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December 31 - January 6, 2011
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1/7/2011
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This is the last update that I will be sending regarding the Muss - Weber Poland - Israel program. I am writing this update the morning after the group departed Israel to return to the US. Some of you may in fact be reading this update after meeting your sons and daughters. Everyone on the staff is delighted with what the students gained and experienced as individuals and as a group. I held a brief feedback session with the students on Wednesday and saw them in the airport last night. I saw the great emotion with which they were leaving Israel. There is no doubt in how much they gained and how much they grew throughout this short period.
In the updates that we sent, we tried to convey to you all that the students experienced in Israel. We are certain that your children told you throughout the session how the program has affected them. You are now ready to meet your children after five and share all their exciting stories.
The students spent Shabbat in Kibbutz Keturah. Keturah, located in the Arava about 30 miles north of Eilat, was founded in November 1973 by a group of young Americans , who had just graduated the Young Judea year-in- Israel course. Difficulties in the first year frustrated many of the inhabitants of the kibbutz, causing many of the founders to leave rather soon. At the same time, more Young Judeans joined the community, along with a variety of other immigrants as well as Israeli Scout movement graduates, and it grew. This growth resulted in a more stable lifestyle for the members of Keturah.
Keturah is unique among kibbutzim for its religious pluralism. Although Jewish holidays are commemorated in traditional fashion and Kashrut and Shabbat are observed in the dining room and at social and cultural events, members are free to ignore Jewish customs and religious practices in their homes. Keturah received the Speaker of the Knesset Prize for religious tolerance for its religious progressiveness.
After settling into their rooms, the students joined the members of Keturah for Kabbalat Shabbat. After Shabbat dinner some of the kibbutz members led a discussion about kibbutz life in general and Keturah in particular. The activity generated discussions among the students well after the program
Shabbat morning was a "lazy morning". A few students joined the kibbutzniks for Shacharit service and everyone met for Kiddush. This was followed by a more detailed discussion about kibbutz life. Members of the Kibbutz led a simulation of the "ASEPHA KELALIT" – the general kibbutz assembly when all major decisions are taken. The students simulated various dilemmas faced the kibbutz and learned how decisions are made.
After lunch the group went on a tour of the kibbutz and had some free time. During the tour of the kibbutz they learned about the exciting green projects with which the kibbutz is involved. They learned about the Arava Power Company whose vision for Israel is to become the world's first solar super-power. The Arava Power Company (APC), formed in 2006, is Israel's leading solar developer. Founded by a group of visionary people from Kibbutz Ketura, APC seeks to supply 10% of Israel's electricity needs through alliances with Kibbutzim and other land owners, especially in the south of the country. Fifteen kibbutzim have already signed with the Arava Power Company (and 10 more are on the way), creating one of the world's largest solar pipelines of 500 MW
They also saw the algae farm for the industrial production of astaxanthin, a natural nutritional component, which can also be used as a food supplement. The supplement is intended for human, animal, and aquaculture consumption. The commercial production of astaxanthin comes from both natural and synthetic sources. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved astaxanthin as a food coloring (or color additive) for specific uses in animal and fish foods
After Havdalah, the group drove to Eilat for some free time in the city.
On Sunday morning, the students enjoyed a beautiful hike from Mt. Tzefahot down to the bay. From the mountaintop, the students had a view into four countries - Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel. This enabled them to understand some of the complexities of the Middle East situation. The hike ended at Coral Beach, where the students went snorkeling. After some time to enjoy Eilat beach, the group returned to our campus.
On Monday we had late wake up with breakfast in the dorm. Later in the morning, the group went to Givat Haviva. Givat Haviva is an education, research and documentation center, founded in 1949 by Hakibbutz Ha’artzi Federation, in memory of Haviva Reik. Haviva Reik was one of the Israeli volunteers who parachuted into occupied Europe during WWII and is probably less famous than Hannah Senesh is. The mission of Givat Haviva today, as defined by the center, “is to cope with the major issues that are on the agenda of Israeli society, and to foster educational initiatives, research and community work in the fields of peace, democracy, coexistence, tolerance and social solidarity.”
The day began with exercises related to breaking down stereotypes. Later the discussions focused on Arab Jewish relations and issues of discrimination.
After several discussions and lectures at the center, located in the northern Sharon east of Hadera, the group drove along the “green line”. The students viewed the security fence and discussed the security needs for it. In addition, they also discussed the human reality of building the fence. For example - They visited an Arab village (Barta’a) which was divided as a result of the War of Independence becoming two villages; one in Israel and the rest in Jordan. Today the “Jordanian” section of the village is part of the Palestinian authority territory. After the Six Days War in 1967 the people was able to mingle and visit each other but the villages remained separate entities. Now the fence is dividing them once again. This tour and the few places where they stopped illustrated the complexities of the issue.
The day ended in the Carmel Mountain region where the students visited two Druze villages. The Druze are an offshoot of Islam founded in Egypt in the 10th century. Much of the religious principles of the Druze is a secrete known only to the initiates of people. Druze believe that When one man dies, his soul goes to a baby boy being born. The host shared with the students his personal story and how he feels personally connected to this concept. One of their principles is loyalty to whatever state they live in. As such, the Druze are loyal to the State of Israel and serve in Israel’s armed and security forces. Discussing the Druze and how they have integrated into Israeli society enabled the students to understand the relations between Jews and other minority groups living in Israel. The students had a chance to walk around and shop in the shuk in Daliat el Carmel. At Ussefiya, a Druze village, a local resident hosted the students. They learned about this religious ethnic group. The students ate dinner and had lots of fun dancing and singing
Tuesday’s tiyul was devoted to learning about the pioneers who developed the urban centers of Israel and to Israel’s cultural history. We chose to do this in Tel Aviv, a city that has grown from 66 families who built their homes on the sand dunes in 1909 into a large modern city that is the cultural and commercial center of Israel today. The first group consisted of members of Ahuzat Bayit – “Home Owners Association”. It is a coincidence perhaps but significant that in 1909 both the first Kibbutz as well as the first Hebrew city were founded.
