The Complete Guide to a Kosher Trip to Warsaw

Warsaw, which before World War II was home to the world's largest Jewish community after New York, today offers a deep encounter with that history — at the stunning POLIN Museum, at Nożyk Synagogue which survived the war, and in a small but active community carrying it forward. Here's a short guide to planning your visit.

Nożyk Synagogue and Chabad House

Nożyk Synagogue, built in 1902, is the only synagogue in Warsaw to survive the Holocaust — the Nazis used it as a warehouse, which likely saved it from destruction. Today it's the community's central active synagogue, with a mikveh alongside it. Chabad Lubavitch of Poland on Słomińskiego Street also serves travelers and residents.

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Where to eat

Galil Kosher Café & Restaurant on Zielna Street and BeKeF on Sienna Street are two central kosher options. Sklep Koszerny (Kosher Store) on Twarda Street, near Nożyk Synagogue, rounds out the shopping.

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The POLIN Museum — a thousand years, not just the end

The POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, built in 2013 exactly where the heart of the Warsaw Ghetto once stood, differs from most Jewish museums in Europe — it tells a thousand years of Polish-Jewish history, from the first settlement in the 10th century to today, not just the story of destruction. The Monument to the Ghetto Heroes stands directly opposite it. Practical tip: the permanent exhibition is vast — plan for at least three hours, and book a timed ticket in advance during peak season.

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Between the surviving Nożyk Synagogue and the POLIN Museum telling the full story, Warsaw offers a rare encounter with a thousand years of Jewish history — not just its tragic end, but also the rich life that preceded it and continues after it.