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April 26-28, during the Ludwika and Henryk Wujec Seminar for Forum for Dialogue Network members Izabela Meyza helped over 20 participants dove deep into the theories and practices of dialogue and non-violent communication, learning skills invaluable in their work to preserve and commemorate Jewish history of their towns and villages. Aided by Marta Eichelberger-Jankowska they have also practiced chewruta, a dialogic approach to text and thinking steeped in Jewish history and Judaism.

The seminar is Forum’s way of honoring the memory of Henryk and Ludwika Wujec, whose approach to others has been an inspiration for us for decades. It is vital that in our efforts to support our community of 200+ individuals working in Poland to preserve Jewish heritage we can connect the important figures and practices from the past with current efforts to build a better future.

With Assistance from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany
Supported by the German Federal Ministry of Finance and the Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

The Ludwika and Henryk Wujec Seminar is co-financed by Friends of the Forum and individual donors and institutions from Poland and abroad supporting Forum for Dialogue.

April 28th, 2025

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March 28–30, we met in Radom where a group of 11 participants – individuals who recently joined the Forum for Dialogue Network – exchanged experiences from various regions of Poland and toured the city along the trail of pre-war Jewish life, guided by Ewa Wziątek, who is also part of the Network. These introductory seminars aim to help new community members establish relationships among others involved in commemorating and popularizing Jewish history, as well as enhance educational skills in Polish/Jewish dialogue and work with local heritage.

With Assistance from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany
Supported by the German Federal Ministry of Finance and the Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

April 1st, 2025

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March 3-7, we hosted a study visit of the staff of the House of the Wannsee Conference, our partner institution in the project funded by the European Union “Towards Networks for Dialogue: Multiperspective Strategies on Combatting Antisemitism at Local Levels.” Visit of our German guests was a great opportunity to deepen our relationship through a week-long intense program of site visits and meetings. The highlight of the visit was a trip to Mińsk Mazowiecki, where a member of the Forum for Dialogue Network, Katarzyna Łaziuk, and Ewa Borkowska gave a tour of local Jewish sites and shared insights on the preservation of local Jewish heritage.

With Assistance from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany
Supported by the German Federal Ministry of Finance and the Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

March 11th, 2025

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Awardees in the Grant Competition:

Dorota Bida

and the Wiktor Ambroziewicz Regional Museum in Chełm

Chełm

“Chełm at Heart. Past, Memory, Future”

The project entails the performance of Zadra, a play inspired by the life of Esther Terner Raab, and performer by the OKO Theatre at the Ruda-Huta Cultural Center. Esther Terner Raab was born and raised in Chełm, and was a prisoner at the Sobibór extermination camp. The project also includes a publication entitled The Jewish Chełm Primer, comprising information about important figures of religious, cultural, and social life in prewar Jewish Chełm, as well as about the architecture and art created within the community. The publication will be available in print and online. Finally, an important element of the project is the visit of descendants of local Jewish families, who will take part in a public panel and educational workshops with current Chełm residents, as well as a shabbat dinner in the town of their ancestors.

Seweryn Botor

and the Municipal Public Library in Gliwice

Gliwice

“Traces of Jews of Gliwice”

The project centers on a series of educational meetings for students of Gliwice’s high schools. These will include a visit to the old Jewish cemetery, where the participants will learn about symbolism of Jewish tombstones and engage in maintenance works, and the new Jewish cemetery, where they will get involved in the organization of the commemoration of Jewish soldiers killed in the WWI, as well as a talk on the religious life of Jewish communities at the Upper Silesian Jews House of Remembrance, followed by a shabbat dinner. All the events will involve the participation of representatives of the current Jewish community, while students will receive educational materials summarizing the knowledge gained during each session to be shared with their peers. The aim if the project is the creation of a group of “leaders of memory” ready to stay involved in the efforts to preserve Jewish memory in Gliwice.

Anna Brzyska

and Association Memory and Dialogue. Common History

Brzesko

“Bringing Back Memory: Prewar Jewish and Catholic students in Brzesko’s Schools. An Exhibition”

The project entails the creation of an exhibition dedicated to the prewar Jewish and Catholic students who attended the same Brzesko schools. The exhibition opening is planned for September 2025, as part of the series of events commemorating the Holocaust of Brzesko’s Jewish community. These events will be attended by descendants of Brzesko’s Jewish families. The aim of the project is inspiring local inhabitants, especially young people, to become emotionally invested in the history and tragic fate of the Jews of Brzesko.

