A BRIEF HISTORY…
For ten years, the money raised by RFTL participants has gone one to fund incredibly meaning programs for all aspects of our community. From Jewish revival to humanitarian aid, the money you raise this year will have a profound impact on Krakow’s Jewish community. Here’s a quick glimpse to what RFTL particpants have made possible over the last decade.
2015
The inaugural 2014 Ride For The Living made a unique impact on our senior members specifically - funds raised supported a week-long trip to Israel for child survivors of the Holocaust. For some, it was their first time in Israel, and for most, their only opportunity to travel abroad with fellow community members. The trip included a visit to Yad Vashem, Israel’s national Holocaust museum, which ultimately provided a cathartic moment of closure for many of our survivors, helping them process and share their stories with the community-at-large.
2016
RFTL funded Senior University in partnership with Jagiellonian University in Krakow. Members of our Senior Club had the opportunity to take part in university-level seminars discussing the Jewish connections to Polish history, culture, language and art. Classes are still in session in 2025 and will continue well into the future. Our seniors always appreciate the opportunity to learn together!
2017
Frajda Preschool and Nursery opens as the first Jewish community preschool in Krakow since before the Holocaust. Each year, the proceeds from Ride For The Living provide substantial financial support for children whose families cannot afford the full tuition costs. Through Frajda, JCC Krakow is fostering the first generation of Jews in Poland who will grow up always knowing that they are Jewish.
2018
The funds raised through RFTL helped to greatly expand the health and wellness services we offer to our community, including welfare resources to help cover medical costs for Holocaust Survivors, rehabilitation classes, yoga lessons, Krav Maga classes, and mind training to name just a few.
2019
The JCC Krakow community continued to grow rapidly, welcoming new members who discovered their Jewish roots. For them, one of the best entry points into Jewish life are our Shabbat dinner and Jewish Holiday programs. These events are accessible touchpoints to Jewish culture and spirituality for all kinds of Jews, from Modern Orthodox to those just beginning their Jewish journeys. Each year, the fundraising from RFTL plays a pivotal role in supporting our weekly Shabbat dinners and annual holiday programming.
2020
RFTL goes virtual in the wake of the pandemic. JCC Krakow shifted its 2020 goals to better serve our community as they weathered this tumultuous time. While we were not able to see our members in person for the majority of the year, we hosted over 1,000 events, both online and in person, and visited all of our seniors: delivering groceries, performing daily wellness checks, and keeping them connected to our community throughout 2020.
2021
We launched the RFTL Global Challenge - a remote option where participants can take part in the Ride For The Living from anywhere in the world! Although RFTL could not be held in person, we were still able to help support JCC Members. Our first priority was making sure all of our senior members were vaccinated as soon as possible. By June, we were able to begin gathering in-person once again for outdoor events. JCC Krakow eventually returned to normal operations, hosting 400 community events by the end of the year.
2022
This year’s ride took a particular focus in standing in solidarity with Ukraine. In conjunction with the original 60-mile ride, we organized an additional ride from the Ukrainian border to JCC Krakow. The funds raised in this edition of RFTL directly impacted JCC Krakow’s humanitarian operations, such as sending truckloads of supplies into Ukraine including, delivering 30 tons of food to isolated towns and villages close to the front line with Russia, and providing housing for hundreds of displaced people in Krakow. In the first year alone, JCC Krakow directly assisted 180,000 displaced Ukrainians.
2023
JCC Krakow continued to provide Ukrainian humanitarian support, especially at our palace-turned-housing facility, Paszkowka. The infrastructure created by JCC Krakow for Ukrainians prepared us to act immediately after October 7th. We are actively providing Israelis with assistance as needed, including housing, financial help, and support in medical assistance, such as scheduling doctor visits. To facilitate programming for Israelis in Krakow, we employed a new Hebrew-speaking community coordinator and already held dedicated meetings and a special Chanukah dinner.
2024
The JCC Krakow is experiencing incredible growth as its community welcomes more Jews from Poland, Ukraine, and around the world. For the first time, the JCC Krakow community grew to over 1,000 members! After October 7th, global Jewish support turned towards supporting Israelis in the aftermath of Hamas’s attack. Thanks to the funds raised through RFTL, JCC Krakow continued to provide quality programming for our membership and humanitarian assistance to Ukrainians, even as the world’s attention shifted away from the War in Ukraine.
