2023 ASPJ Genealogy Day
2023 ASPJ Genealogy Day
Presenter: Michał Majewski
On Sunday 2nd April 2023, the large auditorium of the newly re-built Melbourne Holocaust Museum was the venue for the ASPJ’s second Genealogy Open Day, featuring special guest, Polish genealogist and historian, Michał Majewski.
Having worked for the Association of the Jewish Historical Institute in Poland and with the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Michał provided the audience with valuable information about resources available to further their own family’s genealogical history.
This event followed a similar successful event held, for the first time, in Sydney.
Click on the link below to view the Melbourne event.
The 2023 ASPJ Genealogy Day was made possible by the financial support of the
2022 ASPJ Oration
The 2022 ASPJ Oration
Orator: Dariusz Popiela
DARIUSZ POPIELA
founder of the “People, Not Numbers” Foundation,
Olympic and European kayaking champion,was the ASPJ’s 2022 Orator.
Coinciding with the Oration,
we featured the Australian Premiere screening of his film,
“EDGE OF LIGHT”.
For the FIRST TIME, the ASPJ conducted the same event
in BOTH Melbourne and Sydney.
Below is the video of the event in Melbourne.
The 2022 ASPJ Oration was made possible by the financial support of the
This film is currently not available to be viewed online.
Once the film has been shown in various Film Festivals around the world, the producers will put it online.
When we are able to do so, we will provide that link here.
Galicia Jewish Museum Tour in Kraków - Meet the Director
The Galicia Jewish Museum in Kraków
- meet its Director, Jakub Nowakowski, and take an tour online
The Galicia Jewish Museum exists to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust and celebrate the Jewish culture of Polish Galicia,
presenting Jewish history from a new perspective.
The objectives of the Museum are to challenge the stereotypes and misconceptions typically associated with the Jewish past in Poland
and to educate both Poles and Jews about their own histories, whilst encouraging them to think about the future.
In this online event, Museum Director, Jakub Nowakowski, takes us on a tour of the Museum and is in discussion with ASPJ President, Ezra May.
The ASPJ thanks all those whose hard work and effort made this online event so successful.
We sincerely thank
Galicia Jewish Museum Director,
Jakub Nowakowski
for agreeing to participate
in this online event.
Rabbi Michael Schudrich - Jewish Poland & Its Role in the Ukrainian Refugee Crisis
Jewish Poland & Its Role in the Ukrainian Refugee Crisis
- an overview with Chief Rabbi of Poland, Rabbi Michael Schudrich
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, despite the Russian government’s denials, there have been major attacks on civilian targets. This has resulted in mass movements of refugees, especially from eastern and south-eastern Ukraine.
Since the start of the war, Poland has accepted the most of these refugees – over three million have crossed the border into Poland. Many have passed through to other destinations, but around two million have remained within Poland. They have been greatly assisted by both the Polish government and by the Polish people.
So, what role has the Jewish community in Poland played in assisting these refugees? Here, we ask Chief Rabbi of Poland, Rabbi Michael Schudrich.
The ASPJ thanks all those whose hard work and effort made this online event so successful.
We sincerely thank Chief Rabbi Michael Schudrich for graciously agreeing to take a time-out, from his busy schedule, to participate in the event.
Agnieszka Magdziak-Miszewska - Israel and Poland- Friends or Enemies?
Agnieszka Magdziak-Miszewska - Israel and Poland- Friends or Enemies?
- a webinar co-hosted with the Australian Institute of Polish Affairs (AIPA)
Post 1989, the trajectory of Poland’s relationship with Israel created optimism for sustainable and positive political, diplomatic and social ties between the two nations. However, the introduction of the Amendment to the Act on the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) in 2018 and changes to the restoration of property in 2021, seem to have soured the relationship.
This webinar considers Poland’s role in the EU defending Israel, the antecedents of the current situation and the possible way forward.
The ASPJ thanks AIPA for agreeing to co-host this webinar, as well as all those whose hard work and effort made this COVID-enforced, online event so successful.
We sincerely thank former Ambassador Agnieszka Magdziak-Miszewska for agreeing to participate in this webinar, the topic of which is a currently sensitive one but, nonetheless, needs to be discussed.
Jewish Łódż Today Webinar
Jewish Łódż Today
A webinar with four Łódż community activists
JEWISH ŁÓDŻ TODAY
Jews began settling in Łódż in the 18th century.
