Polish Battle With Anti-Semitism

The Idea of the Jewish Culture Festivalonce again filled with people and sounds of music and
In Poland, where the issue of Jewish-Polish relations isprayer - and then wait quietly for the next festival.
still fragile, events such as Krakow Jewish CultureNot only music...
Festival promote dialog and the opportunity to get toFor those who do not know the history of Kazimierz
know Jewish Culture better. For young people theand the Jews who used to live there, there are tours
festival might be the only chance to meet Jews - in aconducted by professional guides. During
country that few of them still inhabits nowadays.presentations and performances you can hear stories
Apart from this, Jewish Culture Festival is enjoyabletold by Jews about the tradition, customs and their
entertainment that brings together artists of Jewisheveryday life.
culture from all over the world - music bands, soloists,Especially popular are the many workshops that are
choirs, jazz musicians, dance teachers and manyorganised within the festival, such as: Hasidic dance,
many more. For the Poles this event is a way ofJewish cuisine, Hebrew calligraphy and Jewish paper
promotion of Jewish culture and paying a homage tocutting. Overall, there are almost 100 events taking
the community that used to live in Poland. For all theplace during the festival.
visitors, however, the festival is something more than"Shalom" in Kazimierz
just an interesting happening - it embraces withThe major happening is the final concert called
amazing power all of those who attend it."Shalom on Szeroka street" that attracts the widest
As always the annual Krakow Jewish Culture Festivalaudience of all the events. It is an open-air concert
focuses on various aspects of Jewish life. It enablesfeaturing the brightest "music stars" of the Jewish
those who are interested to acquire knowledge ofCulture Festival. It is believed that during the most
Jewish religious practices as well as day-to-day life.recent festival up to 13 000 people attended this
Apart from the educational aspect of how life inconcert. The audience does not mind neither the rain
Kazimierz district used to be there are many musicalnor the bad weather conditions. The main thing is the
performances and also art and language workshopsterrific atmosphere that brings people joy and
held throughout the nine days of the festival.understanding.
For music-lovers especially the festival is a greatAmazingly, this joy and understanding is celebrated
opportunity to encounter different styles of Jewisheach year in Poland - thought, by many Jewish
music. Kazimierz resounds with synagogue song,visitors, to be the cemetery. The festival, however,
hasidic, classical, Jewish folk and - very popularproves that Jewish life can once again get back to
nowadays - klezmer music. Some of the synagogueslife in the country where so few of them stayed.
come back to life during this short period and are