JCC KRAKOW
YEAR IN REVIEW
Welcome
Eighteen years ago, plenty of people thought opening a Jewish Community Centre in Krakow was a crazy idea.
After all, this was Krakow. The city where Jewish life had been almost completely destroyed during the Holocaust and then suppressed for decades under communism. Who was going to come?
Today, our biggest challenge isn't finding people. It's finding enough space for them.
In 2025, our Jewish community grew to more than 1,200 members from 24 countries. Every week, our building is filled with preschoolers taking their first steps into Jewish life, teenagers discovering their identities, young adults building friendships, families celebrating Shabbat together, and Holocaust survivors who continue to inspire us with their resilience and wisdom.
People often ask me what Jewish life in Krakow looks like today.
The answer is simple: it's reborn.
In 2025, we hosted more than 800 programs and events. More than 6,500 people joined us for Shabbat and holiday meals alone. Our Senior Club offered over 320 programs, while participation in our BBYO teen program more than doubled compared to the previous year. Hillel Krakow hosted 90 programs for students and young adults, and our family programming continued to bring new generations into Jewish communal life.
What makes these numbers meaningful isn't the numbers themselves. It's what they represent.
For many of our members, JCC Krakow is the first place where they have been able to openly explore and embrace their Jewish identity. Some discovered hidden family histories. Others arrived from Israel, Ukraine, or elsewhere looking for connection. Together, they are helping write a new chapter in the story of Jewish Poland.
At the same time, we have remained committed to helping those in need. Nearly four years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the humanitarian crisis continues. In 2025 alone, our food pantry was visited more than 33,000 times. We continued providing housing, food, social services, and emotional support to vulnerable refugee families, while our overall humanitarian response has now directly assisted more than 500,000 displaced people.
There is something extraordinary about that.
A Jewish community that the Nazis sought to destroy is now helping hundreds of thousands of others rebuild their lives. Every day, I am reminded that the greatest response to hatred is not simply survival, but the determination to build something better.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because of dedicated staff, extraordinary volunteers, committed community members, and friends and supporters around the world who believe in our mission.
Thank you for helping make this story possible.
Jonathan Ornstein
JCC Krakow CEO
Our community
As we enter another year of our operations, our tight-knit Jewish community numbers over 1,200 strong, ranging from toddlers in the Frajda preschool to Holocaust survivors in the Senior club. Our members originally hail from 24 countries: Argentine, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Israel, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Tajikistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and the USA.
They are orthodox, progressive, secular, and simply Jewish—our vibrant center is a home for every Jew in Krakow and the broader community. We offer programming for all age groups and welcome thousands of visitors every month to show the world that Jewish life is once again a mere hour away from Auschwitz.
FRAJDA
Preschool and Nursery
The Frajda Early Childhood Center provides young Jewish children, ages one through six, with a rich and immersive education, steeped in Jewish tradition and culture.
Over the past academic year, FRAJDA served 18 children, including three from Ukraine and four from Israel, uniting individuals from diverse backgrounds and symbolizing resilience and the continuity of the Jewish people.
BAGEL
Club for Young Families
The Bagel Club for Young Families engages families of children ranging from preschoolers to teenagers. The club’s activities include culinary workshops, Israeli culture sessions, lectures on Jewish history and traditions, Hebrew language classes, and Jewish holiday celebrations. It remains one of JCC Krakow’s primary points of engagement with Israeli families living in Krakow, playing a key role in fostering connection, integration, and long-term community involvement.
Last year, the program hosted 17 meetings, with an average attendance of 45 participants per event, reflecting sustained interest and strong family engagement.
TAPUZIM
BBYO Teenagers Club
The JCC Krakow BBYO Tapuzim chapter enriches the lives of Jewish teens by providing a space where they can explore and embrace their identities. Club programming navigates Jewish culture, traditions, history, and holidays while also providing a foundational Hebrew education.
In 2025, the program underwent a period of significant development, and as a result, participation in BBYO programming increased by more than 200% compared to the same period in 2024. Following the appointment of a new club coordinator in late 2024, the chapter adopted a refreshed approach to teen engagement focused on consistency, relationship-building, and accessibility.
