The Jan Karski Society

National Network
Poland
Address

Paderewskiego 40 St, 25 - 502
Kielce
Poland

Telephone
0048 41 343 28 44
Fax
0048 41 343 28 49
E-Mail
jankarski.kielce@gmail.com
E-Mail (2)
andrzej.bialek@charaktery.com.pl
Mobile Phone
0048 608 318 027
Organisation Type
Non-Governmental Organization
Year of Establishment
2005
Fields of Activity
  1. Heritage
General Information
The Society’s activity is based on the Statutes in accordance to the Polish law. The Society is registered in the Registry of Societies in the National Judicial Register as no. 0000230415. The authorities of the Society are the General Assemble of Members, the Executive Board and the Audit Committee. The Society comprises of 22 members – private persons, citizens of Kielce, socially active outstanding scientists, teachers, businessmen, journalists and artists. The Executive Board consists of 5 members. The Chairman of the Society is the founder Mr. Bogdan Białek – Vice-President of the Polish Council of Christians and Jews, a member of the Executive Board of the Yeshiva Pardes. The Audit Committee consists of 3 members. The Executive Board submits to the General Assemble factual and financial annual reports and annual balance. A highly-regarded accountancy office in Kielce manages the accountancy and supervises finances of the Society. There is a website of the Society www.jankarski.org.pl and a website of the accomplished project www.szabaton.kielce.eu (in Polish-English version). The Society may grant an award VIR BONUS, FEMINA BONA to persons who made a great service to Christian-Jewish dialogue and had made great contributions to the Society’s mission.The Society co-operates with schools in Kielce, governmental institutions: City Hall of Kielce, Marshall of Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship Office, and cultural institutions, high schools and media. The Society also co-operates with other Polish institutions,( i.a.) Yeshiva Pardes, Museum of Jewish History in Poland, Jewish Historical Institute, web portal www.jewish.org.pl and Jewish communities in Poland. All members of the Society are volunteers. Nobody has an employment contract or a contract for specific tasks. There are no operative or administrative structures in the Society such as management or office workers. Hierarchy of the organization is horizontal – the best qualified project manager must be appointed to each task or project. The same way we choose among our members a project manager assistant. The other members of the Society support realization of the project according to their possibilities and qualifications. Members of the Society, project managers and project manager assistants did not receive any payment for their activity or reimbursement of any costs incurred (e.g. trips, telephones etc.). The Society’s activity is supported by the group of reliable and responsible young volunteers.
Mission and Objectives

The Society’s mission is to counteract all the forms of neglecting human dignity, especially anti-Semitism. The special aim of our organization is to commemorate the history of Jewish residents of Kielce as well as to demonstrate what the Kieltzer Jews meant in the history of the town and what the town meant in their history.
Our goals are realized by organization of educational programs for youth and promotion and recalling the Righteous among the Nations, commemoration of people who perished in Shoah(the installation of two monuments in Kielce), publishing books about the history of the Second World War and the last pogrom in Europe – the Kielce pogrom (1946), organization of educational workshops, public debates, interface international meetings, concerts and exhibitions.
We cooperate with the public administration, educational, cultural and non-profit non-governmental organizations, as well as with religious organizations and communities in Poland and abroad.

Main Projects / Activities

2009:
Realization of the project “Let’s meet – Poland and Israel in young people’s eyes” - project grant-aided by the Chancellery of the President of the Council of Ministers. 500 pupils from Poland and Israel and 40 teachers took part in the meetings.
Shabaton in Kielce - a meeting of representatives of the Jewish community from Poland and all over the world with descendants of the survivors of Pogrom. The heart of the meeting was Sabbath prayers held in Kielce synagogue for the first time since the beginning of World War II. Many citizens of Kielce participated in the Shabaton.
2010:
Series of school meetings in Kielce with participation of representatives of the Association “Children of the Holocaust”.
Restoring of the Monument to the Victims of Pogrom in Kielce located at the Jewish Cemetery in Kielce.
2011:
The First Christian-Jewish Meeting in Kielce “FAITH-HATIKVAH-LOVE” comprising workshops, performances and films that brings citizens of Kielce closer to understanding Jewish neighbours history, their tragic past and contribution to the Polish culture.
Top prize won in the competition organized by the Chancellery of the President of the Council of Ministers : “An Alive Bridge Poland -Israel”. In October students from Poland and Israel shall take part in the integrative workshops.
Since 2000:
Organization of the annual Commemorative Marches on the anniversaries of Pogrom in Kielce on July 4th.
The First International Meeting of the Jews, Christians, Muslims and Buddhists “TIKKUN OLAM – Repairing the World Here and Now”.
Commemorative Day of the Victims of Pogrom at the Menorah, a monument commemorating the victims of ghetto in Kielce.
Celebration of the 65th Anniversary of Pogrom in Kielce.
Commemorative Marche on the anniversary of Pogrom in Kielce on July 4th.
Publication of the a book on the most important issues of the “TIKKUN OLAM” meeting and publication of other book titled “People to People” on history of Jews in Kielce. Both books shall be published in Polish and English version.

How can you contribute to the Network in your country?

We cound contribute to the Network in Poland by:
Organizing educational programs for youth
Teaching about local history
Commemoration of the victims of Shoah
Building an international dialogue and peace in Europe
Counteracting of anti-Semitism and racism
Dealing with traumas different forms physical and verbal violence and intolerance.

Why do you want to join the ALF Network?

We would like to join your network and begin the international cooperation in order to achieve common aims. We are eager to share our experience with you and discuss together some important historical, sociological and cultural issues. We hope that thanks to the deep historical study of the Polish-Jewish history people, especially young, would better understand the important role of the European Union in maintaining peace among the European countries. That is the way of working on creating the better future for Europe.

Contact (1) Full Name
Mr. Andrzej Białek
Head of the organisation
Mr. Bogdan Białek