The Krakow Mezuzah Campaign

January 7, 2015

7 min read

When we speak of the revival of Jewish life in Krakow we often point to the cultural renaissance taking place throughout the city: Jewish festivals, Hebrew and Yiddish language, holidays and Friday night dinners… All this is true and of course there is much more work to be done. Whenever a Jewish Pole hears about the openness of the Jewish community there is an opportunity to facilitate their stronger Jewish identity and their return to a glorious heritage. I continue to see this with young and old who walk through the gates of the Jewish Community Center of Krakow and are mesmerized by the excitement of the story of the return of the Jew.

There is, however, another dimension that many Jews in Poland are expressing interest in pursuing—spirit. There is an increased interest in the ritual, the ‘mitzvot’ and a desire for some to live a more spiritual Jewish life. For over 20 years since Rabbi Michael Schudrich has been rabbi in Poland (and chief rabbi for 10) he has infused within Polish Jewry the comfort to pursue Jewish identity in all of its facets and profound levels.

The fruits are slowly beginning to ripen.

My beginner’s prayer service consistently brings in Jewish Poles, old and young, who want to learn how to pray, perhaps like their parents or grandparents did. Every Friday evening we gather and learn about the service, explore the Siddur, and engage in discussions about Judaism.

Shaul praying with his Tefillin. (Photo: Courtesy)
Shaul praying with his Tefillin. (Photo: Courtesy)

After dinner Friday night at the Jewish Community Center of Krakow, 10 stay behind and study Torah with me in English, Hebrew and Polish. They want to penetrate into the depths of the Living Torah and to learn more about our tradition. My Basic Judaism class is small but dedicated as we learn about hilchot Shabbat (Laws of the Sabbath) and the intricacies of the Jewish kitchen. The following day I give a class open to Jewish and non-Jewish Poles in which 40-50 come to experience the breadth of the Bible and access the heart of Jewish consciousness.

My Rabbinic colleagues in other cities in Poland—Warsaw, Wroclaw, Katowice—are also experiencing a rise in observance and Torah study. Rabbi Moshe Bloom conducts classes in the Nozik Shul in Warsaw. He recently met Shaul, a young Jewish Pole who has started returning to his roots. Rabbi Schudrich presided at the affixing of a mezuzah on his door and he comes to Synagogue put on Tefillin (phylacteries) throughout the week, finding meaning and spirit in this ancient tradition.

I see this with the work of Rabbi Gurary in Krakow as well. Jews are coming to Synagogue, participating in services and want to come closer and learn more about what it means to be a committed, observant Polish Jew.

Shavei Israel also invests time and funds to support Jewish activities mainly for young Poles searching for spirit. Their summer seminar brings 20-30 young professionals to Israel to tour the country, experience the land but also to learn Torah and connect with the tradition.

Perhaps most exciting is my latest initiative to re-affix mezuzahs to the mantels of Krakow’s Jewish homes. Before the war, more than 60,000 Jews lived in Krakow and it can be seen from the remnants on the doorposts of buildings, homes and Synagogues. Throughout Krakow ghosts of a once thriving, rich, cultural and religious Jewish life haunt the streets and remind some of the Krakow that once was but is no more. But perhaps it can be once again. Here are some of the many examples of the spiritual return:

Nachum

Nachum initiated the Mezuzah campaign when he told me that he just moved to a new flat and would like his children to learn what it means to be Jewish; a mezuzah on the front door will fill that purpose.

Nachum and his son kissing the mezuzah. (Photo: Courtesy)
Nachum and his son kissing the mezuzah. (Photo: Courtesy)

Nachum has been living in Poland for the past six years together with his Polish wife Aneta and their two children. He is part of a growing group of Israelis who have settled in Krakow and are searching for a connection to his Jewish spirit.

Golda

Golda and Kordian live in central Krakow in the same building Golda’s grandparents lived in right after the war (during the war it was taken by the Nazis to be used as Gestapo headquarters). Once Mezuzah clad, the building now shows no signs of Jewish life as, together with the cloaking of their Jewish identity, they cloaked any signs of external Jewish life. Only one thing remained—the hidden connection of their Jewish past and their willingness to uncover and return to that past after 70 years. Golda and Kordian invited me to their home to affix a mezuzah on their door.

