Before WWII the Jewish community of Krakow was 25% of the city’s total population, allowing them to contribute to the creation of the unique identity of this beautiful city. Join Olga as she virtually strolls around Krakow’s old Jewish quarter Kazimierz, showing us some of the most significant sights related to the city's Jewish life and culture.

You will see the exteriors and interiors of the seven synagogues, along with the former prayer houses, an old cemetery, the former Grand Mikveh, the central square of the former Jewish quarter, and the Helena Rubinstein House - the birth place of the famous "beauty queen" and founder of the Helena Rubinstein empire.

During this virtual tour Olga will share with you the fascinating history of the once vibrant Jewish community in Krakow, and give insights into its present day state. This is Part 1 of a 2 Part series. Part 2, which is on October 23rd, is about Jewish Krakow and the Holocaust, and you DO NOT have to watch both parts. Each presentation stands on it's own.

Our guide on this adventure, Olga Bokhonovskaya, earned her MBA in the US and was formerly employed in the field of marketing, but switched to the tourism industry in 2011 and founded Odessa Walks touring company back in her home country to supply international travelers with an authentic Odessa experience. Her areas of expertise include cultural, historic, and Jewish heritage tours. Before the war in the Ukraine, she had 3 guides working for her company. Because of the pandemic, she created live-stream virtual programs starting in 2020 that share her hometown’s beauty and rich history to people from around the world, who might not otherwise have had that opportunity, and has now branched out to "tour" other areas in Europe thanks to Zoom.

This talk will last approximately 60 minutes with time for Q & A afterwards.

A basic ticket is $10 or you can get a donation ticket that supports the LESJC for either $18 or $25.