Hasbara Poland and Israel: Day 1
Today was a condensed but busy day!
The group got off to a great start after landing in Poland. Immediately after loading up the bus we took a short drive to the Warsaw Jewish Cemetery which as our guide Tzvi Sperber explained tells us more about life in Poland than death. First we explored the pre-war part of the cemetery and learned about different figures in the pre-war Warsaw Jewish Community. We learned what different symbols on the graves could tell you about a person and how the differences between the English, Yiddish, and Hebrew writing meant different things and represented different political issues and represented the evolution of the community. We transitioned into the Holocaust by going to the grave of Adam Ceheraiakow who was the head of the Judenrat, the Jewish Elders who were forced to collaborate with the Nazi's within the ghetto. From there we went to the mass grave where Jews who died and were killed from starvation and disease within the Warsaw Ghetto were buried. Following the cemetery, we went to Nozyck where there is a synagogue still standing because it was used as a horse stable during the war and were able to grab some quick sandwiches there.
We then saw a part of the wall of the Warsaw Ghetto that is still standing and learned about the ghetto. From there we saw the Umschlagplatz where the Jews were gathered to be sent to Treblinka and then went to Mila 18 which was the headquarters of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. We then walked walked to the Rappaport Memorial to Heroes of Warsaw Ghetto. On one side the memorial represents what the Jews looked like when they went as sheep to the slaughter and on the other side the Jewish resistance movement of the Warsaw Ghetto, headed by Mordechai Anielewicz who was determined not to give up without a fight. It was definitely a powerful contrast and was topped off by the fact that it was carved out of what was supposed to be Hitler's victory stone. As Tzvi said, its truly the opposite turned on its head. From Warsaw we made the drive to Lublin where we had dinner and orientation and checked into our hotels to process and get some sleep!
We're looking forward to a full and meaningful day tomorrow!
The Warsaw Jewish Cemetery
University of Maryland's Jessica Leader reading a description on life in the Warsaw Ghetto
The group at Mila 18 - the headquarters of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
The Rappaport Memorial to Heroes of Warsaw Ghetto
The group got off to a great start after landing in Poland. Immediately after loading up the bus we took a short drive to the Warsaw Jewish Cemetery which as our guide Tzvi Sperber explained tells us more about life in Poland than death. First we explored the pre-war part of the cemetery and learned about different figures in the pre-war Warsaw Jewish Community. We learned what different symbols on the graves could tell you about a person and how the differences between the English, Yiddish, and Hebrew writing meant different things and represented different political issues and represented the evolution of the community. We transitioned into the Holocaust by going to the grave of Adam Ceheraiakow who was the head of the Judenrat, the Jewish Elders who were forced to collaborate with the Nazi's within the ghetto. From there we went to the mass grave where Jews who died and were killed from starvation and disease within the Warsaw Ghetto were buried. Following the cemetery, we went to Nozyck where there is a synagogue still standing because it was used as a horse stable during the war and were able to grab some quick sandwiches there.
We then saw a part of the wall of the Warsaw Ghetto that is still standing and learned about the ghetto. From there we saw the Umschlagplatz where the Jews were gathered to be sent to Treblinka and then went to Mila 18 which was the headquarters of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. We then walked walked to the Rappaport Memorial to Heroes of Warsaw Ghetto. On one side the memorial represents what the Jews looked like when they went as sheep to the slaughter and on the other side the Jewish resistance movement of the Warsaw Ghetto, headed by Mordechai Anielewicz who was determined not to give up without a fight. It was definitely a powerful contrast and was topped off by the fact that it was carved out of what was supposed to be Hitler's victory stone. As Tzvi said, its truly the opposite turned on its head. From Warsaw we made the drive to Lublin where we had dinner and orientation and checked into our hotels to process and get some sleep!
We're looking forward to a full and meaningful day tomorrow!
The Warsaw Jewish Cemetery
University of Maryland's Jessica Leader reading a description on life in the Warsaw Ghetto
The group at Mila 18 - the headquarters of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
The Rappaport Memorial to Heroes of Warsaw Ghetto
posted by David @ 2:56 PM
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