by tskzAutumn is a very special season in the Jewish calendar when three important festivals, such as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot are celebrated. During this unique period, the TSKŻ branches across Poland held a series of special events and festivities. We invite you to watch our coverage of this year’s celebrations.
BIELSKO-BIAŁA
On Friday, 11 September, the Jewish Religious Community in Bielsko-Biała hosted a gala dinner to celebrate the Jewish New Year 5787. The joint celebration, co-hosted by the TSKŻ and the Jewish Community, provided an excellent opportunity for members of the local community to come together and strengthen their bonds. The event took place in a festive and solemn atmosphere.
The celebration featured many traditional symbols of Rosh Hashanah, including the ever-present apples dipped in honey, which symbolize the hope for a sweet and prosperous year ahead.
DZIERŻONIÓW
On 11 Septembers, members of the TSKŻ Dzierżoniów gathered together in the Association’s premises to celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot. The festive table featured traditional dishes prepared especially for the occasion. For those members of the Association who were unable to attend the gathering for personal reasons, packages of sweets were prepared and delivered directly to their homes.
GLIWICE
On 24 September, members of the TSKŻ Gliwice met to celebrate Rosz ha-Szana i Sukkot. The meeting was joyful, and the participants were offered traditional sweet treats. The event was further enriched by the sound of Jewish songs by Mordechai Gebirtig, which were sung by Irena Urbańska, accompanied by klezmer musicians.
KATOWICE
On Sunday, September 13, an event celebrating the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot was held at the TSKŻ Club in Katowice. The celebration began with a welcome address by Chairman Paweł Grabiec, who then introduced the participants to the history and significance of the Jewish High Holidays. Another highlight of the event was a concert by Hanna Czubak, an artist associated with the Jarmuła Band, who performed songs in Hebrew, Yiddish and Polish. After the musical performance, guests were treated to refreshments prepared by Vice-Chair Helena Grzebień and Anna Katz-Wojciechowska.
KRAKÓW
On September 20, members of the TSKŻ Kraków gathered at the Klezmer-Hois restaurant to celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot 5787. The event was moderated by Jolanta Weinrub-Kwapisz, Chair of the Branch. The programme included a performance by Jakub Antusz-Rekucki, who presented songs by Leonard Cohen inspired by biblical and Jewish themes. Then Anna Cukierman, Szymon Golec and Karolina Wantuch spoke about the significance of the holidays and the correlated traditions. The musical performance and educational programme were complemented by a festive lunch.
ŁÓDŹ
On Saturday, September 26, members of the TSKŻ Łódź gathered in a traditional sukkah to celebrate Sukkot together. During the event, they had an opportunity to broaden their knowledge about the holiday and the correlated traditions. The gathering was filled with warmth and a sense of community, with plenty of conversation and smiles all around.
SZCZECIN
On Sunday, October 4, the local TSKŻ’s members and supporters gathered at the club on Niemcewicza Street to jointly celebrate the Jewish New Year and Sukkot.
WAŁBRZYCH
The Jewish New Year celebration hosted by the Wałbrzych branch of the TSKŻ began with a welcome address by Chair Sabina Chrapek. Then Natalia Chrapek spoke about the history and significance of the Jewish High Holidays. Apart from the TSKŻ’s members and friends, the event was attended by young people from a juvenile educational centre in Wałbrzych, who had an opportunity to learn about the history of the Jewish holidays with great interest and taste traditional meals.
WARSAW
On September 13, Professor Jan Hartman was our guest at a holiday event at Klub Babel, where he delivered his lecture entitled Jews – Philosophers. The starting point for the discussion was his latest book, Od Filona do Derridy. Żydzi w dziejach filozofii [From Philo to Derrida: Jews in the History of Philosophy]. The author spoke about selected figures from the thirty philosophers whose lives, ideas and contributions were explored in his book. The event was chaired by Henryk Kozłowski. The lecture was followed by refreshments typical of Rosh Hashanah.
On Wednesday, September 17, the Babel Club hosted a meeting with Rabbi Stas Wojciechowicz devoted to the holidays of the Hebrew month of Tishrei and their role in Jewish tradition. The rabbi spoke about the most important holidays celebrated during the month i.e. Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukko, explaining their history and symbolic significance. The discussion was moderated by TSKŻ President Artur Hofman. Afterwards, participants were treated to some festive refreshments.
WROCŁAW
The TSKŻ club in Wrocław hosted a special gathering to celebrate Rosh Hashanah. The event was made even more festive by the presence of artists Leopold Galicki and Inge Dinesen, whose music and performances helped create a truly celebratory atmosphere. Meanwhile, Izabela and Olga Szpacenko prepared a selection of delicious traditional dishes for the guests. The gathering was filled with warmth and joy, offering its participants an opportunity to share conversations, enjoy music and exchange holiday wishes.
All events were made possible thanks to the grant provided by the Minister of the Interior and Administration.
