Now in its third year, Chabad of Poland is hosting a two-week retreat in Krakow for Ukrainian Jews, with children’s activities, teen education, Torah learning for adults, and family workshops, giving every generation rest, reconnection and the strength to renew Jewish life together.

For the third consecutive summer, Chabad of Poland has opened its doors to Ukrainian Jews, offering a two-week summer retreat designed to provide respite, healing and hope to families fleeing ongoing conflict. This year’s program, hosted in Krakow and developed in close collaboration with the Jewish community of Kamianske, is led by Rabbi Levi and Dina Stambler of Chabad of Kamianske. It is carefully structured to engage participants across all age groups, from small children to seniors.

As the war in Ukraine continues to displace thousands and disrupt daily life, Chabad of Poland has remained a lifeline to Jewish communities throughout the region. Since 2022, they have provided emergency housing, kosher meals, medical assistance, legal support, education, childcare and spiritual services to tens of thousands of Ukrainian Jews. The summer retreat is a key part of this effort. It is not just a break from hardship, but a meaningful investment in rebuilding identity, family bonds and community life.

Chabad of Poland is funding this year’s camp in partnership with Mosaic United, the Kamianske Jewish community itself, and crowdfunding supporters from across the globe. The program is designed to meet the needs of every age group, ensuring that participants not only feel safe and cared for, but also seen, heard and engaged. Activities are planned with sensitivity to both developmental needs and emotional states, with Ukrainian-speaking staff trained to support families affected by trauma.

For young children, the camp offers a structured daily routine filled with creativity, fun and gentle learning. They enjoy storytelling sessions, Jewish-themed crafts, outdoor play, music and baking workshops, all within a nurturing and familiar environment. These activities allow children to reclaim moments of normal childhood, something many have missed over the last few years.

Older children and teenagers participate in more in-depth experiences that combine education, creativity and peer connection. They explore Krakow’s Jewish quarter, including visits to the Remuh Shul and historic cemetery and learn about the legacy of Jewish life in the region. Team games, group challenges, Jewish songs and discussions about Jewish identity and values are designed to build resilience and pride.

“We have developed this program knowing that healing does not look the same for everyone,” said Rabbi Levi Stambler. “Younger children need safety and play. Teenagers need meaning and belonging. Parents and grandparents need a space to reconnect and reflect. Our goal is to meet each person where they are and give them the tools to move forward.”

For adults, including parents and grandparents, the camp offers learning sessions rooted in Torah texts and Jewish history, exploring topics such as Jewish continuity, Israel as a spiritual homeland and the power of intergenerational faith. Family-focused activities, such as challah baking and Jewish music workshops, create shared moments that bridge generations and help restore the sense of unity that many families have lost due to war.

“This isn’t just a children’s program,” said Chabad of Poland Director Rabbi Sholom Ber Stambler. “It is a place where entire families come together to breathe, to laugh and to remember what it feels like to be whole. A grandfather seeing his grandchild dance to a Hebrew song, a mother watching her child learn about Jewish history with pride, these are moments of profound healing.”

Alongside the educational and spiritual programming, participants have enjoyed a variety of recreational outings. The group visited interactive museums, explored Wawel Castle Park, toured Kazimierz and experienced a sunset boat ride on the Vistula River. They also visited an amusement park, enjoyed a science-themed outdoor museum and are preparing for a festive Shabbat with a challah baking workshop.

“This is our third year hosting this retreat and each time we see more clearly how deeply needed it is,” said Chabad of Poland Co-Director Rabbi Mayer Stambler. “We are not just responding to a crisis. We are helping people reclaim their Jewish lives and their sense of the future. This program reaches everyone, from toddlers to great-grandparents, with the message that they are part of something enduring and meaningful.”

Since the start of the Russian incursion into Ukraine, Chabad of Poland based in Warsaw has opened its doors to Ukraine’s Jewish community offering refuge, transportation, kosher food, medical aid, financial and material assistance, childcare, educational and social services, communal activities and administrative and legal aid to tens of thousands displaced by the conflict. Since the start of the war, Chabad in Poland has seen its expenses rise by more than US$3 million. For more information or to contribute to relief efforts, please visit: www.saveajew.org.