we have a certain perspective on the Holocaust, our
Jewish history and identity.
"On the average, 7,000-8,000 visitors come
through our doors each month," he continued. "Part
of our mission — with groups like Partners Detroit
— is to show that Poland today is a place of light,
a place of hope and optimism — a place where it
is easier and safer to be Jewish. And that's in the
darkening Europe we all read so much about today.
As a Jew living in Europe, I would say in general that
it's getting scarier. But here in Poland, it's getting
easier, safer and better to be Jewish every day.
"When you think what our people went through,
particularly in this community, ours is an incredibly
positive story of redemption, of life, of the resilience
of the Jewish spirit and the human spirit," he said.
"Really, we see Krakow as a feel-good place — and
we feel that we have the responsibility to tell the
story of life — because when you think about it, the
story of the Jewish people is never about tragedy;
it's about life, always about moving forward past
tragedy."
Given its familiar international logo and a long
listing of events and activities, the JCC Krakow
appears close to the American model. Opened in
2008 by Prince Charles of Wales, the beautiful four-
story facility is located in the heart of the old Jewish
quarter where seven pre-war synagogues still stand.
"We're really a combo of a JCC, a synagogue, a
Hillel, a senior activity center and a Jewish visitor
center. Those are the many roles we fulfill here in
Krakow," Ornstein said.
Though the Center's 550 members are Jewish or
have Jewish roots, many programs are open to the
community at large. The Shabbat dinner draws about
70 locals each week.
During the Jewish Cultural Festival in 2014, the
JCC Krakow hosted 13,000 visitors and organized a
Shabbat celebration for 450 guests — the biggest
Shabbat dinner ever held in post-war Poland. The
Jewish Cultural Festival is a phenomenal seven-day
event, the largest of its kind in Europe — a "must-
see," drawing tens of thousands of visitors to the city
every June.
As the hub of Jewish activity and learning and a
one-stop shop for all things Jewish going on in the
city, the JCC runs a baby nursery, a Sunday school,
a newspaper, a choir, a sports and health facility,
workshops and classes of all kinds and clubs for
NextGeners, middle-age "shmoozers" and Holocaust
survivors. Additionally, the JCC offers facilities for
seniors with their own dedicated space for yoga,
physical rehab, languages, computers and arts and
crafts.
Where Jewish Is Cool
When you do the numbers — at events like the
Jewish Cultural Festival in Krakow or among the
throngs of visitors at the new POLIN Museum of
the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw, it's clear that
the relatively small Jewish community isn't the only
factor driving the Jewish revival in Poland. Ornstein
credits "the partnership of rediscovery where Jews
and non-Jews alike are really helping to rebuild the
community.
"After the fall of Communism in 1989, it was
a young and mostly Gentile population that first
asked the tough questions, wanting to know what
happened to the Jews who lived in Poland for
centuries.
iha JCC Krakow
Jewish Sunday School
is supported by the
American Jewish
*Int DIshibution Committee
In building a Jewish future in Krakow
i c,
Above:
The Krakow JCC
Top Right:
Celebrating Jewish life
at the JCC Krakow,
Hy Safran and Gabe
Neistein note familiar
signs of Federation's
global partners at
work.
Bottom Right:
Gabe Neistein with
Agniezka Gi at the
JCC Krakow
4
Facing Page:
Fellow travelers: on an
unforgettable journey
to Poland and Prague
for Partners Detroit
Young Professionals
JCC on page 56
55