By: Lauren Zabelsky
The idea behind the Jewish Culture Festival, the JCC in Krakow and listening to the people that work there is essentially to resonate with us as visitors that Jewish culture in Poland is not lost. And I think that is true —you’ve heard of the saying, ‘living well is the best revenge?’ That just comes to mind. You see, maybe not the generation right after WWII, but you see the next generation, reconnecting with their Jewish roots. And even Catholic Poles understanding that they have a mission or they have a purpose in life to make sure that this is not forgotten. But not only that, because obviously—I don’t think the Holocaust will ever be forgotten, but I think it’s a situation where it’s more important to be upstanders than bystanders. It’s more important to become that voice so that it is not something that can happen again, or at least without severe opposition.
The music festival was probably one of my favorite moments in life. To see Howard dancing, and just in general the celebration that surrounds Jewish life even in Krakow is life affirming. So, to dance with our group—and I’m sure that every group that is honored to have this experience feels this way—but I think our group is so close and everyone is so accepting and so supportive, to be able to celebrate, after the horrors of everything that we’ve seen previously in the week was the best kind of medicine.