Jacek Dereżyński

and “AleBabki” Association

Ryczywół

“History Traced Through Buildings: The Ryczowół’s Synagogue Recalled”

The project aims to commemorate the Jewish heritage of Ryczywół by creating a mural depicting the former synagogue, accompanied by a plaque detailing its history. The mural will be placed on the building that once housed the synagogue. The project also includes consultation meetings for the local community, during which a lecture on Jewish literature and poetry will be given. Finally, there will be a ceremony to unveil the mural, featuring a member of the Jewish community, Marek Daniel.

Justyna Grajek

and the “Our Castle” Association

Sochaczew

“We Lived Together: Remembering our Neighbors”

The project aims to create a comprehensive list of the prewar residents of Sochaczew. To this end, research will be conducted in state and church archives, and contact will be made with descendants of local Jewish families. The information thus collected will be published in a brochure available in Sochaczew’s museums and on the Sochachew Regional Museum’s website. The project involves also educational workshops for local youth, and walking tours featuring members of the Jewish community.

Kamil Kmak

and the Saga Grybów Association

Grybów

“To Carry the World in the Memory”

The project includes the making of a film depicting the Polish-Jewish-Lemko history of Grybów, entitled To Carry the World in the Memory. The film is based on Survivors’ and witnesses’ testimonies and memories of life before the Holocaust. It also entails the creation of an interactive map addressing the issue of the Holocaust and the identity of places related to it. The project aims to lay the foundations for the education of local community about the Holocaust, as well as for the rebuilding of ties between the descendants of Grybów’s Jews and current residents.

Jolanta Krawczykiewicz

and the Słupsk Cultural Center

Słupsk

“Can I visit my mom’s grave?: The History of the Słupsk Jewish Cemetery”

The project involves a series of sessions focused on the history of the Słupsk Jewish cemetery for the students of local high schools. The students will take part in meetings with experts, including an online conversation with descendants of Max Joseph, a prewar Rabbi of Słupsk. The participating students will also create an exhibition on the history of the cemetery, preparation of which will entail the documentation of the 120 tombstone fragments stored at the Burial House. The exhibition will be available to the public and its opening is scheduled for the 23rd Days of Jewish Culture in Słupsk.

Dariusz Kubalski

and the Staszów Cultural Center

Staszów

“Our Jewish Neighbors”

Dariusz Kubalski and his associates will focus on creating part of a new permanent exhibition of the Regional Tradition Room at the Staszów Regional Museum. Its aim is to present the history of the Jewish community of Staszów. The exhibition will include photographs, including large-scale prints, depicting daily life of the community, together with Polish and English-language description, as well as a glass case presenting a historical Torah scroll. The opening of the gallery will also involve the planting of a memorial tree and a lecture featuring descendants of Staszów Jews. A bilingual, Polish-English, publication will accompany the creation of the exhibition.

Urszula Mróz

and the Zofia Urbanowska Municipal Public Library in Konin

Konin

“Echos of a Lost World: Our History”

Descendants of Konin’s Jewish family will run culinary workshops for students and adults. The students will have an opportunity to consider the broader meaning of recipes In order to further reflect on personal memories and memory in the process of cultural identity building. The students will also be invited to join an educational walk marking the history of the Ejzen and Leszyński families. They will be asked to think about the ways in which family, home, and history shape a sense of belonging in one’s “private homeland.”

Mirosław Pakuła

and the City of Serock

Serock

“Jewish History of Serock”

The project involves the placement of information plaques about sites related to the Jewish residents of Serock. Mirosław Pakuła plans the publication of a guide and map, which will enable tourists and locals to discover Serock’s rich Jewish heritage, as well as organization of educational workshops, walking tours, and the setting up online presence for his activities. Finally, an online meeting with a descendant of Jewish family from Serock is also planned.

