3:00-10:00 pm  PROJECT “LA PLAYA: WARSAW – TEL AVIV”

Tel Aviv transported on the bank of the Vistula river. We are inviting all participants of the festival to visit the beach in the center of Warsaw, a place evoking the hot atmosphere of Tel Aviv. Everyone visiting the La Playa club on that day will find out that the Vistula can become the Mediterranean Sea. La Playa’s guests will be able to choose from a variety of attractions. They will have the opportunity to listen to Israeli music, rest on a deckchair under a palm tree or see the photos of Małgorzata Krasucka – Margalit, depicting the culture and everyday life of contemporary Israel. It will be the only day of the year when Tel Aviv – sister city of Warsaw – will appear on the bank of the Vistula river.

The program of the event includes:

3:00 pm lecture “Israel in Rock – Musical history of Israel” by Alon Simhayoff, cultural attaché of the Embassy of Israel (lecture in English)

4:30 pm educational-artistic workshops for children conducted by Aleksandra Karkowska

4:30 pm Malka Kafka from Tel-Aviv Café+Deli invites to a tasting of Israeli snacks and a fabulous story about the tastes of the Orient

5:00 pm lecture about contemporary Israel given by Nili Amit

6:00 pm dance workshops conducted by Michał Piróg

7:30 pm screening of the film “Ashkenazis” (Dalia Mevorach, Dani Dothana)

9:00 pm concert of Maciej Trifonidis

Maciej Trifonidis – composer, multi-instrumentalist, music and sound producer. His music is characterized by a unique energy and a play with texture and form. Apart from sophisticated jazz themes, in the compositions of Trifonidis we will hear courageous experiments and wild free jazz improvisations, symphonic film moods. Maciej co-creates the bands Free Orchestra, Trifonidis „illuminations” Project, Trifonidis Orchestra, Trifonidis Frisbee Trio,Tricphonix and Horny Trees.

Event organized in cooperation with the Warsaw La Playa Music Bar and Tel-Aviv Café+Deli

La Playa Club, 1/5 Wybrzeże Helskie

5:00 pm The Film Debating Club of the Shalom Foundation presents: “Liberation” by Arnold Schwartzman, from the collection of documentaries published by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, “History of the Jewish Nation in the 20^th century”

Direction: Arnold Schwartzman, Narration: Whoopi Goldberg, Ben Kingsley, Miriam Margolyes, Jean Boht, Patrick Stewart, USA 1994, 99 min.

The film tells the dramatic story of the battle waged on two fronts during the War: the Allied campaign to liberate Europe and Hitler’s genocidal war against the Jews. This work uses film materials, broadcasts and music from archival collections throughout the world.

After the screening, the debate “How I survived, or the Book of Miracles” will be held, with the participation of witnesses of the liberation: Halina Szpilman and Guta Bojczyk. The meeting will be moderated by Alexander Kapłan.

Special thanks:

“Verbe & Lumière” Association under the aegis of the Simon Wiesenthal Center Europe for this initiative and for organizing the discussion panel; the Simon Wiesenthal Center Europe and Moriah Films for their consent to screen this film; Dr. Shimon Samuels, Foreign Affairs Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center; Ms Lucyna Gutman Grauer for the translation.

Film from the video library of Alexander Kapłan (France).

Mamele Club, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Admission by prior reservation only, tel. 22 620 55 85; 652 16 48

5:00 pm “Revived Singer’s world in moving paintings and sculptures”

vernissage of the exhibition of the “Transform” Artistic Group and multimedia show of moving paintings and sculptures

The exhibition includes paintings and sculptures of three authors: Lila Fijałkowska, Włodzimierz Pastuszak and Wiesław Fijałkowski – collaborating within the “TRANSFORM” Artistic Group. The artists present a combination of two worlds: the real one and the virtual one. Thanks to digital technology, static paintings and sculptures revive under the very eyes of the audience. As a result, the mystical meaning of I.B. Singer’s works merges with music and visual art, creating one whole. The achievements of the authors include numerous individual and collective exhibitions in Poland and abroad. Their works are parts of museum and private collections throughout the world.

www.liliart.com.pl ; www.wlodzimierzpastuszak.pl

The multimedia shows of moving paintings and sculptures are held on weekdays at 6:00 pm and on Sundays at 4:00 pm.

Foyer of the Jewish Theater, 12/16 Grzybowski Square, exhibition open until September 30th.

7:00 pm “1666” – first-night performance of the Jewish Theater based on I.B. Singer’s novel

Direction and stage design: Michał Zadara, assistant of the director: Łukasz Korczak

Music: Asa Horvitz

cast: Monika Chrząstowska, Ewa Greś, Ernestyna Winnicka, Henryk Rajfer, Piotr Sierecki, Jerzy Walczak, Marek Węglarski, Piotr Wiszniowski and Teresa Wrońska – piano.

This stage adaptation is based on the only book Singer published in Warsaw in 1935. The first novel of the future Nobel laureate is set in 17th-century Poland but raises difficult questions concerning our time: to what extent can ideology determine a man and to what extremities can the fight for power carry people? Singer describes how a community under the influence of ideology loses contact with reality and sinks deeper and deeper into madness.

Michał Zadara and the New York composer Asa Horvitz create a hypnotic series of images telling a timeless story about a community that destroys itself and about Satan, who – as Singer shows – can inhabit any man too convinced of his rightness.

fringe event

Main Stage of the Jewish Theater, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Tickets can be purchased at the Jewish Theater box office from August 1^st, 2011, tel. 22 850 56 56 and on www.eBilet.pl

9:00 pm “The Vistula whispers in Yiddish” – concert of the klezmer band GROOVEHEADZ (Austria) on the “Herbatnik” barge

We would like to invite you to come and dance on planks and sing together with us. The dance workshops will be conducted by Michał Piróg. The singing workshops will be conducted by Teresa Wrońska.

One day, Sholem Asch, one of the most famous Yiddish writers in the world, told his friend Witkacy about the magic of the Vistula landscapes: “Vistula whispers to me in Yiddish”. Asch was referring to Poland from the interwar period. At that time, 3.5 million Jews lived in this country, which amounted to 10% of its whole population.

Groove Headz is a Balkan ska mashup with a strong wind instrument section from Bulgaria, twisted beats from the Czech Republic and Christiana Uikiza, a soloist from Romania. The band’s message is simple: we should party like there’s no tomorrow! GROOVEHEADZ play with lightness and humor, you won’t find such music on pop charts. With their amazing album “Hade, haide, hai!” they have created a new pop style: ten powerful dance pieces played uncompromisingly and wildly, according to their motto: “Party, party and party again!”. Performing: Christiana Uikiza – singing, Benjamin Angerer – bass, Rupert Träxler – guitar, Klaus Zalud – percussion, Dominik Fuss – trumpet, Lubomir Gospodinov – saxophone.

Czerniakowski Port in Warsaw, 130/132 Czerniakowska Street

Event organized in cooperation with the “Ja Wisła” Foundation

1:00 pm Jewish Literary Salon: “Ester Krejtman – forgotten sister of famous writers” meeting with Bella Szwarcman-Czarnota,

philosopher, translator, editor, columnist and co-founder of the “Midrasz” monthly, author of the books “Znalazłam wczorajszy dzień” (“I have found yesterday”), “Mocą przepasały swe biodra” (“They tied power on their hips”) and “Cenniejsza niż perły” (“More precious than pearls”).

Mamele Club, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Admission by prior reservation only, tel. 22 620 55 85; 652 16 48

2:30-4:00 pm “Jewish legends and fairy tales” – series of events for children devoted to Jewish culture

Artistic workshops for children conducted by Etel Szyc and Hanna Kossowska

Etel Szyc – actress, Jewish culture teacher, she works at the Jewish Lauder-Morasha school in Warsaw, conducts workshops for adults, youth and children throughout the country

Hanna Kossowska – visual artist, actress, teacher and mashgicha – guard of kosherness at the Warsaw Jewish Community (she checks if the meals in canteens are prepared according to the rules of kosher)

TSKŻ Club, Courtyard of the Jewish Theater, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

2:30 pm “Beauty of Hebrew manuscripts”: workshop and presentation by Monika Krajewska

Illuminated manuscripts on parchment are a field of Jewish art that is extremely rich in masterpieces. While Torah scrolls on parchment cannot be decorated, other religious texts have become important areas of illustrators’ activity. Colorful miniatures full of glidings present Biblical motifs, Midrashim, scenes depicting holidays and customs. The participants of these workshops will see examples of manuscript ornaments and thus inspired will have the opportunity to work on their own richly decorated Hebrew words (e.g. shalom, shabbat, mizrach), using pen and ink, felt-tips and elements sticked following the technique of collage. Artistic experience and knowledge of Hebrew are not necessary.

Workshop for adults and young people.

Austrian Cultural Forum, 8 Próżna Street

3:00 pm Masters of Jewish theater: “Tales from the Grodzka Gate” NN Theater

Adaptation and direction: Tomasz Pietrasiewicz, performing: Witold Dąbrowski.

The NN Theater appears at the “Singer’s Warsaw” festival almost every year. It usually presents one-man performances from the series “Tales from the Grodzka Gate”. Sometimes the actor is accompanied by musicians, sometimes he accompanies himself on guitar. He sings and tells stories collected by the Grodzka Gate in Lublin – stories sent by various people, found in documents and read in books. The short stories by I.B. Singer are a frequent inspiration for these performances.

Small Stage of the Jewish Theater, 1^st floor, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Tickets can be purchased at the Jewish Theater box office from August 1^st, 2011, tel. 22 850 56 56 and on www.eBilet.pl

3:00 pm “Tell me your story” – a meeting with Lilka Rozenbaum-Elbaum (USA)

Excerpts of Lilka’s mother Maria Koper’s diary written during the war will be read by Ernestyna Winnicka. Meeting moderated by Justyna Sobolewska.

This meeting will be a story about the trip taken by Lilka Elbaum in order to honor the Chorążkiewicz family – who rescued Maria Koper during the war – with the title “Righteous Among the Nations”. Her efforts will be crowned on August 22^nd, 2011 in Warsaw, when the ceremony of honoring the family with the Righteous title will be held. Special guest: Joanna Zielińska, granddaughter of Mr and Ms Chorążkiewicz, whom Lilka Elbaum found with the help of the Shalom Foundation.

Lilka Elbaum was born in Poland. In 1968 she emigrated to Canada. She held various managerial positions both in the public and private sector – she was, among others, Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade. In 1996 she moved to Boston, where she performed numerous functions, such as being Executive Director of the North American Council of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews. Lilka is also board member of the American Association of Polish Jewish Studies and a representative of the Shalom Foundation in the US.

Mamele Club, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Admission by prior reservation only, tel. 22 620 55 85; 652 16 48

4:00 pm Opening of Próżna-Hois

Vernissage of the exhibition “Children from courtyards… of Isaac Bashevis Singer”

Jola-HaLevy-Drabik

This exhibition of paintings/photograms and collages presents children from courtyards and streets of contemporary Jerusalem. Despite the historic and material distance separating these figures from the children from courtyards and streets of prewar Warsaw described by Isaac Bashevis Singer, their spiritual and physical similarity is indisputable.

The vernissage will be enriched with a multimedia project – a reviving of paintings – prepared in cooperation with Włodzimierz Pastuszak.

Jola -HaLevy- Drabik, guide and Hebrew translator, presents a collection of photograms from Jerusalem, where she spent 365 days. During her stay, she used to take pictures every day. She spent many years in Israel. She had the privilege to show the Holy Land to the Polish traveler and film-maker Tony Halik.

www.jerozolima-jeruszalajim.eu

Próżna-Hoiz Restaurant, 14 Próżna Street

4:30 pm Unpainted Jewish women with oranges – wood drawings by Alexander Gierymski, Józef Pankiewicz and Władysław Podkowiński – vernissage of the exhibition

Curator: Paweł Szapiro

Wood engravings based on the drawings of A. Gierymski. A review of the artist’s works, mostly – but not only – devoted to the Jewish subject, published in 19^th-century illustrated weeklies, among them numerous copies of his own paintings (e.g. “Pomarańczarka”). Apart from that, the exhibition includes about a dozen prints based on drawings by J. Pankiewicz and Wł. Podkowiński.

Exhibition open until September 30th; opening hours: Mon-Fri 9:00 am – 8:00 pm, Sat-Sun 11.00 am – 9:00 pm, from September 5^th Mon-Fri 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Austrian Cultural Forum, 8 Próżna Street

5:00 pm Masters of Jewish theater

“Taibele and Her Demon” – State Jewish Theatre in Bucharest, Romania

Polish premiere of a performance based on the play “Taibele and Her Demon” by I.B. Singer.

direction: Szabó K. István, script: Eve Friedman, music: Horváth Károly, stage design and costumes: Bianca Imelda Jeremias, choreography: Tünde Baczó.

cast: Alexandra Fasolă, Mircea Drîmbăreanu, Geni Brenda, Veaceslav Grosu, Cornel Ciupercescu, Viorel Manole, Nicolae Botezatu

Performance in Yiddish with simultaneous translation

The State Jewish Theatre in Bucharest has existed incessantly for 125 years, including over 50 years as a state institution. The theater occupies a unique place on the map of international Yiddish culture. It offers its audience a broad choice of performances based on works of Yiddish authors such as Sholem Aleihem, I.L. Peretz, Mendele Moher Sforim, S. Anski and Jacob Gordin. Its repertoire also includes works of world-famous classic authors such as Ibsen, Molière, Balzac, Brecht, Lessing.

Main Stage of the Jewish Theater, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Tickets can be purchased at the Jewish Theater box office from August 1^st, 2011, tel. 22 850 56 56 and on www.eBilet.pl

5:00 pm Vernissage of the project “Próżna Street on Chłodna Street”: “OURS – NOT OURS”

Also called “OUR STRANGERS”

They are not strangers in general, because such a thing does not exist.

“Strangeness” appears as soon as we define it.

Our strangers are those we mark.

They appear in various contexts.

In private and political life,

in the lives of individuals and great communities.

They do not have to be aggressive, they do not need to think we are strangers to them, they do not even need to be aware of our presence.

They constitute a danger by their very existence.

The exhibition “OURS – NOT OURS” otherwise known as project “Próżna Street on Chłodna Street” is devoted to this subject.

Curator: Krystyna Piotrowska

Among the artists participating in this year’s exhibition are: Anna Baumgart, Sharon Bareket, Lesław Dobrucki, Edward Dwurnik, Małgorzata Gurowska, Paweł Grześ, Joanna Helander, Zuzanna Janin, Paweł Jóźwiak-Rodan, Dorota Nieznalska, Ivo Nikic, Eric Scott, Jean Gabriel Periot, Paweł Susid, Konrad Pustoła, Wojtek Pustoła, Karol Radziszewski, Jonathan Rozenbaum, Szu szu - Piotr Kopik, Joanna Turowicz, Amir Yatziv.

Fringe event

The exhibition will be held at 29 Chłodna Street, in the building where the cinema “Czary” had existed before the war.

5:30 pm Vernissage of the exhibition “INFINITY OF ART” by Bożenna Leszczyńska, PositiveArt group, Warsaw District of the Union of Polish Artists

Bożenna Leszczyńska graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź at the Faculty of Graphic Arts, she also specialized in fashion, commercial and jewelry design. Her works were exhibited in Poland, Belgium, France and the US, both at individual and collective exhibitions. She is member of the Artistic Council of the Warsaw District of the Union of Polish Artists.

Patio of the Jewish Theater, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

6:30 pm ACACIAS AND CINNAMON. A MONTAGE.