HILLEL GIMEL KRAKOW
Program for Students and Young Adults
JCC Krakow continues its partnership with Hillel Poland in operating Hillel Krakow, a program dedicated to cultivating a vibrant and inclusive Jewish space for young adults aged 18 to 30. Hillel Krakow provides participants with opportunities to learn, celebrate Jewish holidays, and build meaningful peer connections.
In 2025, Hillel Krakow delivered 90 social, cultural, and educational events, including both programs exclusively for Hillel participants and events open for the wider public, and Hillel members played an active role in broader JCC Krakow programming.
REJWACH
Club for members 30+
The Rejwach Club serves as a dedicated space for community members who have aged out of Hillel, welcoming young adults aged 30 to 45. The program addresses a clear community need by creating opportunities for busy adults to connect with peers and remain actively engaged in Jewish life.
In 2025, the Rejwach Club hosted 10 meetings, including a joint program with Hillel Krakow and a three-day Shabbaton retreat. In addition to dedicated Rejwach activities, members regularly participate in broader JCC Krakow programming, frequently attending Shabbat and holiday meals as an organized group and taking an active role in community events and celebrations.
ISRAELI PROGRAMMING
Since the events of October 7, we have made a conscious and sustained effort to warmly welcome Israelis to our center and ensure they feel a strong sense of safety and support. Through dedicated initiatives and targeted programs, we created a space responsive to their needs during a particularly difficult time. Over the past year, we have taken this work a step further, focusing on fostering deeper integration of this group within the broader JCC community.
We have also organized commemorative activities marking the outbreak of the war, including the opening of the “Coal Scars” exhibition, meetings with Prof. Dana Arieli and Yuval Dancyg, as well as a screening of The Tree of Oriya followed by an online discussion with Eran Litman, the father of the film’s protagonist. These efforts reflect our commitment not only to support but also to meaningfully connect communities.
SENIOR CLUB
The JCC Krakow Senior Club serves more than 150 senior community members, over 50 of whom are Holocaust survivors—some of whom are Ukrainian refugees who came to Poland to escape war. The club helps members connect with their Jewish identity while also providing essential welfare services.
JCC Krakow covers medical expenses, provides transportation, and offers financial assistance for utilities and food. It also distributes special packages for Jewish holidays such as Passover, Rosh Hashanah and Chanukah. Recognizing gaps in the Polish welfare system, we have begun offering housing assistance and essential items (such as winter coats and shoes) to needy senior members.
Beyond social services, seniors can participate in programs that promote both physical and mental thriving, including PT, yoga, university-level classes, and memory-training activities.
In 2025, we hosted over 320 programs for seniors, including numerous trips and outings beyond Krakow.
SHABBAT & HOLIDAYS
We celebrate all of the Jewish holidays by hosting a variety of events that allow members of all ages to connect with their faith and heritage. In 2025, we hosted more than 100 Shabbat dinners and Jewish holiday meals, with total attendance exceeding 6,500. Motivated by feedback from our members, we have been organizing an additional earlier seating on Friday nights to better accommodate the needs of senior members and families with young children. These additional seatings have also helped us navigate the challenges of limited event space due to our humanitarian aid operation and growing membership numbers. They allow us to welcome more attendees and provide a more comfortable experience for everyone.
General Programming
In 2025, we held over 800 events! Approximately 60% of those programs were targeted to specific age groups (survivors, children, young adults, families.) We offered a variety of events to facilitate learning, connection, and community building: Shabbat dinners, Jewish holiday celebrations, lectures, workshops, classes, exhibitions, and trips.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
JCC Krakow celebrates every Jewish holiday by hosting a variety of events that allow members of all ages to connect with their faith and heritage.
In 2025, we:
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had a total attendance of over 12,000 people,
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hosted over 700 events for our members alone
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celebrated all Jewish holidays with an average of 5 related events!
OPEN PROGRAMS
We aim to facilitate dialogue between the Jewish and non-Jewish communities of Krakow, priding ourselves on being an inclusive and welcoming institution. In 2025, we held 145 open events aimed at the broader community for over 3,600 participants.
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Jewish Culture Festival
As a partner of the Jewish Culture Festival, the largest in the world, we organized over 33 events, reaching over 1,400 people.
