User talk:Aga Jablonska

Biography
Jerzy Kichler was born in 1947 in Krakow in a Jewish family. His father Nesanel was an economist and his mother Olga was a stenographer. His father's sister was Lena Küchler-Silberman – an outstanding educator and founder of Jewish orphanages in Zakopane during the post-war period. She was also the author of My 100 Children, publication translated into many languages.

Kichler was an activist of the Jewish communities in Poland: 1997-2003 – President of the Union of Jewish Religious Communities in Poland; 1999-2003 – President of the Jewish Community in Wroclaw; 1992-2006 – Member of the Board of the Jewish Community in Wroclaw; 2006-2010 – Member of the Religious Board of the Jewish Union in Poland.

His work greatly influenced the revival of Jewish life in Poland after 1989. Initiator of the Quarter of Mutual Respect of Four Denominations in Wroclaw in 1995 - the project of inter-religious dialogue. He graduated with Master and Electrical Engineer degree from the University of Science and Technology in Krakow in 1971 and later worked as an electrical engineer for 12 years.

Between 1981 and 1989, he cooperated with the underground Solidarity movement, first in Krakow and then in Wroclaw. Due to the participation in the protests against the Communist government after the imposition of martial law, he was fired. In 1986, he started his own private company.

After the loosening of the rigors of the Communist system, he could travel abroad. From 1989 to 1991 he went to America and studied at the Academy for Jewish Religion in New York thanks to the Lucius N. Littauer scholarship. Since then his mentor became the New York Rabbi Emily Faust Korzenik from the Reconstructionist movement in Judaism. In 1992 he created and then directed the Educational Center of the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation in Wroclaw, with the aim to educate Jewish youths. Thanks to his efforts, the Foundation sponsored the Jewish primary school "Lauder Etz Chaim." He composed a program of learning about Judaism for the primary school and the educational center.

Beginning in 1992, Kichler led the efforts to rebuild the Synagogue at Włodkowica Street in Wrocław, which had been in ruins for thirty years. He represented the Jewish Community, in the Polish courts in an effort to reclaim the Synagogue, which ended positively in 1995. In the same year he received funding from the Foundation for Polish-German Cooperation in the amount of 3.7 million zlotys, he oversaw the reconstruction of the Synagogue. The culmination of the reconstruction was a solemn prayer in the Synagogue on November, 9, 1998 with the participation of the Prime Minister of Poland, Jerzy Buzek, as well as representatives of the clergy of the Christian churches with Cardinal Henryk Gulbinowicz.

In 1997, Kichler participated in the development of the legislation of the relations between the State and the Jewish Communities in Poland, which still regulates the legal status and wealth of the Jewish communities in Poland. He also created the internal laws of the Jewish communities at that time.

From 1997 to 2003, Kichler was the head of the board of the Union of Jewish Religious Communities in Poland. During this time he participated in the reconstruction of structures of organization of the Jewish religious communities, participated in the launch of the process of the restitution of pre-war Jewish communities, gained the capacity to collect rent and compensation for the victims of the Holocaust, created the central Commission of Social Welfare, and successfully applied for the presence of representatives of the Polish Jewish Union in important international Jewish organizations: i.a. member of the the Executive Committee of the European Jewish Congress (2001-2003). As a representative of the Jewish community, Kichler took the floor during important congresses and conferences. In 2002, together with the World Jewish Restitution Organization, Kichler co-founded the International Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Poland, where he was co-chairman until 2004.

Between 1999 and 2003, he was the President of the Jewish Community of Wroclaw. At that time the number of formal members of the Jewish Community rose from 43 members to more than 300, which also increased the number of people interested in Judaism. He led a revival of Jewish religious life in Wroclaw through innovations enabling the participation in the liturgy to new generations, the introduction of regular Friday prayers and Kabbalat Shabbat prayers, and employed Rabbi Ron Hoffberg (2000-2001) and Rabbi Ivan Caine (2001-2004).

As a board member, Kichler contributed to the restitution of many properties for the community, so that it obtained its own funds to carry out increased activities. His efforts in 2004 led to the return of the priceless collection of Leon Vital Saraval, including manuscripts and old books, from the Czech Republic. This return from abroad was historically unprecedented in the post-war Jewish community.