Performance based on excerpts of the correspondence and prose of Bruno Schulz, Debora Vogel and others, as well as on the book “Regiony wielkiej herezji i okolic” (“Regions of great heresy and surroundings”) by Jerzy Ficowski. It will be presented in the form of “work in progress”

Script and direction: Joanna Grabowiecka, Stage design: Melania Muras, Cast: Ewa Greś, Sylwia Najah, Ernestyna Winnicka

In her diaries, Zofia Nałkowska wrote that the letters of Bruno Schulz were “delightfully beautiful”. Very few letters exchanged between the author of Cinnamon shops and “his women” – Debora Vogel, Romana Halpern, Anna Płockier – have survived to this day. Many of them were saved by the invaluable Jerzy Ficowski. These letters, combined with accounts devoted to this correspondence and acquaintance (Zofia Nałkowska, Józefina Szelińska), create a fascinating portrait of a complicated man, full of contradictions, juggling with words and emotions in a masterly fashion – as well as a portrait of his idea of Woman, “idol and queen”.

Small Stage of the Jewish Theater, 1st floor, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Tickets can be purchased at the Jewish Theater box office from August 1^st, 2011, tel. 22 850 56 56 and on www.eBilet.pl

6:30 pm Club of Jewish Culture Lovers

“Medicinal customs of Galicia Hasidim in the second half of the 19^th century” – lecture of Marek Tuszewicki (Jagiellonian University) – historian and translator, PhD student at the Jewish Studies Department of the History Faculty of the Jagiellonian University, where he is working on a PhD thesis devoted to Hasidic customs.

Próżna-Hoiz Restaurant, 14 Próżna Street

8:00 pm OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE FESTIVAL: Cantor’s concert of

JOSEPH MALOVANY (USA) accompanied by

The Choir of the White Stork Synagogue in Wrocław conducted by Stanisław Rybarczyk and Piotr Rojek – electronic organ

Joseph Malovany – he was born, raised and educated in Israel. His father came from Poland, he settled in Palestine in the thirties. His mother was a Hungarian Jew. Since his childhood, Malovany has displayed a great talent for music. As a young man he was admitted to the Music Academy of the Tel-Aviv University, where he started studying piano, composition, singing and orchestral and choral conducting. Solomon Ravits, a famous cantor from Kharkov and Odessa, taught him vocal technique.

Malovany is one of the most outstanding Jewish artists in the world and the most famous cantor of our time. “Pavarotti of the synagogue”, as he is often called, does not limit himself to synagogue singing, he often performs secular pieces: apart from psalms and esoteric liturgy, he sings oratorios, opera arias, solo vocal parts in great symphonic works, Hasidic songs and even light Neapolitan melodies. Malovany has served as cantor of the famous synagogue on the Fifth Avenue in New York for over thirty years. He performed liturgical songs in unique interpretations in Israel, the US, Great Britain, Spain, Lithuania, Russia, Canada, Brasil, Hungary and Poland. It will be his third performance at the “Singer’s Warsaw” festival. His concerts at the Nożyk Synagogue in 2005 and 2007 were enthusiastically received by the audience.

Choir of the White Stork Synagogue – is the only synagogue choir in Poland. It was founded in April 1996 on the initiative of the conductor Stanisław Rybarczyk and the students of the Wrocław Music Academy. The inaugural concert was held in June 1996. The choir sings on the invitation of various institutions and during holiday services at the Wrocław Jewish Community.

Nożyk Synagogue, 6 Twarda Street

Men are asked to wear headdresses. Seats are not numbered

Admission by prior reservation only, tel. 22 620 55 85; 652 16 48

8:00 pm Inauguration of the film review “Masters of bit parts: Włodzimierz Boruński”

“Mrzonka” (“Chimera”), dir. Janusz Majewski, Poland 1985, 63 min.

“Mrzonka” is a nostalgic story full of metaphors, describing the miraculous appearance of Christ on the streets of contemporary Warsaw. The main character of the film, Mr B., gives an account of the events to a patient yet mysterious interlocutor. Christ was summoned by an old, sick Jewish tailor who burnt a hole in the trousers he had just made. This hole made God decide that the tailor’s cup of bitterness had filled to the brim and that his life was already too full of suffering and misery. Paradoxically, only old Jews – witnesses of the miraculous appearance – appreciate the significance of this exceptional visit. Others regard it as a psychiatric problem. Or maybe everything is just a fantasy of a sick mind?

In July 2011 will be celebrated the 105th anniversary of the birth of this outstanding actor with a charismatic personality, master of the background and bit player, who had only one opportunity to be leading actor – which should be regarded as a great loss for the Polish cinema: Włodzimierz Boruński.

It is a perfect opportunity to remind everyone about this outstanding artist who, during almost 25 years of his career, created a whole gallery of Jewish characters (and not only Jewish). In this mini-review we are presenting 8 films from Boruński’s career – from his debut in “Zaduszki” by T. Konwicki to his last film – “Mrzonka”, directed by J. Majewski. This last work was a brilliant display of his acting talent. Boruński managed to manifest an elusive and intangible quality that determines a special dimension and value of humanity.

Review organized in cooperation with the National Film Archive

Iluzjon Cinema, National Library, S. Dembe Hall, entrance A, 213 Al. Niepodległości

Tickets can be purchased at the Iluzjon Cinema box office, tel. 646 12 60

5:00 pm Club of Jewish Culture Lovers

Through the eyes of a child: Polish-Jewish cultural relations in children’s literature – lecture given by Natalia Krynicka (France) – Yiddish literature scholar and translator working at the Medema Library in Paris, Yiddish language and literature academic teacher of the Yiddish Culture Center (Maison de la Culture Yiddish) at the Sorbonne University.

Próżna-Hoiz Restaurant, 14 Próżna Street

5:00 pm Screening of the film “Homebound through the world: the lifetime journey of Frederic Morton” and meeting with Frederic Morton from the series “Tell me your story”

Screenplay and direction: Andrea Eckert, Austria 2009, documentary, production: Fischer Film, ORF, 60 min.

”Homebound through the world” is a film about returning to one’s homeland and about a man living in two different worlds: one alien to him in terms of geography and the other alien to him in terms of time. Morton’s real American self lives in the thirties in Vienna. Born as Fritz Mandelbaum, he escapes the Nazis and emigrates to the US in February 1940.

Frederic Morton – writer of Austrian descent. In 1939 he emigrated to London and later to the US. Since 1949 he has been conducting academic research in the fields of literary studies and social sciences. He soon started publishing his own books and articles. He writes mainly in English. He achieved international renown thanks to his novel ”The Rothschilds. A family portrait”. He devoted many of his novels to the history of Austria and was twice nominated to the National Book Award.

Austrian Cultural Forum, 8 Próżna Street

6:00 pm Judaica of the Praga district:

– A walk presenting the places – those that still exist and those that have disappeared – connected with Jewish culture, showing the contribution of the Jewish community to the life and development of the district. The participants will be guided by Katarzyna Chudyńska – Szuchnik.

Katarzyna Chudyńska-Szuchnik – journalist, blogger (http://warsoff.blox.pl/), city guide specializing in walks around the Praga district and in alternative ways of visiting Warsaw. She draws up original routes, she also described two routes (Praga Północ and Praga Południe) in the guide “Women’s Warsaw” (Biblioteka Polityki, 2011). She collaborates with Praga artists, with the Hereditas Foundation and the “Barwy Kultury” Association.

After the walk we are inviting everyone to come to the “Zwiąż Mnie” Club and participate in a quiz conducted by Katarzyna Chudyńska-Szuchnik. There are prizes for the winners.

In cooperation with the “Zwiąż mnie”Club.

Assembly point: In front of the entrance to the “Zwiąż Mnie” Club, 22, 11 Listopada Street

From August 29th to September 3rd we would also like to invite you to the “Zwiąż Mnie” Club to a promotion of Israeli kosher wine, beer and to a tasting of various Jewish dishes.

6:00 pm “Konik na biegunach” (“Rocking horse”) – concert of Michał Hochman (USA)

Michał Hochman – singing, Andrzej Olewiński – guitar, Rafał Grząka – accordion, Wojciech Gumiński – bass, Barbara Galas – percussion.

Michał Hochman – legendary figure of the Lublin bohemia from the sixties. He made his debut at the age of 15. He was the first Polish performer of the famous hit “Diana” by Paul Anka, which brought him the nickname of the Polish Paul Anka. He also sang the song “Konik na biegunach” (“A rocking horse”), popularized by Urszula in the nineties. He won numerous awards and was honored with distinctions at competitions, polls and song festivals. In 1966 he performed at the National Festival of Polish Song in Opole. He recorded songs for the Channel 3 of the Polish Radio. In 1968 the Hochman family was forced to emigrate from Poland. Michał Hochman dreamt of a stage career but in the US he became an ecology expert. He returned to Lublin in 1984 and in 1986 his friends organized for him the concert “Homecoming”.

Mamele Club, 12/16  Grzybowski Square

Admission by prior reservation only, tel. 22 620 55 85; 652 16 48

6:00 pm Film review “Masters of bit parts: Włodzimierz Boruński”

“Zaduszki” (“All Souls’ Day”), dir. Tadeusz Konwicki, Poland 1961, 97 min.

Story of two young people painfully afflicted by the turmoil of war. Michał and Wala spend their weekend in a small hotel. They dwell on their past and aren’t able to commit themselves once again, as they don’t believe in happiness anymore. However, their fear of loneliness makes it impossible for either of them to leave.

Review organized in cooperation with the National Film Archive

Iluzjon Cinema, National Library, S. Dembe Hall, entrance A, 213 Al. Niepodległości

Tickets can be purchased at the Iluzjon Cinema box office, tel. 646 12 60

6:00 pm Opening of the multimedia exhibition based on the photo collection “And I still see their faces…”

This exhibition is inspired by the photo collection of the Shalom Foundation “And I still see their faces…”. We are trying to show the beauty of these old pictures once again, to read the faces, looks, gestures and decipher new meanings thanks to artistic means of expression, using modern multimedia techniques. Exhibiting the photos in a club filled with unique music will help the spectators seek their own interpretations of these seconds trapped on photographic plates and of these moments representing the history of the Jewish nation.

“Skład Butelek” – a place with unique atmosphere in the Praga district in Warsaw. It is not only a club, pub, gallery or concert hall – it is more of a combination of all these elements. It is a place of meetings where one can witness numerous artistic, musical and interpersonal events… We are inviting everyone from Wednesday to Saturday, from 7:00 pm until the third ring. During “Singer’s Warsaw” festival we offer delicious herrings, bread with lard and vodka – kosher, of course!

“Skład butelek” Club, 22 11 listopada Street

Exhibition open from Monday, August 29th to Thursday, September 1st from 6:00 pm.

6:30 pm Jerushalaim Shel Zahav – Golden Jerusalem – presentation of photos by Jolanta Drabik

“Fascinated by Jerusalem and inspired by the magic of this place, I managed to create this collection of photos. I was taking pictures of the city every day, between 2005 and 2006, for the 365 days of my stay in this unique place: JERUSZALAIM”.

“Sens nonsensu” Club, 23 Wileńska Street

“Sens nonsensu” is not a regular bar or café. It is a place where time has frozen. Looking at old furniture, knick-knacks, a 100-year-old piano and a prewar floor – we can look into the past. While walking on the tiles, you won’t even realize that there is a Star of David on the reverse of each of them. Everyone will have the opportunity to check it by himself. For a small charge, you will be able to become the symbolic owner of a prewar Jewish tenement – by taking such a tile home. You can taste various unpasteurized and Ukrainian beers (about 20 types), the menu also includes: a crispy challah with garlic butter and a kosher roll with spinach, hard cheese and garlic. During the festival, the wole place will be filled with klezmer music, so that everyone could feel like in Singer’s time.

“Sens nonsensu” Club, 23 Wileńska Street

6:30 pm Próżna-Hoiz invites: “Music from the Jewish treasury”

Próżna-Hoiz Restaurant, 14 Próżna Street

7:30 pm Reality from the past – opening of the exhibition of PositiveArt, Warsaw District of the Union of Polish Artists

Positive Art – a group of Warsaw artists, members of the Warsaw District of the Union of Polish Artists: Lili Fijałkowska, Anna Forycka, Wanda Hansen, Jadwiga Jeziorska, Bożena Korulska, Małgorzata Krasucka, Bożenna Leszczyńska, Dorota Śmiechowska, Tomasz Awdziejczyk, Waldemar Borowski, Wiesław Fijałkowski, Radosław Zaremba, Wojciech Zembrzycki.

“4 Pokoje” – a place with a past and with a future. The atmosphere of this club suits cultural events organized as part of the “Singer’s Warsaw” festival. Unique, sophisticated art neighbors unconventional, excellent tastes. We are inviting you to Wileńska Street – come and visit the 4 Rooms with atmosphere… for art, tastes and positive emotions.

“4 Pokoje” Club, flat 18, 19 Wileńska Street

Exhibition open until September 30th.

8:00 pm “Jews and communism. Unique contribution of Jewish thinkers to leftist ideologies” – lecture of Jakub Skrzypczak

“4 Pokoje” Club, flat 18, 19 Wileńska Street

8:00 pm “The book of paradise” based on the novel by Itzik Manger – performance of the Jewish Theater

Adaptation and direction: Piotr Cieplak, Stage design: Andrzej Witkowski, Music: Raphael Rogiński and Cukunft, Musical setting and sound effects: Paweł Czepułkowski,
Choreographic counsel: Leszek Bzdyl, Director’s assistants: Ernestyna Winnicka, Karolina Kirsz

Cast: Marcin Błaszak, Kamila Boruta, Monika Chrząstowska, Ewa Dąbrowska, Piotr Chomik, Ewa Greś, Ryszard Kluge, Grzegorz Kulikowski, Mikołaj Miller, Joanna Przybyłowska, Henryk Rajfer, Rafał Rutowicz, Izabella Rzeszowska, Piotr Sierecki , Monika Soszka, Jerzy Walczak, Marek Węglarski, Wojciech Wiliński, Ernestyna Winnicka, Piotr Wiszniowski, Małgosia Łata and Józio Napiórkowski. Puppet actors: Maciej Dużyński, Zuzanna Gaińska, Agnieszka Makowska, Kamila Puciłowska

According to Jewish legends, each soul, before it enters the human body, stays in paradise. Before it descends on earth, it is deprived of all memories from paradise by one of the angels.

Piotr Cieplak – author of adaptations and director. In this theater performance, he tells the story of a man whose soul – as a result of deceit – appeared among people with its memory of paradise intact. It is a sentimental story about human ideas and reality meeting head-on. Itzik Manger’s work is presented in a modern way, in today’s realities. This contemporary version is full of distinctive characters such as a mall girl and a transvestite – which enables the director to emphasize the typical elements of Jewish culture: humor and a cheerful reflection.

Fringe event

Main Stage of the Jewish Theater, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Tickets can be purchased at the Jewish Theater box office from August 1^st, 2011, tel. 22 850 56 56 and on www.eBilet.pl

8:30 pm Stories that do not exist – opening of the exhibition of PositiveArt, Warsaw District of the Union of Polish Artists

Positive Art – a group of Warsaw artists, members of the Warsaw District of the Union of Polish Artists: Lili Fijałkowska, Anna Forycka, Wanda Hansen, Jadwiga Jeziorska, Bożena Korulska, Małgorzata Krasucka, Bożenna Leszczyńska, Dorota Śmiechowska, Tomasz Awdziejczyk, Waldemar Borowski, Wiesław Fijałkowski, Radosław Zaremba, Wojciech Zembrzycki

“Sens nonsensu” Club, 23 Wileńska Street

Exhibition open until September 30th.

5:00 pm Club of Jewish Culture Lovers

Bela, Sabcia, Izio and Feluś – portraits of children in the work of Yiddish writers and in the photographic competiton “Jewish child” from 1930 – lecture of Dr. Monika Szabłowska-Zaremba (Department of Polish-Jewish Literature Studies, Catholic University of Lublin), author of numerous publications, interviews and reviews, among others in “Słowo Żydowskie”.

Próżna-Hoiz Restaurant, 14 Próżna Street

5:30 pm Virtual Shtetl: presentation of the portal

The Virtual Shtetl project enacts the concept of a museum without barriers and virtually connects all people interested in the past and in the heritage of Polish Jews. The portal offers an impressive collection of almost 2.000 texts devoted to the history of towns in Poland and neighboring countries. The Virtual Shtetl also provides access to over 56.800 contemporary and archival photos and over 1.000 audio and video recordings.

