Shalom from Amsterdam!
Sheila and I have just said goodbye to your kids at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport (which is incredible, by the way). We transferred them from our Warsaw flight, through European Union passport check, and to their departure gate for Tel Aviv. They boarded the flight, took off, and arrived in Israel early the next morning.
It has been a whirlwind trip since we last spoke, when we were on the way from Prague to Krakow and had just arrived there. In Krakow, we once again toured the old city and the Jewish quarter, stopping for lunch in that cities town center, a place with buildings dating back through Polish history and their monarchy. We walked through historic Jewish Synagogues, as well as the route the Jews of Krakow took in their forced journey to the ghetto. We visited the factory of Oskar Schindler, and the pharmacy that allowed Jews to pass secretly into and out of the ghetto. That evening, we were briefed on our visit to two of the most infamous death camps of Poland.
The visit to Auschwitz and Birkenau was indescribable. The juxtaposition of the place’s beauty with the horrific things that went on there was something that more than one of your campers noticed and commented on. Our staff guided us through Birkenau. The walk through Auschwitz One was led by a woman whose father-in-law had been imprisoned there. Her insights and family history were touching, and she brought an understanding to the group that we may not have otherwise gained. There are no real words to describe what we saw.
That evening was Shabbat, and after a festive meal at the hotel, we returned to the Jewish quarter and the Reform Synagogue housed in the Galicia Museum. The place was beautiful, the congregation was welcoming, and the music was incredible. It is amazing how much camp and NFTY music has made its way into the world Jewish community. It was very, very gratifying to hear our music sung partway across the world. Returning to the hotel, we had an oneg Shabbat, complete with a real camp song session.
The following morning we gathered at a neighboring hotel for Shabbat morning t’fillot. Many of our kids led parts of the service. Afterwards, we heard from woman and her daughter. The two, as well as other members of their family, we part of the “righteous among the nations” – non-Jews who were responsible for saving the lives of Jews and their families. Her inspiring story was told to a room full of silent campers, translated by her daughter.
We ate lunch afterwards, boarded our bus, and hit the road to Warsaw. After supper in a mall outside the city (it seems like McDonald’s has taken over Poland), we arrived at our hotel in Warsaw. We had Havdalah in a small but beautiful park, right off the main drag of Warsaw. The hotel was beautiful, and many of our kids hung out in the lobby and watched the world pass by.
Our last morning in Europe was spent touring the Warsaw ghetto, visiting “Mila 18” (from the Leon Uris book of the same name), and hearing the story of the Warsaw ghetto uprising. We visited the ancient cemetery of the Warsaw Jewish community, noting the names of the many southern families who had contributed to its renovation. After lunch in a park, we left for the airport.
Sheila and I had a wonderful week with your kids. The group is amazing. They are so enthusiastic, so polite and so friendly. The different communities (Jacobs, Greene, and others) have joined into one. They are all so accepting of each other. It is wonderful to watch it all coming together. We just wish that we were going to spend the next few weeks with them in Israel. But alas, I am sitting on the Delta flight bound for Atlanta and then back to Austin and GFC. The summer adventure continues for us all.