Activities in Penal Institutions Conducted by the Education Department of the WGM

Katarzyna Jankowiak and Mariusz Jastrząb from the Education Department of the Warsaw Ghetto Museum visited the Penal Institutions in Płock and in Warsaw’s Grochów district. During their meetings, they spoke to inmates about the Torah, the Jewish calendar, and rituals related to the observance of Shabbat. They also discussed the roles of men and women in traditional Jewish families, as well as perceptions and stereotypes about Jews—confronting them with reality.

On April 30, the Warsaw Ghetto Museum signed a cooperation agreement with the Penal Institution in Płock, and on May 16—with the Warsaw-Białołęka Remand Centre. We also cooperate with the Dom Kultury Foundation, which organizes cultural activities for inmates in Warsaw’s penal institutions.

The agreements include conducting educational activities on Jewish culture and tradition. Their aim is not only to introduce inmates to Jewish customs and rituals, but also to educate them about respect for cultural diversity and to counteract xenophobia, antisemitism, and prejudice against minorities.