Today's post will be short because we're getting up at 5:45 am (!!!) tomorrow to go to Warsaw, from where my dad flies home and where I'll stay for two weeks to do some further research in the archives there.
This morning we went to services at the Rema Synagogue, one of the ones we visited yesterday. Our experience there was totally different from my experiences of going to synagogue in Ukraine--here, everyone knew what they were doing! Actually, minus a few streimels here and there (the large, circular furry hats), it was just like going to synagogue at home. Except that the actual hall was pretty small, and the room was packed, so everyone was very crowded together.
After synagogue we ate lunch, then walked around the main market square, which was also full of people! On Thursday and Friday, when we visited the square, there were a few street performers along the sides of the square. Today though, there were many more, including a man with dancing and singing marionette puppets (including one of Michael Jackson) and a man who sat "floating" in the air.
Later, we came back to our hotel's street, where the main event of the Jewish Festival was to begin at 6. All day, a large stage was being constructed at one end of the street (just in front of the Old Synagogue), and when we returned from the square, the whole street was filled with people as Klezmer music was being blasted from the stage! After a few acts, the Chief Rabbi of Poland (whom we met this morning) and the Chief Rabbi of Galicia got on stage to say Havdalah, marking the end of Shabbat. It was a great event (it still is--it's still going on, till 1 in the morning!), and it's unbelievable that it's taking place in Poland. Anyway, tomorrow morning we're saying goodbye to Krakow (and me to my dad), then Warsaw it is!
The festival from the roof of our hotel
The stage set-up (with the Old Synagogue in back)
Yemen Blues performing
1. Seeing yemen blues on friday!
ReplyDelete2. did you know that nutella is made is warsaw?