BEIT
KRAKÓW

[English below]

To był wspaniały festiwal. Dziękujemy wszystkim, którzy tak licznie przybyli na organizowane przez nasz wydarzenia oraz osobom, które je organizowały a przede wszystkim wspaniałemu zespołowi Żydowskiego Muzeum Galicja oraz prężnej grupie wolontariuszy Beit Kraków. Bez was nie byłoby to możliwe. Kliknij na thumbnail aby przejść do galerii albo obejrzyj nasz slideshow poniżęj.

Our events during the festival were an amazing success, we were happy to meet and see so many of you attending our events. But we wouldn't have made it without the incredible crew of the Galicia Jewish Museum and our Beit Krakow volunteers! Thank you.

39 Photos

Nasze pierwsze urodziny. Luty 2010 / Adar 5770 / February 2010. Our first Beit Kraków Birthday.

The Talmud says and the sages agree that the very first Shavuot, when the Torah was given, took place on Shabbat. Coincidentally (or not) our first Sukkot, first Simchat Torah, first Erev Rosh Hashana and first Channukah all took place on the seventh day of the week as well. We, the Beit Krakow progressive community in Poland, established on Tu B'Shvat 5769, just celebrated our first birthday.

A year is a very short time to build a community. Fortunately in our case, time seemed to be working on our behalf. On top of the spiritual dimension of having so many of our "first" holidays together fall on Shabbat, it also had a very practical significance. On the first year, when the community works to build its routine and get its members accustomed to observing the Jewish calendar (which for many wasn't previously easy or even possible) such "coincidences" were fortuitous. Not only the time but also our location was on our side – building a community in a city of Krakow so rich with Jewish tradition, history and spirituality, from which one can derive endless inspiration. Over the course of the year we met together over 160 times in various contexts, such as Kabbalat Shabbat, Shararit and Holiday services, Midrash Theatre workshops and performances, various lectures, Hebrew classes, community excursions etc. Most of these meetings took place in the amazing space of the Galicia Jewish Museum, in the ambiance of the ineffable exhibition "Traces of Memory" with the photographs of Chris Schwartz. It is a place where the memory of the past and the spirit of the Jewish presence dwell together.

On February 21st, members and friends of Beit Krakow celebrated the first birthday of their community in GJM. The evening began with the general assembly, on which the board presented the report of the annual activities and ongoing projects. We discussed the needs and plans for the future, among them the need to have a Torah Scroll for the community. After the assembly was finished we proceeded to the social part of the evening. There was Russian champagne and chocolate cake (courtesy of our community members and friends). Rabbi Tanya welcomed everybody warmly, emphasizing the yet most significant component of our venture to re-establish a progressive Jewish community in Krakow: "Bayit means home. But how does one start to build a home? We said – people. They are the founding stones of our home (...) Rabbi Nachman says: 'In every beginning one is asked to open new doors, the key to which is found in the doing and giving'. I want to thank each and everyone of you for your incredible generosity."

The evening continued with a short spontaneous recital by Patrycja and Boris, during which a repertoire of Yiddish and jazz songs were concluded by a festive Happy Birthday Beit Krakow. Next in the program was a photographic show prepared by Agata and Ania, who helped us to reminisce over the year of various activities. The presentation was followed by a study session about the value and role of a Jewish community inspired by quotes from Jewish tradition. The first group highlighted the importance and benefits of young leadership (as is the case mostly in our community). The second discussed the challenge of finding the right balance between individual needs and the needs of the community. The third group conceded that "Whoever occupies himself with the needs of the community is as though he occupies himself with Torah" (Talmud Yerushalmi, Berakhot). Finally the fourth group proposed that the community only fulfills its role when it manages to bring out the best in its members, and with no small satisfaction concluded that indeed Beit Krakow does bring out the best in them.

And so with the bar raised high and our spirits lifted with another community experience we began the second year of our long journey together to uncovering the true meaning of Jewish identity and community in modern-day Poland.

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[English below]

To była nasza pierwsza Chanuka społeczności Beit Kraków i udała się lepiej niż mogliśmy przypuszczać. Dziękujemy wszystkim, którzy przyczynili się do tego że nasze święta były tak promienne i radosne. Kliknij na thumbnail aby przejść do galerii albo obejrzyj nasz slideshow poniżęj.

It was our first Channukah of Beit Krakow and it exceeded our expectations. We would like to thank to all of you who made our holiday radiate with light and joy. Click on the thumbnail to see the photos or see the slideshow below.

36 Photos