In total, we hosted:
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15 meetings and lectures
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8 educational workshops, including language classes
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10 other unique events, including movie screenings, art exhibition openings and guided walks
EDUCATION
We offer a wide range of lectures and educational classes for JCC Krakow community members and the broader Krakow community. For members, in addition to holiday programming, we organized 45 Jewish education events, including meetings with rabbis, lectures on Jewish culture/tradition, art workshops, film screenings, and tours.
HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR DAY
A JCC Krakow project that has blossomed into a global movement, Holocaust Survivor Day (June 4th annually) celebrates survivors’ bravery and resilience and spreads hope to the entire world.
In 2025, Holocaust Survivor Day continued to expand its international reach with official partner commemorations taking place at JCC Krakow, JCC Budapest, the Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Centre, Jewish communities in Sydney and Buenos Aires, the Melbourne Holocaust Museum, and numerous communities across North America. This growth reflects our success in positioning Holocaust Survivor Day as a globally recognized initiative.
At JCC Krakow, we hosted a garden party for Holocaust survivors and their families. As part of the celebration, families were invited to participate in professional portrait sessions; the photographs were later printed and personally delivered by members of the Hillel Club. These portraits are intended to serve as lasting, treasured mementos for survivors and their loved ones.
RIDE FOR THE LIVING
Ride For The Living (RFTL), first held in 2014, is a comprehensive educational, social, and spiritual fitness experience as well as our largest annual fundraiser. Centered on a 60-mile (97-km) bike ride from Auschwitz-Birkenau to JCC Krakow, from darkness to light, RFTL immerses participants in Jewish Krakow—past, present, and future. The in-person program takes place over four days and includes private tours of Auschwitz and Krakow, participation in Poland’s largest (700-person) Shabbat dinner, and events alongside the Jewish Culture Festival.
This year we celebrated the “Ride of the Decade” - the 10th edition of Ride For The Living (RFTL) - marking a true milestone in the history of our event. At the end of June, we had the honor of welcoming 243 participants from seven countries, who all came together to pay tribute to the victims of the Holocaust and celebrate the renewal of Jewish life in Krakow.
This year's bike ride included 200 riders, including 96-year-old Holocaust survivor, Bernard Offen. Among the participants were also the U.S. Consul General in Poland, Erin Nickerson, and the Chief Rabbi of Poland, Rabbi Michael Schudrich. For the third time, we also organized an alternative program in Krakow for those who did not wish or were unable to participate in the bike ride. The highlight of this alternative program was the 5K Walk For The Living (from the Plaszow Concentration Camp to JCC Krakow), which had over 60 participants.
HUMANITARIAN AID
On February 24, 2022, Russian troops fully invaded Ukraine, triggering a mass civilian exodus—with many seeking refuge in Poland. The very next day, JCC Krakow began operating as a humanitarian hub for displaced Ukrainian individuals. As of 2026, the center has directly assisted over 500,000 refugees and counting.
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The“Free Shop” distribution center
Our primary framework for distributing basic necessities to Ukrainian refugees is the “Free Shop” based out of our main JCC building. In 2025, the Free Shop was visited a total of 33,361 times, including 242 families who used the food pantry for the first time. A significant number of our clients are women with children, the elderly and people with disabilities. These demographics are often unable to support themselves, as the social support networks they have access to are often not enough to cover their basic costs of living. Additionally, many are unable to re-enter the workforce due to advanced age or other vulnerabilities, increasing their reliance on consistent humanitarian and social support.
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Housing
In 2025, we continued to provide housing assistance through a housing facility for women and children, as well as a long-term housing program for vulnerable families.
The long-term housing program provides partial or full support for housing costs for families facing a range of challenges, including medical needs, advanced age, and complex family circumstances. Based in Krakow, the program currently serves 18 families, helping ensure stable, safe housing for those who are least able to secure it independently.
Between January and April we continued operating the Paszkówka housing facility. Located in a XIX century palace, the facility was set up as a housing and care program primarily for women with children, and housed up to 80 people at once. The stay was free of charge and those living in the facility were provided with food, psychological support, job training and language classes. The facility was designed to provide people with a safe haven where they could regain their ability to become independent. The facility had a childcare program, making it easier for many mothers living in the facility to find at least partial employment in the area.
The program concluded at the end of April 2025 due to budgetary constraints. Residents were notified in advance, supported by staff in identifying alternative housing and services, and some received one-time financial assistance to help cover move-in costs.
