Poland/Israel Mission 2010
I was presented with a wonderful opportunity to participate in an ADL mission to Poland and Israel over the last month. I had staffed a similar trip seven years ago with high school students, but this opportunity was very different on many levels. Traveling with the students was special, but my responsibility was to focus on them - their safety as well as helping them process what they saw and struggled with as we visited the many concentration camps throughout Poland. On the recent mission I attended, my responsibility was to challenge myself to experience the trip for myself, as well as to take advantage of the opportunity to meet with and interact with other participants (all remarkable people).
The trip I just returned from included ADL lay leaders and friends from around the country, some of my wonderful colleagues from many different ADL offices and almost 200 officers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). One of the many great aspects of the ADL folks was that we were an interfaith group - everyone added such great perspective to our many challenging experiences.
In Poland, the ADL participants had the honor to join Israel officers in their “Witness in Uniform” program. The program brings Israel’s officers and soldiers to the sites of former Nazi concentration camps and other sites associated with the Holocaust. To visit these difficult sites with those who secure the safety of the State of Israel was a truly unique and meaningful experience. Some of the sites we visited were the Warsaw Jewish Cemetery, the Warsaw ghetto, as well as the concentration camps Treblinka, Majdanik, Auschwitz and Birkenau.
It is always challenging to try to understand the enormity of the evil perpetrated at the concentration camps, but to visit these sites with the men and women of the IDF gave me a whole new perspective. These young men and women - so courageous and so compassionate - have the responsibility of ensuring that the Jewish people will always have a safe place in this world; unlike the reality of 65 years ago, when so much of the world turned their head as Hitler implemented his attempt to exterminate the entire Jewish population.
While there were many poignant moments in Poland (we stayed in Warsaw and Krakow), the most powerful one for me was when our entire group lined up in military formation to march into Birkenau (also known as Auschwitz II) behind the Israeli flag. It was a bittersweet moment for me - so proud of the IDF and yet so sad that Israel needs such a strong military to stop those who continue to work towards the destruction of Israel, the Jewish homeland.
Following seven tough days through Poland we arrived in Israel and had four terrific days seeing the country and appreciating the IDF even more having shared the experience of Poland with so many of the officers. We also got a special tour of Yad Vashem which brought our Poland experience to a meaningful close. For the first time I was able to visit Massada and the Dead Sea.
As with all ADL programs, we heard from outstanding speakers throughout Poland and Israel - Polish, Israeli and American Ambassadors and community leaders.
I feel very fortunate that I was invited to participate in this once in a lifetime experience.
The trip I just returned from included ADL lay leaders and friends from around the country, some of my wonderful colleagues from many different ADL offices and almost 200 officers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). One of the many great aspects of the ADL folks was that we were an interfaith group - everyone added such great perspective to our many challenging experiences.
In Poland, the ADL participants had the honor to join Israel officers in their “Witness in Uniform” program. The program brings Israel’s officers and soldiers to the sites of former Nazi concentration camps and other sites associated with the Holocaust. To visit these difficult sites with those who secure the safety of the State of Israel was a truly unique and meaningful experience. Some of the sites we visited were the Warsaw Jewish Cemetery, the Warsaw ghetto, as well as the concentration camps Treblinka, Majdanik, Auschwitz and Birkenau.
It is always challenging to try to understand the enormity of the evil perpetrated at the concentration camps, but to visit these sites with the men and women of the IDF gave me a whole new perspective. These young men and women - so courageous and so compassionate - have the responsibility of ensuring that the Jewish people will always have a safe place in this world; unlike the reality of 65 years ago, when so much of the world turned their head as Hitler implemented his attempt to exterminate the entire Jewish population.
While there were many poignant moments in Poland (we stayed in Warsaw and Krakow), the most powerful one for me was when our entire group lined up in military formation to march into Birkenau (also known as Auschwitz II) behind the Israeli flag. It was a bittersweet moment for me - so proud of the IDF and yet so sad that Israel needs such a strong military to stop those who continue to work towards the destruction of Israel, the Jewish homeland.
Following seven tough days through Poland we arrived in Israel and had four terrific days seeing the country and appreciating the IDF even more having shared the experience of Poland with so many of the officers. We also got a special tour of Yad Vashem which brought our Poland experience to a meaningful close. For the first time I was able to visit Massada and the Dead Sea.
As with all ADL programs, we heard from outstanding speakers throughout Poland and Israel - Polish, Israeli and American Ambassadors and community leaders.
I feel very fortunate that I was invited to participate in this once in a lifetime experience.