The 35th Jewish Culture Festival in Kraków, held under the theme THE GATE (Sha’ar), has now concluded. Continuing its longstanding partnership with the Festival, the Jewish Religious Community in Kraków played an active role in its programme by making its synagogues available for concerts, artistic events, guided tours, and multimedia projects.
One of the Festival’s highlights was the exhibition „Encounters – Unity in Diversity”, co-organised by the Local Council and the Jewish Culture Festival. During the Festival, it was presented at the High Synagogue. Following the Festival’s conclusion, and with the help of Festival volunteers, the exhibition was transferred to the Tempel Synagogue, where it will remain open to visitors from 7 July to 15 August 2026.
The exhibition is an attempt to translate a literary narrative into the language of artistic photography. It is inspired by the short story „Unity in Diversity”, which provides the interpretive framework for the works on display. Here, photography is presented not merely as a means of documenting reality, but as an autonomous artistic medium that invites reflection on relationships, pluralism, and the coexistence of diverse perspectives within a shared cultural space.
Another highlight of the programme was the KAZ_LAB multimedia project, which illuminated the façade of the High Synagogue on Józefa Street each evening. Inspired by this year’s Festival theme, the projections gave the historic building a striking contemporary dimension while inviting visitors to experience the space in a new way.
The Festival’s 35th anniversary edition opened with a piano recital by the outstanding pianist Yehuda Prokopowicz. A laureate of numerous prestigious piano and chamber music competitions, Prokopowicz was also a semi-finalist in the 19th Fryderyk Chopin International Piano Competition in Warsaw. The opening concert was preceded by a speech from Helena Jakubowicz, Chairwoman of the Jewish Religious Community in Kraków, who highlighted the Festival’s enduring importance, describing it as “an event which, for thirty-five years, has been building bridges between people, cultures and generations.”
This is a special anniversary. Over the past three and a half decades, the Festival has become a symbol of dialogue and mutual understanding. Every year, here in Kraków’s Kazimierz district, it reminds us that culture has the power to overcome prejudice, heal wounds, and build a future founded on respect.
For centuries, Kraków has been home to many cultures and religions, and the city’s Jewish heritage is an inseparable part of its identity. The Jewish Culture Festival is living proof that Jewish culture belongs not only to the past but also to the present—it continues to thrive, inspire, and bring people together.
From its very first edition, the Jewish Religious Community in Kraków has been part of this remarkable journey. We have supported the Festival from the outset because we believe that the idea conceived by Janusz Makuch carries profound meaning and enduring value.
For me, this also has a very personal dimension.
My late father, who served for many years as Chairman of the Jewish Religious Community in Kraków, was among those who believed in this vision from the very beginning. He and Janusz Makuch were connected not only by many years of collaboration, but above all by a deep friendship founded on mutual respect, trust, and a shared commitment to preserving and nurturing Kraków’s Jewish heritage. Together, they witnessed how a bold idea grew into a festival of international renown.
I am grateful to be able to continue their work today and that our Community remains an active partner in shaping the Festival.
At a time when the world is marked by so many divisions, culture continues to offer a space for dialogue, mutual respect, and hope.
As Chairwoman of the Jewish Religious Community in Kraków, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Janusz Makuch for thirty-five years of vision, dedication, and unwavering belief in the importance of this endeavour.
My sincere thanks also go to all the organisers, artists, partners, sponsors, volunteers, and audiences. It is thanks to your commitment that the Festival has become one of Kraków’s most important cultural ambassadors to the world.
I believe that my father would look on with great pride at how beautifully this project—into which he and Janusz Makuch poured so much of their time, energy, and hearts over the years—has grown and flourished.”
The Festival culminated in a special cantorial concert entitled “This Is the Gate of the Lord” (Psalm 118:20), held on Sunday, 5 July 2026, at the Tempel Synagogue. Immediately before the concert, a ceremony took place during which Janusz Makuch, the founder and long-serving Director of the Jewish Culture Festival in Kraków, received the “Memory of the Encounter” award. The distinction was presented by the Przymierze Christian–Jewish Club and the Committee of the Rev. Stanisław Musiał SJ Award.
The award was a one-time honour established specifically to recognise Janusz Makuch’s many years of dedicated work in fostering Christian-Jewish dialogue, promoting Jewish culture, and creating a space for meaningful encounters, open conversation, and mutual understanding.
The concert featured world-renowned cantors Yaakov Lemmer, Shimmy Miller, Zevi Muller, and Israel Rand. They were joined by a twelve-member Cantors’ Choir comprising Blake Burroughs, Andre Cruz, Dominic Inferrera, Hillel Friedman, Moshe Haas, Lidor Mesika, Holgerd Vachlis, Shayki Kirshenboum, Gilad Nezer, Sean Clark, Afonso Santos, and Benjamin Larham. The artists performed a diverse repertoire, including pieces accompanied by piano as well as moving a cappella arrangements. The concert was conducted by Yossi Schwartz, with piano accompaniment by Eric Freeman.
This year’s anniversary edition of the Festival once again affirmed that Kraków’s Kazimierz district remains a unique space where cultures, traditions, and dialogue converge. The involvement of the Jewish Religious Community in Kraków in organising artistic and educational events forms an essential part of its mission to preserve Jewish heritage while fostering an environment built on mutual understanding, respect, and cooperation.
