Jewish Culture Festival

A City’s Celebration Where Memory, Music, and Modernity Intersect

2022/06/24 - 2022/07/02

The Jewish Culture Festival in Kraków is one of Poland’s largest international festivals celebrating Jewish heritage, transforming the historic Kazimierz district into a vibrant stage for music, art, food, and tradition. Every summer, for nine days from late June to early July, the streets and synagogues are filled with concerts, art, workshops, and the aromas of traditional dishes, drawing locals and visitors of all backgrounds and faiths.

This festival is open to everyone who wants to experience the “now” of Jewish culture-from klezmer music and folk dance to contemporary art, literature, and Jewish cuisine. Whether you’re a history enthusiast, music lover, or simply curious, you’ll find yourself naturally drawn into Kraków’s multicultural revival.

Main Attractions

Shalom on Szeroka Street & Synagogue Concerts

The festival’s climax is “Shalom on Szeroka Street,” when the heart of Kazimierz becomes a huge open-air concert venue. World-class klezmer bands, jazz ensembles, and choirs perform under the summer night sky. The opening concert is often held in one of the district’s seven historic synagogues, with the voices of cantors solemnly marking the start of the festival.

Throughout the festival, more than a dozen concerts are held, featuring everything from Hasidic songs and synagogue music to contemporary Israeli jazz. Music spills out from synagogues into courtyards, cafés, and the streets, creating a unique atmosphere where sacredness and festivity coexist.

Workshops, City Walks, and Living Traditions

Participants can join workshops in Jewish dance, Yiddish song, calligraphy, and traditional cooking (such as braiding challah bread or making aromatic cholent). Guided tours explore Kazimierz’s synagogues, cemeteries, and street art, while lectures and film screenings offer insights into Jewish history and contemporary culture.

Art exhibitions, paper-cutting, and interactive installations are also popular. Even non-Jews are welcomed into prayer and community events, making the festival a true bridge between cultures.

Folk Costumes and Venue Decorations

Many participants wear embroidered blouses, kippahs (Jewish skullcaps), or colorful scarves, while the venues are decorated with banners, paper lanterns, and traditional Jewish motifs. At the final concert on Szeroka Street, the area glows with flowers and lights, and the scent of freshly baked challah and sweet pastries drifts from bakeries and food stalls.

Traditional Food and Drink

Food is a major highlight of the festival. Local bakeries offer bagels, rugelach, and honey cake, while food stalls serve hot cholent, knishes, and cheese-filled blintzes. At Nowy Square, you can enjoy Polish-style open sandwiches (zapiekanka), craft beer, and Israeli wine.

Cultural and Historical Background

The Jewish Culture Festival began in 1988 out of a desire to revive Polish Jewish culture as a “living culture” rather than just a memory after the devastation of the Holocaust. The founder, Janusz Makuch, is a non-Jewish Kraków native. In the waning days of communism, the festival was a bold attempt to connect a thousand years of Jewish history and multicultural dialogue to the future.

Kazimierz, once home to 60,000 Jews and a center of spiritual and cultural life, was left desolate after World War II, but the festival sparked its revival. Today, Kazimierz is one of Kraków’s liveliest districts. The festival serves as a bridge between past and present, Jews and non-Jews, Poland and the world, celebrating the resilience and creativity of Jewish culture.

Participant Voices

I'm an exchange student from the US. I joined a Yiddish song workshop and quickly made friends with people I’d never met before. The Shalom on Szeroka Street concert was electrifying-people of all ages and nationalities singing and dancing together. It’s more than just a festival; it’s a celebration of life and memory.