The portal will be presented by Albert Stankowski – coordinator of the Virtual Shtetl project.

fringe event organized by the Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Austrian Cultural Forum, 8 Próżna Street

6:00 pm DOS AMANTES – Sephardic songs with a Klezmer touch

Concert of Anna Jagielska-Riveiro & MAAYAN

Anna Jagielska – singing, guitar, Patrycja Napierała – cajón, udu, darabuka, Oliwier Andruszczenko – clarinet, Maciej Matysiak – double bass, Michał Pindakiewicz – guitar, Mateusz Szemraj – oud. Scenario of the concert and translations: Anna Jagielska-Riveiro

Anna Jagielska-Riveiro has been focusing on Sephardic culture for many years and is an outstanding expert in this subject. She collaborates with the Cervantes Institute in Warsaw: her previous album of Sephardic songs entitled “Lunas Olvidadas” (“Forgotten Moons”, 2008) was released under its patronage. In 2010 she founded the band MAAYAN. Its repertoire includes not only Sephardic songs, but also old Hebrew songs, Yiddish and Israeli songs. In April 2011 their concert album “Dos Amantes – Sephardic Songs” was released.

More about the artist and the band: www.riveiro.art.pl and www.maayan.art.pl

The program DOS AMANTES both refers to medieval roots of Sephardic music and presents its more modern face. The songs are performed in ladino and the instruments and arrangements allude to Spanish and Klezmer music. The final effect is a combination of various musical worlds: from ancient music, through folk to classical music and jazz.

Mamele Club, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Tickets can be purchased at the Jewish Theater box office from August 1^st, 2011, tel. 22 850 56 56 and on www.eBilet.pl

6:00 pm Film review “Masters of bit parts: Włodzimierz Boruński”

“Zazdrość i medycyna” (“Jealousy and medicine”), dir. Janusz Majewski, Poland 1973, 100 min.

The film is set in the thirties. While reading the diaries of his wife, the industrialist Widmar learns about her affair with a handsome doctor. Consumed by jealousy, he starts an investigation, finds the doctor’s assistant and a tailor named Gold, who – in return for the promise of a trip to the US – reveals him where the lovers usually meet.

Film with English subtitles.

Review organized in cooperation with the National Film Archive

Iluzjon Cinema, National Library, S. Dembe Hall, entrance A, 213 Al. Niepodległości

Tickets can be purchased at the Iluzjon Cinema box office, tel. 646 12 60

6:00-8:00 pm Jews in the consciousness of the contemporary inhabitants of Praga

presentation of artistic initiatives carried out in Praga and aimed at rescuing the memory of the Jewish inhabitants of the district. Walk conducted by Katarzyna Chudyńska-Szuchnik (in cooperation with the “Zwiąż mnie” Club)

Assembly point: In front of the entrance to the “Zwiąż Mnie” Club, 22 11 listopada

6:00 pm “Getting to the other side”

opening of the exhibition of PositiveArt, Warsaw District of the Union of Polish Artists

Positive Art – a group of Warsaw artists, members of the Warsaw District of the Union of Polish Artists: Lili Fijałkowska, Anna Forycka, Wanda Hansen, Jadwiga Jeziorska, Bożena Korulska, Małgorzata Krasucka, Bożenna Leszczyńska, Dorota Śmiechowska, Tomasz Awdziejczyk, Waldemar Borowski, Wiesław Fijałkowski, Radosław Zaremba, Wojciech Zembrzycki

Exhibition open until September 30th.

“Skład butelek” Club, 22 11 listopada Street

6:00 pm Promotion of the “Cwiszn” quarterly

(with the participation of its editorial team: Karolina Szymaniak – editor-in-chief, Katarzyna Kazimierowska, Basia Klicka, Ania Szyba and Adam Puchejda).

The “Cwiszn” quarterly published by the Shalom Foundation establishes a dialogue between the past and the present and makes an attempt to ensure that Yiddish culture becomes a part of contemporary Polish culture. The creators of the magazine present important works of Yiddish literature, many of which had never been translated into Polish. In the review section they present books that are currently published, they also inform about cultural events, describe works of contemporary artists representing various fields – both the artists who use Yiddish and those who refer to the cultural heritage of European Jews. Gołda Tencer is the originator and publisher of the magazine.

The new issue of “Cwiszn” is devoted to Jewish multilingualism – this subject will be discussed during the meeting.

“Sens nonsensu” Club, 23 Wileńska Street

6:30 pm Próżna-Hoiz invites: “Music from the Jewish treasury”

Próżna-Hoiz Restaurant, 14 Próżna Street

6:30 pm Jewish Literary Salon: “Seven Journeys”

soirée with Dariusz Pado moderated by Joanna Wajs.

Reading of poems from the collection “Siedem + Siedem + Siedem” (“Seven + Seven + Seven”) published by Austeria in 2011. Debate on places that have been lost and memory that has been saved.

Small Stage of the Jewish Theater, 1^st floor, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

7:00 pm Screening of the film “Ulica graniczna” (“Border Street”)

and meeting with Maria Broniewska, actress, performer of the role of Jadzia Białkówna.

direction: Aleksander Ford, Poland 1948, 116 min.

War drama awarded in 1948 at the Venice Film Festival, presenting the tragic history of Jews in occupied Warsaw. Inhabitants of a Warsaw tenement – children and adults – are the main characters of the film. The war has started, Nazis are occupying Warsaw. They found the ghetto. The parents of Fredek become Volksdeutsche, start collaborating with the Nazis, reveal the Jewish descent of doctor Białek and occupy his apartment. The film shows the radical transformation of the relations between inhabitants of one tenement after the outbreak of the Second World War. It also illustrates the various attitudes of Poles towards the Holocaust.

Maria Broniewska – film and theater actress, graduate of the Warsaw State Drama School. She played, among others, in “Ulica Graniczna” (“Border Street”) of Aleksander Ford (1948), “Warszawska Syrena” (“Warsaw Siren”, 1956), in the series “Chłopi” (“Peasants”), and lately in the series “Plebania” (“Presbytery”) and “Klub szalonych dziewic” (“Club of crazy virgins” (2010). In 1996 she was honored with the Award of the Capital City of Warsaw in recognition of her servces for the capital of the Polish Republic.

“4 Pokoje” Club, flat 18, 19 Wileńska Street

7:00 pm Jews in the Second Polish Republic

first public presentation of the interwar gallery of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews

The gallery transports the visitors to the center of a lively, prewar Jewish street – called di jidisze gas in Yiddish. Jews used this term to describe all current matters and problems of the Jewish world in Poland. On facades of the tenements will be projected photos depicting everyday life and important events: Jewish candidates running in elections, thousands of Hasidim coming to the wedding of the Bobowa tzaddik’s daughter, members of the Bund Jewish Socialist Party participating in the May Day march, people queuing up for tickets to a theater performance in Yiddish. Visitors will also hear a tango and discover the rich cultural life of such places as 13 Tłomackie Street and the Ziemiańska café.

The interwar gallery will be presented by its coordinators: Tamara Sztyma and Michał Majewski. Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, main curator of the whole exhibition, will also participate in the meeting.

fringe event organized by the Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Austrian Culture Forum, 8 Próżna Street

8:00 pm Concert of the band KROKE, special guest: Anna Maria Jopek

Anna Maria Jopek – singer, pianist, compositor, author of lyrics, producer of albums. Raised in a musical family deeply rooted in traditional Polish folk art. She graduated from the piano class at the Fryderyk Chopin Academy in Warsaw and from the jazz section of the Manhattan School of Music. She sang a duet with Bobby McFerrin, accepted an invitation to concerts with Chris Botti and performed at the famous Queen Elizabeth Hall and, on the same day, at Nigel Kennedy’s side at the Royal Festival Hall. She also recorded an album with Pat Metheny. Anna Maria Jopek gives concerts all over the world, from the US and Canada, through whole Europe to Japan. To this day, she has recorded 11 original albums – many of them have the status of Platinum and Golden Disc Records.

KROKE (meaning “Cracow” in Yiddish) – a trio founded in 1992 by Tomasz Kukurba (viola), Jerzy Bawół (accordion) and Tomasz Lato (double bass). At first, the band was associated with klezmer music and strong Balkan influences. Today it tries to maintain a balance between various genres, drawing inspiration from folk music from around the world, as well as jazz and modern music. By enriching these elements with its own improvisations, it creates its own, unique style. The band has recorded 8 original albums. One of them – “Sounds of the Vanishing World” – received the award of the German Critique of Recorded Music in 2000. KROKE has also recorded albums together with Nigel Kennedy, Edyta Geppert, Maja Sikorowska.

Performing: Jerzy Bawoł – accordion, Tomasz Kukurba – viola, Tomasz Lato – double bass. Guest: Tomasz Grochot – percussion instruments.

Main Stage of the Jewish Theater, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Tickets can be purchased at the Jewish Theater box office from August 1^st, 2011, tel. 22 850 56 56 and on www.eBilet.pl

8:00 pm Slide show from a trip to Israel – Totutotam Group

The Totutotam Group has been organizing slide shows in the “Sens nonsensu” Club located in the Praga district since the beginning of 2009. Every week, the wole evening is devoted to a new subject (either a region or a way of traveling). The Totutotam Group has also organized the Festival of Rumanian Culture and the Women’s Revolutions Festival, as well as numerous outdoor events on Pole Mokotowskie, the Zamkowy Square (Warsaw Anti-Marathon) and in the Praga district.

“Zwiąż mnie Club, 22 11 listopada Street

5:00 pm Club of Jewish Culture Lovers

“Crime columns. About crimes of passion: a different image of the Jewish district in Warsaw” – lecture of Dr. Monika Szabłowska-Zaremba (Department of Polish-Jewish Literature Studies, Catholic University of Lublin), author of numerous publications, interviews and reviews, among others in “Słowo Żydowskie”.

Próżna-Hoiz Restaurant, 14 Próżna Street

5:30 pm “The Sabbath in the mirror of art” – lecture and presentation by Monika Krajewska

A story devoted to the notion and origin of the Sabbath and to the ways of celebrating it. Various elements of the Sabbath, as well as traditions and beautifully decorated objects connected with it will be presented on paintings, prints and photos.

Pardon , To Tu” Club, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

6:00 pm Jewish Literary Salon: “Zaległości” (“Arrears”)

poetic program based on the poetry of Jerzy Ficowski, accompanied by a multimedia presentation. The poems will be read by actors of two generations.

Small Stage of the Jewish Theater, 1^st floor, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

6:30 pm “Ghosts and demons in Jewish art and faith” – lecture and artistic workshops conducted by Hanna Kossowska and Etel Szyc.

“Sens nonsensu” Club, 23 Wileńska Street

6:30 pm Próżna-Hoiz invites: “Music from the Jewish treasury”

Próżna-Hoiz Restaurant, 14 Próżna Street

6:30 pm Jewish Literary Salon – promotion of the book “Noemi the Jew” by Jerzy Stegner

It is a novel about Warsaw Jews written by a native resident of Warsaw. Jerzy Stegner used to work in Temler’s tannery and as its employee he ofen went to the ghetto. “Noemi the Jew” presents the atmosphere of those times in a realistic way: the ghetto of smugglers, the illegal production, as well as luxury restaurants where Germans in civilian clothes, pimps and Judenrat officials meet and close their deals. A story that has not been brought to light for many years.

Austrian Cultural Forum, 8 Próżna Street

7:00 pm From the series “Tell me your story” – meeting with Zvi Slepon (Israel) moderated by Krystyna Gucewicz

Zvi Slepon – graduate of the I.L. Peretz school in Łódź. He studied at the Institut des Arts de Diffusion. Since 1975 he has been a director working for the state Israeli TV Channel, where he produces programs and documentaries. Co-producer of the International Concert for the annual March celebrations in Jerusalem (2002). Slepon has received two prestigious international awards for his artistic work: the Grand Prix at the Kiev Film Festival and the Golden Medal at the Film Dance Festival in New York.

During the meeting, he will present, among others, stories connected with the production of his documentaries, he will also show fragments of those films. He will talk about the journey he has started in 1988, following the footsteps of the Jewish communities from the past – not only those from Poland but also from many other countries.

Mamele Club, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Admission by prior reservation only, tel. 22 620 55 85; 652 16 48

7:00 pm Film review “Masters of bit parts: Włodzimierz Boruński”

“Ziemia obiecana” (“Promised Land”), dir. Andrzej Wajda, Poland 1974, 169 min.

This monumental adaptation of Reymont’s novel is full of episodes with enormous dramatic power, constituting a synthesis of attitudes and ethical choices being part of a ruthless fight for money. The evocative acting of several dozen actors, an excellent film set, a lively camerawork and glowing cinematography create a unique, extremely vivid and diverse artistic image of the Polish-German-Jewish world of Łódź in the eighties and nineties of the past century.

Review organized in cooperation with the National Film Archive

Iluzjon Cinema, National Library, S. Dembe Hall, entrance A, 213 Al. Niepodległości

Tickets can be purchased at the Iluzjon Cinema box office, tel. 646 12 60

8:00 pm From the Earthly to the Transcendental – piano concert – Ran Dank (USA)

Ran Dank – Israeli classical pianist who currently lives in New Yok. He started to play the piano at the age of 7. He studied at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, in the class of Prof. Vadim Monastirsky. He served as a musician in the Israeli army. He performed in many countries, such as the US, Belgium, Poland, France, England, Germany, Finland, Russia and Australia, accompanied by the greatest symphony orchestras. He participated in numerous festivals and piano competitions and received many prestgious awards.

Program of the concert:

Frederic Chopin (1810-1849) – Introduction and Rondo in E flat major, Op. 16

Erwin Schulhoff (1894-1942) – Eleven Inventions, Op. 36

Franz Liszt (1811-1886) – “Après une Lecture de Dante”: Fantasia quasi Sonata

* * *

Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827) – Piano sonata No. 29 in B flat major Op. 106 “Hammerklavier”

Main Stage of the Jewish Theater, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Tickets can be purchased at the Jewish Theater box office from August 1^st, 2011, tel. 22 850 56 56 and on www.eBilet.pl

8:00 pm When the Jewish God is a woman – lecture of Jakub Skrzypczak

Without a woman, the man is deprived of the bond with the Shekhinah (female aspect of God). Without a man, the woman cannot be the Shekhinah. When there is a man, the woman becomes everything. Rachel is the incarnation of the Shekhinah because she descends in order to take care of Her children or even to share their journey of exile. She is also the one who ensures their return. [-] Cwi Freeman

“4 Pokoje” Club, flat 18, 19 Wileńska Street

8:00 pm screening of the film Nina’s tragedies/Asnot Shel Nina Ha, (2003) dir. Savi Gavison.

The 14-year-old Nadav is madly in love with his aunt Nina (Ayelet Zurer), who became a widow prematurely. Nadav simultaneously lives in the two completely different worlds of his divorced parents: his mother – a neurotic fashion lover – and his father, who has recently left his family in order to join a group of Hasids roaming Tel Aviv in a mini-van. A beautiful comedy-drama about love, death and everyday life in contemporary Tel Aviv.

“Zwiąż Mnie”Club, 22/8 11 Listopada Street

10:00 am – 5:00 pm Symposium: “Cajtungen – itonim – magazines”.

The history of trilingual Jewish press in Poland in the 20^th century.

Academic supervision: Dr. Joanna Nalewajko-Kulikov (Institute of History of the Polish Adacemy of Sciences)

Prof. dr hab. Marian Fuks, pioneer in the field of history of the Jewish press in Poland, is the honorary guest of the symposium.

This year’s symposium is devoted to selected aspects of the history of the Jewish press in Yiddish, Hebrew and Polish. At the turn of the 19^th and 20^th centuries the press became a powerful medium and tool of modernization of the Jewish community. The Second Polish Republic is the peak of its development. The papers presented at the symposium will describe such titles as: “Izraelita”, “Nasz Przegląd” or the licensed occupation “Gazeta Żydowska”.

