Friends of the Forum has been joining Forum for Dialogue’s efforts to build bridges and dialogue between Poles and Jews for nearly 20 years. Deriving from a quarter of a century of Forum’s experiences, our organization supports the most far-reaching of Forum’s undertaking: the Forum for Dialogue Network. 

Forum for Dialogue Network connects individuals from Poland and abroad who share a commitment to promoting understanding between the Polish and Jewish communities. Founded in 2023, the Network serves as a hub that connects numerous projects, programs, and activities aimed at preserving Jewish heritage, educating about Polish/Jewish relations, and fostering dialogue. The United States’ part of the Network is the largest of Forum’s communities from abroad and counts more than 600 friends today.

Forum for Dialogue Network in Poland

The Network in Poland connects local activists who mostly come from small towns and villages located all over Poland. These towns and villages have a rich Jewish past that mostly has not been appropriately discovered and commemorated yet. Despite having a significant number of Jewish residents before the Second World War, regional communities seem to have almost no recollection of it. That is because there is little to no education concerning local Polish/Jewish history provided in the area. Members of the Forum for Dialogue Network are actively working to change that.

Activists within the Network are dedicated to preserving, documenting, and educating about their town’s Jewish past. With almost 180 members (and growing!), this network includes a diverse array of professionals, such as teachers, historians, curators, and local government representatives.

Apart from their projects dedicated to the local communities, activists also reach out to descendants of Jews from Poland living in the U.S. and elsewhere around the world to bridge the gap that decades of neglect and absence have created. By connecting with the descendants, they aim to restore Jewish heritage in Poland and foster stronger Polish/Jewish relations.

Through their efforts, activists within the Forum for Dialogue Network contribute to preservation of cultural heritage, promotion of historical understanding, and building of meaningful connections between Polish and Jewish communities.

Watch a short film about one of the Network’s activists – Anna Włodek, who has tirelessly preserved and shared the rich history of Tarnowskie Gory’s Jewish community.

Film about Ania Włodek

Within the Forum for Dialogue Network, school teachers form an integral part, comprising nearly a third of the whole community. Recognizing their pivotal role, the Forum has established a dedicated initiative known as the School of Dialogue. This innovative endeavor empowers educators to engage their students in exploring and preserving their regional Jewish heritage through education and local activities.

Year after year, these passionate teachers-activists embark on projects designed to educate about antisemitism, the Holocaust, joint Polish/Jewish heritage, and the importance of tolerance and intercultural dialogue. By ensuring that the legacy of Poland’s Jewish communities is not merely remembered but actively celebrated, the School of Dialogue program leaves an indelible mark on future generations, inspiring them to embrace the richness of their shared heritage and the power of collective memory.

“I felt that by what these kids researched, know now, and represent, they will be the guardians that in the future no one will experience in their towns, the fear hearted and harsh violence that Jews in my mother’s town and all around Poland suffered on Easter. All that is because of the ‘doors’ that you and the Forum opened for them, the open doors of knowledge that they earned, will make sure that no doors will have to be looked down as a result of fear, of prejudice or differences, that follows usually by violence and hatred, as happened at my mother’s childhood. May you all keep going from strength to strength. You all are contributing to changing the world to a better one.”

Sara Minash

Another important part of the Network are the Polish Friends of the Forum – a vibrant community of Polish individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, who share the values of the Forum. As donors of the Forum, they play a significant role in supporting its initiatives and ensuring its continued impact. They also actively engage with international Friends of the Forum during Study Visits to Poland or Zoom in on the Forum sessions, exchanging views and ideas, contributing to a more inclusive and harmonious society.

Forum for Dialogue Network Internationally

For many years, the Forum has invited the global community to partake in Study Visits to Poland, offering a deeply personal and immersive experience, particularly for those with Polish/Jewish ancestry. Since 2002, almost 550 alumni of study visits to Poland have engaged in guided tours, lectures, and discussions, reflecting on their family’s past. These visits are transformative, fostering meaningful dialogue and cross-cultural understanding, empowering individuals to become advocates for dialogue, reconciliation, and mutual respect, making a lasting impact on both personal and collective journeys of rediscovery.

Study Visit to Poland

“The trip really changed everything for me. First of all, seeing and understanding my roots, understanding the stories much better. When you see the places, the artifacts, the tours that explain everything, you get a better understanding.”

Chana Meyer

Additionally, for the global audience, Forum for Dialogue holds a weekly online program called Zoom in on the Forum. Through interactive webinars, virtual tours, and multimedia resources, Zoom in on the Forum provides a platform for meaningful discussions and learning experiences. Participants have the opportunity to interact with experts, scholars, and activists, gaining insights into topics such as pre-war Jewish life, the Holocaust, and contemporary Polish/Jewish relations. Joining from anywhere, they connect with a global community dedicated to fostering Polish/Jewish dialogue. Since 2020, over 2350 persons from 33 countries have joined Zoom in on the Forum sessions.

To learn more about Forum for Dialogue’s activities, please visit the website: http://dialog.org.pl/en/.