The operation of the center in Paszkówka, located at Pałacowa Street, during the period from February 1 to March 31, 2025, was supported by a grant of PLN 180,000 provided by the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration of the United States, awarded through a call for proposals organized by the Stefan Batory Foundation in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
JCC Krakow maintains a robust volunteer program to assist with both daily operations and special events.
In 2025, we welcomed 65 new volunteers for our regular, year-round programming. Volunteers supported over 185 JCC events and collectively contributed over 4,000 volunteer hours.
We also offered additional volunteer opportunities for the Jewish Culture Festival, welcoming 30 volunteers. Ride For The Living was supported by 55 volunteers.
We also welcomed 120 volunteers assisting our humanitarian aid work, including 90 international volunteers and 20 local volunteers.
CAFE HAFUCH
Cafe Hafuch is a kosher cafe in Kazimierz that we opened in May 2024 in partnership with Cafe Central, an Israeli-owned coffee roastery from Warsaw.
Open daily (except Shabbat!) from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m, Hafuch is more than a café—it’s a vibrant meeting space for community members and a hub for Jewish events.
In 2025, the cafe celebrated its first anniversary with a special event featuring signature offerings and a coffee workshop led by the Head Barista. Throughout the year, it hosted a diverse range of activities, including Shabbat dinners, workshops, language classes, lectures, and events with partners, as well as gatherings for visiting groups and volunteers.
EXPENDITURE & REVENUE
Many of our members first learn about their Jewish roots as teens or young adults and enjoy the support of a community ready to welcome and teach them about their Jewish heritage. At the same time, we remain one of the only organizations continuing to provide Ukrainian refugees with support.
Below you can see how our total 2025 budget of $4,200,000 USD is broken down.
Overall Budget
Intergenerational Programming
Generational Programming
Ukraine Relief
Income by campaign
THANK YOU.
JCC Krakow would like to thank the organizational partners, board and council members, private foundations, and donors whose support makes it possible for us to serve our community.
Founders
JCC Krakow
Council & Board
JCC Krakow
Governing Council
Hilda Worth - President
Michael Berenbaum
Shimon Cohen
Monika Górecka
Magdalena Jenner
Adam Klimek
Barbara Shapiro
Dina Shiloh
Vicki Warner
JCC Krakow
Management Board
Paul Anticoni - President
Piotr Nawrocki - Vice President
Marta Derkowska - Treasurer
Serhii Chupryna
Monika Elliott
Gilad Mulyan
Ryszard Orowski
Karina Sokołowska Folwarczny
Friends of JCC Krakow Board
Vicki Warner
President
Elizabeth Szancer
Secretary
Dagan LaCorte
Treasurer
Carol Becker
Michael Berenbaum
Gregg Epstein
Shari Gersten
Justin Kadis
Beth Kean
Susan Lerner
Mel Mann
Rabbi Michael Paley
Sheri Sandler
Phil Schatten
Eric Schwartz
Top JCC Krakow supporters
The following individuals, couples, families, and organizations have made significant contributions* to JCC Krakow, supporting our work for the Jewish community and Ukrainian refugees.
*lifetime contribution of $25,000 or more
AJC Central Europe
Alight
American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
Anonymous Donors [8]
Anonymous Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation
Elaine & Max (z”l) Appel
The Jeffrey H. and Shari L. Aronson Family Foundation
Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center (Aventura, FL)
Ayelet Tours
Bader Philanthropies
Staci Barber & The Barber Family Foundation
Karen & Herbert (z"l) Baum
BBYO International
Janet & Jeffrey Beck
Carol Becker
The David Berg Foundation
Russell Berrie Foundation
Laura Bessen-Nichtberger & Steven Nichtberger
Beth Torah Congregation (Hyatsville, MD)
Robert Blatt
The Boxcar Foundation
The Brause Fund - Barry Brause, Rita Brause, Roberta Brause, Louis Brause (z"l)
Brown Rudnick
Safra Catz & Gal Tirosh
Andrea Cayton
Choose Love
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Poland & Latter-day Saint Charities
Ulrika & Joel Citron
Congregation Beth HaTephila (Asheville, NC)
Congregation Beth Israel (Portland, OR)
Congregation Beth Or (Maple Glen, PA)
Congregation Darchei Noam (North York, ON)
Congregation Ner Tamid (Henderson, NV)
Congregation of Reform Judaism (Orlando, FL)
Jodi & Wayne Cooperman
Felix Dashevsky
Patrick Dumont
Nina & Richard Edelman
Caryl Englander
Debbie & Jerry Epstein & Family
Darlynn & Tom Fellman
Michele & Drew Figdor
Rachael & Mark First
Marjorie Fiverson & The Gershwind Foundation
Fondazione Terre des Hommes Italia
Fundacja im. Stefana Batorego
Kimberly Gantcher Spodek & Stuart Spodek
Rebecca & Ken Gart
Lori & Bruce Gendelman
Melinda Goldrich & The Goldrich Family Foundation
Lori & Robert Goodman
Charles Grunfeld Foundation
Rachel Grynberg
Harbourton Foundation
J. Ira & Nicki Harris Family Foundation
Kim & Alan Hartman
Terry & Noel Hefty
Hillel International
Horodas Family Foundation
The Richard and Natalie Jacoff Foundation, Inc.
