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Prolog 30th Jewish Culture Festival: Fire

Prolog 30the JCF is our answer to restrictions imposed on all of us due to COVID-19 pandemia and to the fact, that the jubilee, 30th edition of the Jewish Culture Festival had to be postponed to 2021. Since our audience and friends could not come to celebrate with us in Kazimierz, we decided to visit them with our online events in their homes.

This is how we created the longest Jewish Culture Festival in its history: it lasted six months!

We decided to start exactly when the 30th JCF was supposed to start. i.e. on 26 June and to end during the Hannukah – the Festival of Lights was for us an ideal symbolic closure of the Prolog to the 30th JCF, which we dedicate to the Fire.

We wanted to use this extra time to prepare you for the anniversary celebrations next year, to discuss and present the theme of the festival – Fire – even deeper, to show the fire as a phenomenon that brings people together, that brings warmth, brightening the darkness – representing values that we were all missing in the time of isolation.  

We will discuss the “biblical” fire by looking at its various aspects. That is the fire burning within us that does not consume us, the fire of love and the fire of Torah, the fire that has sustained the Jewish liturgy for thousands of years; the blessed fire radiating with the revealed light, and finally the fire that burst into flame within us and between us, and for 32 years has sustained the existence of this festival. That is the fire that I am going to discuss. – said Janusz Makuch in his lecture inaugurating Prolog 30th JCF. 

Prolog 30th JCF featured 80 events, which thanks to the internet streaming reached 1,229,778 people worldwide!

Program events of the longest JCF ever included: 14 musical events (concerts, DJ-parties, sound lectures), 22 lectures, incl. 8 meetings of the Literary Program, 5 workshops, 3 guided tours, and even…Hanukkah Shabbat Brunch (with home delivery by Cheder crew)! We published 17 podcasts, 4 recommendations of contemporary Israeli books and 14 playlists prepared by our friends.

We commissioned 47 events especially for Prolog and invited 146 artists, instructors, lecturers from 5 countries: Poland, Israel, United States, Germany and Turkey.

All the events were held online: on our website, festival’s YouTube channel, Facebook fan page and Spotify.

After the premiere, all events have been available for free in our digital archive, reaching new audiences day by day!

 

Only two events were held with participation of the audience: concert by Bastarda and a lecture by Janusz Makuch – during autumn edition of Prolog 30th JCF. Concert Road to Hapiness. Bajgelman’s Music, dedicated to the memory of Jan Kulczyk, was recorded by Polish Television and will premiere in TV Culture on D. Bajgelman’s birthday in 2021.

Events of Prolog 30th JCF

Music: concerts, DJ-parties, sound lectures

Among 14 musical events during Prolog 30th JCF, Frank London’s Klezmer Brass Allstars performed on the roof in Manhattan, during lockdown and in the time of Black Live Matters demonstration reached the largest audience – until December 2020 it was watched by 230,000 persons!

Concerts of Prolog 30th JCF

1. BĘÃTFÓØT (IL) DJ-party

2. The Sparks of the Festival Fire – Opening Concert; performed by: Kutiman (IL), David Krakauer & Kathleen Tagg (US), Shai Tsabari (IL), Ori Alboher (IL), Lola Marsh (IL), Piyut Ensemble (IL), Eyal Talmudi & Malox feat. Sefi Ziesling (IL), Shofar (PL), Frank London`s Klezmer Brass Allstars (US), The Strauss/Warschauer Duo (US), Gili Yalo (IL), Diwan Saz (IL), Neta Elkayam (IL), kantor Israel Nachman Tordjman (IL), MLDVA & Çınar Timur (PL/TR), Bester Quartet feat. Grażyna Auguścik (PL), kantor Yaakov Lemmer (US) and Daniel Kahn (US/DE)

3. Teder Weekender DJ-party: Khen Elmaleh (IL)

4. Teder Weekender DJ-party: Shiwa Biwa (IL)

5. Frank London’s Klezmer Brass Allstars (US); musicians: Lorin Sklamberg (vocal), Eleanor Reissa (vocal), Joshua Nelson (vocal), Sarah Mina Gordon (vocal), Michael Winograd (clarinette), Matt Darriau (saxophone), Brian Drye (trombone), Ron Caswell (tuba), Aaron Alexander (drums), Ilya Shneyveys (accodreon), Brandon Seabrook (guitar) and Frank London (trumpet)

