The Polish Institute in Tel Aviv and the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Israel invite you to the conference “Poland–Israel: Roots, Community and Future”, which will take place on 18–19 June 2026 at the Ennis Cultural Center in Jaffa.

The conference, the first of its kind, is intended to create a space for encounter, exchange and the strengthening of ties between Poland and Israel, bringing together historical memory, community life and contemporary initiatives in culture, society and education. Over the course of two days, public officials, local government representatives, community leaders, scholars, writers and artists will gather to discuss both the shared past and future opportunities for cooperation.

The program will include professional panels devoted to cooperation between twin cities and networks connecting local governments in Poland and Israel. Additional discussions will focus on the contribution of communities of Polish origin, the preservation of heritage and memory, and questions of intergenerational continuity and transmission of historical narratives.

Alongside the professional and community-oriented content, the conference will offer a rich cultural program, including a gala evening, a concert, a literary panel dedicated to Polish literature in Hebrew translation, a screening of a classic film, and informal networking opportunities. 

The event is open to the public free of charge, subject to prior registration. We invite you to join the conversation, discover new initiatives, and take part in building bridges between communities, cultures and generations.

We look forward to welcoming you to the conference!

18–19 June 2026
Ennis Cultural Center, Jaffa
Address: 9 Pa’amonit Street, Jaffa
Free admission upon registration

The event will be held in Hebrew (and in parts in Polish – with the simultaneous translation to Hebrew).

For registration to the 1st day of the conference, 18 June

For registration to the 2nd day of the conference, 19 June

Full conference programme

Thursday, 18 June 2026

14:00–15:00 | Welcome Reception

15:00–15:15 | Opening Session

Maciej Hunia – Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the State of Israel
Magdalena Kukuła – Director of the Polish Institute in Tel Aviv
Haim Bibas – Chairman of the Federation of Local Authorities in Israel and Mayor of Modi’in

15:15 – 16:30 | Living Memory: Community Leadership and Cooperation

Initiatives aimed at preserving community memory, fostering intergenerational continuity, and strengthening cooperation with partners in Poland.

Moderator: Adam Koren – Educator, cultural heritage guide, and social activist engaged in Polish-Israeli dialogue, Jewish heritage preservation, and educational initiatives promoting the shared history of Poles and Jews, intercultural understanding, and historical awareness.

Participants:

• Joseph Frost – President of David Yellin Academic College of Education in Jerusalem
• Ram Yakir – Educator, social activist, and guide for Israeli youth delegations travelling to Poland
• Shlomit Beck – Chairwoman of the Organization of Former Residents of Chełm in Israel
• Zafrira Malovany Shmukler – Chairwoman of the Janów Lubelski Association in Israel and the Pułtusk Association in Israel
• Alon Goldman – Chairman and activist of the Częstochowa Association in Israel
• Boaz Yardeni – Founder and CEO of SparkPro and the Living Bridge Foundation

16:30–17:00 | Coffee Break

17:00–18:00 | Polish-Israeli Communities and Associations Preserving Polish Heritage in Israel

Moderator: Hana Oren – Researcher and educator specializing in Holocaust remembrance and historical heritage. She coordinates the “Holocaust and Rebirth” Research Project at the Mashmaut Center and serves on the Commission for the Righteous Among the Nations at Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center.

Participants:

• Lili Haber – Chairwoman of the Association of Polish Jews in Israel and the Kraków Association in Israel
• Zvi Henryk Kelner – Chairman of the Israel–Poland Friendship Association
• Jacob Kuperberg – President of the Israel–Poland Friendship Association
• Zvika Shulman – Chairman of the Organization of Former Residents of Lublin and Surrounding Areas in Israel

18:00–19:00 | Banquet

19:00–20:00 | Heritage in Action: Preserving and Restoring Jewish Memory in Contemporary Poland

Short-form presentations by representatives of Polish institutions

Moderator: Radosław Wójcik, Deputy Director of the Polish Institute in Tel Aviv

Speakers:

• POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews – Jolanta Gumula, Deputy Director for Programs
• Emanuel Ringelblum Jewish Historical Institute – Dr. Michał Trębacz, Director
• Warsaw Ghetto Museum – Franciszek Bojańczyk, Deputy Director for Development
• Alex Dancyg Guide – An educational application preserving and disseminating the legacy of historian and educator Alex Dancyg, offering interactive access to his work on Polish-Jewish heritage, historical memory, and intercultural dialogue.

