Ride for the Living

This four-day event includes a one-day, 60-mile bike ride from Auschwitz-Birkenau to the Jewish Community Center in Krakow, among a packed program of cultural festivities. There is also a separate program running on the same day as the ride, for non-riding participants. You’ll receive a private guided tour of Auschwitz, unique tours of Krakow, and an invitation to the largest Shabbat dinner in Krakow since World War II. RFTL has welcomed participants as young as 16 and older than 80. It’s a festival that combines sad memories and cultural celebrations for an overall hopeful message about Jewish life in Poland. RFTL was started by Robert Desmond, who cycled 1,350 km from London to Auschwitz, visiting WWII Liberation sites along the way. Once Desmond learned about the Krakow JCC, he realized it was the perfect destination. The revival of Jewish life in Poland should be celebrated, and Desmond created a way to do so while paying tribute to a difficult past. Just 14 riders joined the first official RFTL from Auschwitz to the JCC in 2014, but now there are over 100 riders, and biking communities around the world host events in solidarity with with RFTL.

Krakow Film Festival

Every year since 1961, the city of Kraków has been hosting the Kraków Film Festival, making it one of Europe’s oldest events celebrating independent film. Each year, the festival hosts eight days of documentaries, shorts, and animated films submitted to an international competition for filmmakers and directors. Guests can watch a collection of around 250 Polish and international films as well as attend exhibitions, open-air screenings, concerts, and meet-and-greets with the filmmakers. The Kraków Film Festival is a historic event that celebrates the art of filmmaking with a Polish twist. Krakow’s film festival began in 1961, making it one of the oldest film festivals in the world. It started as a local Polish film festival, showing only films made by Polish filmmakers. In 1964, it expanded to include international films, and in 2001 its name was changed to the Krakow Film Festival. Today, the Krakow Film Festival includes film competitions across four categories - national films, international films, documentary films, and music documentaries (DocFilmMusic). The 900+ attendees can view over 250 films, as well as enjoying concerts, open-air screenings, exhibitions, and meetings with film industry professionals.

Shabbat in Krakow

JCC Krakow organizes kosher Shabbat dinners, which are the central event of each week. Each holiday is celebrated with respect towards traditions, but also manage to intertwine with a contemporary look at heritage. This is why these celebrations are open to everyone, regardless of their attitude towards religion.

Krakow Jewish Culture Festival

The Jewish Cultural Festival in Krakow celebrates Jewish culture and life all around the globe, with a special emphasis on the Jewish community of Poland- it’s past, present and future. After the Holocaust, many Jews returned to Poland to try to rebuild their shattered lives. In 1968, the Soviet-backed Polish People’s Republic once again tried to force the Jews out of Poland. In 1988, as the communist regime began to crumble, Janusz Makuch and Krzysztof Gierat organized the first Jewish Cultural Festival in Krakow to celebrate Jewish revival in Poland and the contribution of Polish Jews to society. Since then, the festival has grown tremendously, and each year 30,000 people travel to Krakow from all over the world to partake in this celebration of Jewish culture. The festival features hundreds of events, including workshops, tours, music concerts, DJ-parties and lectures. Jewish settlement in Poland dates back over a thousand years. During that time, the Jews suffered unimaginable persecution, but they were also very active in Polish affairs. Jews help spearhead Poland’s independence from Russia and many Jews fought for Poland during the wars. After the fall of the USSR, Poland has once again become a center of Jewish life. This exciting festival in Krakow emphasizes Jewish revival in the country.

Krakow Night of Synagogues

Kazimierz was formerly the Jewish quarter of Krakow, but has now transformed itself into a lively, trendy neighborhood filled with indie art galleries, quirky shops and a vibrant nightlife. The area houses seven ancient synagogues: Tempel Synagogue, Kupa Synagogue, Remuh Synagogue, Old Synagogue, Popper's Synagogue, Isaac's Synagogue, and High Synagogue. Each of these synagogues have now all been converted into spectacular museums, and on one special night each year they open their doors to host free events for the public. These events include a range of concerts, DJs, workshops and art displays, all of which encourage locals and tourists alike to explore the unique architecture of the synagogues and experience what the neighborhood has to offer. The Krakow Night of Synagogues is an free event sponsored by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and the JCC Krakow. The event is designed to showcase the Jewish history of the area and the surrounding community. The first event was held in 2011 and it now draws thousands of visitors per year. The ancient synagogues of Krakow housed large, active communities of Polish Jews until the Nazi occupation of Poland. Though they have since become museums, this yearly event transforms them back into a vibrant center, filled with visitors hoping to learn more about Krakow’s Jewish past. The event is a great source of pride for the local Jewish community, who love to share their heritage and history. <div id="simple-translate"> <div> <div class="simple-translate-button " style="background-image: url('moz-extension://d7514391-53d6-4fb3-934a-2b17a33c8eee/icons/512.png'); height: 22px; width: 22px; top: 10px; left: 10px;"></div> <div class="simple-translate-panel " style="width: 300px; height: 200px; top: 0px; left: 0px; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff;"> <div class="simple-translate-result-wrapper" style="overflow: hidden;"> <p class="simple-translate-candidate" style="color: #737373;"></p> </div> </div> </div> </div>