Kazimierz

The photos below our from our tour of the historic Jewish district of Krakow, historical because since World War II there have been almost no Jews in Krakow, or Poland in general.
From the 1400's until just prior to the war the Jewish was home to 60,000 to 80,000 Jews, now, only a few dozen and mostly elderly. Only a few hundred Krakovian Jews survived the war.

The large white medieval building is one of three large former synagogues in Kazimierz. It is currently only open when large groups from Israel come to visit. To cover the cost of maintaining the building the bottom floor is rented out to a cinema. The largest synagogue, not pictured here, is now a museum.

The Jewish population of Krakow meets in a small synagogue (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remuh_Synagogue) just off the street on which much of Schindler's List was filmed, though our tour guide told us they have no permanent rabbi and often struggle to find the ten Jews needed to have a service.

The synagogue is home to the historic Jewish cemetery, home to Krakow's most prestigious Jewish former residents. If you look closely at the photo of the grave stones you'll see rocks piled on top. This is Jewish tradition, rather than flowers for remembrance, little stones.

Lining the cemetery is the Krakow's Wailing Wall, built from fragments of the sarcophagi of victims of the Holocaust. You should really click on the photo to expand it to get an impression of the wall. The only comparison I can really draw is to the Aids Quilt or the Vietnam Memorial.

I didn't feel comfortable taking any pictures inside the synagogue, but it rivaled St. Mary's Basilica on the Rynek.

Speaking of which, here's an article with pictures of St. Mary's: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Mary%27s_Church,_Krak%C3%B3w. It's very different than St. Pat's in New York due to the Orthodox-influenced wall paintings and color scheme. All the walls are covered in vibrant red, gold, and blue iconographic illustrations. Hundreds or thousands of faces must stare down from those walls.

The Jewish quarter has largely been appropriated by Christians, including the frequently spotted Jewish restaurants. The former ritual bathhouse now contains a pub.