Minsk Cadres – Jewish Stories

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the Impact Grant I received from you. I believe it was the biggest undertaking I have ever made. My dream came true thanks to you.” – Katarzyna Łaziuk, 2024 TOLI Impact Grant Recipient.

Partially funded by a TOLI Impact Grant, 500 residents of the city of Mińsk Mazowiecki, Poland, learned about the legacy of Polish Jews through a musical, a mobile exhibition, a film dubbing workshop, and a historical walk.

The musical “Illusion” shared the extraordinary story of the Polish Jewish immigrants who created Hollywood in the United States. The exciting performance portrayed their obstacles, successes, and influence on world cinema. The show concluded with a conversation with cinema experts including director, producer and screenwriter Professor Andrzej Krakowski and Oscar-winning scenographer Allan Starski.

A mobile exhibition, “Shtetl on the Move,” presented the city’s Jewish heritage through photographs of the Minsk shtetl. The exhibition featured a suitcase of artefacts representing people, places and events. In addition to literal mobility, the exhibition’s title alludes to the journey towards a better world. The exhibition will continue to be used for school visits and workshops in Minsk Mazowiecki and other regions of Poland.

Led by the ToStudio music production company, students took part in a film dubbing workshop where they animated a comic strip about the Jewish community of Minsk Mazowiecki.

Finally, a walk called “Minsk Cadres – Jewish Stories” took participants through the history of the Jewish community in Minsk.

These initiatives were carried out as part of the Minsk Mazowiecki Programme for the Preservation of the Memory of the Jews, to commemorate the Jewish community that ceased to exist after the Holocaust.

Katazyna Laziuk has been a TOLI Teacher since 2017 and TOLI Coordinator in Poland since 2018, and is currently serving as Minsk Mazowiecki’s Deputy Mayor.