Under the gracious sky of Kazimierz, we will host a seven-day cultural event for the very first time. At the same time, it will be the first of many new chapters of the Festival that we will invite you to throughout the Jewish year. The Festival itself will remain fixed in our firmament, as constant as the Sun. But new “planets” will appear in its orbit, forming ever-changing constellations of events, each connected to a particular Jewish holiday.
We hope that in this way we will also begin a new tradition: celebrating these holidays together in the open, welcoming space of our Festival. In other words — we are launching a series of beautiful and joyful cultural events across the map of Kazimierz!
Just five days after Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, one of the most joyful Jewish holidays begins: Sukkot. We have built a program around it, and we warmly invite you all to join us.
Below you will find musical events and other events held in English, for full program in Polish, please visit here.
start: Friday, September 25th
end: Friday, October 2nd
Synagoga Wysoka, ul. Józefa 38
Dungeons & Dragons: Exodus from Egypt
Adam Dabedoub, Elisha Offenbach-Bar
The Jewish Culture Festival invites you to a Dungeons & Dragons adventure set during the Exodus from Egypt, following in the footsteps of Moses and his people.
During these week-long workshops, you can reserve a seat at the gaming table and take part in adventures unfolding at different stages of the Exodus journey. Players will have the opportunity to influence the course of events and actively participate in the great journey across the deserts of Sinai.
The first story follows the escape from Egypt and the first challenges faced by the Israelites as they began their new life as wanderers in the wilderness (sessions within Adventure 1).
The second story takes place at the foot of Mount Sinai and focuses on the challenges and conflicts that arose while the people waited for Moses to return (sessions within Adventure 2).
The third story takes place towards the end of the journey, when the people of Israel reach the land of Canaan and face new challenges connected with finally reaching the destination of their journey (sessions within Adventure 3).
The workshops are held in English on the dates specified in the schedule provided in the registration form.
We recommend reserving your seat at the table in advance via the online registration form so you don’t miss the chance to join the adventure. All game materials and accessories will be provided on site. Just show up — and feel free to bring a notebook if you wish.
You can join us for one session, two, or all three!
Admission free · Reservations recommended
Friday, September 25th
7:00 pm
Cheder, ul. Józefa 36
Hineni
Avraham Cohen & Talia Erdal Duo
An intimate musical journey through the songs, poetry and spiritual world of Leonard Cohen — the legendary Montreal-born poet and mystic, whom Rabbi Mordecai Finley called “the greatest living liturgist of our time.”
Actor and musician Avraham Cohen, Artistic Director of the Jerusalem Piyut Ensemble and creator of the Broken Hallelujah project, joins forces with cellist, vocalist, composer and songwriter Talia Erdal, former principal cellist of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, to perform a selection of Leonard Cohen’s most beautiful songs in intimate arrangements for cello, guitar and two voices.
Blending Cohen’s timeless music with echoes of Jewish prayer and the ancient poetry of piyut, the artists create a moving and deeply spiritual experience, revealing the unique connections between Cohen’s work and the Jewish traditions of liturgy and poetry.
Avraham Cohen (vocals, guitar)
Talia Erdal (vocals, cello)
Tickets: 60 PLN and 45 PLN — available online via the Jewish Culture Festival ticket shop
Tuesday, September 29th
7:00 pm
Cheder, ul. Józefa 36
Adam Chichportiche Trio
In their work, the artists combine the Middle Eastern maqam with Western harmonic theory and jazz-inspired improvisation. Their repertoire ranges from lyrical, carefully crafted compositions to energetic, intense improvisations. Pushing the traditional possibilities of each instrument, the musicians create a unique space for multicultural encounter. The ensemble’s repertoire highlights its distinctive musical language, which is at once timeless and deeply personal.
Adam Chichportiche (lavta)
Ariel Bart (harmonica)
Peter Somos (percussion)
Tickets: 60 PLN and 45 PLN — available online via the Jewish Culture Festival ticket shop
Thursday, October 1st
6:00 pm
Cheder, ul. Józefa 36
Serach, Daughter of Asher – A Journey Through Jewish Time
Yael Gidanyan
A journey through time combining storytelling, movement and music with tradition and memory. The performance takes audiences on a journey through Jewish time, following the traces of the mysterious and timeless figure of Serach, daughter of Asher.
Through stories, midrashic sources, local traditions and musical threads, we travel across diverse Jewish communities, with a particular focus on the world of Persian Jewry, where a rich and vibrant tradition surrounding Serach has survived for centuries. There, she is remembered as a companion, guardian and a figure connecting generations, places and memories.
The performance also offers a glimpse into the Jewish community of Djerba, which has preserved its own unique tradition concerning Serach, daughter of Asher. Bringing together text, voice, history and oral tradition, the performance presents Serach as a figure who transcends the boundaries of time and place, remaining an enduring presence in Jewish memory, passed down from generation to generation.
Yael Gidanyan is a multidisciplinary artist and an expert on the world of Iranian Jewry. She lives in Jerusalem and is a mother of two. She serves as Director of the Culture Department at the Yad Izhak Ben-Zvi Institute. In her artistic and research work, she explores the figure of Serach, daughter of Asher. Together with her artistic partner, Janet Rothstein-Yehudayan, she has created and performed two original productions devoted to Serach and the traditions that have grown around this remarkable figure.
Admission free · Performance in English
Friday, October 2nd
7:00 pm
Cheder, ul. Józefa 36
Tavera Ensemble
Tavera is a world music ensemble founded in 2017, creating original music inspired by ancient musical traditions and transforming them into a contemporary, vibrant and innovative artistic language. Their work can be described as a kind of musical ritual, intended to awaken the inner fire of the listeners.
The ensemble’s compositions draw inspiration from the maqam traditions of the East, enriched by influences from Western classical music and a powerful rock sound.
Rooted in a deep respect for tradition while embracing a vibrant, contemporary artistic vision, Tavera creates raw, powerful music grounded in ancient sources — music that is reborn here and now in a new and relevant form.
Ori Eshed (Azerbaijani tar)
Alexandra Marcu (cello)
Neomi Bezalel (Cretan lyra)
Yoni Ben Dor (tombak, davul)
Daniel Giladi (riq, frame drum, kanjira)
Tickets: 60 PLN and 45 PLN — available online via the Jewish Culture Festival ticket shop
