21 Jewish Krakowians | Contemporary Jewish Community in Kraków

21 Jewish Krakowians building a 21st Century Jewish community in Krakow

Portrait from the “21 Jewish Krakowians” series documenting contemporary Jewish life in Krakow. Paulina Skotnicka in her workplace posing with cat. — Paulina Skotnicka

Jewish life in Krakow exists. Despite the Holocaust, despite the post-war period of communism, despite anti-Semitism and many other problems of contemporary Poland – Jewish life goes on continuously. The Jewish world that exists in Krakow today is different from the one that existed before. It is smaller, but still visible. It is being built by people who trace their roots here in Kazimierz, in Kraków, as well as by people from all over Poland, from all over the world. People of all ages, with different religious and political views, from different educational backgrounds and with different approaches to life – all together they form a pluralistic and proud, and more and more visible and numerous Jewish community of Krakow.
– Jakub Nowakowski, directorof Galicia Jewish Museum

Portrait from the “21 Jewish Krakowians” series documenting contemporary Jewish life in Krakow. Katarzyna Zimmerer in her home office. — Katarzyna Zimmerer

Krakow is all too often seen as a place of Jewish loss and destruction, a place belonging only to Jewish history. With this exhibition we aim to show the world what we in Krakow know very well: that there is a growing, thriving, local Jewish community which is optimistic, pluralistic and, while mindful of the past, very much looking to the future. The people featured in this exhibition are working to build Krakow’s Jewish community, and by doing so are showing the world the resilience of the Jewish people, and of the human spirit.
– Jonathan Ornstein, executive director of Jewish Community Centre of Krakow

Portrait from the “21 Jewish Krakowians” series documenting contemporary Jewish life in Krakow. Tomasz Jenner on Grodzka street — Tomasz Jenner

Portrait from the “21 Jewish Krakowians” series documenting contemporary Jewish life in Krakow. Marek Handwerker in his workshop. — Marek Handwerker

Portrait from the “21 Jewish Krakowians” series documenting contemporary Jewish life in Krakow. Connie Webber in her flat. — Connie Webber

Portrait from the “21 Jewish Krakowians” series documenting contemporary Jewish life in Krakow. Jonathan Webber in his library reading a book. — Jonathan Webber

Portrait from the “21 Jewish Krakowians” series documenting contemporary Jewish life in Krakow. Journalist Mateusz Żurawik smoking a cigarette in the bar. — Mateusz Żurawik

Portrait from the “21 Jewish Krakowians” series documenting contemporary Jewish life in Krakow. Sławek Pastuszka in the synagogue. — Sławek Pastuszka

Portrait from the “21 Jewish Krakowians” series documenting contemporary Jewish life in Krakow. Rabbi Eliezer Gurary reading a tora. — Eliezer Gurary

Portrait from the “21 Jewish Krakowians” series documenting contemporary Jewish life in Krakow. Katarzyna Leonardi posing in Jewich Community Center in Kraków — Katarzyna Leonardi

Photographs commissioned by Galicia Jewish Museum and JCC Kraków.