JCC Warsaw Celebrates its Second Anniversary

The JCC Warsaw team, from left: Agata Rokowiecka, JCC Warsaw Director, Maria Niziołek, Children and Families Program Coordinator, Marta Saracyn, JCC Warsaw Program Director, Aleksandra Rendak, Visual Communications Manager.

Photo: The JCC Warsaw team, from left: Agata Rokowiecka, JCC Warsaw Director, Maria Niziołek, Children and Families Program Coordinator, Marta Saracyn, JCC Warsaw Program Director, Aleksandra Rendak, Visual Communications Manager.

During the last weekend of October 2015, JCC Warsaw celebrated its second anniversary. Saturday evening began with Havdallah followed by an (almost) all night celebration, featuring a violin & piano duet presenting compositions of Jewish composers living in Warsaw, accompanied by a visual performance depicting pre-war Jewish life of this city. Sunday brought a more relaxed atmosphere perfect for family celebrations: a birthday Boker Tow brunch feast followed by the community painting a birthday mural on the JCC's front wall.

The JCC Warsaw team, from left: Agata Rokowiecka, JCC Warsaw Director, Maria Niziołek, Children and Families Program Coordinator, Marta Saracyn, JCC Warsaw Program Director, Aleksandra Rendak, Visual Communications Manager.

Mural by Rutu Modan, based on his graphic novel, "The Property."

Photo: Alex Ertel

Among the 250 guests during the weekend, there were representatives of various groups, ages, congregations and institutions. There were new members of the community and those who have been involved in Jewish life for many years. The Israeli Ambassador Anna Azari and Israeli Cultural Attache Anna Ben Ezra joined us for Havdallah, which was led by five Rabbis from three different Warsaw congregations, showing that the idea of cooperation and creating a diverse and open Jewish Community is possible and coming true at the JCC.