Last Week

Last Sunday morning we drove back to Krakow from Rymanov. After checking into the Klezmer house we headed to the Schindler factory museum nearby. The famous factory was only turned into a museum a year ago. I learned an incredible amount there about the Jewish/Polish history of Krakow both before, during and after the War. The museum acted as a chronological storyteller through the interactive exhibits including footage, interviews, physical objects, furniture and scenery throughout the building. You really get a taste for how a happy and prosperous town with a vibrant Jewish community of 65,000 people and over 200 synagogues diminished to almost none. Oscar Schindler saved around 1200 Jews by employing them in his factory. When Israel honored him they quoted the Talmud and said "one who saves one life, saves the World entire."

Afterwords we went to the Remah Synagogue which falls under one of the oldest Jewish cemetary amd synagogues in the World. Moses ben Israel Isserles Polish rabbi, and philosopher, born in Krakow is known as Remah. Isserles became chief rabbi in Krakow, where he established a yeshiva. In 1553 he built the Remah Synagogue, which is still in use. Isserles was controversial, but was very influential.In his halachic works he stressed the importance of practicing Jewish local traditions and customs.

The rest of our trip in Krakow consisted of enjoying various klezmer performances while sitting outside at cafes and in our hotel, touring/shopping the old quarter and main square of krakow including finally convincing my family to take one of audio golf cart tours of the medieval city. My first impression of Kazimierz was a bit confusing, when I left though I was sad and wasn't ready to leave as there was tons more to see. It's truly a beautiful city filled with so much history and spirituality. Unlike Warsaw, Krakow was not destroyed and many of it's original buildings are still intact. I'm still deciding my stance on the refurbishing of the town although I think it's kind if poetic that 66 years after the holocaust Jewish culture  reigns as the center of attention in Krakow.