National minorities- Jews
Jews are the national minority of 8- to 10 thousand people, that live in disperse, mainly in the big cities.
The first information about the Jews on Polish territory come from X century, and a very first official Polish document, that gave them privileges and autonomy was known as The Kalisz Statement from XIII century. The Second World War brought not only the extermination of almost 90% of the Polish Jews, but also lead a Jewish tradition, religious and cultural life in Poland to an end. Right after the end of the Second World War most of those, who survived Holocaust, left in a few emigration waves, but it wasn’t until the end of the 60-tees (March 1968), that the Jewish problem was used for political purposes, which contributed to the breaking of the Jewish community in Poland. Nowadays there aren’t any public schools in Poland that would teach in Hebrew or in Jidish as in national languages. From 1994/ 1995 there is only one private Jewish primary school- Lauder Morasha School in Warsaw with a Polish as a teaching language. At this school a few dozen pupils is also learning Hebrew.
Main organisations:
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The Social- Cultural Jewish Association in Poland,
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The Children of Holocaust Association in Poland,
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The Historical Jewish Institute Association,
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The Polish Union of Jewish students,
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The Federation of Jewish Organisations,
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The Jewish Union of Religious Communes in Republic of Poland.
The most important press titles:
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“Dos Jidisze Wort- Słowo Żydowskie”- every two weeks,
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“Midrasz”- every month,
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“Szterndlech”- magazine for the children and youth.
The most important events:
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The Jewish Culture Festival in Cracow,
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The March of Living in Oświęcim,
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The Memory Day for the Victims of Soah,
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Days of the Jewish Books in Warsaw,
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The Anniversary of the Warsaw Getto Uprising.
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