Visit of Milwaukee Jewish Federation

September 2015

On Friday, September 4 2015, a delegation from Milwaukee Jewish Federation met the School of Dialogue alumni from Jan Matejko High School in Wieliczka. The introductory session was an opportunity not only to get to know each other’s hobbies but also to discuss vital issues related to the challenges the global society faces today and how to address them.

After the workshops the students guided a tour of Jewish Wieliczka presenting the history of the town as well as synagogues, shops and houses related to Jewish life before the war. The tour ended at the Jewish cemetery which will be taken care of by the students and teachers of the Matejko High School.

Read more about the School of Dialogue at Jan Matejko High School

Visit of Jewish Leaders from Israel

September 2015

In September 2015, Israeli participants of a study trip to Poland, among them teachers, journalists, media professionals and social activists, met with the alumni of the School of Dialogue program in Krasnosielc, who guided them around the Jewish sites of their town.

Despite the fact that Krasnosielc does not have many historical buildings connected to the Jewish residents, the students managed to find and presented to their guests many historical findings of multicultural past of Krasnosielc. After their visit, the study trip participants sent their impressions about that day.

Janina Kahn-Horwitz wrote:

“I was so impressed with your seriousness and your willingness to take on this project of finding out more about the Jewish history and memory in Krasnosielc … May you continue to study throughout your lives, learning more about yourselves and others and making our world a better and more peaceful place”.

Sigal Farber wrote:

“For me, as an Israeli, as the daughter of the Jewish People, it was so touching to see you guys making research and then guiding us all through Jewish history of your hometown.”

Read more about the School of Dialogue at John Paul II Junior High School

A Visit of George Elbaum

June 2017

In June 2017, George Elbaum, a Holocaust survivor, came to Poland with his wife Mimi, his son Jordan and his daughter-in-law Rebecca. During their stay in Poland, they met with School of Dialogue alumni in the Mazovia region, including students from Primate of the Milenium Public Junior High School in Grójec, where Małgorzata Andrychowicz, a Leader of Dialogue from Grójec, is a teacher.

Talking to young people about the Holocaust with honesty and sensitivity can be difficult at times. Nevertheless, Warsaw-born George Elbaum mastered this art to perfection. With his book “Neither Yesterdays, Nor Tomorrows. Vignettes from the Holocaust”, published in Polish with the help of the Forum for Dialogue, and depicting his childhood during the war and further fate, he moved the audience and inspired a lively discussion.

When reading the book, the students learned that their guest loves sweets – so they baked a homemade cheesecake for the occasion. Later, they invited the guests to a walking tour following the footsteps of Grójec Jews, prepared by the students as part of the School of Dialogue program.

We invite you to watch a film from George Elbaum’s meetings in Grójec, Błonie and Mszczonów, which is available here.

Read more about the School of Dialogue at the Primate of the Millennium Junior High School

See more about Leader of Dialogue Małgorzata Andrychowicz

Meeting with March of the Living Group from Great Britain

April 2015

On Monday April 13, students from the Primate of the Millennium Public Junior High School in Grójec took part in an extraordinary meeting. The school received a visit from a group of forty-one guests from the United Kingdom. Among the guests were students of London Business School, as well as the descendants of Jewish residents of the prewar Poland. The group came to Poland to participate in the March of the Living that was held on Thursday  April 16. The students presented their project implemented within the School of Dialogue program.

At the end of the meeting, one of the guests said: “During such meetings, as the one today, we discover that even if we live in different parts of the world, we are all THE SAME – and this is beautiful. Yet, at the same time, we are DIFFERENT – and that is really fascinating! I am a Jew and I am proud of it – many Jews feel this way. This goes the same for the Poles – they can be proud of who they are. Because everyone of us wants to be SOMEBODY, to have a feeling of belonging.”

Read more about the School of Dialogue at the Primate of the Millennium Junior High School

Alan Silberstein’s Visit

October 2012

In October 2012, Friend of the Forum, Alan Silberstein visited Piotrków Trybunalski, where his father was born and grew up. During his visit, he met with the alumni of the School for Dialogue program, who showed him around the Jewish Piotrków. The tour, prepared by the students during the School for Dialogue workshops, included a visit to the house where Alan Silberstein’s father had lived. He was greatly impressed by the students’ dedication and enthusiasm.

The meeting was also an opportunity to share knowledge: the students presented what they learned about local Jewish history, while their guest shared his family history and personal stories. After the meeting, Alan Silberstein observed that the visit was eye-opening:: “Not only do I understand the history of the Polish-Jewish community better, but I better understand the goals of the School for Dialogue.”

Read more about the School of Dialogue at Bolesław Chrobry High School

Meeting with Shabbaton Participants

July 2012

In July 2012, alumni of the School of Dialogue from Piotrków Trybunalski had a unique opportunity to meet the descendants of Jews from their town. Local high school students spent the entire day accompanying participants of the Shabbaton, a meeting of Jews and descendants of Jews from Piotrków.

A joint tour of Piotrków was a very moving experience for all because the Jewish guests shared their personal stories as they passed buildings or places connected to their family history.. The four Holocaust Survivors from Piotrków, who were part of the group, recounted what life was like in the city before and during the Second World War.

These testimonies, delivered in fluent Polish, made history come alive for the School of Dialogue students who could know it only from books and documents. The tour included visit to the Jewish cemetery which for some members of the group was the first opportunity to visit their ancestors’ graves.

Having spent so much emotional time with the visitors, the students gladly accepted the invitation to join the Shabbat dinner organized for the Jewish visitors. Jacek Bykowski, representative of the Piotrków City Hall, expressed satisfaction about the outcome of the School of Dialogue program and hoped for further cooperation in this field.