Radosław Ptaszyński

and the Jewish Przysucha Association

Przysucha

“Jewish Przysucha. Meetings 2025”

Radosław Ptaszyński has invited Daniel Strahilevitz, a descendant of Jews from Przysucha, and a world famous pianist living in Vienna, to perform at the Oskar Kolberg Museum in Przysucha. The concert is scheduled for the anniversary of the Przysucha ghetto liquidation, at the Symche Bunem Scholarship gala. The scholarship is meant to recognize a student whose efforts to discover local Jewish history are exceptional. Additionally, the project includes the setting up of a website featuring information about Jews of Przysucha.

Agnieszka Skura-Garbaciak

and the “Strefa Styku” Association

Radomsko

“My Name is Miriam. An Artistic Commemoration of Miriam Chaszczewacka from Radomsko”

The project entails a series of workshops for Polish and Ukrainian students on the history of their peer, Miriam Chaszczewacka, a Jewish girl from Radomsko and a Victim of the Holocaust, on the basis of her diary written in the ghetto. The students will also meet with Survivors and descendants of Jewish families from Radomsko. The culmination of the project is a series of kamishibai workshops and the independent creation of performances, using this Japanese form of storytelling, to express emotion and creative approach to the past. Finally, the project will contribute to the creation of educational materials available to the public.

Mariusz Sokołowski

and the Open Education Foundation

Białystok

“Commemoration of the Kracowski Family”

The aim of the project is the commemoration of Kracowski family and their important contribution to Białystok’s history. It involves the installation of four Stolpersteine, Memory Stones, at the Lipowa 15 street. The project also includes a walking tour for Białystok’s residents of sites related to the Kracowski family. The official unveiling of the commemoration will be organized in partnership with local authorities as part of the municipal commemoration of the 82nd anniversary of the Białystok ghetto liquidation.

Ewa Wziątek

and the Pedagogical Library in Radom

Radom

“Their Past, Our Memory: How to Talk to Children and Youth About War and the Holocaust”

The project will include a conference entitled Their Past, Our Memory: How to Talk to Children and Youth About War and the Holocaust. It will be aimed at teachers, especially those working with younger grades in elementary school, as well as parents, educators, guides, and others engaged in teaching about war and the Holocaust in education. The speakers at the conference will include experts who will share their knowledge and experience and provide practical advice. Among them will be representatives of the Jewish community. The conference will also serve as a commemoration of Batsheva Dagan – a writer, educator, and creator of a psychological and pedagogical method designed to help impart knowledge about the Holocaust. Prior to the event, a review of Batsheva Dagan’s works will be conducted, and materials summarizing the findings will be distributed to conference participants.

Robert Zimny

and the Municipal Cultural Center – Czarnków Regional Museum

Czarnków

“At the Base of the Jewish Mountain: The History of Czarnków Jews”

The project focuses on the creation of a film depicting the history of Jews in Czarnków and mounting of a plaque featuring a visual representation and description of interior of the Czarnków synagogue, which was dismantled in 1939–1940. The film will feature interviews with descendants of local Jewish families, who will share their stories and archival photographs. It will be made available online, including the website of the Czarnków Regional Museum. The film’s premier and the accompanying panel discussion will take place at the ŚWIATOWID cinema at the Municipal Cultural Center. It will be open to the residents of Czarnków, including local youth. The project aims to contribute to the creation of new connections between the descendants and the local community of the town.

Awardees in the Personal Development Scholarship Competition:

Paweł Bajerlein

Koźmin Wielkopolski

Presenting at the 45th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy

The scholarship will cover the cost of presenting at the 45th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy taking place on August 10–14, 2025 in Fort Wayne. Paweł Bajerlein will share his expertise in genealogical research and Jewish heritage in the Greater Poland region. The conference is also an opportunity to connect with the descendants of Survivors and visits to local archives.

Dariusz Kubalski

Staszów

ESL course

Dariusz Kubalski will join an English course, which will allow him to further his language skills. Fluency in English is crucial in the effort of connecting with the descendants of Staszów Jews and involving them in his work to commemorate the Jewish community of Staszów.

Justyna Makarewicz

Kcynia

Research trip to London

Justyna Makarewicz will conduct research on Caesar Aronsfeld, a historian and Holocaust researcher born in Kcynia. She will travel to London to interview his family and colleagues, and publish her outcomes online.