In 2008, Kichler started working in the Jewish Information Centre at the Jewish Community in Wroclaw as a guide to the Synagogue and a lecturer of Jewish culture. He holds meetings in Polish schools teaching children to respect Jews and Judaism. He is a lecturer at the University of Wroclaw where he has been teaching Judaism at the Jewish Studies program since 2002. Since the 1980’s, he has been committed to reconciling inter-religions. He was the initiator and one of the founders of the Quarter of Mutual Respect of Four Denominations in 1995. Today it organizes various projects, events and concerts in collaboration with the nearby religious communities: Jewish, Evangelical, Catholic and Orthodox.

In 2005 he was one of the initiators of the Foundation Quarter of Mutual Respect of Four Denominations and was the first chairman of the board, recently he was elected as chairman of the council of the Foundation.

He also published many texts on the history of Wroclaw Jews. Kichler is co-author together with Tamara Włodarczyk of the publication Jewish Wrocław, the Guide (2016); his articles were published in the Jewish magazine in Poland Midrasz, which described the cemeteries of Cosel and Claassentrasse in Wrocław, the White Stork Synagogue and the events of November pogrom in 1938 in Wroclaw. He is currently leading the blog in the WordPress.com.

Kichler was awarded “the Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta” (2015), the "Honorary Golden Merit for Lower Silesia", the "Medal of Merito de Wratislavia - Merit for Wroclaw" and "Order 1000 - Anniversary of Wrocław" (2015).

He is the father of three children: Ewa, Michal and Adam.

