{"id":1658,"date":"2020-04-15T08:23:48","date_gmt":"2020-04-15T06:23:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/instytutpolski.pl\/newyork\/?p=1658"},"modified":"2020-05-29T22:17:44","modified_gmt":"2020-05-29T20:17:44","slug":"hanukkah-in-mea-shearim-jerusalem-by-agnieszka-traczewska","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/instytutpolski.pl\/newyork\/2020\/04\/15\/hanukkah-in-mea-shearim-jerusalem-by-agnieszka-traczewska\/","title":{"rendered":"Hanukkah in Mea Shearim (Jerusalem) by Agnieszka Traczewska"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

December 22, 2019 – January 20, 2020<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opening reception: Sunday, December 22 @ 6:30 PM \u2013 8:30PM<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 14th Street Y | <\/a>344 East 14th Street | New York | NY<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photography exhibition Hanukkah in Mea Shearim (Jerusalem) <\/em><\/strong><\/a>by Agnieszka Traczewska<\/strong> portrays Hasidic residents of Mea Shearim, in Jerusalem, during festivities of Hanukkah. The exhibition opened on December 22, the 1st day of Hanukkah hosted by the \u00a014th Street Y<\/strong><\/a>,<\/strong> as well as during the commencement of the <\/a>Yiddish New York (YNY)<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>the nation\u2019s largest yearlyfestival of Yiddish culture which is returning to NYC and will be run through December 26. During the six-day gathering, YNY features \u00a0klezmer music, folk dance, theater, lectures, performances, visual arts, language workshops, and film. The Hanukkah in Mea Shearim<\/em> exhibition will be on view until January 20, 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jewish culture has been deeply ingrained within Polish society since the Middle Ages. Hasidism, which began in the 18th-century Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, formed the epicenter of the religious, cultural, and social life of Eastern European Jews by the mid-19-century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tracing this heritage has been the passion of the Polish artist, photographer and filmmaker, Agnieszka Traczewska<\/strong><\/a>. <\/strong>Her staggeringly beautiful photographic series captureHasidim travelling to Polish graves of Tzadikim, as well as Hassidic and Orthodox Jewish communities living in the United States and Israel. A special focus of interest for her has been the Hassidic community of the Ultra-Orthodox district of Jerusalem, Mea Shearim, during Hanukkah between 2014 and 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hanukkah\u00a0commemorates the victory of the Maccabees, a\u00a0small band of Jewish freedom fighters,\u00a0from the clutches of their Greek oppressors under the rule of emperor Antiochius IV, in the second century BCE.\u00a0While there are many ways Jews celebrate this eight day holiday, none is more central than the lighting of the Menorah,\u00a0as according to legend the sacred Temple candelabra stayed miraculously\u00a0lit for eight days, despite a tiny supply of oil.\u00a0After dusk each day of the festival, Hasidim in Mea Shearim light\u00a0their Menorahs in the narrow, winding\u00a0streets to illuminate this miracle. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another central theme of Hanukkah\u00a0is\u00a0Pirsume Nisa – Publicizing the Miracles.\u00a0It is for this reason that Menorahs are lit at the front-facing\u00a0windows of one’s home or outdoors.\u00a0It is also the reason why the entire family is required to be\u00a0present during the kindling of these signifying lights. Traczewska chose to shoot these scenes in Mea Shearim for several reasons. Family is a core and dearly held value in this old world community. Additionally, the cobblestone alleyways and quaint buildings create a particularly picturesque scene. Most of all though, it is the human connections that she has made behind these Jerusalem stone walls that have produced this warm & intimate series.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Program for Sunday, December 22<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

5:30 PM\u2014Lighting of the Menorah candle by the Yiddish New York organizers<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

6:30 PM\u2014Opening reception of the Hanukkah in Mea Shearim (Jerusalem) by Agnieszka Traczewska <\/em>exhibition preceded by opening remarks. Wine and refreshments will be served.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

7:30 PM\u2014<\/a>Theater play MOLLY! YNY\u2019s Celebration of Molly Picon, <\/em>at the neighboring Town and Village Synagogue, 334 East 14th Street<\/a>. Presented in partnership with the Yiddish Artists & Friends\u2013 Actors Club<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The exhibition is organized by the Polish Cultural Institute New York, in partnership with the <\/em><\/a>14th Street Y, the Yiddish New York, and the support of the Consulate General of Republic of Poland.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Polish Cultural Institute New York is pleased to be a partner in Yiddish New York (YNY), the nation\u2019s largest workshop\/festival for Yiddish music, language and culture, taking place from December 21-26, 2019 around the East Village\/Lower East Side. More than 80 leading figures in Yiddish culture are on the faculty, and lectures\/workshops are held daily at the 14th Street Y in everything from klezmer music to Yiddish theater, history, literature, films, walking tours, Yiddish lessons and a wonderful kids\/teens program. Evening events feature concerts, folk dancing, jam sessions and more! Full six-day passes and single day passes are available, as well as tickets to individual evening events. To receive a 10% discount on 6-day registrations, enter the code \u201cYNY10\u201d when registering online. Go to www.yiddishnewyork.com<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n