Polish Events In Israel

By: Shmuel Ben Eliezer

Published: January 7th, 2009

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With all the missiles and rockets being fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip by Hamas and the retaliatory bombing of Hamas targets by Israel there has been a very large rise in anti-Israel demonstrations around the world. It is also a time when many of the world’s governments and the UN speak out against Israel. It is at times like these that many people go to Israel to show support for the actions of the IDF.

When people think of Polish-Jewish relations they often think of the Shoah and Anti-Semitism. But since the fall of communism the Polish government in many ways has been one of Israel’s staunchest allies, especially on the international front in the UN. This year in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the foundation of Israel in 1948, Poland has run numerous programs featuring the culture shared by the two countries. The Polish government sponsored these events.

The “Polish Year in Israel,” which began in spring 2008 and will be continued in 2009, is an initiative of the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The stated aim of the program is to bring the societies of Poland and Israel closer through the strengthening of cultural, economic, scientific and tourism-related contacts, as well as to initiate a long-term cooperation between institutions of the two countries.

The program includes more than 110 cultural events: concerts, theatrical performances, exhibitions, publications, film screenings and contemporary dance shows, as well as conferences, seminars, and workshops.

We invite everyone to the film and theatre festivals, to the best clubs, galleries, museums, concert halls and public areas of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Acco, Holon, Haifa, Beersheba, Herzliya and Bat Yam.

The cultural program is being coordinated by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, a governmental institution whose task is to promote Polish culture abroad and to initiate international cultural exchange with Poland. The program is co-organized with the Polish Embassy in Israel and the Polish Institute.

Some Of The Programs:

Exhibition “Chosen” In Holon And Gdansk

The exhibition “Chosen” received a lot of attention from the media and the public. It was open from September 20 to November 15 at the Israeli Center for Digital Art in Holon. Now the project is available for Polish viewers too. It will be shown in the Wyspa Art Institute in Gdansk, Poland, until February 28.

Exhibition “Polin – Thousand Years Of The History Of Polish Jews”

The ultramodern multimedia exhibition, which is a meeting, debate and discussion floor, opened on December 4 at Beth Hatefutsoth, the Museum of the Jewish Diaspora in Tel Aviv. The exhibition will run through February 20, 2009.

Premiere Of The Polish-Israeli Comics Album

The premiere of the unique comic book “Kompot” took place on December 14 in the Warsaw club on December 18 in the Spaceship Gallery, Tel Aviv and on December 20 in the Cartoon Museum in Holon. Now the Polish-Israeli album is available in bookstores across Poland and Israel.

The Exhibition “World Before The Catastrophe.

Krakow’s Jews In The Interwar Period”

This exhibition attempts to illustrate the world, which had shaped the characters of future founding fathers of Israel. It shows the specific features of a double, Polish-Zionist patriotism of pre-war Jews in Krakow – their solidarity, social, cultural and religious life as well as various contexts of their relations with non-Jewish neighbors.

Concert Of The Ra’anana Symphonette Orchestra – Homage To Irena Sendler

The Ra’anana Symphonette Orchestra and Ra’anana Municipality, in cooperation with the Polish embassy in Tel Aviv, prepared a special project focusing on Irena Sendler. The composition, “A Ray of Light in the Darkness” by Kobi Oshrat made its international premiere on January 6. The orchestra, conducted by Omer Wellber, also performed Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4.

“The Greatest Opera Performances On The Posters”

Rafał Olbiński is often called the Polish Salvador Dalí. President of the Salon International de l’Affice, Andre Parinaud, spoke about his works: “Every drawing by Olbiński opens a new world of joyous discovery. He takes us on a drifting journey through clouds, flowers and beautiful shapes. We are thus led to believe that we are in a fairy tale.” The exhibition of surrealist posters, designed for the greatest operas of the world, will be open until February 28

Mozdzer- Danielsson- Fresco Trio Concert

On January 30 Leszek Możdzer, one of the most characteristic Polish jazz musicians, will perform in the Tel Aviv Opera House. The pianist will present his interpretations of Chopin’s works and will perform with the Swedish bass and cello player Lars Danielsson and the Israeli drummer Zohar Fresco.