Modern Tel Aviv actually developed out of the ancient city of Jaffa. One of the early neighborhoods that were developed outside Jaffa was Neve Tzedek. Many important Israel personalities lived in this neighborhood, among them Agnon who received the Nobel Prize for Literature, Rabbi Kook and Nahum Guttmann, one of our important artists. The students walked through the picturesque neighborhood on the way to Ahuzat Bayit. One of the sites that were visited was the former home of Meir Dizengoff, one of the founders of Tel Aviv and its first mayor. In this house, Ben Gurion declared Israel’s independence in May 1948. Today the house is a museum of history. The exhibits and film in the building helped the students to understand the history of Tel Aviv and the modern Hebrew culture that has developed there. One of the highlights of the visit to Dizengoff’s house was the re- enactment of the Declaration of Independence. The students then went on a walk through some of Tel Aviv’s historic neighborhoods.
Independence Hall is on Rothschild Blvd. the heart of Ahuzat Bayit. Eventually the neighborhood was named Tel Aviv, which was an indirect way of naming the city for Herzl. When Herzl’s book the “Old New Land” was translated to Hebrew, it was called Tel Aviv – Tel as an archaeological hill represents the old and Aviv, spring represents the new
Continuing on their walk in Tel Aviv, the students visited Bet Reuven Rubin. The Rubin Museum in Tel Aviv is an artist house- boutique museum, formerly the home of the famous painter Reuven Rubin, where he resided with his family and worked from 1946 until his death in 1974. In addition to a permanent display and guest exhibitions, the museum comprises Rubin’s own studio, preserved as it was in his lifetime, a biographical display of photos, documents and sketches unfolding Rubin’s life-story, intertwined as it was with the local artistic and cultural scene.
Although born in Rumania and trained in art in Paris and Rumania, Reuven Rubin in many ways is a distinctly and distinctively Israeli artist. He studied briefly at the Bezalel School of Art in Jerusalem, and he exhibited in the first art exhibitions in Jerusalem in 1922. His exhibit of 1924 was the first one-man show in the Jerusalem exhibits, and his one-man show in 1932 launched the Tel Aviv Art Museum. He designed scenery for Habimah, Israel’s National Theater, and Rubin was one of the first Israeli artists to achieve international recognition.
Most important, though, was Rubin’s attempt to create an indigenous style of art. Influenced heavily by the work of Henri Rousseau, he sought to fuse this style with Eastern nuances. Hence his custom of signing his first name in Hebrew and his surname in Roman letters. Among Rubin’s most memorable works are his paintings of the Yishuv, particularly his landscapes and his paintings of the Israeli worker. Biblical themes also occur frequently in his work. His work was extremely popular both at home and abroad, and if his later work was less complex and profound than his earlier productions, it did not lessen his popularity.
Rubin served as Israel’s first ambassador to Rumania, from 1948- 1950. He received the Israel Prize in 1973 for his artistic achievement.
The students had time for Lunch on the Nahalat Binyamin pedestrian walk where there is an arts and crafts fair every Tuesday.
The group stopped at Rabin Square. It was an opportunity to pay respects to the slain leader who was cruelly assassinated there more than 15 years ago. The students discussed their impressions of Tel Aviv.
At the conclusion of the tiyul most of the students went to visit family and friends. The others went for dinner in a restaurant in Jaffa. In the evening, they went to a very special theatrical experience in the ancient port in Jaffa. A group of 12 deaf and blind actors in Israel have formed the Na laga’at theater group. Na laga’at means “do touch” in Hebrew, and the name of their acclaimed show is “Light is Heard in Zig Zag.” The group met in a drama class, and founder and director Adina Tal “recognized the potential of the group and fell in love with its people.” The troupe toured North America, performing in Montreal, Toronto, Boston and New York. Each actor is accompanied onstage by an interpreter, who help with timing and costume changes ... and tap the actors’ knees to communicate applause. The troupe’s website is www.nalagaat.org.il . It is the only professional deaf blind theater company in the world.
During the performance, the troupe also bakes bread. The audience is able to smell the baking of the bread – the sense of smell is the only sense that is in common to everyone. At the end of the performance everyone is invited to come to the stage, eat the bread and speak to the performers.
On Wednesday, we got a late start, enabling the students to spend some time with their hoists in the morning. After a feedback session in which the students gave us valuable feedback about the program they traveled to Yad Vashem, the national monument and Holocaust museum. This tiyul enabled the students to reflect on the meaning of this terrible and tragic period and to draw personal conclusions. Many memorials and exhibits at Yad Vashem relate to specific themes of the Holocaust. The visit to Yad Vashem was the first of closure activities. The students were able to reflect on the visit to Poland in the beginning of the trip and how it impacted the Israel program.
They returned to campus for dinner and a farewell party
Yesterday, their final day in Israel was “Symbolic Day.” We refer to this as “symbolic day” because the activities we choose are symbolic visits and activities to help the students review much of what they experienced and bring closure to the session.
After completing cleaning the dorm and packing the bus, the students departed for Jerusalem. The first activity of the day was to plant trees in the AMHSI JNF/KKL forest not far from the airport. This symbolic act helps solidify the students’ connection to the land and all that they experienced here. It is an opportunity to give back something to the land. During the ceremony that preceded the tree planting, the students declared in whose honor or memory each was planting the tree
From there they went to the Herzl Museum. The museum is located atop of Har Herzl (Mount Herzl). The museum details the life of Theodor Herzl, and describes the many contributions he made to the Zionist cause. A multi media presentation creatively portrays the motivations and visions of the Zionist leader. While the film and the museum depict the greatness of the Israeli cause, they do not pretend that Israel is the perfect state. The film also notes the work that needs to be done to fulfill the original goals of Zionism. The presentation concludes with a beautiful movie showing all that Israel has achieved in agriculture, science, culture and industry. It is a wonderful way to review much of what the students studied during the semester.
Har Herzl is Israel’s National Cemetery and is the burial site of many great Israeli leaders including Herzl, Jabotinsky, Yitzhak Rabin and Golda Meir Teddy Kollek and others.
Har Herzl is also one of Israel’s military cemeteries. Visiting Har Herzl was an opportunity to pay homage to Israel’s leaders and heroes. Among the graves that the students visited, were those of Hannah Senesh, some of the fighters of the War of Independence, Yoni Netanyahu and others. This was an important element in putting closure to the program.
From Mt Herzl the group drove to the Old City. The students had some free time in the Jewish Quarter. More importantly, they had their final discussion and a chance for a visit to the Kotel one last time.
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The students had some free time for dinner and some shopping on Ben Yehuda Street. From there they went to the airport.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the confidence you placed in us in sending your sons and daughters to us this session. It is truly appreciated. I don’t know whether we can adequately express our appreciation and thanks to you for giving your sons and daughters such an important gift; the gift of an educational experience in Israel. I am certain that in years to come you and your children will be able to reflect back to this time in their life and appreciate how much they gained and how much they grew.
