Jewish Community Centre of Krakow
Encyclopedia
The Jewish Community Centre of Krakow (JCC of Krakow) is a Jewish cultural and educational centre that was created in 2008 as a result of an initiative of HRH The Prince of Wales
. The JCC is located in the Kazimierz
district of Krakow
on ul. Miodowa
. It stands on the site of a garden to the rear of the Tempel Synagogue
, abutting the adjacent building.
visited Krakow. The district of Kazimierz made a strong impression on him. During a meeting with representatives of the Jewish Religious Community in Krakow he learned that the community lacked a placed where its members could meet outside of the synagogue. The Prince promised to help, and together with World Jewish Relief
and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
, secured funding for this purpose.
The formalities associated with obtaining of the permission to build the Centre took a while, so it was on November 14, 2006 that the inauguration ceremony for the building of the Centre was celebrated at the Tempel Synagogue. Taking part in the ceremony were Nigel Layton, Chair of World Jewish Relief, Yossi Erez of the American Joint Distribution Committee, Piotr Kadlcik, leader of the Jewish Religious Community of the Republic of Poland, Tadeusz Jakubowicz, leader of the Jewish Religious Community in Krakow, Edgar Gluck
, Chief Rabbi of Galicia and Boaz Pash, Chief Rabbi of Krakow.
Construction of the 4-storey, 850 m² Centre was completed in 2008 at a cost of 10 million zloty. On 29 April 2008, HRH The Prince of Wales and HRH The Duchess of Cornwall
came to Krakow to formally open the Jewish Community Centre of Krakow.
While the JCC will be a place of cultural events as well as a place for the Jewish community and its organisations to meet, the building will also serve the inhabitants of Krakow as well as tourists. It contains offices, conference halls and a restaurant, internet café and a doctor’s surgery and physiotherapy rooms are planned.
The JCC hosts an active Seniors Club, the Krakow Jewish Students’ Club and a mini-crèche for the youngest. The basement houses the Remuh library which was created by the “Czulent” Jewish Association in June 2005. It is the only Jewish library in Krakow that is open to all and contains over 2000 books including Israeli prose, the Torah and Talmud, memoirs, albums, comics, handbooks and dictionaries.
Main activities promoted and maintained by the Centre are: Hebrew lessons, Yiddish lessons, English lessons, Spanish lessons, Yiddish singing workshops, Genealogical workshops, Educational workshops, Belly dancing, Israeli dance, Yoga, and Krav Maga.
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
. The JCC is located in the Kazimierz
Kazimierz
Kazimierz is a historical district of Kraków , best known for being home to a Jewish community from the 14th century until the Second World War.-Early history:...
district of Krakow
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
on ul. Miodowa
Miodowa
Miodowa is a street in Warsaw's Old Town. More precisely, it links the Freta Street in the New Town, with the Krasiński Square. It is also a street in the Kazimierz district in Kraków.-History:...
. It stands on the site of a garden to the rear of the Tempel Synagogue
Tempel Synagogue
The Tempel Synagogue is a Reform Jewish synagogue in Kraków, Poland, in the Kazimierz district. The Moorish Revival building was designed by Ignacy Hercok, and built in 1860-1862 along Miodowa Street. The temple, with its tall central section flanked by lower wings, is designed on the pattern of...
, abutting the adjacent building.
History
In June 2002, HRH The Prince of WalesPrince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
visited Krakow. The district of Kazimierz made a strong impression on him. During a meeting with representatives of the Jewish Religious Community in Krakow he learned that the community lacked a placed where its members could meet outside of the synagogue. The Prince promised to help, and together with World Jewish Relief
World Jewish Relief
World Jewish Relief is a British Jewish charitable organisation and is the main Jewish overseas aid organisation in the UK.-Founding:WJR was originally called the Central British Fund for German Jewry and was founded in 1933...
and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee is a worldwide Jewish relief organization headquartered in New York. It was established in 1914 and is active in more than 70 countries....
, secured funding for this purpose.
The formalities associated with obtaining of the permission to build the Centre took a while, so it was on November 14, 2006 that the inauguration ceremony for the building of the Centre was celebrated at the Tempel Synagogue. Taking part in the ceremony were Nigel Layton, Chair of World Jewish Relief, Yossi Erez of the American Joint Distribution Committee, Piotr Kadlcik, leader of the Jewish Religious Community of the Republic of Poland, Tadeusz Jakubowicz, leader of the Jewish Religious Community in Krakow, Edgar Gluck
Edgar Gluck
Edgar Gluck is a Chief Rabbi of Galicia .He graduated from Chasam Sofer Rabbinical College and Long Island University . Rabbi Edgar Gluck of Brooklyn, NY was first appointed to the U.S...
, Chief Rabbi of Galicia and Boaz Pash, Chief Rabbi of Krakow.
Construction of the 4-storey, 850 m² Centre was completed in 2008 at a cost of 10 million zloty. On 29 April 2008, HRH The Prince of Wales and HRH The Duchess of Cornwall
Duchess of Cornwall
The Duchess of Cornwall is the title held by the wife of the Duke of Cornwall. Duke of Cornwall is a non-hereditary peerage held by the British Sovereign's eldest son and heir....
came to Krakow to formally open the Jewish Community Centre of Krakow.
While the JCC will be a place of cultural events as well as a place for the Jewish community and its organisations to meet, the building will also serve the inhabitants of Krakow as well as tourists. It contains offices, conference halls and a restaurant, internet café and a doctor’s surgery and physiotherapy rooms are planned.
Activities
The main aim of the JCC is to strengthen, grow and ensure the viability of the Jewish community in Krakow and it brings together people of Jewish background as well as those interested in Jewish culture, religion and traditions. It hosts regular exhibitions, shows, festivals, film screenings, book promotions and lectures on the topics of Judaism, Chassidism, Jewish law and religious principles. Every week a kosher Sabbath dinner takes place and on Jewish holidays, the JCC organises meetings, parties and other celebrations.The JCC hosts an active Seniors Club, the Krakow Jewish Students’ Club and a mini-crèche for the youngest. The basement houses the Remuh library which was created by the “Czulent” Jewish Association in June 2005. It is the only Jewish library in Krakow that is open to all and contains over 2000 books including Israeli prose, the Torah and Talmud, memoirs, albums, comics, handbooks and dictionaries.
Main activities promoted and maintained by the Centre are: Hebrew lessons, Yiddish lessons, English lessons, Spanish lessons, Yiddish singing workshops, Genealogical workshops, Educational workshops, Belly dancing, Israeli dance, Yoga, and Krav Maga.