JCC Global
The Jenoff Family
Jewish Center of the Hamptons (East Hampton, NY)
Jewish Family and Children's Services of San Francisco The Peninsula Marin and Sonoma Counties
Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee
Jewish Federation of Detroit
Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County
The Jewish Federations of North America
The Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago
Suellen & Larry Kadis & the Kadis Family
Pamela & Evan Kaizer
Kaplen JCC on the Palisades (Tenafly, NJ)
Stephen Kaufer
Patricia Kenner
Rabbi David-Seth Kirshner, Temple Emanu El of Closter, NJ & The New Jersey Jewish Community
Dorothy & Sidney Kohl
Lisa Kohl
Lisa & Victor Kohn
Koret Foundation
Kevin Kotler
Irene Kronhill-Pletka & The Kronhill Pletka Foundation
Jill & Barry Lafer
The Ronald S. Lauder Foundation
Susan Lerner & Michael Roffer
Abby & Gigi Levy
Susan & Bart Lewis
Jayne Lipman & Robert Goodman
Lainie & Kenny Lipschutz
Genna Lozovsky
Dr. Rainer D. Maas & PEGASUS Residenz Dresden GmbH
Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation
The Maurer Family
Jen Maxfield & Scott Ostfeld
Madylon & Dean Meiling
Larry Miller
Marcia & Mark Miller Family Foundation
Ministerstwo Spraw Wewnętrznych i Administracji
Geraldine Mittelman
Larry & Carol Mizel
Cecile & Edward Mosberg, z"l
Jessica & Chuck Myers
Dana & Lukasz Niedzielscy
Or Hadasz Progressive Jewish Community of Krakow (Local Supporting Organization)
Michelle Ores & Chip Schorin
Richard Ossoff
Park Avenue Synagogue (New York, NY)
Lew Pollack
Carla Probus & Jonas Meyers
Sigmund Rolat, z"l
Marc Rowan
JoJo Rubach
Susan L. Saltz of the Gary Saltz Foundation
David Sambur
Mara Sandler
Sheri Sandler
Wendy & Neil Sandler
Ken Schack
Erica & Eric Schwartz
Barbara & Ed Shapiro
Sana & Vlad Shmunis
Robert Sillins Family Foundation
Sandra & Larry Small
Soka Gakkai Italian Buddhist Institute
SOS International
Linda & Jerry Spitzer
Michael Staenberg
Beverly & Bruce Stamper
Stephen Wise Free Synagogue (New York, NY)
Elizabeth Szancer & Tom Zoufaly
Arlene Taub
Taube Philanthropies
Temple Emanu-El (New York, NY)
Temple Isaiah of Contra Costa County (Lafayette, CA)
Temple Sinai (Oakland, CA)
Michelle & Scott Tesser
Diane & Tom Tuft & The Tuft Family Foundation
UJA-Federation of New York
Inez & Alexander (z"l) White
Susan Winfield & Stephen Grynberg
Wolf Foundation
World Jewish Congress
World Jewish Relief
Get Involved
95% of JCC Krakow's operating budget each year is raised overseas from foundations, Federations, synagogues, families, and individuals.
We need your help to continue building a Jewish future in Krakow. Your gift has a direct and lasting impact on the lives of hundreds of Jews who are revitalizing Jewish life in Krakow and Ukrainian refugees who depend on the JCC for support.