anyone has directly acknowledged the scope of the tragedy. It's appropriately accompanied by a silent contemplation of the deaths. A rabbi chants the kaddish—the Jewish prayer for the dead.

The Talmud is a collection of oral law and tradition handed down from the rabbis of the second century. The inscription on the ring is a validation of Schindler's actions from the people he helped save: a blessing from their God for what he did.

This is a statement of fact, but it's also a statement of faith. The faith and traditions of the Jewish people will have a future thanks to Schindler. It's the best revenge against the Nazis.