10:00-10:20 am          Opening of the symposium (Joanna Nalewajko-Kulikov)

Part 1: Warsaw in the Jewish press – moderation: Prof. dr hab. Anna Landau-Czajka

10:20-10:40 am          Jewish Warsaw seen from the angle of the advertisements in “Izraelita” – Dr. Agnieszka Jagodzińska (University of Wrocław)

10:40-11:00 am          The Warsaw Jewish Community and its problems presented in “Izraelita” – Zuzanna Kołodziejska, MA (University of Warsaw)

11:00-11:20 am          Image of Warsaw in the thirties in “Fołkscajtung” – Magdalena Kozłowska, MA (Jagiellonian University)

11:20-11:40 am          debate

11:40 am-12:00 pm    break

Part 2: Together, alongside, against? Poland and Poles in the Jewish press – moderation: Dr. Agnieszka Jagodzińska

12:00-12:20 pm          Image of Poles in “Nasz Przegląd” – Prof. dr hab. Anna Landau-Czajka (Institute of History of the Polish Academy of Sciences)

12:20-12:40 pm          Satire on Poland and Poles in the Yiddish press from 1918 to 1939 – Dr. Agnieszka Żółkiewska (Jewish Historical Institute).

12:40-1:00 pm            “Polish Jews want to live and will live…” Poland in the forties seen through the eyes of Holocaust survivors – Ewa Koźmińska-Frejlak, MA

1:00-1:20 pm              debate

1:20-3:00                    break

Part 3: Jewish press as a tool of propaganda – moderation: Dr. Joanna Nalewajko-Kulikov

3:00-3:20 pm              Propaganda in the Hebrew press in the interwar period – Magda Sara Szwabowicz, MA (University of Warsaw)

3:20-3:40 pm              Religious feminism? About the “Bejs Jakow” magazine – Dr. Joanna Lisek (University of Wrocław)

3:40-4:00 pm  Was the “Gazeta Żydowska” a collaborationist rag? – Marta Janczewska, MA (Polish Center for Holocaust Research IFiS PAN)

4:00-4:20 pm              Serving the idea. Zionist and workers’ iconography in the Jewish press – Dr. Renata Piątkowska (Museum of the History of Polish Jews)

4:20-4:40 pm              debate

4:40-5:00 pm              closing of the symposium

Center of Yiddish Culture of the Shalom Foundation, 15 Andersa Street

3:00 pm Guided tour of the Emanuel Ringelblum Jewish Historical Institute

Assembly point in the hall of the JHI

Jewish Historical Institute, 3/5 Tłomackie Street

5:00 pm Club of Jewish Culture Lovers

Poland and Poles in Yiddish textbooks – a lecture given by Evita Wiecki (Germany) – Yiddish teacher from the Ludwig-Maxmilian’s University in Munich.

Próżna-Hoiz Restaurant, 14 Próżna Street

5:00 pm Rescued sounds – concert of the OPUS&UNIVERSUM QUARTET

Dawid Lubowicz – violin, Anna Szalińska - violin, Magdalena Małecka – viola, Olga Łosakiewicz-Marcyniak – cello, lead: Piotr Wiszniowski

Monographic program devoted to the composers who were prisoners and victims of the camps in Oświęcim and Terezin.

Program:

Pavel Haas, String Quartet no. 2, part 1 Land, part 2 Wagon, Coachman and horse

Viktor Ulmann, String Quartet no. 2

Gideon Klein, Fantasia and Fugue

Mamele Club, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Tickets can be purchased at the Jewish Theater box office from August 1^st, 2011, tel. 22 850 56 56 and on www.eBilet.pl

5:30 pm Third day of creation – the tree in Jewish traditon – illustrated lecture of Monika Krajewska

Trees, their fruits, bushes and other plants are present in all aspects of Jewish tradition and art. This lecture presents – basing on examples from various fields of art, such as illuminated manuscripts, decorations of syngogues, painting, stained-glass windows, mosaics and paper-cuts – trees connected with various biblical scenes and trees and fruits connected with holidays. Among other subjects that will be discussed is the Tree of Life, the comparison of the tree to the Menorah, Torah and man.

Monika Krajewska – has been studying Jewish art for over 30 years. She is the author of photographic albums devoted to Jewish cemeteries: “Czas kamieni” (“Time of stones”, 1982) and “A Tribe of Stones” (1994). She conducts workshops of Jewish art and creates works inspired by traditional Jewish paper cutting. She is especially fascinated by the symbolism of light, messianic times, Paradise, Tree of Life and by the realistic and fantastical animals appearing in Jewish art. Some of her works are close to traditional forms and others constitute a combination of collage, frottage and photography.

Austrian Cultural Forum, 8 Próżna Street

6:00 pm Jewish Literary Salon: meeting with Hanna Krall

Excerpts of the author’s prose will be read by Zofia Kucówna, moderator: Remigiusz Grzela

Hanna Krall – reporter and writer. She was deputy to the literary director of the “Tor” Film Team and collaborated with Krzysztof Kieślowski. She gained international recognition for her book “Zdążyć przed Panem Bogiem” (“Shielding the Flame”) published in 1977 – an interview with Marek Edelman. She also published several collections of reportages, among them “Trudności ze wstawaniem” (“Problems with getting up”, 1990), “Tam już nie ma żadnej rzeki” (“There is no river anymore”, 1998), “Różowe strusie pióra” (“Pink ostrich feathers”, 2009). She also wrote the novels “Okna” (“Windows”) and “Sublokatorka” (“Lodger”). In her last book entitled “Biała Maria” (“White Maria”) she tells the story of Jews rescued during the Holocaust and of the people who helped others survive the terrible turmoil of war.

Zofia Kucówna – theater and film actress. She performed at the Teatr Młodego Widza in Kraków and the Juliusz Osterwa Theater in Lublin. She also played in Warsaw theaters: Ateneum, Powszechny and Narodowy. Since 1986 she has been connected with the Teatr Współczesny in Warsaw. In 1959 she started collaborating with the TV Theater. In 1990 she published the book “Zatrzymać czas” (“Stop the time”).

Small Stage of the Jewish Theater, 1^st floor, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Admission by prior reservation only, tel. 22 620 55 85; 652 16 48

6:00 pm Film review “Masters of bit parts: Włodzimierz Boruński”

“Salto” (“Somersault”), dir. Tadeusz Konwicki, Poland 1965, 104 min

A man who has just jumped out of a train appears in a small town. His arrival disturbs the peace of its inhabitants – the stranger becomes a prophet in their eyes. This psychological comedy-drama is a thoroughly orginal work. It includes such subjects as the repercussions of wartime memories, a search for the meaning of life, coming to terms with the past.

Film with English subtitles.

Review organized in cooperation with the National Film Archive

Iluzjon Cinema, National Library, S. Dembe Hall, entrance A, 213 Al. Niepodległości

Tickets can be purchased at the Iluzjon Cinema box office, tel. 646 12 60

6:00 pm “Secrets of the mikveh” – guided tour accompanied by a lecture

Guide: Magdalena Szpilman

Tour only for women, maximum 20 people.

Registration and purchase of tickets (10 zł) at the Senior Club of the Warsaw Jewish Community (ground floor of the White Building) on August 30th, from 4 to 8 pm.

Fringe event organized by the Warsaw Jewish Community

Nożyk Synagogue, 6 Twarda Street

6:00-8:00 pm “Jewish women of the Praga district” a walk with Katarzyna Chudyńska - Szuchnik

In cooperation with the “Zwiąż mnie” Club

Assembly point: In front of the entrance to the “Zwiąż Mnie” Club, 22/8 11 listopada Street

6:30 pm “Autumn holidays in the Jewish calendar. History, customs and traditional dishes” – lecture of Etel Szyc

“Sens nonsensu” Club, 23 Wileńska Street

6:30 pm Próżna-Hoiz invites: “Music from the Jewish treasury”

Próżna-Hoiz Restaurant, 14 Próżna Street

7:00 pm CONCERT OF THE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OF THE J. ELSNER OPOLE PHILHARMONIC conducted by Bogusław Dawidow

Program:

STEMPENIU

Music – Dov Seltzer

Author of the text – Sholem Aleichem

Narrator – ZBIGNIEW ZAMACHOWSKI

Violin (Stempeniu) – Andrzej Krawiec

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN – SYMPHONY No. 5 C-MOLL OP. 67

STEMPENIU by Sholem Aleichem is a romantic story about betrayal and fidelity. The title character is a klezmer and violin virtuoso. Legends of the beauty of his playing spread among the inhabitants of cities and towns. And when he starts to play, nothing is the same as it used to be. Stempeniu is fully aware of the power of his instrument. Once, while he is playing at a wedding in a small shtetl, the virtuoso notices the beautiful Rochele. It suddenly doesn’t matter that she’s a married woman. Finally, a secret tryst takes place at night, in a garden near the temple…

Bogusław Dawidow studied conducting under the direction of Prof. B. Wodiczko and K. Missona. He also polished his conductor’s talent in Italy and Vienna. In the eighties, he founded the Fryderyk Chopin Chamber Orchestra in Krakow. Since 1998 he has been the Main Guest Conductor of the American Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra. Since 1999 he has occupied the position of Managing and Artistic Director of the Józef Elsner Opole Philharmonic. He conducts famous orchestras throughout the world. Since 2008 he has been collaborating with the Columbia Artist Management Img. – at the invitation of this institution he went on a 3-month tour of the US in 2011.

Zbigniew Zamachowski – film and theater actor, composer of music for film studies, author of music and lyrics of songs he himself performs. He won numerous awards, among them the 1^st Class Stanisław Wyspiański Award for acting achievements in theater and film. He also won the Wiktor Award three times and the Golden Duck Award in 1993. He was twice given the award for best leading man at the Festival of Polish Feature Films.

The Symphony Orchestra of the Opole Philharmonic, founded in 1952, hosted numerous conductors of world renown (among them J. Maksymiuk, A. Wit, K. Stryj, K. Kord, W. Rajski, D. Atlas), composers (among others, K. Penderecki, W. Kilar) and soloists of international stature (such as M. Maisky, E. Gracz, R. Küchl). The orchestra gives concerts in many prestigious concert halls in Europe, such as the Berlin Philharmonic Hall in Germany, the Philips Saal in Rotterdam, the Golden Hall – Musikverein in Vienna and many others. The orchestra had the honor of giving a concert in Rome on the 80^th birthday of the Pope John Paul II. It also represented Poland in Brussels at the ceremony of the expansion of the European Union. Since 1999, under the direction of Maestro Bogusław Dawidow, the Symphony Orchestra of the Opole Philharmonic has been collaborating with outstanding artists, winners of international piano and violin competitions. It also marked its presence in the world and built a reputation of an orchstra that gives concerts on the highest artistic level. Within the last few years, the orchestra has regularly participated in the European Music Festival, held annually in Germany. During this event the orchestra successfully performed pieces of Polish composers. Apart from its concert activity, the Symphony Orchestra of the Opole Philharmonic recorded numerous classical music albums under the direction of Maestro Dawidow, among them all symphonies of  Johannes Brahms (no. 1, 2, 3, 4), The Four Seasons of Antonio Vivaldi, symphonic works by Józef Elsner, as well as the newest record of two violin concerts of Karol Szymanowski with the participation of the talented Russian violinist Alena Baeva.

All Saints’ Church, 3/5 Grzybowski Square

Standing tickets for 20 zł can be purchased at the Jewish Theater box office from August 1^st, 2011, tel. 22 850 56 56 and on www.eBilet.pl

8:00 pm Screening of the film “Ajami”

dir. Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani, Germany/Israel 2009, 120 min.

The Ajami district in Jaffa is a melting pot where different cultures intertwine – a dangerous place where Jews, Muslims and Christians live next to each other. The tragic fragility of life and the necessity for the coexistence of three different nations and cultures is an everyday experience of the inhabitants of Ajami.

Distributor: Against Gravity

“Zwiąż Mnie” Club, 22/8 11 Listopada Street

8:00 pm “How Rabbi Becalel created the Golem – famous Prague legend” – lecture of Hanna Kossowska

“4 Pokoje” Club, flat 18, 19 Wileńska Street

8:30 pm Yiddish Tango – concert of Karsten Troyke (Germany), Jan Hermerschmidt (Germany) and Trio Scho (Ukraine/Germany)

Karsten Troyke (Germany) – actor and singer who is famous for his interpretations of Yiddish songs. Beside this he performed in radio dramas as a dubbing actor, he also participated in numerous theater projects. His album “Yiddish Anders” (1992) and his interpretations of Georg Kreisler’s songs were received with enthusiasm by the critics. His album “Yiddish Forgotten Songs” (1997) contains the songs he learned from Sara Bialas-Tenenberg, that never been released before. Troyke's Family was persecuted by the Nazis: his mother's side as communists and his father's side as German Jews. Already as a child he got contact with Yiddish speaking people, started later bringing Yiddish partizan songs to the stage and finally learned the language and it's rich folklore. Since Troyke's Yiddish sounds very native, he became one of the last "Ambassadors of Mameloshn (Yiddish language)".

Trio Scho – three musicians: Gennadij Desatnik (singing, violin, guitar), Valery Khoryshman (accordion and singing), Valery Pysarenko (double-bass, singing), was founded in Połtawa, Ukraina in 1991 in order to play their favorite old Russian swing songs and evergreens. In 1994 Scho went to Germany for several performances in the former East Berlin. They became a symbol for the new united Berlin with it's Eastern European music and it's Russian accent, Trio Scho since then participate in film and TV productions, is a requested band to back-up cabaret and jazz singers. Since 1997 they recorded several CDs with Karsten Troyke, the last one is "Yiddish Tango". Desatnik and Troyke also write (German) songs together.

Jan Hermerschmidt – is one of the most requested clarinet players in Germany for singer/songwriter productions. He co-founded the innovative world music band "Ahava Raba", that used to be an All Star band and had many influences on the musical scene. Since the late 1980s he works together with Karsten Troyke. He is also a member of the well-known klezmer Group "Aufwind" in Berlin, that f.e. played in the theatre piece "Ghetto" from Joshua Sobol in Berlin. The versatile clarinet playing of Hermerschmidt gives him the opportunity to bring nearly every musical colour to the stage: Jazz, Balkan, Klezmer and Classic.

Main Stage of the Jewish Theater, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Tickets can be purchased at the Jewish Theater box office from August 1^st, 2011, tel. 22 850 56 56 and on www.eBilet.pl

8:30 pm FROM THE SERIES “SzaZa Invites”:

Solo concert: Candelaria Saenz Valiente (Candi)

and performative concert with the participation of: Candelaria Saenz Valiente (Candi) – singing, Paweł Szamburski – clarinets, mandolin, Patryk Zakrocki – violin, mbira

The music of the duet Sza/Za (Paweł Szamburski, Patryk Zakrocki) is a unique combination of what seems to be exact opposites: noise and silence, pop and contemporary chamber music. The clarinet, violin, voice of the singer, analogue effects of looping and delicate transformations – all these elements help the musicians seek a balance between these opposites. Sometimes their concerts take the form of grotesque or gloomy play and sometimes they transform into an extremely serious and deep musical statement, which always remains an interaction with the audience.

Candelaria Saenz Valiente (Argentina) – painter, writer, director and singer. She studied singing, conducting, arrangement and composition. In March 2005 she moved to Warsaw together with her husband, the pianist Marcin Masecki. Since 2008 she has been the singer of the Paris Tetris band. She paid musical tributes paid to Mississippi Delta Blues (blues and jazz standards), to David Lynch and Angelo Badalamenti. During her concerts, she sings and plays on an untypical tuba.

“Skład butelek” Club, 22 11 listopada Street

8:30 pm Screening of the film “Dziewczęta z Nowolipek” (“Nowolipki Girls”)

dir. Józef Lejtes, Poland 1937, 97 min.

Introduction and moderation of the discussion: Małgorzata Büthner-Zawadzka

The first film adaptation of the popular novel of Pola Gojawiczyńska. It is a story about the life of the inhbitants of a Warsaw tenement on Nowolipki Street: Bronka Mossakowska, Franka, Kwiryna and Amelka Raczyńska. The film by Józef Lejtes presents a panoply of their dramas, everyday problems and moments of joy. Its authors managed to convincingly draw a social background, to finely sketch the main characters and offer many valuable observations concerning social and psychological problems.

