INFORMATION SERVICE     

JEWISH LIFE IN POLAND TODAY

Union of Jewish Religious Communitites in Poland

(Zwiazek Gmin Wyznaniowych Zydowskich w RP)

The Union was registered in 1993 as the successor to the Religious Union of the Jewish Faith that had been founded in 1946. It operates on the basis of the 1997 law regarding the state's relationship to Jewish religious Communities and other internal legislation.

It is the legal successor to the prewar Communities, and represents Polish Jews in their efforts to reclaim prewar property of the Jewish Communities and other religious legal persons in restitution legal claims. The aim of the Union is to organize the religious and cultural life of the members of Communities in Poland.

In particular, the Union organizes religious services and cultivates religious life, founds and maintains Jewish Communities, maintains synagogues and prayer houses, kosher cafeterias, cemeteries, ritual baths, and organizes ritual slaughter and supervises the supply of kosher foods. The Union also maintains institutions having a religious character, such as the chevra kaddisha - the brotherhoods made up of volunteers who care for the dead. The Union also conducts far-reaching social welfare activities and publishes magazines and books. The Union is a partner to many state and other institutions in efforts to protect the Jewish heritage in Poland and making historical monuments that are part of Poland's heritage more accessible. The Union runs Jewish schools, organizes courses, activities, seminars, conferences and training sessions.
The Union is comprised of the eight Jewish Communities in Warsaw, Wroclaw, Krakow, Lodz, Szczecin, Katowice, Bielsko-Biala and Legnica. Smaller Jewish groups have Union branch offices. In addition to having its own funds, the Union also receives support from Joint (JDC); specific projects are supported by the Ministry of Culture and Art and other sponsors.

The Union and Jewish Communities gather Jewish adults, and those of Jewish heritage who do not confess another faith, who are Polish citizens and live in Poland. Piotr Kadlcik is the head the Union.

Union representatives participate in the European Jewish Congress, the European Council of Jewish Communities, the Foundation for the Protection of Jewish Heritage in Poland, the American Jewish Committee (AJC), the Polish National Convention of Restitution Organizations in Poland, and the World Federation of Polish Jews.

The Union is the main Jewish institutional partner in Poland for many institutions, organizations, associations, Churches and religious unions.
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Zwiazek Gmin Wyznaniowych Zydowskich w RP
ul. Twarda 6
00-104 Warsaw
Tel: +48 22 620-06-76
Tel: +48 22 620-43-24
Fax: +48 22 620-10-37

Email: sekretariat@jewish.org.pl

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