Karolina Ożóg

Rzeszów

Hebrew language course

Karolina Ożóg will continue her study of Hebrew, which will help her communicate with descendants of Jews from Rzeszów, as well as translate parts of the Rzeszów Book of Memory that are in Hebrew. The translations will be published online, on the Rajsze website and Facebook page.

Jessica Szczepańska

Działoszyce

ESL course

Jessica Szczepańska will attend an English course to pursue further connections between descendants of Działoszyce Survivors and current town residents. She plans to set up meetings between the descendants and local residents.

In 2025, the grants and scholarships program is financed thanks to the generosity of Friends of the Forum, LEDOR WADOR Foundation, and individual donors and institutions from Poland and abroad supporting Forum for Dialogue. Scholarships for personal development are possible thanks to The David and Anna Dlugie Kliger Scholarship Fund and Friends of the Forum.

February 21st, 2025

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“I feel good among you. I feel that I am part of an important project to commemorate the Jewish community, and that I am not alone in this,” said Lucyna Borczuch, a participant of the introductory seminar for individuals who recently joined the Forum for Dialogue Network. These seminars aim to help new community members establish relationships among others involved in commemorating and popularizing Jewish history, as well as enhance educational skills in Polish/Jewish dialogue and work with local heritage.

October 11-13, 2024, we met in Łódź where a group of 22 participants exchanged experiences from various regions of Poland and toured the city along the trail of pre-war Jewish life. We were guided by the invaluable Milena Wicepolska-Góralczyk and Andrzej Grzegorczyk, both of whom are also part of the Network.

With Assistance from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany
Supported by the German Federal Ministry of Finance and the Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

October 22nd, 2024

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October 5-6, we inaugurated a new annual program for the Forum for Dialogue Network activists: the Ludwika and Henryk Wujec Seminar. Two days of meetings, workshops, and discussions assisted by experts of the New Community Foundation were focused on developing skills of meaningful dialogue and engaging with local communities.

With Assistance from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany
Supported by the German Federal Ministry of Finance and the Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

The Ludwika and Henryk Wujec Seminar is co-financed by Friends of the Forum and individual donors and institutions from Poland and abroad supporting Forum for Dialogue.

October 9th, 2024

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Forum leadership visited our partner in Germany, House of the Wannsee Conference – A Memorial and Educational Site, to exchange ideas and experiences as part of the project funded by the European Union “Towards Networks for Dialogue: Multiperspective Strategies on Combatting Antisemitism at Local Levels.” The week-long stay in Berlin was an opportunity to meet with other German organizations active in the field and learn about their strategies and methods of working with memory.

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

September 9th, 2024

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Forum for Dialogue, House of the Wannsee Conference and Ecorys team up in a grant from the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values program of the European Commission.

We are pleased to announce that Forum for Dialogue, together with the House of the Wannsee Conference from Berlin and Ecorys Polska, has received a grant in the 2023 edition of the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values program set up by the European Commission. Forum is the leader of this international consortium of organizations. For the next two years, our Towards Networks for Dialogue: Multi-perspective Strategies for Combating Antisemitism at Local Levels project, will enable us to connect individuals and institutions combating antisemitism by working directly with local communities in Poland and Germany into networks that provide support and sustainability.

The project implements the methods and strategies for lasting impact and change that we have been developing for the past 25 years. The funding and international partnerships, however, allow us to further strengthen our network of grassroots activists from all over Poland, who educate about Jewish history and culture, preserve Jewish heritage, and establish relations with descendants of Polish Jews. By growing the network substantially in the coming two year period, introducing new organizational tools and broadening our program offer for Network members, we ensure effectiveness and impact of our and Network members’ activities in Poland.

While we grow and support the activists in the Forum for Dialogue Network, the House of the Wannsee Conference will build a network of individuals, institutions, and partners dedicated to Holocaust education, including volunteers and activists, freelancers professionals, as well as permanent staff of sites of remembrance in Berlin and Brandenburg. They also plan to finetune their existing approaches to educating about the Holocaust and combating antisemitism today during a series of meetings and discussions organized by the House for their network members.