“Pardon, To Tu” Club, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

9:30 pm “This is the last song I wrote about Jews” – concert of Daktari

Daktari – a young band from Warsaw, conducted by Olgierd Dokalski. It combines a noise energy with avant-garde improvisations, a touch of folk, jazz and klezmer music. Their concert will include original compositions from their debut album “This is the last song I wrote about Jews. Vol.1”. Among the broad inspirations of the band are: Sonic Youth, Gastr Del Sol, Andrew Hill, Julius Hemphill and Don Cherry.

The “Hydrozagadka” Club is a spacious place, perfect for concerts, located in the heart of the Praga district. During the “Singer’s Warsaw” festival, we are inviting you to a frantic dance to the rhythm of live klezmer music! Our guests will also be able to taste Jewish snacks and Israeli wine.

“Hydrozagadka” Club , 22, 11 listopada Street

10:00 pm THE REST IS SILENCE

Performative reading based on “The Diary of Dawidek Rubinowicz”.

Scenario and direction: Joanna Grabowiecka

Cast: Ewa Greś, Sylwia Najah, Ernestyna Winnicka, Piotr Chomik, Piotr Sierecki, Piotr Wiszniowski

“For a long time the weather hasn’t been so nice as today. If only there was some kind of freedom, everything would be fine”. This is what Dawid Rubinowicz wrote in his diary on April 18^th, 1942.

“It’s surprising that it takes just a few small school notebooks to see how good our memory is”. These are the words of one of Dawidek’s teachers, who – under the influence of the boy’s diary – remembered him and his family after many years, just as if they were standing alive in front of her.

“The Diary of Dawid Rubinowicz. The rest is silence” is a unique book – but it is also a phenomenon. Not only because the laborious work of a teenaged boy who had an amazing intuition became a new, valuable testimony of the extermination of Polish Jews during the Second World War. It is mostly because of the unique sensitivity which helps the boy observe the world and his wise affection for the smallest manifestations of the beauty of everyday life in an unusual, terrible reality.

Fringe event

Mamele Club, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Admission by prior reservation only, tel. 22 620 55 85; 652 16 48

4:30 pm “In the kitchen of Mama Sonia” – Gołda Tencer with friends

Memories of delicious tastes and aromas, secret recipes of Jewish cuisine intertwined with family stories. Evening full of music, emotions, warmth and nostalgia.

Gołda Tencer – actress and director of the E. Rachel and Ida Kamińska Jewish Theater in Warsaw, director of the Shalom Foundation. She is the initiator and creator of the “Singer’s Warsaw” Festival of Jewish Culture. The audience loves her not only for her roles in classical plays in Yiddish, such as the part of Lea in Anski’s “Dybbuk”, but also for her vocal achievements. She also gained popularity thanks to film performances. She played in “David” by Lilienthal, “Austeria” by Kawalerowicz and in the comedy “Alles auf Zucker!”. She has won such awards as the Gloria Artis golden medal, the medal “For people doing good things” and the award of the French Leon Skop and Fela Rosenbaum Foundation for her activity for the revival of Jewish life in Poland through the promotion of Yiddish tradition, culture and language. In 2011 she was honored with the Commander’s Cross Polonia Restituta for the promotion of Jewish culture and for her artistic achievements.

Próżna-Hoiz Restaurant, 14 Próżna Street

5:00 pm Here and now – vernissage of the exhibition of Marzena Dąbrowska

Marzena Dąbrowska is a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. She exhibited her works, among others, at the Międzyzdroje Film Festival, the Fabryka Trzciny in Warsaw, the Wilanów Palace. She is presenting her works at the “Singer’s Warsaw” festival for the fifth time.

Café at 14 Próżna Street

5:00 pm Opening of the Muza Bookstore.

Ernestyna Winnicka and Marek Węglarski will read poems of Krystyna Gucewicz

Bookstore of the Muza Publishing House, 14 Próżna Street

5:00 pm “Warsaw is mine and I am hers” (J. Korczak) – Musical walk around streets that don’t exist anymore…

Route: square in front of “Metro Centrum” à Palace of Culture à Grzybowski Square

The klezmer band OPA! from Saint Petersburg will lead us around old Warsaw and show us places connected with the history of Warsaw Jews. We will see the spot where the last house of Janusz Korczak was located, we will also visit his monument. Jewish tunes will lead us across non-existing intersections until we finally arrive to the Grzybowski Square, where a Sabbath dinner starts at 6:00 pm.

Assembly point at the “Metro Centrum” station

5:30 pm Jewish Literary Salon: “Non-existence task”. A meeting with Radosław Kobierski moderated by Joanna Mueller

Radosław Kobierski – poet, prose writer. He published in such magazines as ”Twórczość”, “Odra”, “Kresy”, “Res Publica”. Among the works he published are his collections of poems: “Niedogony” (1997), “Południe” (2004), “Lacrimosa” (2008), “Drugie” ja (2011), as well as the novels: “Harar” (2005) and “Ziemia Nod” (2010).

His poems and novels were translated into Czech, Hungarian, Italian and English.

Joanna Mueller – born in 1979 in Piła. Poet, critic, editor. She published three collections of poems: “Somnambóle fantomowe” (2003), “Zagniazdowniki/Gniazdowniki” (2007)) and “Wylinki” (Wrocław 2010), as well as an essayistic book “Stratygrafie” (Wrocław 2010). Together with Maria Cyranowicz and Justyna Radczyńska she edited the book “Solistki. Antologia poezji kobiet (1989–2009)”.

Small Stage of the Jewish Theater, 1^st floor, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

6:00 pm SHABBAT SHALOM

Festive evening conducted by Gołda Tencer, Mendy Cahan (Israel), Olga Mieleszczuk, Etel Szyc, Genady Iskhakov and others.

We are invitng you to visit Próżna Street and greet the Sabbath with us. We will jointly light Sabbath candles, bless the wine, listen to songs and to the wisdom of the Torah, and eat traditional Jewish dishes. The Sabbath is a time of meetings with relatives and friends, sometimes a time of joint prayers, studies and meals. It should be spent together with those we love, respect and for whom we usually don’t have enough time. On this special evening we will all sit around a Sabbath table like one big family.

Grzybowski Square, admission free

6:00 pm Film review “Masters of bit parts: Włodzimierz Boruński”

“Lekcja martwego języka” („Lesson of an extinct language”), dir. Janusz Majewski, Poland 1979, 100 min.

The main character of his film, set in the final period of the Austro-Hungrian Empire, is a young lieutenant of the Austro-Hungaran uhlans, who suffers from advanced tuberculosis. He is commanding officer of a staging area in a small Galicia town. He knows he doesn’t have much time left and as he wants to make his life more meaningful, he starts collecting works of art found in the strangest places possible. The film is an adaptation of a novel by Andrzej Kuśniewicz – while limiting the book’s rich symbolism, it remains faithful to its spirit.

Film with English subtitles.

Review organized in cooperation with the National Film Archive

Iluzjon Cinema, National Library, S. Dembe Hall, entrance A, 213 Al. Niepodległości

Tickets can be purchased at the Iluzjon Cinema box office, tel. 646 12 60

6:00 pm Collecting songs from the past – Yiddish songs performed by Karsten Troyke (singing, guitar) - and introducing Sara Bialas-Tenenberg

Stefania Sliwka (today Sara Bialas Teneberg-Bialas) was still a child, 13 years old, when she was taken away from home by German soldiers and dragged to a part of the concentration camp Gross Rosen (Rogoźnica). Home underwent terrible changes - at that time it meant the ghetto. Her few memories from the time before that are bound up with songs. It is impossible to trace all the twists and turns of Sara’s life, but everybody from her family is killed by the Nazis. As far as she knows the parents dies in Treblinka. After the liberation Sara heard songs in D.P. camp in Bavara, later in Paris and then in Israel. In 1961 Sara settled in East Germany – not Germany, but in the new socialist world without fascism. This was a mistake she says today, but in the 1980s she became friends with Karsten Troyke and teached him her songs. Many of them were never released elsewhere. Among Sara’s most famous songs are: “Zwischn Goldene Sangen”, “Jidisher Tango”, “Budapescht”, “Treblinka”,  “Brinnele”, “Effn Hantchele”, “Surełe” and “Gassn Singer”.

Mamele Club, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Tickets can be purchased at the Jewish Theater box office from August 1^st, 2011, tel. 22 850 56 56 and on www.eBilet.pl

7:00 pm Zing Shvesterlakh, Swing Sisters! – concert of the Sisters of Sheynville (Canada)

Lenka Lichtenberg and Isabel Fryszberg – singing, Fern Lindzon – piano and singing, Rachel Melas – upright bass, KiKi Sagee – clarinet, Lorie Wolf – percussion.

Isabel Fryszberg – violinist, singer, composer, therapist. Creative director and originator of the Sisters of Sheynville. She was born in Canada in a family of Polish-Jewish immigrants. Fryszberg’s mother comes from Biłgoraj and her father from Włodawa.

The band Sisters of Sheynville was founded by Isabel Fryszberg and Lenka Lichtenberg. After their debut album “Sheynville Express” (2007), the Sisters were hailed by the critics as one of the most exciting new American bands. Their repertoire includes original pieces and interesting arrangements combining klezmer music, folk, jazz and blues. Among other inspirations of the Sisters of Sheynville are The Barry Sisters. It is the first visit of The Sisters of Sheynville to the country where their families come from. The parents of Fryszberg, the mother of Fern Lindzon and grandparents of KiKi Sagee, Lori Wolf  and Rachela Melas were all born in Poland.

Main Stage of the Jewish Theater, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Tickets can be purchased at the Jewish Theater box office from August 1^st, 2011, tel. 22 850 56 56 and on www.eBilet.pl

7:00 pm Screening of the film “Ost und West”

“Ost und West” (“East and West”) – silent comedy from 1923 with boards in Yiddish, directed by Sidney Goldin and Iwan Abramson, starring Molly Picon, a legendary figure of Yiddish cinema, and Jacob Kalich. The film shows a collision of the secular and religious worlds from an ironic perspective. Its title refers to a Jewish cultural magazine published in Berlin and to the divisions between the so-called Ost- and Westjuden (Eastern and Western Jews).

In cooperation with the Austrian Cultural Forum

Austrian Cultural Forum, 8 Próżna Street

7:00 pm Próżna-Hoiz invites: “Music from the Jewish treasury”

Próżna-Hoiz Restaurant, 14 Próżna Street

7:00 pm Screening of the film “Pięć miast: Białystok, Lwów, Kraków, Wilno i Warszawa” (“Five cities: Białystok, Lviv, Kraków, Vilnius and Warsaw”)

In 1938 and 1939 Shaul and Icchak Goskid from the Warsaw “Sektor Film” studio  produced six short documentaries devoted to Jewish communities from Polish cities: “One day in Warsaw”, “Jewish life in Białystok”, “Jewish life in Kraków”, “Jewish life in Łódź”, “Jewish life in Lviv”, “Jewish life in Vilnius”. The copy of the film about Łódź was never found. The documentaries that survived have an original narration in Yiddish, supplemented with English subtitles. The films are of enormous archival value, as they present portraits of people, communities and institutions that don’t exist anymore due to Germany’s invasion of Poland in 1939.

“Sens nonsensu” Club, 23 Wileńska Street

8:00 pm Secrets of the Hebrew alphabet. Theoretical lecture and practical classes devoted to Hebrew calligraphy and to the art of making amulets – Jakub Skrzypczak

“4 Pokoje” Club, flat 18, 19 Wileńska Street

8:30 pm THE NIGHT IN THE OLD MARKETPLACE

Klezmer opera based on the novel “A night in the old marketplace” by I.L. Peretz

Music: FRANK LONDON (USA), text: Glen Berger, direction: Alexandra Aron, light visualizations: Solomon Weisbard, video visualizations: Kate Howard, translation Maria Makuch

Performing: Manu Narayan – singing, Steven Hrycelak – singing, Lorin Sklamberg – singing, accordion, guitar, piano, La Tanya Hall – singing, Frank London – trumpet, Richie Barshay – percussion, Robert Curto – accordion, Ron Caswell – tuba, bass. Narrator: Dawid Szurmiej.

A feast for all fans of modern klezmer music. During the 8^th “Warsaw’s Singer” festival will be held a concert of Frank London – one of the most outstanding klezmer music performers, winner of the Grammy Award. He will be accompanied by phenomenal musicians. London and Glenn Berger have adapted the play of Isaac Leib Peretz “A Night In The Old Marketplace”.

The new version of this drama, directed by Alexandra Aron, is a multimedia event, an avant-garde opera with elements of cabaret in Kurt Weill or Tom Waits style. Performed by a group of 10 outstanding musicians and singers together with a narrator, it guarantees an unforgettable musical experience. The work “A Night In The Old Marketplace” is regarded as a gem of Yiddish literature. It is a mystery set in the tradtion of Jewish folklore, legends and religious beliefs, often compared with “Wesele” by Stanisław Wyspiański.

Manu Narayan (singing) – he was born in Pittsburgh, PA and currently lives in New York. Theater, film and TV actor, singer, saxophonist. He sang, among others, with Cyndi Lauper and The Band Garth Hudson. He played in the comedy “The Love Guru”, together with Mike Myers, Jessica Alba and Justin Timberlake. He performed on Broadway, in Shakespeare and Company (“Romeo and Juliet”) and at the Wilma Theater in Philadephia. Manu is a talented classical saxophonist drawing on the Carnatic music style from Western and Southern India.

Steven Hrycelak (singing) – he has been playing the piano since the age of 8. He graduated summa cum laude from Yale, where he was singing in operas and musicals and leading choirs. Later, he continued his carreer as professional singer. As an artist, he is active on many stages of New York. Among his most important opera and oratorian parts are: Zuniga in “Carmen”, Seneca in “The Coronation of Poppea”, Bartolo in “The Marriage of Figaro”. Hrycelak is an active coach and accompanist of both classical and musical theater performers.

La Tanya Hall (singing) – singer with a strong, sensuous voice. At the age of 13 she started singing together with her father, a jazz pianist. Though jazz was her first passion, her knowledge of different musical genres enabled her to perform with such stars as: Diana Ross, Bobby McFerrin, Harry Belafonte, Aretha Franklin, Michael Feinstein, Patti Labelle and Steve Tyrell.

Sofia Rei – she comes from Buenos Aires and is one of the most charismatic New York singers. She sings in Spanish, Portuguese and English. She is also a composer, arranger, author of lyrics. Her style is deeply rooted in traditional South American rhythms such as the chacarera, Zamba and vidala from Argentina, the Afro-Peruvan festejo and the Afro-Uruguayan candombe. All these currents can be perfectly combined with jazz harmony and with electronic sounds.

Lorin Sklamberg (singing, accordion, guitar, piano) – Robert Christgau, a music critic from the New York radio called him „one of the best singers of every American genre”. He participates in many Frank London’s projects, among them The Nigunim Trio and the klezmer opera “A Night in the Old Marketplace”. He is co-founder of The Klemzatics. Sklamberg’s work as a singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist includes over 50 records – solo projects and effects of cooperation with such artists as: Itzhak Perlman, Don Byron, Uri Caine, Matt Darriau, Rob Schwimmer, Siberry Jane, Marc Cohn, Tony Kushner, Moxy Früvous and Western Wind. He also performs in films, theaters and in the circus. He has given concerts and lectures throughout the world, in cities such as Buenos Aires, Saint Petersburg, Kiev, London and Paris. He co-founded the New York non-profit organization “Living Traditions”. He has been coordinating the KlezKamp program – the Yiddish Folk Arts – for 14 years. Sklamberg is working at the Sound Archives of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.

