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As you all know we have been in Poland this week on a Holocaust seminar. It is fair to say that this journey has made a significant impact on all 16 members of the group. By way of film, poetry and testimonies of survivors we have begun the long and perhaps impossible task of trying to understand the Holocaust. Of course, this has been in parallel with visits to ghettos, memorials and the camps themselves.
Most agreed that our day at Majdanek death camp was the most harrowing experience of the week. Walking through the dark corridors of ‘cages’ of the shoes of the prisoners is something I will never forget. The feeling of eternity as we saw endless piles of shoes served as a painful reminder of the millions who perished here. Even more disturbing was our look around the gas chambers. The Zyklon B (gas used in the showers) stains were still visible on the wall and only allowed us to begin to imagine the horrific scenes, something unavoidable, but also necessary in remembering.
We have constantly been battling with the questions, such as ‘How am I supposed to feel/react/respond?’ ‘How could the Holocaust have actually happened?’ and of course ‘How can we make sure that it never happens again?’ These questions have been hotly discussed and we have attempted to find the answers, with the help of our madrichim (leaders).
Places that we have visited have included Auschwitz-Birkaneau, the Warsaw ghetto and Treblinka death camp. Although most of us visited these camps before, on Tour or Sayarim, we have revisited with open eyes, a better understanding, and the ability to question, discuss and argue. Walking around the camps has been a difficult and shocking experience made even harder by the freezing weather, also perhaps this has allowed us a glimpse of the atrocious conditions in which the Jews fought for their survival.
In addition to this, we have also delved into the world of youth movements during this time. It has been an incredible experience to learn that the movement ‘Dror’ (which later combined with Habonim to form our movement today) played a huge part in the education of youth in the ghetto, leading to uprisings against the Nazis.
What has probably been the most intense week of our lives, has also been the most eye-opening, thought provoking and invaluable experience too. This kind of education is priceless, and this week will be unforgettable, by all 16 of us.
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