I am writing earlier today, as I have a few minutes after a busy day before dinner and then listening to a speaker who saved countless Jews during the time of the Nazi regime by hiding them... I don't know more than that yet, but will when I post either later tonight or tomorrow.
Today was our day in Warsaw... It was a 'lighter' day, as we all kept saying to one another... and we SO needed that... We went to the Warsaw Ghetto and to the old Jewish Cemetery which was unbelievable. Of course, it was raining.... and we walked in the most enormous cemetery that I have ever seen. Tombstones were literally piled on each other and despite enormous age old trees that I imagine have seen horrors that we can't begin to imagine, there was tombstone after tombstone. The oldest one was from the year 804.... While walking in the cemetery, we passed over a grill that blocked a sewer where people in Warsaw ghetto often hid up to their eyes in excrements. You could smell a smell that I can't describe but that was hideous and offensive. Also, numerous individuals snuck out from the ghetto and hid at night in the cemetery. In the rain, we walked through rows and rows and rows and rows of history-- and we still didn't even cover more than a tiny segment of this enormous cemetery.
We went to Janusz Korczac's orphanage. For those of you who don't know this, this man has always been a hero of mine, so seeing his orphanage was very moving. He was a Jewish man who ran an orphanage. He had many connections with high up officials in the Nazi party and they asked him to leave his children and to escape this oppressive regime. He refused to leave and they highly advised he do so, for the fate of his children in the orphanage "did not have to be his own fate". But, again, he refused and ultimately, he marched with his children to their deaths at Treblinka (where we will visit tomorrow).
Lunch was at the old city of Warsaw and then Chaim took us to a park. We were tired, and freezing cold, but he insisted that we visit the "most magnificent place in Warsaw". So, in the rain, we walked what truly was one of the most spectacular places I have ever seen. In the middle of the walk, we took off our shoes (many of us did) and we walked in puddles and giggled and laughed and took tons of pictures and laughed some more and hugged with smiles... and, it was beautiful and just what we all needed.
Okay, time to head down for dinner!! I will write more later....
7 comments:
Jennie:
Your blogs are so very poignant, moving and informative to us parents back home; worrying about our children on the trip and their exposure to the horrors of the Holocaust.
There has not been one night Karen and I have not cried reading the group's powerful and remarkable story. I worry about all of you as you undertake this journey; yet we feel comforted that you all take time to decompress, reflect, hug each other and talk about your experiences.
Thanks so much for keeping us informed and give Nicole a hug from Mom, Dad and her "Sissies". She is in all of our hearts as she goes back to her proud Polish roots.
Love and prayers to all of you.
John and Karen Drozd
Glad you had a 'lighter' day though I doubt it did much to ease the pain of what you have been through. Keeping you all in our thoughts.
The Ways
ok we really don't have anything much to add, except we just feel the need to re enforce the point that what you are doing is really incredible. We have passed on this blog site to anyone and everyone. Keep writing, many more people are reading this than you know. As always safe travels.
Mark & Beth
The gravity of your trip is summed up for me when a tour through the Warsaw Ghetto is defined as a lighter day.
- Brett
My Dear MRH Travelers and Supporters,
It's Lynne Boucher, one of the MRH leaders from Nazareth, writing from back home in Rochester. (I had to leave my beloved group a day early so I could come home and officiate a wedding for a Nazareth friend.)
I am completely and utterly overwhelmed by the amazing experience of MRH 2008. Last night one of the students said "when you told us that we would never laugh so much or cry so much and that we would become a family, we didn't really understand until now".
I am so honored and grateful to have shared such a powerful experience with 100 amazing individuals from across North America. To walk with the students and see the tranformation of their hearts and minds right before my eyes was extraordinarily powerful and inspiring.
Together we faced the heart of darkness - the worst of humanity's potential and history. And yet, in the midst of such hatred and insanity, we created a sense of community, of hope, of motivation to action - that literally lifted us out of the depths of despair. These lessons are hard-won, paid for by our tears, our exhaustion, our sense of horror, our haunting dreams. Yet I am convinced that the experiences that we have had - shared with all of you who are supporting us from afar - can literally change our lives and change the world.
I look forward to reuniting with our team - and with all our friends, families and supporters as we work together to bring hope into a hurting world.
With gratitude and love,
~Lynne
Jennie,
I was just forwarded the link to your blog and am so moved. I've only read a few entries but plan to read them all. When you come home remind me to tell you the story of my mother's escape from Poland and my grandfather - who survived the horrors of Buchenwald.
Please be safe in your travels and know that many people back home are thinking of you and proud that you have made this journey.
Love and hugs,
Lisa Vangellow
uh, excuse me for possibly sounding rude or selfish, but for those of you counting at home, you haven't written in 2 days!! Have you forgotten the little people back in the U.S.A?
I am sure you have a very good reason for writing, and even if you don't you are entitled! Just wanted to let you know we miss your blogs and look forward to them. Looking forward to when you can next check in.
Be safe.
Mark and Beth
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