Poland

            I’ve never been happier to return to Jerusalem. The entire plane began clapping and cheering as everyone looked out the window and saw our beautiful, familiar home. Instead of going over every cemetery, death and concentration camp, ghetto, and grave that I visited during the week of Poland, I’m going to summarize what I learned from the trip. The most powerful thing that stuck with me was the strong Jewish community that survived after this terrible atrocity. My pride for Judaism swelled as I walked through the gas chambers, knowing that Hitlers goal to wipe out the Jewish race failed. We toured six or seven synagogues that were busy and vibrant with Jews before the genocide and in every one, our group came together and sang ‘Am Yisrael Chai,” It was really empowering bringing these synagogues back to life. At one of the grave sites, my group was singing the Hatikvah (the Israeli national anthem) and during the middle of the song, I faintly heart another Jewish group up the hill singing the same song. Hearing that warmed my heart because the support and community of the Jewish people is unbelievable, and we all looked over at their group and instantly felt a deep connection. This trip has strengthened my desire to continue the Jewish tradition to the best of my ability, not for religious purposes but for the simple sake of sustaining the beautiful culture, sense of community, and for the respect of all of those who struggled and sacrificed so much in order for the Jewish religion to survive.

            Another thing I took from this week was that even in the midst of horror and hell, kindness still prevailed. I heard many heartwarming, beautiful stories of survivors, righteous gentiles, and also of those who passed away during the war. People risking their lives for others, Jews risking their lives to practice Judaism under the nazi’s noses, inmates caring and helping one another, and the fight to survive in those circumstances, is unbelievable.One story I heard was from a survivor (not directly but 2^nd generation). Two Nazis thought it would be “funny” to push a little girl into the sewage and see how long she could last until drowning. Being only 7 or 8 at the time, they came and pushed her in. She couldn’t swim and started drowning while the Nazis were laughing at this sick, twisted game. A Jewish inmate walked by and saw this and jumped in to save her. This courageous act risked this man’s life in two ways; one, the sickness and disease he could get from jumping in could kill him because of his extremely low immune system, and two, interrupting the Nazi’s “fun” could lead to instant death. He pulled her out and saved her and she survived until the end of the war and now lives in Israel. She doesn’t know what happened to the man who saved her, nor does she even know his name, but the pure goodness and compassion that this man showed reminds me that even though the holocaust was a place of absolute hell and evil, there were many amazing people that went extraordinary measures in order to help others. Although the Nazis tried to completely dehumanize and belittle all of the Jews, they maintained their humanity and pride.  

Beautiful synagogue in Crakow

Hero's grave at Trablinka. If you don't know who this man is.. look him up !

Mass grave of thousands of children

Birkenau. Israeli Pride

Aushwitz

          Although completely exhausted from the long, sleepless night,  our bus went straight to the Cotel (the holy Western Wall) after landing in Israel at five in the morning. Feeling the weight of millions who were murdered during the holocaust, my heart was lifted and rejuvenated when I touched the cotel alongside dozens of spirited Jews. The vibrancy and liveliness of the city brought me to such a deep appreciation of Israel and I've never been so proud of this homeland.

My article made it to the news! http://www.midnighteast.com/mag/?p=12071