An integral element of the project is the exchange of experiences between partners carried on throughout the project. It will also reflect the translatability of perspectives between Polish and German work of remembrance and the possibility of using the strategies and solutions developed by Forum for Dialogue and House of the Wannsee Conference in other contexts. At the same time, Ecorys, with its both local and global expertise, will provide strategic assistance to both partners in order to help them act in more sustainable and effective ways.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

June 4th, 2024

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Awardees in the Grant Competition:

Robert Augustyniak

and the Local Special Action Foundation

Grodzisk Mazowiecki

The “Bejt chajim – Grodzisk Mazowiecki” Project

As part of the project, a website about the Jewish cemetery in Grodzisk Mazowiecki will be created. It will contain information about the history of the cemetery, an index of tombstones, current photos, a map indicating the preserved and recovered matzevot, as well as articles about the history of the local Jewish community. The tombstones, both those preserved and destroyed, will serve as starting points for stories of specific individuals, former Jewish residents of Grodzisk Mazowiecki, including the Survivors. The project also includes a documentation of tombstones and translation of the preserved inscriptions.

Anna Brzyska

and the “Memory and Dialogue. Common History” Association

Brzesko

The “We Remember: An Exhibition Dedicated to Jewish Families of Pre-War Brzesko” Project

The project includes the preparation of an exhibition devoted to Jewish families who lived in Brzesko before the war. The exhibition will present archival documents and photographs that were collected during 8 years of genealogical research, interviews with witnesses, and visits to Brzesko’s Jewish cemetery. Some of the materials were obtained from descendants of local Jewish families. Scheduled for September 14, 2024, the opening of the exhibition will take place as part of the celebration of the 82nd Anniversary of the Liquidation of the Brzesko ghetto. After the ceremony, the exhibition will be on loan to schools and libraries, making it available to young people.

Olga Ickiewicz

and Nasielsk Public Library

Nasielsk

The “Memory is the Person and the Place” Project

The project involves installing informative plaques in locations related to the Nasielsk’s Jewish community. First one will be located at the site of the former Jewish school (at Starzyńskiego street, formerly Berka Joselewicza street), since 1945 home to the local High School. The second plaque will indetify where the synagogue building stood until the 1950s. Currently, there is a residential block there. The plaques will feature QR codes for a Polish and English-language website with information on the sites commemorated. The unveiling ceremony will be followed with a series of publicly available classes offered by teachers and their students, who will use the plaques as educational materials. Among the invited guests of the official ceremony there will be descendants of Nasielsks’s Jewish families, representatives of local authorities and cultural institutions, as well as students of the Seniors’ College.

Teresa Jabłońska

and Children of Września Foundation

Września

The “History and Culture of Jewish Września. Young People in Sites of Memory” Project

The project continues three years of educational activities where students from five elementary schools and as well as a special needs school take part in workshops on Jewish culture and tradition. Student representations from each school participate in a scavenger hunt, during which they learn about places related to the history of the Jewish community of Wrzesnia. This year the theme will be symbols of Jewish culture. In addition, students from 4 high schools will have classes on Jewish holiday traditions. The project also includes a visit to memorial sites: Fort VII in Poznań, the Martyrological Museum in Żabików, and the extermination camp in Chelmno nad Nerem for a group of 50 students.

Ewa Krychniak

and the “Sokółka Four Cultures” Association

Sokółka

The „They were among us…” Project

A commemorative plaque will be installed in Sokolka to honor the memory of the Stoler family. The guests attending the unvaling ceremony will include, among others the descendants of the family, students of the Elementary School no. 1, as well as local scout troops. The ceremony will include a walk commemorating important places in the Stler family history, and the descendants will be invited to a concert by the students of the Sokolka Music School. Prior to the ceremony, scouts and other members of the public will do necessary cleaning and maintenance works at the site of the local Jewish cemetery. For the seniors of the community there will be workshops dedicated to paper cutouts and Jewish cooking. Dishes prepared will be served during an exhibition of the cutouts prepared.

Katarzyna Łaziuk

and the Friends of Mińsk Mazowiecki Association

Mińsk Mazowiecki

The “Shtetl on the Road” Project

The project includes a travelling exhibition in the form of a fabric screen covered in photos of the Jewish shtetl. Visitors will be able to use headphones and a tablet with sources related to the Jewish heritage of Mińsk Mazowiecki.