The students learned and experienced the history and culture of Israel in a variety of ways. We are certain that they thoroughly enjoyed every moment. They traveled from the Galil and the Golan on the northern border to Eilat in the south. The students participated in many enriching activities that were described in the updates that we sent throughout the semester – a mifgash with peers in Yokne'am, seminars and Shabbatonim and much more. All these activities were important pieces in a rich educational tapestry. I have no doubt they will always treasure their time in Israel. The students formed a wonderful community. We on the staff were privileged to be part of this Kehilla.
We would appreciate any feedback that you wish to share with us.
Please visit us when you are next in Israel.
Shabbat Shalom.
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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December 26 - 31, 2010
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12/31/2010
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The tiyul on Sunday was devoted to learning about Israel's struggle for independence in the 1940's. The first aspect of the struggle that the students studied was the struggle for “illegal” immigration. To learn about this important chapter in Israel’s struggle for independence, the students went to Atlit. At the Atlit Detention Camp the students learned how the clandestine immigrants, (so called “illegal” immigrants) mostly Holocaust survivors, made valiant attempts to break through the British blockade.
Unfortunately, most attempts were unsuccessful and the immigrants were caught by the British. It was in the Atlit Detention Camp that the British detained many of the immigrants who were caught on their ships. One of the important incidents that related to the camp was the organized escape led by Yitzhak Rabin, then a very young PALMACH officer. The students also discussed the ideology and activities of the Jewish underground movements in fighting for independence and protecting the country. At the Atlit Beach, an activity and simulation on the beach helped the students identify with the struggle of the “illegal immigrants”.
Next, the group visited the Acco prison. In this prison, many of Israel’s underground fighters were imprisoned including some that eventually became Israel’s leaders. In this prison, too, some of the fighters made the supreme sacrifice for Israel’s independence as the British executed some of the underground fighters. The students ended the tiyul with a moving ceremony in the gallows room during which they paid respects to the dedication and tenacity of the fighters who made the State possible.
The day ended with a visit to Rosh Hanikra, the beautiful grottos in the Mediterranean Sea on the border with Lebanon
From Monday through Thursday this week, the students were in the GADNA base in Sde Boker. GADNA is a Hebrew acronym for G’dudei No’ar, youth brigades. During the War of Independence, teens younger than 17 served in youth brigades in a variety of auxiliary positions. Today the GADNA is a program for high school students in Israel during which they get a foretaste of army life.
The GADNA staff welcomed the students upon arriving on the base. The students were given uniforms and divided into squads. The students quickly learned about military disciplined. This included learning how to address the commanders, being on time etc. The students quickly got used to being in a totally Hebrew environment. Throughout the GADNA program, the students also performed many tasks and duties that included kitchen duty, cleaning the bathrooms and showers and cleaning their tents.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the students spent many hours learning about the safety of the rifle as well as an important lecture about the IDF’s code of ethics and what is generally referred to in Israel as the “purity of weapons”. This is much more than the “rules of engagement”. It focuses on knowing when not to fire. They also learned about some of the military heritage of the country, the structure of the army and the role of the army in the life of Israel, as well as the responsibility of the country towards soldiers who are taken captive. By the end of the day on Wednesday everyone had a chance to shoot M-16 rifles.
Wednesday also included Yom Sada’ut” – Field maneuvers day. The students spent the day out in the field learning how to camouflage themselves, how to walk in different positions, how to crawl etc. Lunch that day was field rations.
On Thursday morning, the students cleaned their area and returned the equipment. In addition, the group had its concluding ceremony – Tekes Siyum. During the ceremony, several of the students received certificates for their performance throughout the week.
After the ceremony, the students met with the their teacher Philip to review and discuss all that they learned in the Negev and GADNA. They visited Kibbutz Sde Boker near the base. David Ben Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister settled on Kibbutz Sde Boker after retiring from politics. He did so because he had a special vision about the future of the Negev and its importance to the State of Israel. Later in the afternoon they went to the Han Hashayarot (Caravan Inn) to ride camels. At the Camel Ranch they also had a Bedouin style Hafla dinner and learned about Bedouin.
During the night and again this morning the students experienced something quite unusual – rain in the desert. The rain did not interfere with the scheduled activities
This morning, the students drove to Eilat. They hiked in Mt Yoash. From the top of the mountain there is a panoramic view into Egypt and the Gulf of Eilat. The region is connected to Operation Uvda an operation conducted by the Israel Defense Forces during Israel's War of Independence. It was the last campaign undertaken by the IDF during the war (in March 1949) and its objective was to capture the southern Negev desert, which was claimed by the Kingdom of Jordan to be under Jordanian control in the armistice talks of 1949 . The southern Negev was designated to be part of the Jewish State in the 1947 UN Partition Plan . The name Uvda is Hebrew for "fact", referring to the operation's objective to establish de facto Israeli sovereignty over the territory in question, rather than actually conquer it.
When the troops of the IDF captured the area they raised the hand- drawn Israeli flag (popularly known as the Ink Flag ). Because Operation Uvda was the last military operation during the war, the raising at the police station of on March 10 at 16:00 is considered to have ended the war. After concluding the hike the group ate lunch near where the flag was raised. From there they will continue to Kibbutz Keturah where they will spend Shabbat.
We did not have the opportunity to add pictures to this week’s photo gallery as the madrichim have the cameras. We will do so on when the staff returns to campus.
Shabbat Shalom,
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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December 17 - 24, 2010
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12/24/2010
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The students spent Shabbat in Jerusalem. After settling into the Youth Hostel at the Conservative Center, the students met for candle lighting and then walked to the Kotel. The students returned to the hostel for Shabbat dinner and Oneg Shabbat. Everyone was quite tired and appreciated the opportunity for an early night.
On Shabbat morning, the students attended services at synagogues of their choice in the center of Jerusalem. In the afternoon the madrichim arranged activities in a nearby park. During this time they met students studying at the AMHSI who were also in Jerusalem for Shabbat. After dinner and Havdalah, they had some free time in Jerusalem before returning to the campus.
