Jewish Life in Krakow: Present Day and into the Future

Submitted by Judi Bohn

Panel:
Justin Kadis, Director of External Relations , JCC Krakow
AnnA Gulinska, Director of Programming , JCC Krakow 

The presenters from the Jewish Community Center of Krakow , funded primarily throughout the American Joint distribution Committee, focus on building a Jewish future in Krakow. They provide an array of services based on individual needs of this unique community  .  In the 6 years since they were founded, their membership has increased  and they are now the central resource for anyone who discover they have Jewish roots. Many young people are experiencing an identity crisis . Since Poland has such a small Jewish community and the fear of of declaring yourself a Jew still exists , the need for a perceived neutral organization that has resources and knowledge to  offer them is critical. Several key  staff members are not Jewish. This helps people to feel  a sense of safety  in sharing their own identity .  

The JCC hopes to strengthen the Jewish identities of those people who have little knowledge of how to be live Jewishly.   They offer classes in traditional Jewish customs , provide Hebrew  and prayer classes,  and make referrals  to all aspects of Jewish life.

Considering what we know about the rise of antisemitism in Europe,as well as in other parts of Poland, the JCC  claims " It is good to be Jewish in Krakow." Indeed they are the home to the largest Jewish Music Festival in the world  and the Jewish district, neglected in the  1980's and 90's , has become a center for philosemitic tourism as well as a place for Jews to  feel a sense of nostalgia for what was lost.  There is nothing  the JCC can do about the number of Jews who were lost in the Holocaust , but they strongly believe there is something they can do to change the number of Jews lost to the Jewish world.