Poland's President Karol Nawrocki on Tuesday cancelled this year's Hanukkah celebrations at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, a move that drew criticism from Jewish community representatives and public figures.
According to daily Rzeczpospolita, invitations for the annual Hanukkah ceremony were not issued this year, a departure from long-standing practice under previous presidents. Representatives of Poland's Jewish community confirmed that they had not been informed of any official celebration planned at the palace.
Campaigning for president this May, Nawrocki preemptively defended such a move, telling RMF FM that it reflected his personal convictions: "I take my commitment to Christian values seriously … I celebrate holidays that are close to my heart."
The decision comes at a time of heightened tensions surrounding Israel's war in Gaza and amid warnings from monitoring groups of a rise in antisemitic rhetoric in Poland and elsewhere in Europe. While Nawrocki did not directly link the cancellation to events in the Middle East, critics said the move risks reinforcing exclusionary narratives at a sensitive moment.
In December 2023, far-right Confederation lawmaker Grzegorz Braun disrupted a Hanukkah celebration in the Sejm (parliament) by using a fire extinguisher to put out ceremonial candles, an act condemned across the political spectrum. Braun and allied far-right figures framed the event as a protest against what they described as the "presence of foreign religious rituals" in state buildings.
Writer and columnist Agata Passent was among those who reacted publicly. "There's no need to be offended," she wrote in a social media post. "A big guy doesn't always equal a brave and honest one."
The Presidential Palace has traditionally hosted Hanukkah events as part of a broader effort to acknowledge Poland's religious diversity and its prewar Jewish heritage. Before World War II, Poland was home to Europe's largest Jewish population; today, Jewish leaders have repeatedly emphasized the importance of symbolic recognition by state institutions, particularly in light of historical trauma.
Opposition politicians and commentators argue that framing the decision solely in terms of "Christian values" risks narrowing the definition of national belonging. "This is not about private faith," one opposition lawmaker said. "It's about whether the presidency represents all citizens."
Supporters of the president have dismissed the criticism as exaggerated. Actor Lech Dyblik told local media that the controversy was overblown and would "resolve itself," adding that Nawrocki had been transparent about his priorities.