On Wednesday the students participated in an active archaeological dig in Park Adulam near Bet Shemesh. The JNF/KKL sponsored a dig in the remains of the Byzantine village of Burgin. The village apparently received its name from the ancient Jewish village of Kfar Bish, which means "a place for guests" or a hostel. In ancient dictionaries, the concept "Burginate" referred to a hotel owner. The Tel is surrounded by a breathtaking view and fruit tree plantations. The group found an ancient coin, potsherds and class. Just before leaving they began to reveal what appears to be a lid of a metal container
.In the afternoon they learned about the Bar Kochba Revolt and its results. The students discussed the relationship between Jews and Romans after the Great Revolt. It was a period of great achievements yet much tension. All this led up to another revolt against the Romans, the Bar Kochba Revolt. In the Bet Gubrin area they visited one of the amphitheaters the Romans built during this period. Some archaeologists believe that this was the theater in which the Romans conducted gladiator games with the captured Jewish fighters and executed some of the leaders of the revolt. This revolt, just 60 years after the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple, forced many Jews to leave Israel and in many ways ushered in the Middle Ages. At their final stop, the students crawled through tunnels and underground mines built by the rebels as they prepared for guerrilla warfare.
On Monday the students traveled north to learn about the pioneers aho settled the land. They learned about their ideology, the challenges they faced and their achievements. The first stop was at Bet Hashomer at Kibbutz Kfar Giladi in the Upper Galil overlooking the Hula Valley. Here the students were able to see much of what the pioneers accomplished while comparing it to the way Mark Twain saw Israel when he visited the area. The contrast is very dramatic. The kibbutz was founded by members of the “Hashomer” (The Guardsmen) the organization that protected the early pioneers. The students learned about an important aspect of the life of the pioneers; the need to defend themselves.
Because of the demise of the Ottoman Empire, the British and French divided the Middle East between them. The area was subsequently subject to intermittent border adjustments among the British and the French. In 1919, the British relinquished the northern section of the upper Galilee containing, Kfar Giladi and several other to the French jurisdiction.
Down the hill a bit from Kfar Giladi is Tel Hai, the site where the first battle against Arabs took place in March 1920. During the fighting, which began several weeks earlier, eight Jews, six men and two women, among them Joseph Trumpeldor were killed. The personality of Joseph Trumpeldor was the trigger for a discussion of the dedication of the pioneers and the sacrifices they were prepared to make to build the land. Tel Hai overlooks Kiryat Shemona, (The City of Eight), which is named for the eight who were killed in Tel Hai and serves as a living memorial to these dedicated pioneers.
The Yishuv and the State of Israel has been dealing with security issues in this region of the country and in all of Israel for the past 90 years. The next stop was Tel Faher, a Syrian Bunker on the slopes of the Golan captured in the Six Days War. From this bunker the Syrians had a good view of the northern Hula Valley and posed a constant threat to the kibbutzim below in the two decades before the Six Days War. In this bunker, the students understood the background leading up to the war in June 1967.
From there the students went to the Banyas Nature Reserve. This is a beautiful area that the Romans had dedicated to the god Pan (There is no letter P in Arabic and so the Roman Paniyas became Banyas in Arabic). The winter rains gave a lot of volume to the waterfall, making this reserve particularly beautiful.
The last place visited was Kibbutz Misgav Am the northernmost settlement in Israel near the border with Lebanon. They met Ariyeh Ben Yaakov, an American Oleh who has been a farmer on the kibbutz for many years. Ariyeh spoke about his personal Aliyah story, why he chose this particular kibbutz and the special challenges of living in this region of the country. He was able to convey to the students all that is special about living in this area as well as the challenges.
The students spent the night at Kibbutz Genossar guesthouse.
The tiyul on Tuesday morning began on the shores of the Kineret at the Kineret training farm. Here the idealistic but inexperienced pioneers learned how to farm this difficult land. In this training farm the pioneers conducted many social experiments that eventually led to the kibbutz. Many of the famous pioneers and future leaders of Israel passed through this training farm now being reconstructed. With this visit our students were better able to appreciate the ideals and lifestyle of the Chalutzim. Two of the most important personalities that the students learned about were A.D. Gordon, “father of Labor Zionism” and Rachel Blaustein, the poet who captured the ideals and spirit of the pioneers. Many of her poems have become popular songs in Israel. In the original barn of the farm, the students saw a lovely movie depicting Rachel's tragic life
Nearby is the cemetery where many of the pioneers are buried. The students paid their respects visiting their graves in the Ohalo cemetery. Naomi Shemer who wrote the words and music of so many of Israel’s popular songs (including Yerushalayim shel Zahav, Jerusalem of Gold) is also buried in this cemetery.
From Ohalo the students drove up to the Golan Heights. They drove on a beautiful road from which dramatic views of the Gil'ad Mountains in the Kingdom of Jordan and the Jordan River Valley slowly revealed as they drove up the mountain. They drove to the present border with Syria at a 1973 battle zone known as Hill 77. There one of the most important tank battles of the Yom Kippur War took place. Because of this battle the place is also called the “Valley of Tears”. It was the heroism of the tank crews and infantry units who fought in this battle that stopped the Syrian onslaught and prevented the Syrian army from overrunning the Golan and invading the valley below. The memorial to the 77 battalion enabled the students to pay tribute to these heroes of the IDF. Overlooking the battle area and the present border, the students were especially able to understand the situation that existed before 1967 and future issues that arise from any potential negotiations with Syria. The students then saw an audio visual presentation about the Golan at the near-by Kibbutz Elrom; a kibbutz that was attacked during the war.
Driving the short distance to Katzrin the students could appreciate all that was built on the Golan in the past 43 years.
After lunch in Katzrin the group drove to Mitzpe Gadot. This Lookout Point overlooks the Hula Valley with a view including the peaks of Mt. Hermon, the Galil Mountains, Tzfat, and the Jordan Valley below. This was a wonderful setting for a discussion during which the students reflected on what they had learned during the tiyul. Having been near the border with Lebanon the previous day and earlier on Tuesday at the border with Syria, gave the students a good perspective of the geopolitical realities that Israel faces.
The group continued to Tzfat. After dinner they had some time to walk around the town.
On Wednesday morning the students learned about the community of Mystics who developed the Kabbalah mainly in the 16th century. In Tzfat, they visited the ancient synagogues where the “Saintly Men” (an expression coined by James Michener in The Source) developed their unique lifestyle. The students were introduced to some concepts of Kabbalah and their significance to Jewish history
In Tzfat they also met Avraham Loewenthal, an important artist. Prayer, Jewish Mysticism, and contemporary art are combined in the unique work of this Tzfat artist. Since his immigration to Israel, the artist has been living in the Old City Artist Quarter of Tzfat, where he divides his time painting and studying Kabbalah. He discussed his art with the students.
