FestivALT Examines Jewish Culture In Contemporary Poland

Michael Rubenfeld, co-founder and co-director of FestivALT. He is originally from Canada and now lives in Krakow.
Michael Rubenfeld, co-founder and co-director of FestivALT. He is originally from Canada and now lives in Krakow. Jason Francisco
Michael Rubenfeld, co-founder and co-director of FestivALT. He is originally from Canada and now lives in Krakow.
Michael Rubenfeld, co-founder and co-director of FestivALT. He is originally from Canada and now lives in Krakow. Jason Francisco

FestivALT Examines Jewish Culture In Contemporary Poland

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Conversations around the term ‘cultural appropriation’ have been going on throughout the United States in the past few years. But what happens when you take those conversations across continents? To Poland, to be exact. FestivALT is an independent arts collective in Krakow that takes a critical look at contemporary Jewish culture in Poland. Since 2017, FestivALT has been putting on a slate of arts, music and theater programming every summer to complement the long-running Jewish Culture Festival in Krakow, now in its twenty-ninth year. Worldview’s Jenny Friedland speaks with Michael Rubenfeld, who co-founded and co-directs FestivALT, and Adam Schorin, another of the co-directors, about the festival and a performance art piece called Lucky Jew.