The exhibition is accompanied by workshops addressed to participants of various ages conducted on the basis of six different scripts. The exhibition will include a rack with interchangeable photos and a suitcase with artifacts, which will be used during the workshops. The project will be inaugurated during the 10th Days of Jewish Culture in Mińsk Mazowiecki.

Wojciech Mazan

and the Out of this World Cultural Association

Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski

The “Ostrowce” Project

The project entails the creation of paper and electronic maps showing the Jewish past of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, made available in Polish and English. The publication requires the compilation of a list of at least one hundred places and thematic entries related to the history of the Jewish community from the founding of the city to the present day. These will include both places still visible in Ostrowiec, such as the cemetery, and those that have vanished, such as the synagogue building. It will feature well known and obscure places, some associated with specific people who have made an impression on the town. The project includes a public walking tour of the sites combined with a map presentation at the Wielopolski Palace in Częstocice. The Museum in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski is a partnet in the project.

Paweł Mazanka

and the Szydłów Cultural Center

Szydłów

Preservation and Commemoration of the Szydłów Jewish Cemetery

The project involves installation of commemorative plaques listing the names of those buried at the Jewish cemetery in Szydłów. The 556 names were gathered from a list of people buried at the cemetery in 1886-1914, which was translated from Russian, as well as a list of burials from 1918-1939. The unveiling of the plaques will be preceded by a lesson on the history of Szydlów Jews for local students. The guests of the ceremony scheduled for September 15, 2024 will include the descendants of Szydlów Jewish families from several countries. After the ceremony, the visitors will have a chance to meet with local residents in the local synagogue building. The event will also feature a book launch of Żydzi Szydłowa [eng. Jews of Szydłów]and screening of the film Jews of Szydłów in Neighbors’ Memory. The event will conclude a tasting of Jewish dishes.

Urszula Mróz

and the Zofia Urbanowska Public Library in Konin

Konin

The “Echos of a Former World – Our History” Project

The Konin Museum will host workshops for seniors inspired by their Judaica collection, while a visit to the Konin Old Town will be an opportunity for the senior citizens to learn about places connected to Konin’s Jewish history, with special attention paid to the figure of Rabbi Jacob Liebschütz. Additionally, the project includes the creation and performance of a play based on I’m All Made of That Past World by Maria Leszczyńska-Ejzen, Four Days on Atlantis by Józef Lewandowski, and Konin: A Quest by Theo Richmond. The director, a drama educator, will hold a casting call for amateur actors from different age groups. The actors takle part in workshops about the history of the Jewish community. The performance will feature Dorota and Hanna Merlak, who will talk about their ancestors who once lived in Konin, and will be presented at the Center for Culture and Art in Konin. Hanna Merlak will also present her book Jews by Way of the Kitchen, while the Konin Municipal Public Library will hold an accompanying exhibition.

Mariusz Sokołowski

and the Open Education Foundation

Białystok

The “My Star – Our Star” Project

As part of the project, six memorial stones [Stolpersteine] will be installed at 31 Lipowa Street in Bialystok. Dedicated to Felicia Raszkin-Nowak, author of My Star, and her parents, grandparents, and uncle follow the memorial stones installed in memory of the Pisar family in 2023. The ceremony to unveil the memorial stones will be open to the public. It will be accompanied by an educational walk for local residents and tourists entitled “In the Footsteps of Felicia Raszkin-Nowak,” and based on the memories described in her publication. The project will also include on site workshops for teachers interested using the book and Felicia Raszkin-Nowak’s testimony.

Dawid Stępniewski

and the Pabianice Shtetl Association

Pabianice

The “Virtual Map of Jewish Pabianice” Project

The virtual map created as part of the project will present places related to Pabianice’s Jewish community, including the synagogue, cemetery, religious community headquarters, the rabbi’s house, the Zarskis’ villa, the Baruch factory and tenement houses inhabited the Horovitz, Federman, Szapocznik, Adler and other families. The map will allows its viewers to learn about the history of each place. Texts in Polish and English will be illustrated with contemporary and archival photographs. In addition, two thematic walks will be organized as part of the project: one open to all residents of Pabianice, and the other – for teachers from local schools.

