A memorable Tu B’Shevat in Lodz, Poland
The Jewish community in Lodz, Poland, with Shavei Israel emissary Rabbi Dawid Szychowski, celebrated a very special Tu B’Shevat.
The first part was aimed to meet with Polish activists who preserve the Jewish heritage of their town. The participants learnt from Rabbi Dawid about Tu B’Shevat and Lidka Checinska from Piotrkow Trybunalski presented the “Kesher” organization and her own activities in preserving the Jewish heritage in her town. She is the first activist to present from a list of activists in the region that will be invited to present their work in the coming meetings during the annual program on “The Jewish cycle of holidays – cultural and universal perspectives”
For the second part of the event, everyone went to the special Tent of Peace, prepared by the Catholic Church as part their participation in “Days of Judaism”.
The “Days of Judaism” have been celebrated every year since 1998 in many towns in Poland by the Catholic Church. It’s an opportunity for Catholics to rediscover the Jewish roots of their religion and remind them that anti-Semitism is a sin.
The Tent of Peace was erected in a place where there once was the Baluty Jewish Synagogue.
The event started with a moving concert.
The main part of the evening was a Tu B’Shevat ‘seder’ led by Rabbi Szychowski, who explained the meaning of the symbols and of the holiday.
Photo credit: Pawel Mnich
