Why you must see “A Real Pain” and experience Poland with the Taube Center for Jewish Life & Learning.
By Aleksandra Makuch, Director of Operations
Last night, on Monday, November 4, I had the pleasure of attending the red-carpet premiere of “A Real Pain” by Jesse Adam Eisenberg, opening the 22nd Warsaw Jewish Film Festival—a wonderful partner of the Taube Center. Shoutout to Magda Strehlau, Head of the Festival, and her amazing team! 
The cast and crew—including Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin, Jennifer Grey, and the film producers—arrived at the POLIN Museum and were present at the start of the premiere. I was absolutely mesmerized by what I saw, especially in the context of my decade of work at the Taube Center, whose primary mission is connecting Jews from around the globe with their Eastern European heritage.
A Real Pain tells the story of two cousins—David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin)—who travel to Poland to honor their beloved grandmother, Dory. Their journey takes unexpected turns as they confront old tensions and rediscover their family history. Inspired by Jesse’s own trip to Poland, he refers to the film as a “love letter to Poland.” 
This film beautifully captures what our Taube Jewish Heritage Tours offer: an invitation to dive deeply into personal and collective history. Through our tours, we help participants explore both Jewish loss and resilience; connect, unpack, and reconcile family histories; and engage with the complex stories of trauma and triumph, of what was lost and what is yet to be. We explore Jewish loss and belonging, navigate family history, attempt to heal wounds, and delve into ways of coping with the trauma legacy of the 2nd and 3rd generations—and so much more…
I know visiting Poland may feel daunting and emotional for many. However, I’ve seen how our guests come away prouder than ever of their Jewish heritage, and no wave of antisemitism can erase that.
Today, 80 years after the liberation of Auschwitz, Jewish life in Poland is flourishing. Thanks to the dedication of hundreds, even thousands, of non-Jewish Poles, Poland’s Jewish culture, heritage, and dialogue are being preserved and renewed—from restoring cemeteries and researching towns’ Jewish pasts to celebrating at the Jewish Culture Festival in Kraków. These efforts create welcoming spaces for Jewish life to thrive once more. 
As Jesse Eisenberg says, “Poland made me feel a real connection to something historically bigger than myself.”
We’d be honored for you to join us on your own family journey or group tour in Poland. Learn more here: https://taubecenter.org/tjht/
Do zobaczenia! 