In the afternoon the students went to the Kfar Hassidim Youth Village. Located near Haifa, at the eastern base of the Carmel Mountain, Kfar Hassidim Youth Village has stepped up to the challenge of working with 600+ teenage immigrants and at risk native Israelis to live up to their full potential. Immigrant groups include, Bnei Menashe (one of the ten lost tribes), Ethiopian, and Russian students. These young people hope to obtain a high school degree, enter the army or national service, get an advanced degree and one day secure a job and build their own Jewish home in Israel. The Weber students met the Kfar Hassidim students for some formal and informal activities which gave the students a wonderful opportunity for Mifgash – an encounter. A group of immigrants from Ethiopia performed a dance and then taught Ethiopian dancing to the students. Later in the evening, the students had a bon fire together.
On Thursday morning the group performed various volunteer projects on the youth village. This included work in the animal farm and landscaping of the village. In the afternoon a group of teens from Yokne'am came to Kfar Hassidim. Yokne'am is the Partnership 2000 community of the Atlanta Jewish Community. The Jewish Agency’s Partnership 2000 program (P2K) has become the paradigm for successfully partnering global Jewish communities directly with Israeli communities—the majority of which are in national priority areas. An extraordinary global platform connecting some 550 communities around the world in 45 partnerships, P2K is building living bridges among these communities. Together, the Weber and Yokne'am students painted wall murals in Kfar Hasidim. At the conclusion of the project, the group traveled together to Yokne'am where the Weber students were hosted by families.
This morning they hiked in the area. The students will Shabbat with their host families in Yokne'am
Shabbat Shalom
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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December 13 - 17, 2010
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12/17/2010
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This is the first update that we will send to you on a weekly basis. We hope these updates will assist you to follow the activities of your sons and daughters throughout the session.
As you know students arrived on Monday, 12 hours late. More importantly everyone arrived safe and eager to be in Israel. In the evening, the group drove to a restaurant in Hezeliah for dinner. This was a great way to “kick off” the program. During dinner, the restaurant owner gave the students a special treat by turning on the karaoke machine. The rest of the evening was spent unpacking and settling in.
On Tuesday morning we had several orientation sessions. The students heard explanations about the school and met Yardena Nizri- Spector the Dean of Students and Sandy Gura the school nurse and David Mitchell our Dean of Education. The staff spoke in general about life on and around campus, as well as about the program.
Later in the morning, Philip led the students in an introduction lesson to the program in Israel. The AMHSI Israel program unfolds the living drama of Jewish history using the land of Israel as its classroom. The aim of studying history is not merely to examine the facts of the past but to weave them into an historic narrative, one that may teach students about themselves and their place in Jewish history today. This study enables our students to confront the issues and role models that shaped Jewish history and Jewish life and allows them to draw conclusions relevant to their own lives. The historical narrative method has proven immeasurably more effective than the conventional arrangement of experiences in a thematic, modular format or traveling around the country based on the geography. The tiyulim (field trips) enable us to unfold this drama and provide the students with not only a journey throughout the land of Israel but also a journey through Jewish history and culture.
In the afternoon the students had their first tiyul - to Tel Gezer. This tiyul is a hands on experience at an archaeological site. The focus of the tiyul is to learn how an archaeologist researches and the importance of archaeology for the understanding of history. The students walked around and through the remains of a Canaanite City that dates back to the period of the Patriarchs (Middle Bronze Age) and even earlier. It is also the site where one of the oldest Hebrew documents, The Gezer Calendar was discovered.
At Gezer, the students also discussed the differences between the pagan civilization whose remains are visible and the monotheistic culture developed by the Israelites. The group returned to campus for dinner.
The tiyul on Wednesday related to the Judges period. The first stop was on Mt. Gilboa. From this mountaintop, the students had a view of the Yizra’el (Jezreel) Valley, Mt. Tabor and many other locations that are connected to important chapters in the Tanach, specifically in the Book of Judges. It was a good opportunity for the students to recall and discuss what they learned about Gideon, Debra and other important chapters in Biblical history. The students were able to appreciate the geography and its impact on history. Here they could have a greater appreciation and understanding of the activities of the Judges period. On this mountain King Saul, the first king of Israel was killed in battle against the Philistines.
Mt. Gilboa overlooks one of the most beautiful valleys in Israel, much of which was marshland until the 1920’s and 1930’s. Later on in the session the students will learn about the pioneers who beautified the land. It was a beautiful spring like day which enabled the students to enjoy their walk and see the beautiful flowers and scenery all around them.
The students stopped for lunch and a swim at the Sakhne springs and pools. The pools are fed by water from the springs at the foot of Mt Gilboa.
On Thursday morning they drove to the City of David, the area conquered by David and from which the city developed in the past 3,000 years (give or take a year). They saw the water system of the ancient city as well as remains of the Royal Palace of the first Temple period. The exciting part of the visit was the walk through the Hezekiah Tunnel built to divert water into the city when it was besieged by Assyria 2,700 years ago.
After lunch, they then went to the Davidson Center near the Kotel at the southern wall of the Temple Mount. Visiting the excavations in the area enabled the students to see and understand the lifestyle of the Jews, how Rome influenced them and why the Jews and Romans were in conflict. This conflict led to the Great Revolt, which ended in failure. The remains of the destruction are still clearly visible both in the excavations near the western and southern walls as well as elsewhere in the Jewish Quarter.
At the conclusion of the tiyul in Jerusalem, the group drove down to the Dead Sea area. They stopped briefly at Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. In addition to hearing about the scrolls the students learned about the Essenes, the Jewish sect who wrote them
Today, the students arose very early and drove to the foothill of Massada. The climb up the mountain fortress of Massada began in the dark to enable the students to see the sunrise from the top of the mountain, which they managed to do. When they reached the top of the mountain they went directly to the Synagogue of Massada, one of the oldest Synagogues discovered in Israel, for Shacharit service. This is truly a fitting place to begin the inspirational visit to this important historic site. The hike gave many students a real sense of accomplishment but this was only the background for the real purpose of the tiyul. The students spent several hours on the mountaintop learning about the values and lifestyle of the Zealots who inhabited Massada during the revolt. Many of these values are the everlasting values of the Jewish People and culture while others are more controversial. All this was examined and discussed. The students were able to re-enact in discussion much of the story they learned and really felt the history they studied
After descending from the mountain, the students went to the Dead Sea for lunch and opportunity to “swim” in the lake located in the lowest point on earth. Swim is a bit of a stretch – float is more accurate.
