May 24
Remembering the events of the Holocaust is a complex task, one that extends way beyond Auschwitz-Birkenau. Between 1941 and 1942, around 1.3 million victims were claimed by Nazi mobile killing units and their auxiliary support groups. Even though this number surpasses the victims of Auschwitz, the history of these mass executions has largely been forgotten …
May 23
Today was our last and maybe our hardest day. I can’t explain enough to the world out there what a hard trip this is. Most people don’t get it. For most people at ODU, it’s one of many classes, and we have lots of hard classes at this university. And students probably don’t realize when …
May 23
Many eat with their eyes rather than their stomachs. I am one of those individuals. The presentation of food, along this fourteen day journey, has been extraordinary. From three course meals to grab-and-go, I assure you, Polands cuisine has been delicious. I have taken pictures of almost, everything I have eaten while traveling Poland. I’m …
May 23
I love nature. I love the peace and the tranquility that nature provides. On this day, a brief rain storm came and went. The birds were singing, and the sun was shining through the trees. The air was calm, and even though it was a small hike, I could just sit and take in the …
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
Today was the most profound teaching experience I’ve ever had, the culmination of years of work, reflection, research, and networking. Today Michał, Renata, and Hubert from Yahad-in Unum led Tom, the students, and I deep into the past. They introduced us to the world of witnesses, children who long ago sat atop trees or perched …
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 22
After spending almost two weeks, traveling the country and seeing some of the most amazing sites, tasting the food and experiencing the culture. The one thing that many of the locals reiterated to the group was that the weather was unusual for May. During this time frame, it rained more days than there was sunshine. …
May 21
I didn’t like the memorial at Chelmno at first. It seemed forgotten, in disarray, and haphazardly thrown together. Put together by the Soviet Union in the 1960s, and having minimal funding today, it is not well maintained. This makes sense given the strained relations between Russia and Poland, and the obscurity of the site itself. …
May 21
Birds are singing. The sky is blue. The grass is green. The trees are rustling in the wind. The sun is warm. A recipe for a beautiful day. But this place can’t be beautiful. A place of death and suffering, where so many people lost their lives in such a violent manner is incapable of …