Rob Curto – musician of Italian-American descent, accordionist who plays with great passion and energy. He has discovered many new tonal and rhythmical abilities of this instrument. At the beginning of his career, Curto loved Northern American music: swing, bebop, funk, rock and blues. Later, he became fascinated by Southern American sounds: Forró, chorinho, samba, Maracatu, Frevo and many other styles belonging to the Brasilian accordion tradition. Rob gave concerts together with such artists as Lila Downs, David Krakauer, Frank London and Cyro Batista.

Ron Caswell (tuba, bass) – he can make his tuba emit some of the most amazing sounds in contemporary music. When Ron moved to New York, he started playing with young bands such as Flying Karamazov Brothers and New York City Opera. Caswell also recorded and gave concerts together with They Might Be Giants, Anthony Braxton Tri-Centric Orchestra, Royal Brass, American Composers Orchestra and Max Roach. He has played an important part in the shaping of the gypsy music scene in New York and in the vicnity of the Mechanata club. He has collaborated with Slavic Soul Party, Romashka and Gogol Bordello. Ron also performs with Klezmer Brass Frank London's All-Stars and Brian Carpenter's Ghost Train Orchestra.

Richie Barshay – percussionist most famous for his collaboration with Herbie Hancock Quartet. He is regarded as one of the most outstanding musical voices of his generation. He gives concerts and records with such artists as: Chick Corea, Esperanza Spalding, Lee Konitz, The Klezmatics, Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner, Natalie Merchant, David Krakauer, Fred Wesley, Claudia Acuña and Pete Seeger. Richie started playing jazz and Afro-Carribean music as a teenager, later on he broadened his musical inspirations and started experimenting with Indian sounds.

Eyal Maoz – guitarist, composer and solo artist. He is leader of numerous original bands such as Edom, Dimyon and Crazy Slavic Band. He has also collaborated with John Zorn. His style is a unique synthesis of rock, jazz and avant-garde, with a touch of deep electronic music and radical Central-European Jewish music. Together with his bands, he performed, among others, at the International Jazz Festival in Montreal, the NYC 2007 Winter Jazz Fest and the Verizon Jazz Festival.

Dawid Szurmiej got a degree in film direction from the London Film School. He directs advertisings and music videos. He has recently produced the film “Robert Mitchum is dead” (2010, dir. Olivier Babinet and Fred Kihn), which premiered as part of the Acid section of the Cannes Film Festival. Its Polish premiere will be held in autumn. Dawid played in performances of the Jewish Theater, such as “Lejzorek” and “Straszna Gospoda” (“The Fearsome Inn”). He also performed in plays staged by other theaters, among others in the London version of the “Rocky Horror Show”. He was artistic director of the 2009 Międzyzdroje Film Festival. Currently, he is working on the newest TV production of Agat Studio – a series of documentaries entitled “Royaliści.pl”, presenting the stories of 12 characters and their path to maturity, which leads them across hills of India and Nepal. He is also working on a new beach project in Łeba, which will transform this city into a summer sport capital.

Outdoor concert in the Grzybowski Square, admission free

8:30 pm FROM THE SERIES “SzaZa Invites”:

Solo concert: Marcin Gokieli

and performative concert with the participation of: Marcin Gokieli – singing, Paweł Szamburski – clarinets, mandolin, Patryk Zakrocki – violin, mbira

Marcin Gokieli (King Kong) – singer, author of lyrics, theorist. His lyrics are supposed to leave much space for an interaction with music and give lots of possibilities of improvisation. He cooperates with such musicians as Norbert Kubacz, Mikołaj Biberstein, Raphael Rogiński, Paweł Szamburski, Patryk Zakrocki, and Daniel Pigoński. Lately he has been co-creating the text-design project “A Book for Two” together with Rafaela Dražic.

Academia Theater, 22 11 listopada Street

9:00 pm Yiddish DJ – club event

“Zwiąż mnie” Club, 22 11 listopada Street

10:00 pm Adam Mazurek Trio – klezmer concert

Adam Mazurek – clarinet, Cyprian Komza – double bass, Robert Kuśmierski – accordion

Adam Mazurek – clarinettist, composer. He performs together with the Warsaw Chamber Orchestra. Co-founder of the artistic group The Bridge Ensemble Monachium. He collaborates with numerous bands as stage and studio performer. He is both musician and MC, popularizing classical, jazz and folk music in educational programs for children and youth.

Robert Kuśmierski – accordionist, session musician. He collaborates with such artists and bands as Jaromir Nohavica, Kapela Czerniakowska, Alexandr Slepakov, Nina Stiller. He records music for radio and television. He participated in the production of over 20 albums of various artists.

Cyprian Komza – double bass player. He specializes in classical music, folk and jazz. He has been playing as part of the Polish Radio Orchestra in Warsaw for many years. He collaborates with the Jewish Theater in Warsaw. Currently he regularly works as bassist of the “Mazowsze” State Folk Ensemble. In private, he is a traveler, bibliophile and lover of  ethnic instruments.

“Skład Butelek” Club, 22 11 listopada Street

10:00 pm Praga Dance

"Hydrozagadka” invites everyone to a dance bringing back the atmosphere of old knees-ups.

The dance floor will be filled with typical Praga rythms and music such as rock&roll.

“Hydrozagadka” Club, 22, 11 listopada Street

12:00 pm Morning with poetry: “The Magician of Warsaw. Visiting the city of Isaac Bashevis Singer”

This meeting devoted to poetry is supposed to present Yiddish high culture and analyze its development in Poland in the interwar period. We will try to work out a portrait of Warsaw basing on Singer’s books. The poetic works of this writer will be intertwined with his prose. The musical setting illustrating the lyrical atmosphere of the meeting will be ensured by  Joanna Stefańska-Matraszek and  Janusz Tylman.

Introduction: Dr. Katarzyna Buczek

Participation: Barbara and Jacek Bursztynowicz

In cooperation with the Museum Activities’ Department of the Royal Castle in Warsaw

Café Zamek, Royal Castle in Warsaw, 4 Zamkowy Square

Entrance: 10 zł

12:00 pm Exhibition of applied art and handicraft

Artists from the “Manufaktury Warszawskie” Association will once again present their works in the entrance to the courtyard of the tenement at 14 Próżna Street. Among the participants of the exhibition are:

Masha Kapustina – glass-ceramic paintings, Urszula Gawlik-Nasiorowska and Aleksandra Nasiorowska – paintings on glass in 18^th-century English technique and decoupage jewelry, Waldemar and Michał Prusak – artistic metalwork, Marek Sierpiński – graphic arts and sculpture, Tytus Wysocki – sculpture

For the first time since 7 years, the late Zbigniew Nasiorowski will not participate in this the festival. He was an artist and co-founder of the “Manufaktury Warszawskie” Association, a man who co-created the atmosphere of “Singer’s Warsaw” and was fully committed to the festival. During this year’s 8^th edition we would like to commemorate his presence. In the entrance to the courtyard at 14 Próżna Street will be exhibited the artist’s works, among them replicas of old maps created with the use of an 18^th-century English technique on glass.

In cooperation with the “Manufaktury Warszawskie” Association

Open until the end of the festival

Café at 14 Próżna Street

12:00-1:30 pm “Jewish legends and fairy tales”

Theatrical-artistic workshops for children from the age of 7 – conducted by Hanna Kossowska and Etel Szyc

“Sens nonsensu” Club, 23 Wileńska Street

12:00-6:00 pm Games and workshops for children and their parents

Do you remember the times when children returned home with a key around their neck? Do you remember the game with bottle caps or the “countries-cities” game? We are inviting both children and adults to come and participate in games we once all used to play on our courtyards: hopscotch, Chinese whispers, jumping over elastic bands, playing with bottle caps, rolling stove-lids. These are just some of the attractions! We are inviting you to come to Wileńska Street – bows in your hair and bottle caps are more than welcome! And maybe you know some other old, forgotten outdoor games you would like to show us?

Sidewalk at 19-23 Wileńska Street, space between the clubs “4 Pokoje” and “Sens nonsensu”

12:00 pm “A walk around Jewish Warsaw” – Leszno Street. Guide: Jan Jagielski

Jan Jagielski – co-founder and board chairman of the Warsaw Committee for Cemeteries and Monuments of Jewish Culture. Since 1991 he has been working at the Jewish Historical Institute, where he founded a department documenting the physical traces of historical Jewish presence in Poland. He is director of this department to this day.

Assembly point by the Arsenal, 52 Długa Street

12:00-6:00 pm We are inviting everyone to visit the Muza Bookstore. The program includes:

12:00-1:30 pm            Helena Kowalik Criminal Warsaw

2:00-4:00 pm             Izabela and Tomasz Kaczyński

Poland. Festivities, Tournaments, Rallies, Fairs

Piast route

Cistercian route

Route of outstanding Poles

4:30-6:00 pm Andrzej Korybut-Daszkiewicz Joresz

Bookstore of the Muza Publishing House, 14 Próżna Street

12:00-1:30 pm “ABC of Yiddish literature” – workshop conducted by Dr. Jacob Weitzner

Dr. Jacob Weitzner – he studied Theater Arts and Jewish literature at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He lectured on Yiddish and Hebrew literature and conducted theater courses at the Hunter College in New York, the Tel Aviv Universty and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Currently he is editor of the “Słowo Żydowskie” (“Dos Jidisze Wort”) monthly.

FORWERTS, 14 Próżna Street

1:00 pm Promotion of the book “Proboszcz getta” (“Ghetto parish priest”) by Karol Madaj and Małgorzata Żuławnik

After the Warsaw Ghetto had been founded, the All Saints’ Church was closed within its walls. The parish priest of this church, Rev. Marceli Godlewski, did not escape from the hell of the ghetto. He obtained food, forged documents and helped Jews escape. The book Ghetto parish priest describes the amazing story of this activist, priest of Catholic Jews imprisoned within the ghetto walls and the story of hiding Jews in an orphanage in Anin.

Small Stage of the Jewish Theater, 1^st floor, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

2:00 pm Smells and tastes of Jewish cuisine – workshops conducted by Hanna Kossowska

“4 Pokoje” Club, flat 18, 19 Wileńska Street

2:00 pm ZINGŻE MIR A LIDELE IN JIDYSZ – sing me a song in Yiddish

Workshops of Yiddish songs conducted by Teresa Wrońska – graduate of the Warsaw Music Academy. Since 1983 she hs been the music director of the Jewish Theater in Warsaw and since 2004 – the music director of the “Singer’s Warsaw” festival.

“Pardon To-Tu” Club, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

2:00 pm “OLD GENTLEMEN’S DELICACIES”

Melancholic cabaret of Janusz Tencer and Gwidon Jakowlew, inspired by the legendary “Kabaret Starszych Panow” (“Old Gentlemen’s Cabaret”) of Przybora and Wasowski.

Here is the recipe for two old fogeys in memories sauce:

We take two handome youn men. We add 40 years to each of them, one big emigration, a bucket of cholesterol and we season it with a handful of Jewish philosophy and a drop of Slavic melancholy. We mix all the ingredients in a cabaret melting pot and pour lots of Scotch whisky over it – then we wait until the sense of humor is restored. We eat this meal in the company of our friends.

Lyrics: Janusz Tencer and Gwidon Jakowlew, Script, dialogues and direction: Janusz Tencer, Stage manager: Erna Erlich, Stage design: Ewa Łaniecka

Cast: Ben Erlich, Gwidon Jakowlew, Hanna Jakowlew, Axel Stoltz, Magdalena Stoltz, Janusz Tencer, Marysia Tencer, Jurek Wajnblom,

Guest performance: Henryk Rajfer

Janusz Tencer – nephrologist. He has been singing Yiddish and Polish songs for many years. He is the author of the book “In the kitchen of Mama Sonia” and of several dozen song lyrics. In 2007 he published his first solo album “Jewish tailor and other songs”. He has given concerts in Israel, Poland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Germany. He performed at the “Singer’s Warsaw” festival many times, among others as master of ceremonies and performer during final concerts. He also presented his original concert “Mój Marzec” (“My March”) and the musical performance “Marcowe Migdały” (“March Almonds”), which he wrote and directed. “Marcowe Migdały” were also staged in Paris, Copenhagen, Malmö and Łódź. A show in New York is planned for October 2011. The performance “Co nam zostało z tych lat” (“What do we have left from the past”) is currently being prepared by the Jewish Theater. It is based on a scenario by Szymon Szurniej, who is also its director. Janusz Tencer wrote the lyrics and Janusz Sent is the author of musical arrangements. Janusz Tencer is board member of the Shalom Foundation and chairman of the “MediCenter” Medical Center in Warsaw, which has been offering its medical services during the festival from its beginning.

Gwidon Jakowlew – engineer by profession. He has been connected with Jewish culture for 15 years. He played, among others, in Janusz Tencer’s performances “Marcowe Migdały” and “Historia Królowej Esterki czyli d…a nie traktor a ciągnie”. He wrote many lyrics and is co-author of the cabaret “Old Gentlemen’s Delicacies”, where he also performs.

Mamele Club, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Admission by prior reservation only, tel. 22 620 55 85; 652 16 48

2:00 pm “History of Warsaw Jewish antiquarian bookstores in the 19th and 20th centuries” – lecture of Jan Straus

In cooperation with the “Lamus” Warsaw Antiquarian Bookstores

FORWERTS, 14 Próżna Street

2:00 pm Richard Glazar aboutTreblinka – world literature and “Polish Jews”

Meeting about the book series “Polish Jews”, canon source texts of Jewish literature of the 20^th century. The meeting will include a debate with the participation of Prof. Jacek Leociak (Institute of Literary Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences) and Zbigniew Gluza (chairman of the KARTA Center, publisher of the series “Polish Jews”)

In cooperation with the KARTA Center

Austrian Cultural Forum, 8 Próżna Street

3:00 pm MY YIDDISHLAND - concert of Ben Zimet and Yiddish Quartet (France)

performing: Maurice Delaistier (violin, classic guitar), Michel Derouin (piano,accordion)

Louis Derouin (bass), Nicole Uzan (vocals, drums), Ben Zimet (vocals, storytelling, guitar)

“Ben ZIMET is considered today as one of the major actors in the revival of “Yiddiskayt “and Yiddish music in France and throughout Europe. His mother tongue is Yiddish and his father comes from Galicia.

In 1973,he created his “Songs and Tales out of Yiddishland,”with the original Yiddish Quartet and has toured the world over with this unique show. In 1979, he created and directed the First International Festival of Yiddish Culture in Paris at Centre Pompidou. The Festival was a huge success. Since that time,he has created ten other original Yiddish shows in different major Parisian theaters such as “Théâtre de la Ville” and Peter Brook’s”Bouffes du Nord” theater.

This is what the world-renowned stage director Peter BROOK says of him: “Mr.Zimet’s work is of the highest importance in that it carries with it the fundamental ideal of tradition and transmission, and its completely original renewal in a contemporary form.”

The young generation of klezmer musicians owes much to Ben Zimet’s innovations and creativity over the years.”

Main Stage of the Jewish Theater, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Tickets can be purchased at the Jewish Theater box office from August 1^st, 2011, tel. 22 850 56 56 and on www.eBilet.pl

4:00 pm Workshops devoted to protecting and conserving old photographs (Foundation “Archeology of Photography”), accompanied by a presentation of the portal "Kaddish for the departed" and of the campaign "Boxes of memory"

Kaddish for the Departed is a place of hundreds of Jewish families on the Polish Internet. It is a modern portal devoted to the history and culture of Polish Jews. Its creators wanted to rescue the memory of the Jewish life before the Second World War. We are inviting you to a presentation of the portal and to a lecture of the Foundation “Archeology of Photography”. You will learn how to preserve old photos by yourself, how to store them and you will find out what the real value of an old collection of photographs is. The meeting will include workshops presenting tools necessary to store photos in a safe way and a recapitulation of the “Boxes of memory” campaign.

