Despite All Odds: Jews in Poland Today by Dr. Edyta Gawron
The history of Poland’s Jews did not end with the Holocaust. Despite the near-total destruction of the prewar Jewish community, Jewish life in Poland survived—and continues to take new forms. After decades shaped by trauma, postwar antisemitism, and the restrictions of the Communist era, Jewish communities slowly re-emerged, adapting to changing political and social realities.
Since 1989, Jewish life in Poland has undergone a quiet but remarkable revival. Although small in number, today’s Jewish community is active, diverse, and increasingly visible. New religious, cultural, and educational initiatives have appeared, often led by younger generations rediscovering Jewish identities once hidden or suppressed. Polish Jewish life today is both deeply local and strongly connected to global Jewish networks and conversations about memory, history, and belonging.
By examining Jewish life in Poland from both historical and contemporary perspectives, this lecture challenges narratives of disappearance and closure. Focusing on Kraków, it explores a city where past and present meet. Jewish Kraków exists in an in-between space—shaped by heritage and everyday life, by local traditions and global connections. Through this lens, the lecture challenges the idea that Jewish life in Poland belongs only to the past, showing a story of resilience, renewal, and continuity—despite all odds.
About the speaker:
Dr. Edyta Gawron is Historian and Associate Professor at Jagiellonian University in Kraków (Institute of Jewish Studies). She is the author and co-author of many publications on the history of Polish Jews, particularly Kraków’s Jewish community, including her most recent book: ”Nie tylko Kroke. Historia Żydów krakowskich” [Beyond Kroke. The history of Kraków’s Jews; Krakow 2022]. Dr. Gawron serves as Chairperson of the Advisory Board of the European Holocaust Research Infrastructure (EHRI-ERIC) and as an external expert for the European Commission. Dr. Gawron is also an exhibition curator and chairperson of the Galicia Jewish Heritage Institute Foundation (Galicia Jewish Museum in Kraków).
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