Jul 03
Final Paper Embedded in the functions of running an extermination camp, the Nazis made concerted attempts at deceiving their victims, thereby minimizing their resistance to deportation. Victims were led to believe that conditions “in the East” would be better than those they left behind in the ghetto. Even Jews who had heard rumors of the …
Jun 01
Prior to this trip, I had no idea what to expect, what I would encounter, and what the landscape of the Holocaust even looked like. What I have learned in my classes and my own reading can not compare to being in the field working with experts on the subject of the Holocaust. I am …
May 22
Certain words, certain phrases, invoke power. In Judaism, the Mourners Kaddish is said not in sadness, but exalting the power of God. We say the Mourners Kaddish to show that despite hurt, we praise God, and affirm our belief in him. This prayer has been recited throughout time, for over 5,000 years. This is a prayer …
May 22
In Judaism, there is a tenant called “L’dor Vador” or from generation to generation. This refers specifically to the collective memory of the Jewish people and the responsibility of passing on knowledge. This is done through the sharing of culture, traditions, and memories. Yahad-in Unum is an organization that seeks to identify mass execution sites …
May 21
Flowers of death. It seemed oddly disturbing that poppy’s would grow here, on the grounds of the mass graves of Chelmno. Right across from the lone poppy growing by the mass grave was a memorial with an inscription that read: Finding the proper way to express what I’m feeling has been a difficulty of mine …
May 21
Judaism believes that death is the separation of the souls from mortal flesh. The soul moves on and exists in eternity, whereas the body does not. In death, the body must be treated with respect, so that with the coming of the messiah, the soul and the body can be reunited in the world to …
May 20
In a country where 97% of its population is Catholic, how does the LGBTQ community reconcile their dual identities, of being gay, queer, or trans, and having a relationship with the Catholic church, God, or religion. According to Rainbow Europe, an organization funded by the European Union (EU), Poland is the second worst country to …
May 19
Walking into Auschwitz II (Birkenau), I watched crowds of people being maneuvered by guides through the grounds, walking from location to location trying to unravel some of the complexity of the Holocaust. This imagery made me uncomfortable and with reflection I realized why. Where there were tourists, I was seeing prisoners of the camp, being …
May 16
Visiting the Galicia Museum in Krakow, one of the temporary exhibitions they had on display was a photo series by Chuck Fishman conducted in both 1975 and 2018 in Poland. In 1975 Fishman sought to capture the last of Poland’s Jewish population, whom were believed to be the last of their community. This is important …
May 08
To be very frank, I am not sure how I feel about this trip coming up so soon. On one hand, I am eager to be in Poland and be able to learn from others various dimensions of the Shoah. On the other hand, it makes my heart sick. Reading “Holocaust by Bullets” by Father …