The students will spend their first Shabbat in Israel in Jerusalem.
Lastly a reminder about home hospitality. We have received the forms that you filled out before the session. If any of you, however, wish to write to us about changes or additions to the plans for your child's home hospitality it is best that you write directly to the madrichim. Please write to hsi.weber@gmail.com.
Shabbat Shalom
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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Poland Update - December 11, 2010
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12/11/2010
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Shavua tov Weber family!
I wrote up Friday’s journey on the bus between Lublin and Warsaw, fully intending to send it before Shabbat. However, with Shabbat services beginning at 3pm in Warsaw, we barely had time to get into our rooms, shower and change for Shabbat before leaving.
It is now Saturday night, and I will also fill in what we did over the Shabbat…
Friday morning we drove from the Hotel to the death camp, Majdanek. Majdanek was a concentration and extermination camp on the south-east border of the town Lublin, about two miles from the center of the city. It can be seen from all sides; it could not be more public or accessible. The Majdanek concentration camp is located in an entirely open area with no wall around it to hide the barracks or other structures of the camp. There was no security zone established around the Majdanek camp, as at Birkenau, and there is no natural protection, such as a river or a forest, as at Treblinka. People driving past the camp, while it was in operation, had a completely unobstructed view, being able to see the tall brick chimney of the crematorium wafting smoke from the top of a slope not far away, and the gas chamber building which is a few yards from a busy street.
The first transport directed toward Majdanek consisted of five thousand Soviet POWs. Arriving in the fall of 1941, they soon died of starvation and exposure to the harsh climate of the season. All subsequent transports were made up mainly of Polish Jews, although many Polish prisoners were also shipped to Majdanek. In the autumn of 1942, the camp was converted into a death camp for Jews. The first Jews deported to the camp came from Czechoslovakia, and next from rural Poland including Jews from the Warsaw, Bialystok, and Lublin areas. Jews from the Netherlands and from Greece were also sent to Majdanek. The number of Jews killed at Majdanek is estimated at 125,000. Of these, 100,000 were Polish. Estimates of the total number of people who died at Majdanek, whether through execution or simply by having the very basics of life denied, ranges widely from 200,000 to 1.5 million. It may never be known how many Soviet prisoners of war were executed at Majdanek or at any of the other extermination centers. Their number must run into the multi hundreds of thousands.
Initially, victims were killed by mass gunfire in a nearby forest and the bodies were buried in mass graves. A particularly deadly day for the Jews occurred in November 1943. In reprisal for resistance actions in the ghettos and the uprising and escape from both Sobibor and Treblinka, the Nazis decided to expedite the murder of Jews in the Lublin district calling this action – the “Harvest Festival.” Toward the end of the war, the SS tried to obliterate all traces of this massacre, using prisoners who had been brought in from nearby labor camps.
Gas chambers were built for mass executions using Zyklon B pellets. Afterwards, the bodies of the victims were cremated.
When Russian soldiers liberated Majdanek on 24 July 1944, only a few hundred prisoners of various nationalities were alive.
At Majdanek, one can vividly see the killing machine the Nazis used to murder the Jews of Europe. Due to the snow on the ground and the icy walkways, most of the barracks were closed. But the students moved through the gas chambers, the store houses filled will the possessions of the Jews taken and sorted to be sent back to Germany for use, a glimpse at the barracks, and the crematorium and saw the physical remains of the “Harvest Festival.” It was a very moving experience for the students. The group conducted a ceremony in the crematorium—the only room that could shelter them from the freezing cold wind outside, before going to the mausoleum of the camp.
After the camp, the students drove to Warsaw, where they we spent Shabbat.
After a quick shower and change, we went to the Nozyk Synagogue the only synagogue in Warsaw today) for Shabbat evening services. This synagogue was built by Zalman and Rivka Nozyk in the early 1900’s. They stipulated that it must retain their family name for ever and ever. It was used by the NNazis as a stable and then pretty much destroyed during the War. It was redone in the 1970’s. There is a daily minyan in the synagogue nowadays, although they usually struggle to make a minyan.
After services, the walked by the new Yiddish Theater. The original Warsaw Yiddish Theater was founded by the famous Esther Kaminsky, the “mama” of the Yiddish Theater. The perform in Yiddish today, even though most of the actors and the audience do not understand the language. We continued walking to Grobowski Square, made famous by its description in one of I. J. Singer’s stories. From there the group continued to the kosher restaurant where they had their Shabbat meals. Before dinner the group was honored to meet Ludwiga and her younger brother. Their family lived in the forest outside Warsaw, as the father was a forester. They took in three Jews. It seems that neighbors snitched to the Germans that there were Jews there. The Nazis came one night. The three went from their hiding places. Two were killed, while one managed to hide. In the meantime, Jadwiga’s father was taken away by the Nazis and killed. The rest of the family survived the War. They all thought all three Jews were killed. In 1990 a documentary study was on TV in Poland. Ludwiga saw Frieda, the girl who had been with them. She found out that Frieda was in Lod, Israel. They got in contact, both having thought the other had been killed that night during the
War. In 1993 Ludwiga received the title and Honour of Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem. After their talk, they joined us for our Shabbat dinner. During dinner, there was some lively singing. The group then walked back to the hotel for some much needed rest.
Most off the group slept in. After lunch the group walked over to see the remaining portion of the ghetto wall and continue to walk in areas where the ghetto stood. They then saw a memorial to Januscz Korczak, the famous Child Psychologist and Educator, known mostly by his last act, taking his orphanage in an orderly manner to the train that would transport them to Treblinka and their deaths. It was very cold, but luckily it was snowing, so even though we were walking outdoors, we were staying dry.
