Mifgashim be Polin

“Mifgashim be Polin” is an international educational project addressed to people of Jewish heritage visiting Poland, as well as to anyone interested in Jewish history and culture. Its aim was to broaden the understanding of Jewish presence in Poland—moving beyond the dominant narrative focused on the Holocaust and restoring a more complete picture of the thousand-year heritage of Jews as an integral part of Poland’s history. The project responded to the need to build a more nuanced and reliable understanding of Polish-Jewish relations.

Breaking stereotypes and restoring a multidimensional memory

The project was based on the belief that contemporary memory of Jews in Poland has been largely dominated by the experience of World War II and the Holocaust. While this experience is fundamental, it does not capture the full history of Jewish presence in Poland—a history of co-creating social, economic, and cultural life over more than a thousand years.
“Mifgashim be Polin” created a space for reflection on this complexity, enabling participants to engage with diverse narratives and challenge entrenched stereotypes about Poland and Jewish communities. Particular emphasis was placed on dialogue between generations, as well as between people from Poland and the diaspora.

Meeting, dialogue, and exchange of experiences

A key element of the project was direct encounters and educational activities involving individuals as well as school and university groups from Poland, Israel, the United States, and other countries. The program included lectures, workshops, film screenings, multimedia presentations, and discussions, as well as less formal forms of integration, such as shared meals.
These activities not only facilitated the transmission of knowledge about the history and contemporary life of Jews in Poland, but also enabled the exchange of experiences related to identity, memory, and intercultural relations. The project strengthened dialogue, fostered mutual understanding, and contributed to the creation of a more open, multi-voiced narrative about shared history.