Katarzyna Sudaj

and the ATUT Foundation

Trzemeszno

The “Sarah, a film” Project

Sarah is a film based on Jolanta Sroczynska-Pietz’s novel Shadow of the Sundial that will feature appearances by the young performers of the Seventh Day Theater in Trzemeszno. The filming will be done in Trzemeszno’s historic locations and in a 19th century classroom. The film, with English subtitles, will be posted on YouTube, Facebook, and www.zydzi-trzemeszno.pl, as well as sent directly to descendants of Jewish families from Trzemeszno. The descendants will also be invited to the film’s official premiere, while students of the General and Vocational School Complex will have an opportunity to watch the film as part of educational activities organized during school hours.

Awardees in the Local Activism Scholarship Competition:

Jakub Niewiński

Murowana Goślina

The “Educational Power of the Goślina Kehilla History” Project

The project consists of a translation of a 30-page manuscript from 1833, discovered recently in the library of the Jewish Theological Seminary in Manhattan. Among other things, the document contains records of the history of the Jewish community in Murowana Goślina. The translated manuscript will be published online. In addition, Jakub Niewiński will organize an educational conference for the local community of Murowana Goślina, featuring a public reading of the translation. Other source materials will also be presented, including the account of Michael Simon Levy’s story, who is believed to have brought the manuscript to the United States, and his family. The conference will also include a workshop for teachers from local schools aimed at using archival sources in education.

Ireneusz Socha

Dębica

The “Music of Life 2024” Project

As part of the project, Ireneusz Socha will organize a concert “Music of Life 2024” on the stage of the Śnieżka Municipal Cultural Center in Dębica. It will take place during the Dębica Jewish Community Remembrance Day, on the 82nd Anniversary of the first extermination action in the Dębica ghetto. The concert will feature original music inspired by the life of Israel Goldberg, the last Jewish resident of Dębica, whose memoirs were recorded a year before his death. Among those invited to the event will be residents of Dębica, as well as descendants of Dębica Jews from Israel and the United States.

Awardees in the Personal Development Scholarship Competition:

Paweł Bajerlein

Koźmin Wielkopolski

Pawel Bajerlein will spend the scholarship on an English language course and visits to foreign archives and museums that contain in their collections documents of the Jewish community of Kożmin Wielkopolski. The skills and knowledge he will acquire will help him strengthen ties between the local community of Koźmin and descendants of local Jewish families. They will also be useful in educational activities and in the preparation of a manuscript about the history of Jews in Koźmin.

Jolanta Drab

Krzepice

Jolanta Drab will use the scholarship to cover the cost of an English language course. She aims to use these language skills to further her connection with descendants of Krzepice Jews who know reside in the United States.

Teresa Klimowicz

Lublin

Teresa Klimowicz will use the scholarship to cover the cost of an online individual Yiddish-language course. The course materials will be suited to the specific language needs of someone working with historical documents, most importantly it will help Teresa decipher handwriting in Yiddish. This, in turn, she will be able to use in her educational activities in Lublin.

Dariusz Kubalski

Staszów

Dariusz Kubalski will cover an English language course with the scholarship money. He plans to use English to connect with families of Staszów Jews, as well us to research historical and current materials in his research and publications on the Jewish history of Staszów.

Jakub Niewiński

Murowana Goślina

Jakub Niewiński will use to scholarship on an English language course, which will help him prepare for a language certificate exam (also covered by the scholarship allocation). The e-learning course will be completed on a tablet also bought with scholarship money. He will use his language skills also in his capacity as a guide.

Radosław Ptaszyński

Przysucha

Radosław Ptaszyński plans to buy lawn mowing equipment used to maintain the greenery in and around the Jewish cemetery in Przysucha. He is part of a group that has been taking care of the local cemetery for the past two years. Their last effort was to place an informative plaque featuring a QR code, fixed and painted the fence, and cut down dead trees.

In 2024, the program for activists in the Forum for Dialogue Network, including grants and scholarships, is financed thanks to the generosity of Friends of the Forum, LEDOR WADOR Foundation, United States Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad, and individual donors and institutions from Poland and abroad supporting Forum for Dialogue. Scholarships for personal development are possible thanks to The David and Anna Dlugie Kliger Scholarship Fund.

March 21st, 2024

Posted In: EN News 2024

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February 15th, 2023

Posted In: EN News 2023

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