After a lively havdalah accompanied by Sim with the accordion, we went to dinner. On the way we went to Chlodna Street, where Adam Cherniakow, the head of the Judenrat of Warsaw lived. Following dinner we were able to gie the students some much needed and deserved free time to enjoy the Old city of Warsaw. As a punishment for their uprising in Warsaw against the Nazis, the Germans bombed the old city turning it to rubble. In the early 1950’s the Poles rebuilt that part of town, making it look as it did before the War. As the country is preparing for Christmas, the area was bustling with stands, shoppers, entertainment, etc. However, the greatest entertainment for many, was the opportunity to frolic in the snow, or more exactly to have some great snowball wars!! As we were returning to the bus, one of the students summed this up by saying: What a great way to get back at Hitler. He wanted to wipe out all the Jews, and here we are enjoying ourselves in Warsaw!”
We uploaded a few more pictures, including two to give you an idea of what Old Town Warsaw looks like.
Tomorrow is the last day in Poland. We will have very little time, but will get out early to visit the Jewish Cemetery. There are some 250,000 graves there, including 150,000 dating from 1807- 1939, and then another 100,000, nearly all in a mass grave, from the time of the Shoah. They will see the graves of famous writers such as Y.L. Peretz, actors like Esther Kaminsky, Zamenhoff, the man who came up with the international language of Espiranto, and many more. After that they will go along the Trail of Heroism, beginning at the Umschlagsplatz (the railroad platform where the Jews were sent off to Treblinka) stopping at numerous markers to talk about famous personalities from the Warsaw Ghetto. They will end at the Rapaport Statue, sculpted from a slab off Granite brought in to Warsaw to make a giant bust of Hitler. Since that did not happen, it was used as a memorial to the Deportations of the Jews and the Revolt.
The group will leave Warsaw at 13:35 tomorrow (weather permitting) and reach Israel at 2:15 late night of Sunday or early Monday, depending on how you want to describe it… Depending on circumstances, we will either update the hot line (212 472 9300 or 800 327 5980--extension 475. It is not a monitored box, so please do not leave any messages.), or send you a quick note, or both.
One last thing…I know we have spoiled you with daily updates from Poland. However, as of tomorrow, we will be doing a weekly update in Israel. Feel free to check the website daily to see if we have new pictures posted. New pictures should always show up first. We will upload whenever the group spends the night on campus.
Shavua Tov,
David
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Poland Update - December 9, 2010
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12/9/2010
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Last night the group reached Tarnow. Tarnow is a town in Galicia, approximately 70 km east of Krakow. Before the war around 25,000 Jews lived there, 50% of the population. On 9 November 1939, Tarnow’s synagogues were set on fire. The first transport of Polish prisoners to Auschwitz departed from the old mikveh building in Tarnow. These 728 prisoners (708 Poles and 20 Jews) were among the first victims of the camp. They were deported in order to rid the town of its political leadership. The 20 Jews were deported, not because they were Jewish, rather because they were among the town leadership. On arrival they were tattooed—receiving tattoo numbers 31-759. On the morning of 11 June 1942, 7,000 Jews were killed in Tarnow itself and in the Buczyna forest, where they were buried in large pits. While these events were taking place, 11,500 other Jews were marched to the railway station, where they were loaded into railway trucks and deported to their deaths at Belzec. Eventually the ghetto was liquidated, with the Jews being sent either to the labor camp at Plaszow (in Krakow) or to Auschwitz.
This morning, the group walked past what was once a great synagogue and then on to the Jewish community center and Mikveh. It was from the mikveh that the transports were sent form Tarnow. From there they went to the remains of the old synagogue of Tarnow. Only the bima remains after the Nazis burned the synagogue. They then went back to the bus and traveled to the Buczyna forest, where they saw the mass graves of the thousands of Jews, including 800 children (as well as 2 thousand non-Jewish Poles).
The group continued traveling east to Lublin. They first went to the bridge between the castle and the old city to learn about the history of the Jews of Lublin. Lublin was known as the Jerusalem of Poland. It was a center for Jewish learning, publishing houses, and administration. After a walk around the old city the group continued to one of the few Jewish buildings still in Lublin, the Yeshivat Hachmei Lublin. This Yeshiva, founded in 1930, was to teach 400 dormitory young men. The Yeshiva was founded by Rav Meir Shapira. He was also a member of the Polish Parliament. When once asked what 400 new rabbis will do every year, he answered that two will find communities to serve and the rest will be learned congregants! Rav Shapira was also known for starting the Daf Yomi project. This idea of the entire Jewish world learning a page of Talmud--the same page-- daily has taken on mind boggling dimensions in this age. At the Yeshiva, the students studied some gemara. Afterwards they had a maariv service and then went to the hotel.
Tomorrow the students will visit the death camp, Majdanek. Unfortunately most of it has been closed due to snow and flooding from snow melt, but we will see as much as possible. Shabbat begins around 3pm tomorrow, and we will be hard pressed to make it to the synagogue by 3pm for services. Therefore, I will probably not get an update out until motzei Shabbat.
Shabbat Shalom,
David
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Poland Update - December 8, 2010
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12/8/2010
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Today the students went to Auschwitz-Birkenau. The camps are actually in the Polish city of Oswiecim. At first, the transports only reached the town train station, and the prisoners were forced to walk from there to Auschwitz. The group passed the train station and drove to the camp. At Auschwitz, a local docent of the Auschwitz Museum guided the group through the camp.
After lunch, the students went to Birkenau. Today was overcast, a bit foggy at times, about 32 degrees out, and all dressed appropriately, with the camps snow covered except for the slushy paths we were walking. One was left only to imagine what it must have been like during the Shoah for the prisoners dressed only in their striped garments and wooden clogs. At various points along the way, our logistics person, Tzvika, told his mother’s story. Her family was transported to Birkenau from Hungary. Her mother and grandmother were killed on arrival, while she and her two
sisters were in the camp until sent off to Germany for slave labor.
Before leaving the camp we had a ceremony on the train tracks at the entrance to Birkenau.
The day ended in the Lomdei Mishnayot synagogue in the town.
Prior to WWII Oswiecim had a 70% Jewish majority (8,000 Jews lived in the town). The town agreement was that the Mayor would be a gentile and the Deputy Mayor a Jew. It was a typical Jewish community with “all kinds of Jews” and many synagogues and shtibles. One of the synagogues was called Lomdei Mishnayot, as those workers who frequented the synagogue would daily learn Mishna. It has been renovated as a small museum and Bet Knesset. We began by lighting the last candles of Hanukkah, while Sim lead the singing and dancing with an accordion. Sim then studied some mishna and other sources with the students, followed by maariv.
From Oswiecim, the students travelled to Tarnow, one of the important cities and Jewish communities in Galicia.
