Don’t miss the Seattle Polish Film Festival! This year’s selection and guests are truly fantastic, thanks to the dedication and hard work of SPFF volunteers. Come by, show your support, and bring your American friends along!
Each year, we hear from subscribers who just missed consular visits. To stay updated on these visits and other events in Seattle, subscribing to this newsletter is the best way. Don’t forget to share it with your friends and family! Historically, the term “witch hunt” has been loaded with fear,
There’s plenty of news coming from the Seattle Polish Film Festival and Polish Home. Stay tuned!
I hope you had a fantastic summer! The weather was beautiful, and thankfully, the wildfire smoke wasn’t as intense as in previous years. If you missed the announcement from the Polish Home Association, there’s great news—Polish Home has officially reopened! On September 5th, PHA celebrated the grand opening of the
Seattle is buzzing with activity this summer. Make the most of the beautiful weather and enjoy all the exciting Polish events! Seattle Polish Festival pulled it off once again—what an amazing event! The Seattle Polish Foundation and the festival organizers extend their heartfelt gratitude and thanks to all the volunteers
The Seattle Polish Festival is set for Saturday, July 12, 2025, from noon to 7 PM at the Seattle Center Armory and Mural Amphitheatre. This year’s theme is Polish Legends and Castles, and the event promises a vibrant mix of live music, traditional food, exhibits, and workshops. If you’re planning
Poll results are in, and I appreciate your participation. Your feedback is valued.
There were issues with the Mailchimp survey feature, leading to some confusion. Despite this, 120 responses were received for the first survey question and 68 for the poll.
94.2% of respondents indicated they want the editor’s letter to continue, while 5.8% answered No. Additionally, 91% of voters stated that they would recommend the newsletter to others.
Keep reading→
My last op-ed caused quite a stir. After years of no comments, no emails, and no thank-yous, I received several emails complementing our new newsletter and a few criticizing my opinion. Some responses were quite vile and aggressive.
This calls for an explanation and a follow-up.
Keep reading→
The results of the first round of the presidential elections in Poland are in. I promised to remain neutral and avoid politics, but I cannot stay silent. When I see that 6% (12% in US, 17% in Canada) of Poles are voting for a fascist who openly calls for restoring the death penalty, promises to imprison women, reduce the congress and senate, increase presidential power, and restore a sovereign Poland (think North Korea) all in the name of God, I had to say something. Additionally, 51% voted for the extreme right that wants Poland to exit the EU.
Keep reading→
Last year, we had a presidential election in the US, and this week, Polish citizens will vote for their president. While it’s not my place to tell you whether to vote or which candidate to choose, I hope you will consider voting for someone who represents the entire country, not just their party. Now more than ever, we need a president who prioritizes the nation over party interests and personal gain. We need a leader with empathy, someone who unites rather than divides, and who promotes compromise instead of hatred.
See you at the polls on Saturday.
Like many Polish immigrants, I have a deep fondness for Polish bread. Each time I move to a new location, my first mission is to find stores that carry rye bread. There’s nothing quite like a fresh, warm loaf of rye bread. American wheat bread often feels bland, lacking flavor and filled with unnecessary additives. Polish rye bread, by contrast, is made simply from whole rye flour and water, offering an incredible taste and maintaining its freshness for many days.
After years living in Seattle, I have yet to find good rye bread, which led me to start baking it myself. In this issue, I will share a recipe and some stories about Polish rye sourdough bread. If you have a better recipe or know a place that makes and sells quality bread, please let us know.
GiveBIG 2025 concluded yesterday, but the website is still accepting donations. If you missed the event, you can still show your support and appreciation. This year’s fundraiser exceeded our wildest expectations, reaching 98% of our goal. Amazing! We are humbled by and grateful for your generosity. Thank you so much!
GiveBIG 2025 culminates on May 6-7. So far the response from our subscribers was phenomenal and we’ve already reached 30% of our goal. Thank you so much.
May 1st, 2nd and 3rd are big holidays in Poland. More about the history of these holidays below.