At the outbreak of World War Two, the city had a population of 665,000 of whom 233,000 were Jews – approximately 34%. When, on 19th January 1945, the Soviet Army entered Łódż, they liberated only about eight hundred Jews.
Today, Łódż has a small but active community which, together with others, works to preserve the city’s Jewish history and culture.
In this webminar, ASPJ President, Ezra May, is in conversation with:
- Joanna Podolska, Marek Edelman Dialogue Centre, Łódż
- Kasia Jeleń, Guardians of Memory Association, Lódż
- Dawid Gurfinkiel, HaKoach, Łódż
The ASPJ thanks all those whose hard work and effort made this, COVID-enforced, online event so successful.
We sincerely thank our three guests from Łódż, Joanna, Kasia and Dawid, for agreeing to come together and share with us, online, what is happening in Jewish Łódż today.
Professor Jan Grabowski - in Conversation
Professor Jan Grabowski
in conversation with Karen Pakula (6th May 2021).
HISTORY ON TRIAL – RESHAPING HOLOCAUST RESEARCH IN POLAND
Professor Jan Grabowski is an internationally acclaimed historian specialising in Polish-Jewish relations
in German-occupied Poland and in the Holocaust in Poland.
In 2003, he co-founded the Polish Centre for Holocaust Research in Warsaw.
On 21st February 2021, a Polish court in Warsaw the Universityof Ottawa professor, together with his co-editor Barbara Engelking,
guilty of “defaming the Polish nation”, based upon a book published in 2017. That case is now being appealed.
The ASPJ thanks all those whose hard work and effort made this, COVID-enforced, online event so successful.
We sincerely thank Professor Grabowski for agreeing to share his insights into the current state of Holocaust research in Poland.
Dariusz Popiela - in Conversation
Dariusz Popiela, CEO of "People, Not Numbers"
in conversation with Karen Pakula (17th February 2021).
Dariusz Popiela is a social activist, a slalom kayaker, an Olympic and World Championship medalist and eight-times Polish Champion.
In 2018, he and his family established a foundation to run the “People, Not Numbers” project,
the aim of which is to commemorate and, if possible, identify Jewish communities which disappeared during the Holocaust.
Click HERE to learn more about the “People, Not Numbers” project.
COVID notwithstanding, the ASPJ has invited Dariusz Popiela to come to Melbourne in April 2022 to deliver our 2022 ASPJ Oration.
More details when arrangments can be confirmed.
The ASPJ thanks all those whose hard work and effort made this, COVID-enforced, online event so successful.
We sincerely thank Dariusz Popiela for agreeing to take a time-out from his Olympic Games training regime to participate in the event.
Michael Rubenfeld - The Lucky Jew of Poland
Michael Rubenfeld - Co-Founder of FestivALT
- listen to his incredible journey and great presentation (2nd December 2020).
In 2012, Canadian Jewish theatre artist, Michael Rubenfeld suggested to his mother that, together, they go to Poland “for the first time” and see the country from which their family came and the places where they survived. This trip was to serve as research for a play which they would ultimately turn into a much larger project, resulting in Michael now living in Kraków and co-founding FestivALT, an alternative arts festival.
In this exclusive ASPJ presentation, Michael Rubenfeld shares this journey and why he believes that Poland is such an important contemporary space for the Jewish people.
The ASPJ thanks all those whose hard work and effort made our second, COVID-enforced, online event so successful.
We sincerely thank Michael Rubinfeld for agreeing to share his experiences and the motivations behind FestivALT.
Chief Rabbi Michael Schudrich - in Conversation
Chief Rabbi of Poland, Michael Schudrich
in conversation with Karen Pakula (30th September 2020).
In December 2004, Rabbi Michael Schudrich was appointed Chief Rabbi of Poland, a position which he still holds to this day.
For the four years prior to that, he served as Rabbi of Warsaw and Łódż.
Without his efforts, it is highly unlikely that the “renaissance” of Jewry in post-Communist Poland would have taken place to the level that it has. .
ASPJ is honoured that Rabbi Schudrich agreed to feature in our first, COVID-enforced, online event.
The ASPJ thanks all those whose hard work and effort made our first, COVID-enforced, online event so successful.
We sincerely thank Chief Rabbi Michael Schudrich for graciously agreeing to take a time-out, from his High Holydays schedule, to participate in the event.
The ASPJ also gratefully acknowledges the continuing support which our organisation receives from the Australian Ambassador to Poland, Lloyd Brodrick, who approached us with the request that he be able to say a few words prior to “the conversation”.