On Sunday, 3 November 2024, Poland's new Ambassador to Israel, H.E. Mr. Maciej Hunia opened a photographic exhibition at Beth Shalom Aleichem in Tel Aviv entitled "Guardians of Angels" which depicted the preservation and protection of Jewish cultural heritage sites in Poland. 

 

Jews first arrived in Poland in the 10th century and in the 13th century the Statute of Kalisz was issued which established the legal status of Jews. In 1500 Jews existed in 100 localities. In 1765 the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth had a population of 750 000 Jews. In 1933 Poland's Jewish population was 3.3 million. 1992 marked the rebirth of Jewish life in Poland by the appointment of a Chief Rabbi and the establishment of the Union of Jewish Religious Communities (ZGWZ) consisting of 1594 members in 2022.  Every year the Jewish Culture Festival is held in Krakow and a Jewish Film Festival in Warsaw.  In Wroclaw a festival called "Simcha Festival" is celebrated annually. There are Jewish kindergartens, schools and high schools in Warsaw and Lodz. Jewish studies are offered at the Universities of Warsaw, Krakow, Poznan and Lublin. In Warsaw a Jewish Theatre, The Ester Rachel Kaminska Theatre exists performing plays in Yiddish.       

 

The ceremony started with a heart wrenching song in Yiddish by Olga Avigail,  "Ofyn Weg Shteyf e Boym" who also played the accordian while singing. 

 

H.E. Mr. Marciej Hunia, ambassador of Poland to Israel briefly spoke, saying that Jewsih culture in Poland is closely connected to Polish Culture and that the Jewish contribution to Poland's public life, science, culture, art and the economy was enormous. During World War 11 the Germans attempted to annihilate not only Jews and Jewish culture but all structures reminiscent of Jewish identity namely over 400 synagogues and almost all Jewish institutions.He concluded his talk by stating that during the difficulty Israel is experiencing "be sure that Poland understands Israel's situation and emphatically supports it". 

 

Since World War 11 over 1200 Jewish cemeteries in Poland have grossly been neglected and in 2002 the "The Foundation of Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Poland" - (FODZ) was established by the Poland's government. 

 

"Young Guardians of Jewish Cemeteries",  a  voluntary organization of high school students as well as initiatives of families and local communities undertake the responsibility by dedicating themselves to the meticulous care of Jewish cemeteries in which there are over 10 000 volunteers in various associations related to the cause. Different Organizations are actively engaged in restoring the memory of local Jewish communities in Poland by collecting and publishing the names of individuals who were murdered in the Holocaust.        

 

Ten Years ago, Rabbi Shapira who founded the Jewish Cemeteries Association whose aim is the preservation of Jewish cemeteries in Central and Eastern Europe was not present, his speech was read by the Embassy's "Master of Ceremony".  

 

A short video was shown featuring young Polish volunteers involved in restoration projects of cemeteries and a few said that it was "their moral responsibility to do so".  Another volunteer mentioned the fact that despite the constant work involved in the cemeteries he never gives up as opposed to the demands and challenges he faces. 

 

Present at the event despite having to face two previous flights from Warsaw to Tel Aviv which were cancelled, was Mr. Pawel Kulig who represented  the association "Guardians of Remembrance". His speech was translated into Hebrew and he mentioned that "the work is for you and not for us".  He nostalgically quoted a song by Airk Einstein entitled, "Ani v' Ata"  implying that "together we can change the world".

 

The event was concluded by Olga Avigayil's "Sholem Lid" or "Peace Song" which started in Yiddish and ended in Hebrew. Reference was made on behalf of the Polish Embassy acknowledging the Polish Cultural Association in Israel efforts.

 

Notable guests present were H.E. Mr. Gershon Zohar, Israel's ambassador to Poland from 1993 - 1997, Dr. Laurence Weinbaum who is Director General of the Israel Council on Foreign Relations and Chief Editor of Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Andre Gasiorwski, President and CEO of Global Forum which is an umbrella organization of 250 associations and lastly Brother Seweryn Lubecki, originally from Pszczyna, Poland who has been living in Israel for 36 years, he is a Fransiscian friar at a monastery in Ein Karem, birthplace of John the Baptist.    

 

A special mention of thanks to Mrs. Aneta Niedzielska  and  Mr. Lukas Levy of the Embassy of Poland in Tel Aviv who graciously provided Diplomacy,co.il with invaluable information regarding Jewish life in Poland and about the exhibition. 

 

 

 

 

 

 בית שלום עליכם | Beth Shalom Aleichem

 

 

 Address : 2 Berkowitz Street, Tel Aviv, Israel

 

Beit Shalom Aleichem is located in the cultural center of Tel Aviv - near Beit Ariela, the opera house and the theater
The Chamber - which itself serves as a center for Yiddish culture in Tel Aviv and Israel. There is an intensive activity at home that includes:
Annual courses for teaching Yiddish - beginner, advanced and affordable classes - who participate in them
Over 300 students every year; Courses on Eastern European Jewry:
history, culture, literature; Music and theater performances.