Today we arrived at Lublin, which is on the border with Germany and the first thing we did here is we visited Elimelech’s tent, and we danced to Hasidic music, while some of the guys did Kadish.

Next, we visited one of the worst death camps of the Holocause- Belzac, where half a million jews were killed in less than half a year. You can’t see anything in there yet, besides many rocks, and a museum. Some of us believed that each rock symbolizes a person. In there, there are names of Jews that were killed there, and after doing Kadish, again, each person took his own private time in Belzac, to think and absorb what happened there.

Day 5

The past two days have been extremely emotional for the group. Yesterday, we visited the notorious concentration/death camp Auschwitz. The camp's reality and the way it was tangible touched everyone. The first camp we visited was Auschwitz 1, where 16,000 prisoners were held at a camp the size of less than two AISes. We visited multiple exhibits inside the barracks, including one where human belongings were shown. The second camp we visited was Auschwitz 2, or Birkenau- three km away from Auschwitz 1. We sat on the railroad tracks and told a few stories, and proceeded to do the walk of the living with our arms around each other towards the gates of the camp. Inside the camp, the enormity shocked many of us. So many of the barracks were still intact, and we heard stories that shocked us to an unimaginable extent. As we were struggling with our feelings, we recieved our letters from our parents- at the exact right moment. the letters comforted many of us more than we would have ever imagined.

Today was a little less difficult. We began the day by visiting a castle in the middle of Krackow which was taken over by the Nazis during WW2. Then, we enjoyed some free shopping time in the middle of the city. Later on, we visited Schnidler's factory, after finishing the movie Schindler's List. Finally, we visited a memorial for a site where many horrendous acts were performed on prisoners right outside of Krakow.

Poland Trip - April 2, 2009

In the beginning of our journey to Szestachova we visited a great church. Today was the fourth anniversary of the death of pope Jean Paul II, who died today exactly today. He was from Poland, and the polish people take great pride in him. We visited a church where the wholly site of the black Madonna, a very sacred painting to the poles. Then we got to Krakov, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. We visited 2 amazing and old synagogues today, from the 16th century.
Afterwards, we went to a restaurant in the old city of Kravkov and then got a chance to hang around the city. The old city of Krakov, or Krakow, is amazing, and we look forward to another days here. The dynamic between the group members is remarkable, and we make a lot of friends around here. We are very glad to be in this lovely beautiful city.

Ceremony in Lopochowa forest.

Poland Trip - April 1, 2009

April 1, 2009
Today was our second day in the Warsaw area in Northeastern Poland. Yesterday we experienced a powerful introduction to our Hope & Understanding trip. We visited Janusz Korczak’s orphanage in Warsaw, we toured the Warsaw ghetto, and learned about multiple deportation stations from the ghetto and the routes of the trains.
Today, we ventured 3 hours outside of Warsaw. Our first stop was in the town called Tykochin. The town used to be inhabited by over 5,000, almost half of which were Jews. In the town, we visited the old Synagogue and took a walk to one of the old Jewish houses. To this day, no Jews live in the town.
Our next stop was the Lopochowa forest. This was the location Nazi soldiers brought the whole Jewish population of Tykochin, proceeding to force them to dig their own graves and consequently shooting every one in the head. After a beautiful ceremony of reading poems and a song on the guitar, we spent time in the thick forest reflecting and lighting candles for those lost.
Our third stop was at the Treblinka Death Camp, one of the three main Nazi extermination camps. Although virtually none of the camp remains as the Nazis attempted to destroy all evidence of it, there was an enormous field of rocks where the camp used to stand, every rock representing one of the 70.000 communities affected by the Nazis.
The last part of the day was the most moving for many. We were visited by a Polish Righteous Among Nations- a woman who’s family helped save many Jews. Every student was extremely touched by the woman, whose wisdom and zest for life inspired us all. When your child returns, please ask him/her to recount the story for you.

Jadwija, Righteous Amongst the Nation who spoke to us of her experiences during her childhood of World War II
















At Treblinka Death Camp, the remains are represented by stones depciting the names of about 70,000 communities













At Treblinka, a larger stone with the words Never Again, in several languages.















At Treblinka, showing where the train that brought in the people use to lie.















Walking in the forest to the pits of jews that fell to the Nazis.














In the Forest on our way to a Polish city.













In a Jewish "shtetl" we see a house of a Jewish Famliy that "dissapeared".














In the Synogogue of the Jewish Shtetl












The Jewish Shtetl

This is a collection of photos taken on the first day of our trip. Enjoy.










(The Tour Guide)