Austrian Cultural Forum, 8 Próżna Street

4:00 pm FROM THE SERIES “SzaZa Invites”:

Solo concert– Paweł Szamburski (clarinets, mandolin)

Paweł Szamburski – clarinettist, improviser. Founder and leader of the band “Meritum”. He participates in many musical projects, among them: Tupika, Heliogabal, Galimadjazz Trio, Cukunft, Bauagan, Meoma. He also carries out an original series of events entitled “Djazzpora”, where he presents contemporary improvised music and visual arts. He has collaborated with such artists as Tomasz Stańko, Mikołaj Trzaska, Raphael Rogiński, Kuba Kossak, Michał Górczynski, Josquen Roset and Norbullo.

“Pardon To-Tu” Club, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

4:00 pm “Guided tour of Warsaw: following Janusz Korczak”.

Guide: Jan Jagielski

Assembly point in front of the J. Korczak Orphanage, 6 Jaktorowska Street

4:00 pm Odessa… Odessa!, documentary, dir. Michale Boganim, Israel/France 2004, 96 min.

“On the shore of the Black Sea lies a city called Odessa” – these words, like a beginning of a fairy tale, open the documentary of Michale Boganim. “Odessa… Odessa!” is something more than just a story about Jews from Odessa, who left Ukraine after the collapse of the Soviet Union. It is also a story of exile – real and mental – that can affect any of us.

Distributor: Against Gravity

“Zwiąż mnie” Club, 22 11 listopada Street

4:30-6:00 pm Musical walk around the Praga district with the band OPA! (Russia)

Musical walk around Praga.

Route: Junction of the Kłopotowskiego, Floriańska and Jagiellońska Streets à Solidarności Avenue à Wileńska Street à Zaokopowa Street à Stalowa Street à 22 11 listopada Street

The klezmer band OPA! and the participants of the walk will form a dancing procession and walk along the streets of the old Praga district. We will set off from a place strictly connected with the history of Jews from Praga: it is precisely here that the synagogue and mikveh were located. Music will help us pay tribute to the past and visit the unique backstreets of the Warsaw Praga district. The walk will end with a final concert of OPA! in the courtyard at 22 11 listopada Street at 7:00 pm.

Assembly point: Junction of the Kłopotowskiego, Floriańska and Jagiellońska Streets

5:00 pm The Film Debating Club of the Shalom Foundation presents: PO LIN. Film by Zvi Slepon.

This documentary is also Zvi Slepon’s account and testimony of his 10-year journey (1988-1998) which was supposed to help him find lost Jewish synagogues, cemeteries and rabbinic centers in Poland. The screening will be followed by a debate with the participation of the author.

Mamele Club, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Admission by prior reservation only, tel. 22 620 55 85; 652 16 48

6:00 pm Jewish swing – concert of the band Ektoplazma

performing: Monika Chrząstowska – singing, Izabella Rzeszowska – singing, Wacław Zimpel – clarinet, Michał Górczyński – saxophone, Raphael Rogiński – guitar, Bartłomiej Tyciński – guitar, Ksawery Wójciński – double bass, Paweł Szpura – percussion

The band Ektoplazma was founded on the initiative of Raphael Rogiński. It is a continuation of the musicological work of its leader, focusing on the subject of swing in its most archaic form. He has already performed Gypsy swing with some of the musicians from the band and adapted pieces from archival recordings of the first brass bands from the area of the Mississippi, playing archaic swing. Currently, the extended band performs pieces by Raymond Scott.

Outdoor concert, Main stage in the Grzybowski Square

6:00 pm musical performance Dermonung – דערמאָנונג

performing: Mendy Cahan (Israel) – direction and singing, Olga Mieleszczuk – singing and accordion

Dermonung means “remembering” in Yiddish. Remembering the difficult past, the Kaddish – a prayer for the deceased – but above all, remembering the rich Jewish tradition and the centuries-old coexistence of cultures. This musical performance evokes the lost world of a Polish town – a Jewish shtetl where Yiddish intertwines with Polish and Hasidic nigunim with the voice of a shepherd. Artists share with the audience the taste of a Sabbath dinner and the joy of a Jewish wedding.

Mendy Cahan – a charismatic artist from Israel, coming from a Hasidic family. Director, actor, singer, Yiddish teacher, founder and director of the center of Yiddish culture YUNG YiDiSH with seats in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. He performs in Israel, Europe, the US and Canada.

Olga Mieleszczuk – artist with a multi-ethnic soul. She performs songs belonging to Jewish, Balkan and Eastern European tradition, to the accompaniment of accordion. Initiator of inter-cultural musical projects. She performs in Poland and Israel.

Admission by prior reservation only, tel. 22 620 55 85; 652 16 48

Academia Theater, 22 11 listopada Street

7:00 pm concert of the band OPA! (Russia)

OPA! is a stage-club project from Saint Petersburg. This is where musicians from various regions of the Soviet Union met and started performing together. The band harmoniously combines a unique energy with a Kusturica-style magic and kitsch. Their music offers many interesting elements: a simplicity typical for ska, a melodiousness characterizing klezmer music, reggae’s lyricism, swing’s lightness and a Balkan fire. The members of OPA! are: Grig Spiridonycz (singing), Ilyi Gindin (clarinet), Roman Shinder (guitar), Evgeny Pushkarev (saxophone), Dmitryej Khramtsov (bass) and Zheka Lizin.

Outdoor concert, courtyard at 22 11 listopada Street

8:00 pm KLEZMER NIGHT: “Klezmer Brass Carnival”

Performing Brass All Stars (USA): Frank London, Lorin Sklamberg and Brian Drye, Ron Caswell, Richie Barshay, Eyal Maoz.

Guest performance: Christian Dawid (Germany)

Frank London – New York composer and trumpet player, one of the most outstanding artists representing the revival of Jewish music that has been lasting for the last twenty years. Winner of the Grammy Award, founder of The Klezmatics, leader of Frank London Klezmer Brass Allstars. Among his other projects are Nigunim Trio, The Zmiros Project (Jewish mystical songs), The Shekhina Big Band, The Debt (film and musical theater), Invocations (cantor’s music), he also co-created Les Miserables Brass Band and Klezmer Conservatory Band, and is a member of the Hasidic New Wave. He composed music to the performance “A Night in the Old Marketplace” – the biggest and most important musical masterpiece since the “Fiddler on the Roof” – to the “Dybbuk” by Tony Kushner, and to the films “The Brother From Another Planet” and “Men With Guns” by John Salyes. He was music director of the David Byrne’s and Robert Wilson’s album “The Knee Plays”, he cooperated with the Palestinian violinist Simon Shaheen. He also lectured on Jewish music in Canada, the Crimea and Catskills, and produced the album of the Gypsy legend Esma Redzepowa and the Algerian pianist Maurice el Medioni.

London is also often asked for cooperation by various artists, not only representatives of the klezmer current, but also by jazz, blues and rock musicians. He collaborated with such artists as: Zorn, LL Cool J, Lester Bowie Brass Fantasy, David Byrne, Gal Costa, LaMonte Young, Iggy Pop, Natalie Merchant, They Might Be Giants, John Cale, Itzhak Perlman and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. He made a guest appearance on over 100 albums and participated in over 300 recordings. His concerts are very popular, he performed at the biggest international festivals, among them the North Sea Jazz Festival, the Festival of The Arts and the Lincoln Center Music Festiwal.

Frank London is often called the “soul and heart” of new Jewish music. Critics regard him as one of the best jazz trumpet players in the world.

BRASS ALL STARS – supergroup of the New York klezmer avant-garde, founded by Frank London. The music of this band is rooted in the ecstatic nature of Yiddish music and compositions that are at the same time wild and spiritual, provocative and created for dancing. Their music derives from Jewish spiritualism and Eastern European tradition. They do not obey any cultural and genre boundaries. The pieces of Brass All Stars constitute an effect of broad inspirations, from punk and reggae, through swing, to Arabic, African and Balkan rhythms. The band creates a contemporary klezmer music with an expressive and distinctive sound, combined with frantic vitality and energy, loved by the audience throughout the world. The members of Brass All Stars: the leader, Frank London (trumpet, alto horn, piccolo trumpet), Susan Sandler (trumpet, singing), Mark Hamilton (trombone), David Harris (trombone, baritone horn), Curtis Hasselbring (trombone), Merlin Sheperd (clarinet, piccolo clarinet), Matt Dariau (clarinet, alto saxophone, guida), Mark Rubin (gelicon double bass), Aaron Alexander (percussion, poyk, drums), Matt Moran (drum).

Christian Dawid (Germany) – clarinettist of world renown and arranger of both traditional and contemporary Yiddish music. He draws his inspiration from various musical sources, such as classical music, jazz and ethno music. Christian studied classical music, played in a theater and in a chamber orchestra. He got to know various music styles, from baroque to acapella pop. He co-created bands such as Klezgoyim, Khupe and Budowitz. He performed with such bands and artists as Klezmer Brass Frank London's Allstars, Smyrna Trio, Aufwind, Paul Brody's Honga Longa and Yerewan. He gave many concerts with these bands in North America, Europe and Japan. Dawid also gives concerts presenting his solo projects.

Outdoor concert in the Grzybowski Square, admission free

8:00 pm Film review “Masters of bit parts: Włodzimierz Boruński”

“Personel” (“Staff”), dir. Krzysztof Kieślowski, Poland 1976, 66 min.

After finishing school, Romek gets a job in a theater tailor’s workshop. The unique theatrical milieu is full of conflicts resulting from ambitions and disappointments. During the meeting of a youth organization, Romek decides to defend his older friend who is in danger of being fired from work due to his critical remarks concerning the theater’s program policy. The director of the theater forces Romek to make a final decision: he can either denounce his insubordinate colleague or lose his job, which he was really starting to like.

Review organized in cooperation with the National Film Archive

Iluzjon Cinema, National Library, S. Dembe Hall, entrance A, 213 Al. Niepodległości

Tickets can be purchased at the Iluzjon Cinema box office, tel. 646 12 60

8:00 pm CONCERT OF THE GER MANDOLIN ORCHESTRA

from SAN FRANCISCO (USA)

Ger Mandolin Orchestra is a project of commemoration and reconstruction of the prewar Jewish mandolin orchestra from Góra Kalwaria. The originator of this idea is Avner Yonai, grandson of Dawid Rybak – member of the former orchestra. Ger Mandolina Orchestra was founded on the occasion of this year’s 26th Jewish Music Festival in Berkeley, where musicians of world renown paid tribute to the mandolinists from Góra Kalwaria for the first time. This unique orchestra is constituted by: Mike Marshall (music director), Avi Avital, Eric Stein, Jeff Warschauer, Radim Zenkl, Tim Connell, Acquavella Chris, Gilchrist Sharon, Brian Oberlin, Rath Dana and Adam Rozkiewicz.

In cooperation with the Góra Kalwaria Municipal Council

Tzaddik’s Court, Góra Kalwaria

Bus trip – we will set off from the Jewish Theater at 7:00 pm

Limited number of tickets

Information regarding tickets in the Góra Kalwaria Municipal Council, tel.22 727 34 11

8:45 pm HAVDALAH – ending of the Sabbath

The Havdalah is a ceremony separating the Sabbath from a normal day. The celebrations are performed after dark or after the evening service at the synagogue.

Nożyk Synagogue, 6 Twarda Street

9:00 pm Concert “The Effect of the Holocaust on 20th Century Jewish Composers”

Performing: Paul Dykstra (piano), Ian Maksin (cello), David Lisker (violin)

Program of the concert:

Ernest Bloch – From Three Nocturnes for Piano Trio (1924)

Mieczysław Weinberg – Jewish Songs to the poetry of Shmuel Halkin, op. 17 (1944) Mieczysław Weinberg – Sonata #1 for Solo Cello, op. 72

Ernest Bloch – “From Jewish Life” – Three Sketches for cello and piano (1924)

Mieczysław Weinberg – Trio for Piano, Violin and Violoncello, op. 24 (1945)

Paul Dykstra – pianist/conductor.  Born in the U.S.A. Dykstra is the founding Musical Director of Chicago’s Lira Symphony for which the Chicago Sun-Times called his Copland “Appalachian Spring” “a real discovery and breath of fresh air, revealing the beauty of the hidden folk melodies.”  An active solo and collaborative pianist, Dykstra champions the music of his teacher Jan Meyerowitz and the incomparable Mieczysław Weinberg – music lost to the world due to the Nazi Holocaust. Dykstra studied piano with James Mathis of the Julliard School and Ani Gogova of the Chicago Musical Conservatory and conducting with Jan Meyerowitz of the Berkshire Festival at Tanglewood.

Rose Guccione – soprano, born in Chicago. One of Chicago’s dailies wrote about her: “real soloist in Verdi’s masterpieces… Guccione’s voice was splendid, varied, beautifully refined in all the scope of its dynamism”. Rose is an international star of opera, concert halls, recitals and theater. Her outstanding soprano could be heard in the title role in “Aida”, she also performed as Elisabeth in “Don Carlo”, Leonora in “La Forza del Destino” and Leonora in “Troubadour”. Guccione has won many international competitions. She was chosen to participate in the Operalia Plácido Domingo at the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux and in masters’ courses with Nicolai Ghiaurov at the Centro Universale del Bel Canto in Modena, Italy. Rose is the founder and owner of the highly regarded OperaGram.com ®.

David Lisker – violinist born in Nowosybirsk, he emigrated to the US. He started playing violin with his father at the age of 5. As a 14-year-old he was admitted to The Perlman Music, where for five years he has been learning the arcane of violin playing under the tutelage of the Israeli virtuoso Itzhak Perlman. He later got his Master of Music degree from Perlman at the Julliard School in New York. David performed in the most prestigious concert halls, among them the Carnegie Hall, the Mann Auditorium in Israel, the Orange County Performing Arts Center in California and the Shanghai Theater in China.

Ian Maksin – cello player and composer. He was born in Saint Petersburg in Russia. At the age of six he started learning cello at the opera of Rimski-Korsakov. He was awarded for his beautiful tone and passionate interpretations. Time Out Chicago Magazine described his style as “extremely flexible and convincinv, oscillating between stormy passions and deep tenderness”. Maksin performed in music halls throughout the world as soloist, chamber musician and main cello player of the New World Symphony under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas. Ian has collaborated with such artists as Andrea Bocelli, Gloria Estefan, Barry Gibb from the Bee Gees, P. Diddy and Snoop Dogg.

Main Stage of the Jewish Theater, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Tickets can be purchased at the Jewish Theater box office from August 1^st, 2011, tel. 22 850 56 56 and on www.eBilet.pl

9:00 pm Yiddish DJ – club event

Fringe event

“Zwiąż mnie” Club, 22 11 listopada Street

10:00 pm Dance event – DJ Wojcio in Jewish rhythms

Fringe event

“Skład butelek” Club, 22 11 listopada Street

10:00 pm Dance event in the Praga district in the “Singer’s Warsaw” atmosphere

“Hydrozagadka” Club , 22, 11 listopada Street

10:00 pm Dancing tango

Come and learn how to dance tango and milonga to the rhythm of prewar tangoes written and performed in the past by Andrzej Włast, Henryk and Artur Gold, Jerzy Petersburski, Henryk Wars, Marian Hemar, Jakub Kagan and Adam Aston. The popular hits will include pieces referring to Jewish motifs (the famous tango Rebekkah) and tangoes performed in Yiddish, addressed to a Jewish audience. The workshops will be conducted by professional tango coaches.

Fringe event organized by the Museum of the History of Polish Jews

“Pardon, To Tu” Club, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

12:00 pm GUIDED TOUR OF PRÓŻNA STREET

The group will be guided by Janusz Sujecki, a political scientist by education, graduate of the Warsaw University. He works at the Historical Museum of Warsaw. Author of the monograph “Próżna. Rescued street of Jewish Warsaw”.

Assembly point by the small pond in the Grzybowski Square

12:00 pm GUIDED TOUR OF THE NOŻYK SYNAGOGUE. Guide: Bolesław Zając, specializing in places connected with the history and culture of Polish Jews.