PS: don’t forget to register for the presidential elections before May 13. You can do it online at https://ewybory.msz.gov.pl
The tradition of the May holiday is a beautiful example of how old customs and modern customs can interpenetrate and complement each other. The celebration of May is a great opportunity to celebrate spring, work, family and friendship. It is worth cultivating this tradition and enjoying it, remembering its deep meaning and historical roots. We have more about this tradition below.
May is the month of the GiveBIG fundraiser, the largest in the Pacific Northwest. Learn more about this year’s fundraisers and causes organized by the Seattle Polish Foundation.
We, the Seattle Polish News volunteers, also ask for your help. A one-dollar donation from each subscriber would cover our annual costs. If you enjoy this newsletter, please show your support.
Easter is coming this weekend, and we have prepared a special Easter edition featuring stories about Easter traditions and information about upcoming Easter events.
As every year, the 2025 GiveBIG fundraiser is coming in May. The Seattle Polish Foundation is using this event to raise funds for two vital causes: a Medical & Emergency Fund for our aging community members, and a much-needed Stage and Floor Remodeling Project at the historic Polish Home.
The Seattle Polish Film Festival is seeking donations to help with venue rentals.
Seattle Polish News is encouraging all our subscribers to help cover the cost of using the Mailchimp service.
Today, we begin a new series of stories about banned books with Ania Kaminska’s essay and a review of The Career of Nicodemus Dyzma (Kariera Nikodema Dyzmy). This book tells the tale of a small-town con artist who climbs the social ladder to become a political leader, only to end up as a puppet of the elite class. Despite being censored, confiscated, and ultimately banned in Poland in 1951, the book gained immense popularity. It was adapted into movies and TV series and even inspired Jerzy Kosinski to write Being There.
We also have an update about the Presidential Elections in Seattle. Keep reading below.
Seattle narrowly avoided a tornado and 2-inch hail. If it had happened, we’d probably be using some strong language. That’s why in this issue; we’re tackling the controversial topic of swear words.
Personally, I don’t like swear words and rarely use them. Maybe only when I hit my finger with a hammer because it reduces pain – a scientifically proven fact.
However, when I travel to Poland or talk to my Polish friends, I hear swear words everywhere: in all sorts of conversations, on television, even in stand-up comedy shows. I always wonder why? Do they make our conversations better? Do they make us sound more confident?
The answers are in the short story below. Enjoy.
We all faced this decision once when we left Poland and settled in Seattle. For many, leaving home is a dramatic and seemingly impossible choice. We did it, so we know firsthand how hard it is. Yet, because we’ve done it once, and sometimes many times, it’s not frightening anymore. After a while in one place, we start thinking that maybe it’s time to move again.
Spring is almost here, and we wanted to dedicate this issue to the season. Our editor, Ania Kaminska, has written a wonderful article about an old Polish tradition of drowning a Marzanna. You’ll find it below.
I was prompted to write this article by two events, one last Saturday and one happening soon.
On Sunday, March 2, the Seattle Polish Film Festival organized a fundraiser for Ukraine and presented the movie “Erase the Nation” about the war in Ukraine. It was a sold-out event with lots of Poles, Ukrainians, and Americans in the audience.
Starting March 13, the Seattle Jewish Film Festival will present a Polish movie “The Death of Zygielbojm” (Śmierć Zygielbojma).
The Polish Community in Seattle responded to this question with an incredibly strong YES. Since 2020, we have donated over $240,000 to the Seattle Polish Foundation through personal donations from individuals like you and me. We can be proud of ourselves and our generosity. These donations support our community, the Polish Cultural Center, and events like the Polish Festival and the Seattle Polish Film Festival. By donating, you also help members of our community who have fallen into hard times.
If you are not familiar with the Seattle Polish Foundation, I encourage you to visit their website, learn about their mission, recent fundraisers, and meet the members of the board of directors.
This year, the biggest fundraiser event in Washington State, GiveBIG, starts in a month and concludes on May 6-7. Visit the Seattle Polish Foundation page hosted by GiveBIG to find out about this year’s causes and specific fundraisers.