Krakow - Jewish community and more

Shalom,

It's time to catch up on events of the past few days.  After a wonderful Friday in Krakow, we also had a special Shabbat experience.  We 'dressed up' and welcomed Shabbat together at the hotel.  Shabbat morning, we went together to services that were held at the Kupa Street Synagogue.  As the services began, it seemed to be that we would be just at a minyan, but then a stream of Israeli yeshiva students thronged through the door.  Later Saturday, I returned to Mincha with David and we also sang zemirot with the others during a small shalos-seudos. After havdalah at the shul, a shul with a tall painted ceiling, and a gallery around the 2nd level, we returned to the hotel for a Havdalah with everyone else.  We used grapefruit juice since there was no kosher grape juice available!

Shabbat Shalom! - Mariana and Rhoda

The R(e)ma synagogue is the former residence of the Isserles family, the family of Moshe Isserles, called the R'ema.  He wrote the Ashkenazi commentary to the Shulchan Aruch, the classic code of Jewish Law.  

Shabbat Shalom! - Sid and Marilyn at Rema Synagogue

Shabbat Shalom! - Max and Esther at Rema synagogue

A special place within a special place within a special place - The grave of the R'ema, inside the Jewish cemetery of Krakow, inside the complex of the R'ema shul.

The JCC of Krakow, a center of activity for the entire Krakow community.

Yom Ha'atzmaut - Israel Indepence Day - Krakow celebrations 2013

Remembering the Krakow ghetto:

The metal chairs in this square represent the former location of the ghetto, with empty chairs indicating the places where Jews once lived and thrived.

Remains of the Krakow ghetto wall:

Jews from the Krakow ghetto were deported to the Plashow camp outside the ghetto walls.

Oskar Schinderl's desk at his Krakow factory.  Here is where he was able to save the lives of over 1,000 Jews by employing them in his enamel factory.  

The Sukiennice, the Cloth Hall, is today a flea market with many stalls - filled with amber jewelry, toys, cothing and more.  It is in the Rynek, the vast town square of Krakow, that is a central gathering place for residents and visitors.