May 18
Students mean the world to me. They are a gift that always makes me think about things I might otherwise ignore. Most students would never come on a Holocaust Study Abroad. Why would anyone want to spend time with such a devastating subject? I’ve learned it takes special students…those who want to contemplate that slippery …
May 16
At the rising sun and at its going down; We remember them. At the blowing of the wind and in the chill of winter; We remember them. At the opening of the buds and in the rebirth of spring; We remember them. At the blueness of the skies and in the warmth of summer; We remember them. At the …
May 16
For as long as I can remeber, apple pie has been the go-to dessert after anymeal, including breakfast. Because let’s be real here, who doesn’t eat apple pie for breakfast? A slice of warm apples sitting in its gooey goodness of sugar and cinnamon and nutmeg, embrassed in a hug of a flaky buttery crust, …
May 16
Around 2010 I wanted to add Holocaust courses to the curriculum at Old Dominion University. I started by participating in a number of programs at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., and in 2013 I launched a Holocaust Study Abroad. It’s amazing to me how once you start going to a place, …
May 14
Tonight we ate dinner at “Dawno Temu Na Kazimierzu” or “Once upon a time in Kazimierz.” The restaurant tries to recreate the ambiance of a late 19th- or early 20th-century Jewish home. It’s small and intimate. Now admittedly we are in Kazimierz which is to Jewish culture what Colonial Williamsburg is to colonial times—made up, …
May 14
The thing I love about study abroad is getting to know the students. Of course I love being in the classroom, but on study abroad, the world is the classroom. It’s fantastic. We have such a great group of students…and no one complained that it rained all day. I have seen many a Kraków skyline, …
May 10
In preparing to leave for Poland, remember to pack two important items: 1) Peter Hayes, Why? Explaining the Holocaust 2) Patrick Desbois, The Holocaust by Bullets
May 04
I’ve always loved travel. In fact, when I was a kid, I use to pack up a nap sack and sit on my bed pretending it was an airplane taking me somewhere. I don’t even really mind airplanes…they get me places. I do look forward to traveling with Tom and the students on this trip. …
May 03
One of the things I look forward to most on this trip is spending the day with the faculty from Yahad-in Unum to visit previously unknown killing sites. I am aware that the scope and the scale of the Holocaust goes well beyond established killing sites, so this will be a rare opportunity to expand my …
