Turystyka religijna a ochrona dziedzictwa kultury żydowskiej na przykładzie Leżajska

Leżajsk town as an exemplification of religious tourism and protection of cultural heritageThis paper discusses the relationship between religious tourism and the protection of cultural heritage. The multicultural as well as multi-religious town of Leżajsk, which is part of the “ Hasidic Trail ”, exemplifies these studies. The first part of the paper describes the notion of religious tourism and the most essential issues of cultural ( religious ) legacy management in contemporary tourism. The major aspects of Hasidic Judaism are described ; the believers of which come to Leżajsk in great numbers today. Furthermore, the cultural legacy of Leżajsk and religious tourism development in the city are also described. The paper also introduces the most important enterprises held by the Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Poland, which operates the Hasidic site in Leżajsk, and assesses whether these initiatives fulfill the assumptions of the balanced development idea in tourism.