Publications

 * 1) Tamara Włodarczyk, Jerzy Kichler,  Przewodnik po żydowskim Wrocławiu, wyd. Towarzystwo Społeczno – Kulturalne Żydów w Polsce, Wrocław 2016
 * 2) Jerzy Kichler, Mykwa w budynku przy ulicy Włodkowica 9 we Wrocławiu, [w:] Mykwa – rytuał i historia, red. Joanna Lisek, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego, Wrocław 2014, s. 73-82.
 * 3) Jerzy Kichler, Wrocławskie lata Abrahama Geigera, [w:] Z historii ludności żydowskiej w Polsce i na Śląsku, red. K. Matwijowski, Wrocław 1994, s. 99-108.
 * 4) Jerzy Kichler, Restitution of Jewish Communal Property in Poland (Status as of November 23, 1998), [w:] Washington Conference on Holokaust – Era Assets, November 30-December 1998, Proceedings, Edited by J.D. Bindenagel, Conference Director U.S. Department of State. Washington 1999.s.709-713.
 * 5) Jerzy Kichler, Synagoga pod Białym Bocianem, [w:] Dzielnica Czterech Wyznań, red. Biuro Promocji Miasta, Wrocław 2009, s. 30-35, 39-47.
 * 6) Jerzy Kichler, Chrześcijański znak krzyża – doświadczenie żydowskie, [w:] Krzyż z różnych perspektyw. 22-24.V 2000 r. Sympozjum, Opole, Jezuicki Ośrodek Formacji i Kultury „Xaverianum”, s. 24-26.
 * 7) Jerzy Kichler, Gmina Żydowska, [w:] Kalendarz Wrocławski, wyd. Towarzystwo Miłośników Wrocławia, Wrocław 2001.
 * 8) Jerzy Kichler, Gmina żydowska we Wrocławiu i jej rabini, [w:] Oblicza Wrocławia, red. T. Woźniakowski, Wrocław 2009, s. 149-154.
 * 9) Jerzy Kichler, Doświadczenia mniejszości żydowskiej, [w:] VI Konferencja Międzynarodowej Wspólnoty Pracy „Krzyżowa”, Świdnica 1992.
 * 10) Jerzy Kichler, Wystąpienie w spotkaniu „Cztery Świątynie”, [w:] Salon Profesora Dudka tom 2a, 2005.
 * 11) Jerzy Kichler, Dzielnica Wzajemnego Szacunku Czterech Wyznań, [w:] M. Szajda, Jerzy Kichler, Odrodzenie życia żydowskiego w Polsce, Człowiek Dialogu, Wrocław 2015
 * 12) Jerzy Kichler, Komentarz do Berejszit 32:29 [w:] M. Szajda, Jerzy Kichler, Odrodzenie życia żydowskiego w Polsce, Człowiek Dialogu, Fundacja Dzielnicy Wzajemnego Szacunku Czterech Wyznań, Wrocław 2015
 * 13) Jerzy Kichler, Postholocaustowe pokolenie Żydów wrocławskich, [w:] Mom jo skarb... Pamięć rzeczy w tradycjach dolnośląskich, red. E. Berendt, Wrocław 2014, s. 118-128.
 * 14) Jerzy Kichler, Trudny proces dochodzenia praw, „Midrasz”, nr 3, marzec 1999, s. 37-38.
 * 15) Jerzy Kichler, O diasporze i Zagładzie, „Midrasz”, nr 3, marzec 2000, s. 30-31.
 * 16) J. Kichler, K. Szykierska, 800 lat Gminy Żydowskiej we Wrocławiu, „Midrasz”, nr 12 (80), grudzień 2003, s. 28-29.
 * 17) Jerzy Kichler, Manuskrypty we Wrocławiu, „Midrasz”, nr 1 (93), styczeń 2005, s. 37-38.
 * 18) Jerzy Kichler, Manuscrips in Wroclaw, “Midrasz”, special English Edition 2005, str. 6-8.
 * 19) Jerzy Kichler, Cmentarz Cosel we Wrocławiu, „Midrasz”, nr 12 (116), grudzień 2006, s. 36-4
 * 20) Jerzy Kichler, Największa synagoga w Polsce, „Midrasz”, nr 7-8 (123-124), lipiec-sierpień 2007, s. 51-57.
 * 21) Jerzy Kichler, Żydzi a broń biologiczna, „Midrasz”, nr 12 (128), grudzień 2007, s. 26-47.
 * 22) Jerzy Kichler, Dawid ben Cwi Herszł Ringel, „Midrasz”, nr 3 (173), maj-czerwiec 2013, s. 84.
 * 23) Jerzy Kichler, „Noc podpalonych synagog” i jej kontekst, „Midrasz”, nr 5, wrzesień-październik 2013, s. 48-53.
 * 24) Jerzy .Kichler, Agonia cmentarza, czyli rzecz o wrocławskim kirkucie, Midrasz nr 4, lipiec-sierpień 2017, nr s.30-42
 * 25) Jerzy Kichler, Przyszłość pomocy wzajemnej, „Almanach Żydowski”, r.1998-1999, s. 98-100.
 * 26) Jerzy Kichler, Komentarz do ustawy o stosunku Państwa do gmin wyznaniowych żydowskich w RP z 20.02.97, „Almanach Żydowski”, r.1998-1999, s. 91-97.
 * 27) Jerzy Kichler, Sprawozdanie zarządu ZGWŻ za okres V 1997- V1999, przygotowane na Nadzwyczajne Walne Zebranie ZGWŻ 13 VI 1999, „Almanach Żydowski”, r. 1999-2000, s. 91-107.
 * 28) Jerzy Kichler, Wystąpienie w synagodze warszawskiej 6 lipca 2001 - 15 tamuz 5761, „Almanach Żydowski”, r. 2001-2002, s. 9-10.
 * 29) Jerzy Kichler, Działalność Zarządu Związku Gmin Wyznaniowych Żydowskich w Polsce w latach 1997-2001, „Almanach Żydowski”, r. 2002-2003, s. 114-124.
 * 30) Jerzy Kichler Wykaz aktów prawnych dotyczących działalności Gmin Wyznaniowych Żydowskich (wybór), stan z czerwca 2002, opr. J. Kichler, „Almanach Żydowski”, r. 2002-2003, s. 125-129.
 * 1) Jerzy Kichler Wykaz aktów prawnych dotyczących działalności Gmin Wyznaniowych Żydowskich (wybór), stan z czerwca 2002, opr. J. Kichler, „Almanach Żydowski”, r. 2002-2003, s. 125-129.

Source
Marek Szajda „Jerzy Kichler. Odrodzenie życia żydowskiego w Polsce. Człowiek dialogu”, Wyd. Fundacja Dzielnicy Wzajemnego Szacunku Czterech Wyznań, Wrocław 2015.