Contemporary challenges facing the Jewish community in Poland.

The Jewish Association Czulent, in partnership with the American Jewish Committee Central Europe and the Jewish Religious Communities in Łódź, Warsaw, and Wrocław, organized a nationwide conference of Jewish organizations titled “Contemporary Challenges Facing the Jewish Community in Poland.” The event was held under the patronage of the Union of Jewish Religious Communities in Poland and the Commissioner for Human Rights, highlighting its importance and relevance for public debate.

The conference took place on 2–3 April in Warsaw, at the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). It brought together representatives of Jewish religious communities and organizations from across Poland, creating a space for dialogue, cooperation, and the exchange of experiences.

The first day of the conference was devoted to an in-depth reflection on the current challenges facing the Jewish community in Poland, opportunities for building sustainable coalitions, and the development of cooperation with public administration. An important part of the program included presentations by representatives of the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights—Dr. Hanna Machińska and Marcin Sośniak—who outlined activities undertaken to protect the rights of national and ethnic minorities and identified specific areas of potential support for the Jewish community.

A key element of the program was also the presentation of the report “Book of Good Practices: Activities for National and Ethnic Minorities and Foreigners,” developed by the Jewish Association Czulent. The publication was the result of research on cooperation between civil society organizations and public administration. It identified proven models of action, highlighted good practices, and proposed directions for further development of collaboration. Particular attention was given to practical solutions and ways of addressing the challenges faced by minority organizations.

The second day of the conference took a workshop format and was implemented in cooperation with the OSCE ODIHR. Participants took part in the “ODIHR Hate Crime Reporting Workshop,” focused on countering antisemitism and racism, as well as on effective reporting of hate crimes. During the sessions, ODIHR experts, in collaboration with an expert from the Jewish Association Czulent, presented a modern online platform for reporting incidents. Its use was discussed both as a tool for strengthening community safety and as an advocacy instrument.

The program was complemented by a meeting with a representative of the Polish Society of Anti-Discrimination Law, who presented the “Pro Bono for Equality” program. Participants learned about opportunities to obtain legal support in criminal and civil cases related to discrimination, which constituted an important element in building systemic support for the Jewish community.

Realizacja konferencji potwierdziła rolę Żydowskiego Stowarzyszenia Czulent jako aktywnego lidera działań na rzecz integracji, rzecznictwa i wzmacniania społeczności żydowskiej w Polsce.

Project support and cooperation

Funding

The project was funded by the following sources:

• Stefan Batory Foundation

Partners:

• Biuro Instytucji Demokratycznych i Praw Człowieka / OBWE
• American Jewish Committee Central Europe
• The Jewish Religious Community in Łódź.
• 
  The Jewish Religious Community in Warsaw.
• The Jewish Religious Community in Wrocław.
  
  
  

Patronage:

• The Ombudsman for Human Rights.

• The Union of Jewish Religious Communities in the Republic of Poland.