The Jews knew that flight from their Polish, Ukrainian, Belorussian or Russian neighbors could be a leap from the frying pan into the fire. Some naively chose communism, believing in the promise of brotherhood without racism; others escaped to America; still others tried to assimilate, showing thousands of examples of their patriotism. The great majority simply tried to live side by side with their Polish neighbors, hoping that somehow things would work out. Only very few believed in the utopia of rebuilding an Israeli state in Palestine.