Olga

Olga discovered her Jewish roots fifteen years ago when she simply confronted her mother and asked outright why they have Jewish books and have always had some connection to Judaism but never actually said they were Jewish. Her mother relented to her and told her the family secret—“your grandmother (my mother) was Jewish”. Today Olga’s family still does not outwardly accept their Jewish roots, but Olga does.

New mezuzah rests on the doorpost of Olga's home. (Photo: Courtesy)
New mezuzah rests on the doorpost of Olga’s home. (Photo: Courtesy)

She comes to Jewish classes, learns about Jewish law and observes some, is the president of the Jewish students’ club (called Gimel for third generation since the war) and engages in all things Jewish. She also told me that she needed a mezuzah in her apartment. When I came I was surprised to find her non-Jewish flatmates, their friends and relatives who all wanted to learn about this ancient tradition called Mezuzah.

Iza

Iza lives with her (non-Jewish) husband near Krakow in a once heavily Jewish populated town of Wieliczka. They moved from Silesia and are wonderful, committed members of the JCC. In Silesia she experienced anti-Semitism but in Krakow she says things are different: a neighbor comes to her and says, you should know that some people still don’t like Jews but if you ever have a problem let me know and I will take care of them….

Her grandparents lived in Lvov before the war and suffered in the Ghetto during war; that horror never left them. Her parents suffered the psychological trauma of growing up in post-Holocaust Poland as children of survivors; they couldn’t handle it. When Iza was two weeks old she was sent to live with her grandparents and is estranged from her parents ever since.

Living with her grandparents was difficult because they had Shabbat dinner but they never wanted to her to expose her Jewishness publicly. People found out anyway…but Iza was and is strong and brave and able to overcome all challenges.

Rabbi Avi Baumol with Iza affixing a mezzuzah on her home. (Photo: Courtesy)
Rabbi Avi Baumol with Iza affixing a mezzuzah on her home. (Photo: Courtesy)

When she brought her husband home to her grandparents she had to lie that he was Jewish but they loved him in the end. Her husband Andrzej loves her and respects her and is willing to live a Jewish life and raise their children Jewish. He too was subject (ironically) to anti-Semitism in Silesia so they moved to Krakow to have a better Jewish life. But they lived in Krakow for four years before entering the gate of the JCC, even though it was so inviting and open, she was scared based on her earlier experiences.

Iza is nevertheless happy in her life, she is married and has a beautiful daughter and is a member of the JCC and their daughter Sarah is at the nursery.

They bought two mezuzah coverings and together with Sarah we affixed Mezuzahs in Wieliczka which perhaps is the first re-affixing of a mezuzah in Wieliczka in many, many years.

Jakub

Jakub appeared on the scene only a few months ago, but he quickly connected to the vibrancy of Jewish life at the JCC in Krakow. His first Shabbat service brought tears to his eyes as he recited the Shema and he has joined classes and students activities on a regular basis. Jakub discovered his Jewish roots ten years ago but took his time until he was ready to visibly express that he is Jewish, through a Kippa which he proudly wears today.

Even more emotional was the first time he put on Tefillin (phylacteries)  I bought him from Israel. One could sense the incredible excitement and reverence he had for the Phylacteries, holding them, learning how to don them, and reciting the Shema with them.

Rabbi Avi Baumol helps Jakob put on his new Tefillin. (Photo: Courtesy)
Rabbi Avi Baumol helps Jakub put on his new Tefillin. (Photo: Courtesy)
Rabbi Avi Baumol (R) and Jakob (Photo: Courtesy)
Rabbi Avi Baumol (R) and Jakub (Photo: Courtesy)

There are many other stories, many other Jewish personalities who are inspired and inspire me whenever I have the privilege of being part of their spiritual development. There are still many more homes to visit and incredible stories to hear. There’s Pola who traces her Jewish roots back generations and there’s Paula whom I met just last year and helped her discover her Jewishness; there’s Sandra in Warsaw and Grzegorz from Gdansk and so many more all over Poland!

In short in Krakow with all these remarkable developments and perhaps thousands more waiting to be revealed I will try to live by the wise dictum of Rabbi Tarphon, the first century Jewish scholar who remarked: ‘the day is short and much work is there to be done…[but] it is not upon me to finish the work, yet I cannot be relieved from it’. I hope to continue to be a part of the resurgence of Jewish life in Krakow in particular and Poland in general for years to come.

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