6. Nigunim – concert by Bastarda (PL) – live with audience

7. MLDVA & Mixmonster (PL/TR/IL)

8. In the Ball Rooms, Parties and on the Streets – sound lecture: Jan Emil Młynarski (PL)

9. Polish Hebrew Tango – sound lecture: Jan Emil Młynarski and Piotr Zabrodzki (PL)

10. Shofar (PL) – live concert with streaming

11. The Gates of Heaven – Jacaszek | Vox Varshe | Anna Śmiszek-Wesołowska (PL) – live concert with streaming

12. A Road to Happiness. Bajgelman’s musicBester Quartet | Grażyna Auguścik | Dorota Miśkiewicz | Jorgos Skolias (PL) – a concert dedicated to the memory of Jan Kulczyk, in partnership with Kulczyk Foundation – live concert with streaming

13. Klezmer Orchestra of the Sejny Theatre (PL)

14. Classics at Noon: String Sextet (PL) – live concert with streaming

Lectures, discussions, Literary Program

22 events discussed main themes of the Prolog: fire and light in various aspects and contexts, but also presented other actual issues related to the Jewish world. Literary Program, organized in partnership with Krakow Festival Office, featured Polish and international authors of recently published books.

1. Under the Hidden Light: JCF – 3 lectures: Janusz Makuch (PL)
2. He Covers Himself With Light As If With The GarmentRabbi Boaz Pash (IL)
3. The Sound of Silence: A Jerusalem Musical Journey – Edwin Seroussi (IL)
4. Israel and Corona. Morning After.Yossi Klein Halevy (IL)
5. Jerusalem – The Light of the Light Janusz Makuch (PL) – live lecture
6. Jerusalem – The City of The Book Benjamin Balint (IL)
7. Or ein sof. Spiritual Light – Rabin Boaz Pash (IL)
8. Mizrahi NationMatti Friedman (IL)
9. Across the Abyss. A Muslim-Jewish Friendship that Became a Partnership imam Abdullah Antepli (TR/US) and Yossi Klein Halevy (IL)
10. Poland – Israel. The Dialogue That Has Never ExistedKarolina Przewrocka – Aderet (IL/PL)
11. JCF – Festival of Light  – Janusz Makuch (PL)
12. About Miracles, Not Only During HanukkahRabbi Małgorzata Kordowicz (PL)

Literary Program 

13. All Soul’s Day Comic Book StyleRutu Modan (IL)
14. All Who Go Do Not Return – Shulem Deen (US)
15. Thou Shalt Innovate: How Israeli Ingenuity Repairs the World – Avi Jorisch (IL)
16. Classified ConfidentialMikołaj Grynberg (PL)
17. The Twilight of DemocracyAnne Applebaum (US/PL)
18. Be a Cyclist In Your Own CityJakub Kornhauser, Ireneusz Kania (PL)
19. Another SoulWioletta Grzegorzewska (PL)
20. The Themersons. Power Couple of Polish Avant Garde – Adriana Prodeus, Anna Taszycka (PL)

Workshops and guided tours

One could say that both workshops and guided tours do not make any sens when you cannot walk in the actual space or work hand in hand with the instructor. So it was challenge for us to create those events in a form that it would make sens. 5 workshops and 3 guided tours had very diversified forms: from singing lessons on ZOOM, through sharing experiences, DYI instruction, to the film recording of guided tours.

Workshops

1. Sholem, velt der gantser – 3 workshops of Yiddish singing with Jeff  Warschauer (US)
2. TNCBH – A Story About the Place – Jacek Złoczowski and Małgorzata Łuczyna (PL)
3. Workshops for ChildrenAnna Gieracka (PL)

Guided tours

1. Jewish KrakówAnna Kiesell (PL)
2. Hanukkah Lamps in the Collection of the National Museum in Krakow – Kinga Migalska (PL)
3. In the Footsteps of Jewish Artists in 19th Century – Kinga Migalska (PL)

Podcasts, playlists and other events

A need to create a new formula for the Jewish Culture Festival this year was for us an opportunity not only to find new ways to organize events that you liked in the past, but also to explore new possibilities and options to develop our festival.

Shabbat Brunch in Cheder could serve here as a best example. We know you love our brunches but for most of the year Cheder was closed for any guests. So we decided to organize Hanukkah Shabbat Brunch as … a home delivery! Our Cheder staff delivered in a safe way on their bikes almost 100 boxes with Hanukkah delights they earlier prepared in our kitchen!

New activities include podcasts, playlists as well as book recommendations published in our internet channels, but also a new form of our newsletter. Now it is not only an information about activities of JCF, but presents also new, original texts written exclusively for our newsletter.

