Join us in creating a Jewish kindergarten in Poland
Children getting ready to attend Gan Matanel in Lodz, Poland
Shavei Israel, in partnership with the Lodz Jewish community, is opening the first Jewish kindergarten in decades in the this Polish city, some 70 years after the Germans liquidated the Lodz Ghetto and sent its remaining Jews to Auschwitz. The new kindergarten, Gan Matanel, represents a renewal of the Jewish spirit in Poland as people continue to discover their Jewish roots and embrace their Jewish destiny.
For many years, since the remaining Jews in Lodz went into hiding under the post WWII Communist regime, there has been no formal Jewish education in Lodz for children of any age. The last post-war Jewish school in Lodz – the I.L. Peretz school – was forced to close down in 1968 due to Communist repression. Gan Matanel, which will open its doors this September, changes all that.
Prior to World War II, Poland was home to more than three million Jews. Lodz held one of the largest Jewish communities in Europe, second only to Warsaw. In January 1945, when the Lodz ghetto was liberated by the Soviets, only 877 Jews remained.
Post-war Communist oppression caused many of Poland’s remaining Jews to flee. Those who stayed often had to hide their identities. Since the downfall of the Iron Curtain, and Poland’s transformation into a democracy, an increasing number of Poles have begun to discover their families’ Jewish roots. Raised as Polish Catholics, many have only recently learned of their true Jewish identity, leading them to play an active role in rebuilding Jewish life.
With your help we will provide the Lodz kindergarten with all that it needs for rich, Jewish programming and education. Books, charts, activities, projects, toys, furnishings and some specialty supplies that will be sent there from Israel.Naturally a rich Jewish curriculum will be an integral part of the program. Morning prayers, celebration of the Jewish holidays, reading Torah stories, learning the Hebrew aleph-bet, providing age appropriate lessons on Jewish history in Poland and Europe, and teaching a basic history of Israel will all be an important part of the children’s education.
We’ve put together a short video about Gan Matanel.
To learn more about how you can help make our Jewish kindergarten in Lodz a reality, please visit our Jewcer page where there are more details on what your generous donation will provide.