An important part of the Jewish Studies curriculum are the internships, which undergraduate students are required to sign up for during their third semester for a duration of 30 hours. The main purpose of the internship is defined as: “Students apply the knowledge about the contemporary Jewish community in Poland that they gain during lectures and discussions to issues confronting national and religious minorities and they work directly with institutions that deal with these issues. Students learn to work with minority communities and explore the many ways in which one can protect Jewish heritage in Poland.”
Jewish studies students can choose where they want to do their internship. To date, our students have worked with the following institutions:
- Museum of the History of Polish Jews POLIN in Warsaw
- Bente Kahan Foundation in Wrocław
- Szalom Alejchem Primary School in Wrocław
- Union of Religious Jewish Councils in Poland (Wrocław branch)
- Maison de la culture Yiddish –Bibliothèque Medem in Paris
- Foundation for the District of Four Denominations and Mutual Respect in Wrocław
- Pro Arte 2002 Foundation in Wrocław
- Jewish Heritage Preservation Foundation, “Synagogue” Center in Zamość
- Beiteinu Chaj 2004 Foundation in Dzierżoniów
- Tikkun Olam Private Primary and Junior High School in Wrocław
- Wrocław City Museum
- Galicia Jewish Heritage Institute Foundation in Cracow
- Edith Stein Society, Center for Cultural Dialogue in Wrocław
- Joint Distribution Foundation Committee, Poland
Student internship responsibilities included, among others:
- cataloging books in Jewish languages
- transcribing Jewish tombstones, including inventory and photographic documentation
- audiotranscription of interviews
- co-conducting Jewish-related lessons in primary school and junior high school
- assisting in the school’s administration office
- document archiving
- translation of archival materials
- help in organizing exhibitions (in Wrocław, Cracow and Berlin)
- preparing and running workshops devoted to Jewish literature for children during Jewish summer camps
- running workshops for children at the Galicja Museum
- guided tours of museum exhibitions (Galicja Museum)
- guiding tour groups around Jewish monuments in Zamość
- co-implementation of the Education in Places of Remembrance project (educational walks with youth and children
- around the District of Four Denominations and Mutual Respect in Wrocław)
- helping teach Jewish-related lessons in primary school
- help in organizing conferences (“Cultural Heritage of the Diaspora”, “Creating Alternatives for Jewish Women in Europe”)
- help in organizing the photo exhibit „Scottish Jews: Identity, Belonging and Future”
- guided tours in the Wrocław mikvah during the photo exhibit
- developing a database of websites and online resources
- processing evaluation questionnaires at the POLIN Museum Information Center
- helping at the Jewish Information Center in Wrocław
- working at the POLIN Museum Information Center
- helping organize concerts in the synagogue in Wrocław
- volunteer coordination at cultural events in the synagogue in Wrocław
- help in editing and distributing the Jewish magazine “Chidusz”
- development of the Jewish women’s route in Wrocław, organizing and guiding walks in English along this route
- organizing the Simcha Festival of Jewish Culture in Wrocław
Handcrafted yarmulke by Agata Ganczarska