Nożyk Synagogue, 6 Twarda Street

12:30-2:00 pm “Alef, Bejs, Gimel – ABC of Yiddish”

Workshop conducted by Dr. Jacob Weitzner

Forwerts, 14 Próżna Street

1:00 pm Concert of the Adam Mazurek Trio

“Pardon To-Tu” Club, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

1:00 pm Jewish Literary Salon: “In the shadow of tradition” – Meeting with Marek Groński

Marek Groński – he graduated in history from the Łódź University. From 1960 to 1966 he was commentator of the satiric weekly “Szpilki”. He collaborated with legendary Warsaw literary cabarets: “Szpak”, “Wagabunda”, “Dudek”, “Pod Egidą”. Currently, he is a permanent columnist of the “Polityka” weekly and literary director of the Jewish Theater. Among his latest books are: “Proca Dawida. Kabaret w przedsionku” (“Dawid’s slingshot. Cabaret in the vestibule”, 2007), “Lokatorzy Pana Boga” (“God’s residents”, 2008), “Gdzie mieszka kot” (“Where the cat lives”, 2009), “Szlemiel” (2010). Author of the script of the monodrama  “Mur” (“The wall”), describing the heroism of the Righteous Irena Sendler.

Mamele Club, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Admission by prior reservation only, tel. 22 620 55 85; 652 16 48

1:00-6:30 pm We are inviting everyone to visit the Muza Bookstore.

The program includes:

3:00-5:00 pm Maria and Przemysław Pilich Nobliści znad Wisły, Odry i Niemna (Nobel laureates connected with Wisła, Odra and Niemen)

Marta Sztokfisz Księżniczka deptaku (Princess of the boardwalk)

5:30-6:30 pm  Andrzej Korybut-Daszkiewicz Joresz

Bookstore of the Muza Publishing House, 14 Próżna Street

1:00-2:30 pm “Jewish legends and fairy tales” – series of events for children devoted to Jewish culture

Artistic workshops for children conducted by Etel Szyc and Hanna Kossowska

TSKŻ Club, Courtyard of the Jewish Theater, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

1:00 pm Music workshops: Ger Mandolin Orchestra from San Francisco (USA)

Nożyk Synagogue, 6 Twarda Street

2:00 pm Lenka Lichtenberg & Fray: New Yiddish music travels on the Silk Road – Concert of Lenka Lichtenberg & the All-Star Fray Band

Lenka Lichtenberg – a Canadian born in Prague, Yiddish performer, singer, cantorial soloist and composer, leader of the bands Sisters of Sheynville and The All-Star Fray Band. She is in the midst of a diverse career, performing at concerts and festivals from Australia to England and Switzerland. Her latest performances were received with enthusiasm among others at the Boskovice Festival in the Czech Republic, the Klezfiesta in Argentina, as well as during concerts in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, San Francisco, Tel Aviv. She recorded four albums with traditional Yiddish music and with her own original pieces, composed to the poems of contemporary Yiddish poets such as Simcha Simchovitch and Beruriah Wiegand. Her groundbreaking achievements were presented in a few documentaries broadcast by Czech TV in July 2011.

The All-Star Fray Band – Lenka Lichtenberg invited to the recording of her fourth album entitled “Fray” (2010) a unique, talented group of musicians seeking inspiration in various musical traditions: in India, Egypt, the Middle East, North and South America. The All-Star Fray Band perfectly combines contemporary Yiddish poetry with global musical inspirations. By crossing boundaries between styles and traditions, Lenka Lichtenberg creates a new genre of Yiddish music and shapes a new space within the international contemporary music of the Yiddishkayt. The members of The All-Star Fray Band are Canadian jazz musicians of world renown: Alan Hetherington (percussion), Chris Gartner (bass), Ernie Tollar (flutes, saxophones), Jan Gzowski (oud, guitar), and Santosh Naidu (tabla, Dhol, percussion).

Main Stage of the Jewish Theater, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Tickets can be purchased at the Jewish Theater box office from August 1^st, 2011, tel. 22 850 56 56 and on www.eBilet.pl

This tour is made possible by a Canada Council for the Arts International Touring Assistance grant which enables international audiences to discover Canadian artists, and by the Ontario Arts Council's International Touring grant.

2:00 pm Guided tour “Following the footsteps of Yiddish writers”

Guide: Jan Jagielski

Assembly point in front of the entrance to the Jewish Theater

2:30 pm Promotion of the „CWISZN” quarterly

Meeting with the editorial staff of the quarterly: Karolina Szymaniak – editor-in-chief, Barbara Klicka, Agata Kondrat, Anna Szyba and Adam Puchejda.

The “Cwiszn” quarterly published by the Shalom Foundation establishes a dialogue between the past and the present, and makes an attempt to ensure that Yiddish culture becomes a part of contemporary Polish culture. The creators of the magazine present important works of Yiddish literature, many of which had never been translated into Polish. In the review section they present books that are currently published, they also inform about cultural events, describe works of contemporary artists representing various fields – both the artists who use Yiddish and those who refer to the cultural heritage of European Jews. Gołda Tencer is the originator and publisher of the magazine.

The new issue of “Cwiszn” is devoted to Jewish multilingualism – this subject will be discussed during the meeting.

Próżna-Hoiz Restaurant, 14 Próżna Street

3:00 pm Workshops of Jewish paper-cutting – conducted by Monika Krajewska

Paper-cutting is an art that has flourished especially among Eastern European Jews in the 19^th century and was strictly connected with religious life. The most popular motifs were the menorah, crown, columns, animals, birds and plants. Some cut-outs contain several dozen elaborately arranged elements. The participants of the workshops will get to know this art and create their own cut-out. The workshops will start with a short presentation.

(workshops for adults and youth, please bring scissors with sharp tips)

Austrian Cultural Forum, 8 Próżna Street

3:00 pm “Adonai” – the history of Wąski Dunaj Street presented by Jakub Skrzypczak

Ulica Żydowska – Jewish Street – was directly connected with the Market Square through Wąski Dunaj Street and at the same time was located in the vicinity of city mills situated at the end of Piekarska Street and from the side of Podwale Street, right behind the fortifications. On the corner of Żydowska and Dunaj Streets stood a brick synagogue. Apart from the versions linking the origin of the name of Dunaj Street with the stream that once flew there or with the name of the Donaj family – there is also an interpretation connecting it with the religious call “Adonai”, coming from the synagogue.

Intersection of Wąski Dunaj and Piwna Streets

3:00 pm “A HUNDRED QUESTIONS TO THE RABBI”

Meeting with rabbi Matti Pawlak

Matti Pawlak – is the first Polish rabbi who graduated from a rabbinical college in the US after 1989. He is member of the rabbinic council of the Union of Jewish Communities and director of the Lauder-Morasha School Complex in Warsaw.

Nożyk Synagogue, 6 Twarda Street

godz. 15.00 Smells and tastes of Jewish cuisine – workshop conducted by Hanna Kossowska and Etel Szyc

Hanna Kossowska and Etel Szyc will talk about Jewish cuisine, Jewish holidays and the rules of kosher. They will also answer questions, give original recipes – and simultaneously cook and fry traditional dishes that the participants will be able to taste.

Grzybowski Square

3:00 pm Bike trip around Jewish Warsaw

Detailed program of the trip on the website: www.jewishmuseum.org.pl Fringe event organized by the Museum of the History of Polsh Jews

Assembly point: Grzybowski Square, by the small pond. Estimated duration: max. 3 hours.

3:30 pm “About the need, difficulty and ability to conduct an intercultural dialogue in contemporary Poland” – lecture of Dr. Elżbieta Chromiec (Wrocław)

Lecture accompanying the promotion of the book “Intercultural dialogue in the activity of Polish NGO’s during the systemic transformation”, OW ATUT, Wrocław 2011.

Elżbieta Chromiec – Doctor at the Lower Silesian College of Public Services “Asesor” in Wrocław. Since 2004 she has been developing her own concept of postgraduate studies “Management and enterprise in culture”. She has also written the books: “Edukacja w kontekście różnicy i różnorodności kulturowej. Z inspiracji naukowych obszaru niemieckojęzycznego (“Education in the context of cultural differences and diversity. Academic inspirations from the German-speaking area”, 2006), “Dziecko wobec obcości kulturowej” (“Children towards cultural strangeness”, 2004), and several dozen academic articles in the field of intercultural research, informal education and cultural policy. She coordinates international projects and is member of national and international cultural and academic associations (e.g. Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft, European Sociological Association).

Small Stage of the Jewish Theater, 1^st floor, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

3:30-4:30 pm Prose of I. B. Singer read by actors of the Jewish Theater

Forwerts, 14 Próżna Street

3:30 pm FROM THE SERIES “SzaZa Invites”:

Solo concert – Patryk Zakrocki (violin, mbira)

Patryk Zakrocki – composer, improviser, violinist, percussionist, author of film and theater music, of radio dramas and sound installations. He co-created the group EA and was member of the percussion trio Kallerumpa. Until 2000, as part of Meoma, he performed electronic music, at first with Tomasz Sikora. He plays the violin in the re-established trio Tupika. He has collaborated with Improvisers Ensemble, Baaba, Mitch & Mitch, he has also performed as part of the NonStop quartet.

“Pardon To-Tu” Club, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

5:00 pm Concert of The Ger Mandolin Orchestra (USA)

Men are asked to wear headdresses. Seats are not numbered

Nożyk Synagogue, 6 Twarda Street

Admission by prior reservation only, tel. 22 620 55 85; 652 16 48

5:00 pm “Secrets of the mikveh” – guided tour accompanied by a lecture

Guide: Magdalena Szpilman

Tour only for women, maximum 20 people.

Registration and purchase of tickets (10 zł) at the Senior Club of the Warsaw Jewish Community (ground floor of the White Building) on August 30th, from 4 to 8 pm.

Fringe event organized by the Warsaw Jewish Community

Nożyk Synagogue, 6 Twarda Street

5:30 pm NIGUNIM: tsuker zis – CONCERT OF LORIN SKLAMBERG & FRANK LONDON

Nigunim is a masterly project and title of the 1998 album of Frank London. The musicians perform original, traditional music based on “nigunim” and “zmires” from the tradition of the Hasidic Belzer, Gerer, Lubovitch and Skulaner families. These pieces are inspired psalms supposed to put both the performer and the listener in a state of piety and passion. Frank London performed with the band Nigunim Trio at the „Klezmers’ Night” during the 5th edition of the „Warsaw’s Singer” Jewish Culture Festival (2008). He then played together with the singer and accordionist Lorin Sklamberg and the pianist Rob Schwimmer.

“Hydrozagadka” Club, 22, 11 listopada Street

5:30 pm “Temple. Dybbuk – Jewish legends” – Arka Theater

Direction – Renata Jasińska, Script – Jarosława Makus and Renata Jasińska

Stage design – Elżbieta Roszczak, Music – Jacek Zamecki, Costumes – Ewa Jobko

Light direction – Alexandre Marquezy

Cast: Łukasz Kucharzewski – Dr. Mengele, Agata Obłąkowska-Woubishet – Sarah, Renata Jasińska – Lea, Girl from Jedwabne, Sylwester Różycki – Reb Azriel, Alexandre Marquezy – Chanan, Maciej Sibilski – Michael, Alicja Idasiak – Jenta, Jan Kot – Mojsze,
Teresa Trudzik – Rachel, Dariusz Bajorczyk – Icchak, Andrzej Kusiak – Natan

This performance combines the tragedy of the Holocaust with elements of Jewish culture. The mood music of Jacek Zamecki and the moving interpretation of Yiddish songs impart an extremely emotional character to the performance. The touching love story of Hanan and Lea intertwined with the history the Holocaust give the drama by Shloyme Zanvil Rappaport (S. Ansky) a new dimension. Today, we can find elements of Jewish culture in big Polish cities, such as Wrocław. However, it s only a small part of its presence in our national consciousness and everyday life. The play “Temple. Dybbuk – Jewish legends” won’t leave anyone indifferent and the spectators will remember this performance for a very long time.

Duration: 95 min.

Main Stage of the Jewish Theater, 12/16 Grzybowski Square

Tickets can be purchased at the Jewish Theater box office from August 1^st, 2011, tel. 22 850 56 56 and on www.eBilet.pl

6:00 pm Film review “Masters of bit parts: Włodzimierz Boruński”

“Klakier” (“Claqueur”), dir. Janusz Kondratiuk, Poland 1983, 92 min.

An old actress, once beloved by the audience and now an old, sick woman – is the star of a travelling theater, giving performances in the Polish countryside. The audience is usually almost empty, until the manager of the group hits on the idea to spread rumours about the star’s near death. Huge crowds soon gather in the hope of witnessing the death of the actress on the stage. The film is a bitter portrait of the provincial theater milieu ruled by people having no scruples.

Film with English subtitles.

Review organized in cooperation with the National Film Archive

Iluzjon Cinema, National Library, S. Dembe Hall, entrance A, 213 Al. Niepodległości

Tickets can be purchased at the Iluzjon Cinema box office, tel. 646 12 60

6:00 pm Yiddish on the grass – Outdoor concert

performing: Mendy Cahan (Israel) – singing, Olga Mieleszczuk – singing, accordion, Ludwik Skrzypek – accordion, Przemysław Skałuba – clarinet, Konrad Kubicki – double bass

Grzybowski Square, admission free

6:30 pm “Secrets of the mikveh” – guided tour accompanied by a lecture

Guide: Magdalena Szpilman

Tour only for women, maximum 20 people.

Registration and purchase of tickets (10 zł) at the Senior Club of the Warsaw Jewish Community (ground floor of the White Building) on August 30th, from 4 to 8 pm.

Fringe event organized by the Warsaw Jewish Community

Nożyk Synagogue, 6 Twarda Street

8:00 pm FINAL CONCERT: THE TZADDIK’S COURT

direction: Gołda Tencer, Jan Szurmiej, scenario: Janusz Tencer, stage design: Ewa Łaniecka, costumes: Marta Grudzińska, music direction: Teresa Wrońska

Performing: Isabel Fryszberg & The Sisters of Sheynville (Canada), Lenka Lichtenberg & The All-Star Fray Band (Canada), Christian Dawid (Germany), Frank London (USA), The Ger Mandolin Orchestra (USA), Gołda Tencer, Janusz Tencer, Szymon Szurmiej and Liliana Cercel, Monika Chrząstowska, Ewa Dąbrowska, Ewa Greś, Mariola Kuźnik, Małgorzata Majewska, Sylwia Najach, Joanna Przybyłowska, Izabella Rzeszowska, Monika Soszka, Barbara Szeliga, Alina Świdowska, Małgorzata Trybalska, Ernestyna Winnicka, Mariusz Bach, Marcin Błaszak, Piotr Chomik, Genady Iskhakov, Ryszard Kluge, Grzegorz Kulikowski, Henryk Rajfer, Rafał Rutowicz, Piotr Sierecki, Dawid Szurmiej, Jerzy Walczak, Marek Węglarski, Wojciech Wiliński, Maciej Winkler, Piotr Wiszniowski and the belting group of Mariusz Bach.

Outdoor concert in the Grzybowski Square, admission free

Live television broadcast in TVP Kultura

around 10:30 pm A LULLABY FOR REMEMBRANCE

Monument to the Ghetto Heroes, the corner of Anielewicza and Zamenhofa Streets

The exact time of the beginning of this event depends on the ending of the final concert

During the festival will be held the awarding of the following distinctions:

“For Memory Guardians – those who rescued memory”

and

The Sonia and Szmul Tencer Award for the revival of Yiddish culture

During the festival we are inviting everyone to visit the Festival Club at the “Pardon, To Tu” café, 12/16 Grzybowski Square. We guarantee lots of fun, a casual atmosphere and informal meetings with the artists of the „Singer’s Warsaw” festival.

During the festival we are also inviting you to come to the Próżna-Hoiz restaurant, the theater patio, the garden and wine bar to taste some Jewish cuisine specialties prepared by “La passion du vin” and to go on a sentimental trip to the Jewish Music Treasury

Organizers reserve the right to alter the program at any time

We are kindly asking you to confirm your participation in the events you have selected, from August 8^th to 22^nd, 2011 from 10 am to 4 pm, tel. 620 55 85, 652 16 48

The confirmations of reservations can be picked up at the Festival Office

(Jewish Theater, entrance from the Grzybowski Square)