We have posted some pictures from the last couple of days on our website. Please go in your browser to www.amhsi.org, On
the bottom of the page you will see a button for photo Gallery.
Find the weber gallery and see the pictures.
Bivracha,
David
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Poland Update - December 7, 2010
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12/7/2010
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The Weber students began the day at the Wawel Castle. This was the political and religious seat of rule in Poland for many centuries, from Boloslav the Brave in the 11th century until Pilsudski after WWI (although the capital was moved to Warsaw in 1609). From here the Nazis ran their General Government in Poland. Pope John Paul served as the Cathedral for 20 years following WWII.
After a lesson about the beginnings of Poland and the history of the Jews of Krakow, the passed a home where Copernicus dwelled when he lived in Krakow while studying at the University. In this area they learned about the history of the Jews in Krakow for the next few centuries. They learned how the Jewish neighborhood once housed the Jagliellowskigo University. In the 15th century, Jews were forced to take on Polish borders who were students at the University, as well as loan them money and support them. In the end, the Jews suffered from riots and bloodbaths. In 1495 when the Jews defended themselves from attack , they were expelled from Krakow. They went across the river to the town of Kazimirs. Soon, Kazimirs became a bustling center for the Jews, including synagogues, scholars, commerce, etc. Today the river separating Kazimirs from Krakow is a wide boulevard and one need just wait for the green light to cross from neighborhood to neighborhood!
The group went to various synagogues in Kaziemirs. I will describe them to you, not necessarily in the order they went.
The Remu Synagogue was built for Rabbi Moshe Isserles by his wealthy father in the 16th century. Isserles was a halachic genius. The RaMA prepared a book of Halacha for the Jewish people. Just as it was ready for publication, he received a fresh off the press copy of Caro's Shulchan Aruch (Prepared Table). The RaMA was devastated, feeling all his work was for naught. However, his followers reminded him that the Sphardic and Ashkenazic customs often differ. He took the Shulchan Aruch and commented every time the Ashkenazic custom of Poland differed from what Yosef Caro had stipulated. Thus we have the Mapa--Tablecloth for the Shulchan Aruch--the definitive work for Ashkenazic Halacha. At thje back of the synagogue is the old cemetery of Krakopw where the Rama and his family are buried.
They also stood outside the oldest synagogue still there--the Altschule. Unfortunately today is Tuesday and during the winter the synagogue is closed Tuesdays. They also passed by another four synagogues dating from the 17th to 19 centuries. At the town square and at the old Jewish cemetery they heard stories of famous people connected to acts of Hessed. At the “Temple” a Neologue synagogue, the group saw a large and beautiful synagogue.
The group visited the old market area of the Jewish neighborhood as well as an alleyway between houses. These two spots were used by Spielberg when he filmed the ghetto scenes of Oscar Schindler. The actual ghetto was located across the river.
The weather today has been just above freezing, with drizzling to light rains most of the day. The group stopped at the Galicia Museum to have lunch. After that they went to Podgorze, the neighborhood that the Nazis turned into the Ghetto, expelling all the Jews of Krakow and Kasimierz to there. They went into the Pharmacy under the Eagle. This was a pharmacy owned by Tadeusz Pankievicz and his family. He was a non Jew who refused to leave his pharmacy, even when offered another one in Krakow proper that was confiscated from a Jew. His pharmacy became a gathering place in the Ghetto for Jewish intellectuals. He and his staff also smuggled in food and medicine to the Jews of theh
Ghetto, as well as helped many escape through the sewage system. Pankievicz also wrote about what he witnessed in his diary. He continued in the pharmacy until 1967. For his aid to the Jewish people, Tadeusz Pankievicz was awarded the title of “Righteous among the Nations by Yad Vashem. While in the pharmacy, now a small museum dedicated to the Ghetto, they used pictures on the walls to talk about life in the Ghetto, and its liquidation.
From the Ghetto the group drove by Schindler's factory and a remaining section of the Ghetto wall. They then arrived to Plaszow, the concentration camp just outside Krakow (now a park well within the city borders. There, the group, reflected upon the experiences of the day.
This evening the group had an activity with the madrichim, and again lit the 7th night candles and had dinner at the Isaacs Synagogue. After dinner the students had some free time at the Old Town Square—the Rynek. It is the largest square in Europe, measuring in at 220 meters length and width! Students had some time to wander around.
Tomorrow the journey through Poland will continue and intensify, as the group will make its way to Auschwitz and Birkenau. All but one piece of luggage has already been delivered. We expect that one to arrive later tonight.
David Mitchell
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Poland Update - December 6, 2010
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12/6/2010
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After a very long wait in Prague, the plane finally arrived to take the group the last leg of the trip to Krakow. The students all arrived. Due to the small sizes of the planes from Amsterdam to Prague and then Prague to Krakow, about half the luggage is still en route. We hope it will all arrive sometime today.
Last night the group went directly from the airport to the Isaacs Synagogue. The Isaak Synagogue, built in 1664, is considered by many to be the most beautiful synagogue in Krakow. It is named for its founder, Izaak Jakubowicz, a resident of Kazimiers. The story goes that Isaac had a dream about a treasure hidden in Prague, near the Charles Bridge. He immediately went to the city, where he found the bridge filled with soldiers. One of the soldiers approached Isaac and asked him his business there. When Isaac explained about his dream and search for treasure, the soldier laughed at him and said, "Only a naive fool would come so far for a dream! I myself keep having this dream that in a house of a Krakovian Jew named Isaac, son of Jacob, there is a treasure hidden under the furnace. But I'm not so foolish as to go to Krakow and look for it. After all, every second Jew is named Isaac, and every third, Jacob!" Isaac thanked him, returned home to Krakow, dismantled the furnace, and found a great treasure. He became one of the wealthiest citizens of Kazimiers and founded this synagogue in 1664.
Inside, the early Baroque building has a beautiful, stucco-decorated ceiling and fine arcades in the women's gallery. The walls bear faded frescoes of Hebrew texts. The synagogue now houses an exhibition on the history of Polish Jews. On display are moving photographs of former Kazimiers residents and their families as well as the main treasure: several older documentary films on Kazimiers that run continuously during the day. The most haunting of all are the silent newsreels filmed by the Germans as they cleared the Jewish Quarter of its residents in 1941.
At the Isaacs Synagogue we lit the Hanukkah candles together and then had dinner. From there the group checked intot eh Hotel and went to bed.
Hag Urim sameah,
David
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