President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda has awarded high state honors to five activists of the Socio-Cultural Society of Jews in Poland. This year the SCSJ celebrates its 75th anniversary, being the largest and oldest continuously operating Jewish organization in Poland.
High award for the president of SCSJ
Artur Hofman was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta for his outstanding contributions to the Jewish community in Poland. The president of SCSJ has held this position since 2006, he is a theater and television director, journalist, and for years was also an actor at the Jewish Theater in Warsaw. He holds a number of positions related to Jewish life in Poland. Among other things, he is editor-in-chief of “The Jewish Word” and sits on the Boards of the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews and the Warsaw Ghetto Museum. In addition, he is a representative of the Jewish Minority in the Joint Commission of the Government and National and Ethnic Minorities.
Distinguished local leaders of the SCSJ
Silver Crosses of Merit for achievements in activities for the Jewish community in Poland, meanwhile, were received by Helena Grzebień, Klaudia Klimek, Aleksander Rotsztejn and Izabela Sobańska-Klekowska.
Klaudia Klimek, vice-chairwoman of the SCSJ Main Board and chairwoman of the Krakow Division, stressed that the high state decoration is a great honor for her and a sign that good comes around. "I have been active in non-governmental organizations for more than a dozen years completely on a voluntary basis, and personally I have always felt that this activity of mine is such a mission, duty, or even obligation to past, but also future generations. (...) I am very happy that my work has been recognized, even if it is simply a symbol. Do what you love and what you are good at, and success will find you." - Klaudia Klimek said in a video shared on social media.
The other honorees - Helena Grzebień, Aleksander Rotsztejn and Izabela Sobańska-Klekowska - are also people involved in SCSJ activities. Helena Grzebień is vice-president of the Katowice Branch of the Society, Aleksander Rotsztejn heads the SCSJ in Wroclaw, while Izabela Sobańska-Klekowska heads the Society in Czestochowa.