The Jewish Culture Festival is one of Kraków’s premier annual events, and one of the largest festivals celebrating Jewish culture in the world.
Each summer hundreds of visitors descend upon Kraków's former Jewish district - Kazimierz - where a range of tours, lectures, workshops, film screenings, concerts and other special events present the diversity, beauty and complexity of Jewish culture from around the globe. Late night 'jam sessions' in the basement of Alchemia are always a highlight, and the festival concludes with a huge free concert finale on ul. Szeroka called 'Shalom on Szeroka.'*UPDATE: This year's Shalom na Szeroka final concert has been cancelled due to tensions surrounding the war in Israel and concerns over safety.*
Events take place in various locations around Kazimierz; Cheder Cafe (and the parking area across from it on ul. Józefa) serves as the festival headquarters and information office.
This year's festival (2024) begins a new thematic cycle that will focus on the facets and faces of Jewish spirituality and mysticism: from Kabbalah to Hasidism, from Safed to Borough Park, from Rabbi Joseph Karo to Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks. 2024 will concentrate on the most important prayer - Shema Israel - and the love that always accompanies this prayer.