Other events 

1. Hanukkah Shabbat Brunch with home delivery
2. Żydoteka @ JCF: Yuval Noah Harari, 21 Lessons for the 21st CenturyUrszula Rybicka (PL)
3. Żydoteka @ JCF: Dorit Rabinyan, HedgerowUrszula Rybicka (PL)
4. Żydoteka @ JCF: Sayed Kashua, Second Person SingularUrszula Rybicka (PL)
5. Żydoteka @ FKŻ: Etgar Keret, Seven YearsUrszula Rybicka (PL)

Podcasts

1. Klezmers and The Others – series of 7 podcasts by Janusz Makuch (PL) presenting archival radio programs for Radio Krakow, accompanied by playlists and special essays contributed by: Yossi Notkowitz (IL), Frank London (US), Deborah Strauss (US), Jeremiah Lockwood (US), Saar Gamzo (IL), Robert Gądek (PL) and Janusz Makuch (PL)
2. Mizrahi NationMatti Firedman (IL)
3. Izrael and Corona – Morning AfterYossi Klein Halevy (IL)
4. He Covers Himself With Light As With a GarmentRabbi Boaz Pash (IL)
5. Under The Hidden Light: JCFJanusz Makuch (PL) – 3 podcasts
6. Between Two Worlds: Synagogue and Philharmonic Hall  – Maria Sławek (PL)
7. In the Ballrooms, Parties and on the StreetsJan Emil Młynarski (PL)
8. About Place, Society and Identity – 2 podcasts created by our seniors and volunteers, featuring: Jadwiga Lewicka (PL) – a hairdresser from Kazimierz and Cecylia Job (PL) – a tailor from Kazimierz

Playlists

By creating special playlists we not only wanted to accompany you during lockdown, but also to show diversity of Jewish music. It also gives you an insight into inspiration of people, who create and who perform for you at the festival.

On YouTube and Spotify you will find 14 playlists created by: BĘÃTFÓØT (IL), Khen Elmalech (IL), Frank London (US), Daniel Kahn (US/DE), Sefie Ziesling (IL), Eyal Talmudi (IL), Lola Marsh (IL), Paweł Szamburski (PL), Mixmonster (IL), Mikołaj Trzaska (PL), Dorota Miśkiewicz (PL), Klezmer Orchestra of the Sejny Theatre (PL), Macio Moretti (PL), Marcin Aks Grochowina (PL).

Additionally, you can also enjoy 8 playlists created by FKŻ team members: Janusz, Kasia, Robert, Julia, Edyta, Jowita, Klaudia and Paweł.

We thank you very much for opening your homes and hearts for Prolog events. We are happy to learn so many new things, that will definitely make future festivals even better. See you in Kazimierz!

If you would like to watch Prolog events once again, or listen to playlists or podcasts – all necessary links are provided below. Prolog 30th JCF is definitely a longest festival ever – it still lasts, despite it is already finished.

Statistics

80
events during Prolog
47
events commissioned for Prolog
146
artists, lecturers, instructors
1 229 778
viewers of Prolog events online
24 026
users of festival website
701 200
views of videos on YouTube
21 073
followers on Facebook
2 475
followers on Instagram
656
media information
302 669
recipients of media information
827 380 PLN
Advertising Value Equivalency

Above data concern duration of Prolog 30th JCF (June 26th – December 18th, 2020). Source: statistics of website, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, as well as report from Brand24. 

Useful links and information

Wydarzenia Prologu 30. FKŻ są bezpłatnie dostępne na stronie internetowej FKŻ.

Concerts
DJ-parties
Lectures
Literary Program
Workshops
Guided tours
Podcasts
Playlists
Narrative Report | pdf file
Photos | Flickr
Prolog Archive | YouTube

Who made this?

President of the Society and Director of the Festival: Janusz Makuch
Festival Office: Edyta Gawlak, Robert Gądek, Julia Lorenc, Katarzyna Wydra, Jowita Bożek (until July 31st, 2020), Paweł Kowalewski (from August 1st, 2020)
Accounting: Maria Bobrowska, Klaudia Czaja, Monika Dyrlaga, Elżbieta Woch-Stopa
Volunteers coordination: Łukasz Drużkowski, Michał Dziewit, Paulina Kowalska,
Monika Krawczyk, Grzegorz Mikunda, Aleksandra Trakul
Photos: Edyta Dufaj, Michał Ramus
Social Media: Michalina Pieczonka
Streaming and online editing: Eventstream Wojciech Sadowski, Grzegorz Staszek, Artur Staszek
Technical services: Duo S.C. Marek Suszkiewicz, FS Audio Maciej Fryc
Design: Studio Otwarte

Sponsors and partners

Małopolska Region was a partner of Prolog 30th JCF

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