20:00–21:00 – Concert: “Escape from the Shadows”

Aleksandra Dąbrowska-Madejska (viola)
Wojciech Pyrć (piano)

Concert Programme:

Alexander Weprik – Kaddish, Op. 6 (1925)
Ignacy Friedman – Romance, Op. 32 (1910)
Karol Rathaus – Rapsodia Notturna, Op. 66 (1950)
Eta Tyrmand – Sonata for Viola and Piano (1967)

Friday, 19 June 2026

09:30 – 10:00 | Welcome Coffee

10:00 –10:30 – Municipal and Community Bridges: Polish-Israeli Cooperation in Practice

Sister-city partnerships, municipal cooperation, and institutional Polish-Israeli dialogue.

Moderator: Dr. Lea Ganor – Social historian, academic researcher, founder and director of the Mashmaut Center, and Head of International Cooperation at the Kiryat Motzkin Municipality.

Participants:

• Rishon LeZion: Annette Ben Shahar, Director of International Relations; Meirav Kopito, Youth Department, Rishon LeZion Municipality
  Lublin: Iwo Weremko, Centre for International Cooperation, Lublin City Hall
  Płońsk: Andrzej Pietrasik, Mayor of Płońsk

10:30–10:45 – Coffee Break

10:45–11:45 – Literature Between Memory and History: Polish and Israeli Perspectives on Jewish Heritage

A panel devoted to books published in Israel over the past three years that explore various aspects of Jewish-Polish history, memory, and identity.

Featured publications:

History of the Holocaust, Memory of the Holocaust: Polish Jews and Jewish Poles During and After the Holocaust (Routledge, 2024)
Reni Spiegel’s Diary (Matar, 2025, Hebrew translation by Anat Zaidman)
Bloody Wednesday (Magnes Press, 2025)
Guidebook – Warsaw 1938 (Magnes Press, 2026)

Moderator: Benny Mer – Writer, editor, and poetry translator specializing in the history of Jewish Warsaw.

Participants:

• Orit Margaliot – Independent researcher and educator, pedagogical trainer specializing in Holocaust studies, Holocaust art, and Jewish-Polish heritage in Poland
• Dr. Yechiel Weizman – Historian and lecturer in the Israel and Golda Koschitzky Department of Jewish History and Contemporary Jewish Life at Bar-Ilan University
• Dr. Lea Ganor – Social historian, senior academic researcher, founder and director of the Mashmaut Center, and Head of International Cooperation at the Kiryat Motzkin Municipality

11:45–12:00 – Coffee Break

12:00–13:30 | Polish-Jewish Heritage: Memory, Culture, and Continuity

Screening of the documentary film Dybbuk directed by Ami Tadeusz Drozd (1988), followed by a panel discussion on memory, culture, and the continuity of Polish-Jewish heritage.

Moderator: Shiri Lev-Ari – Journalist and literary critic

Participants:

• Ami Tadeusz Drozd – Screenwriter, film director, and documentary filmmaker focusing on Polish-Jewish cultural heritage and the dialogue of memory

• Prof. Marcos Silber – Professor of Jewish History and Polish-Jewish Studies at the University of Haifa and the Haifa Interdisciplinary Unit for Polish Studies (HIUPS); researcher specializing in the history of Polish Jews, Yiddish culture, and Jewish social history in Eastern Europe