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Published: July 14th 2010
Shalom again from Israel - no photos at this time since I can't upload with my camera card to this compter. Just know - still gorgeous!
Traveled with the group up north near Acco to the Ghetto Resistance Fighter Musuem. Right before the Nazi's emptied out the Warsaw ghetto, some very courageous people formed a resistance and after the war, emigrated to Israel. they have a kibbutz and have made a beautiful museum, including the most moving children's musuem. We looked at models of the death camp of Treblinka - the Nazi's made 3 of the buildings into the Hebrew word "chai" the word for life. 72 survivors out of over 870,000 prisoners. Although the Nazi's were very precise with photos and careful documentation of information, only 4 clandestine photos of the actual murders exist. Taken by Jewish "soderkommando" prisoners who knew they were next on the list to walk to the gas chambers. A very powerful moment was at the end where we walked into an enormous dark hall where one entire side was a dark screen with letters bubbling up forming names of over 4000 communities that were wiped out during the Shoah. I'll post a pic later because
words don't adequately describe. We sat in the dark just watching the names form and then disapear letter by letter...
We ate lunch in the kibbutz cafeteria and then i enjoyed a delicious chocolate ice cream with my favorite rabbi - Isroel. 2 hours later, I found myself back at the hotel and finally on a treadmill to run a few miles and work out before watching Spain and Germany play on the World Cup.
7/6
Look at every museum and cultural center, including Yad Vashem, and one will find soldiers. The state of Israel makes sure their soldiers are educated both academically and culturally and wherever we go -we see uniforms. Every child, boys and girls alike, goes into the military at age 18 - boys for 3 years, girls for 2. this means everyone in Israel has a son or daughter or brother or sister or mother or father in the army. When soldiers go into the museum, they leave their machine guns piled in neat tidy squares outside and one person is left to watch over. Again, pictures coming soon.
We listened to Dr. Gideon Grief speak about the transport to Auschwitz and on children inthe
Ghetto. I had to leave the room twice with tears in my eyes. We then listened to Gita Zikovitch, and 85 year old survivor of Auschwitz. She survived the horror with her sister and cousin and made it back to her village to find her mother still also alive. Her father died the day before liberation. Once again, I had to leave her compelling testimony a few times, especially when she spoke of wanting to grieve for her father and realizing there was no one to listen - everyone was a mourner for someone. I had such a crying headache by the end of the day, felt a little homesick and then had my own little pity party. A shower and a quick call to home made me feel like getting back on the tour bus to see the underground tunnels at the Kotel. WOW! Walking on ancient Roman roads- the same roads Jesus walked, the same roads of ancient Israel, we finally made it to the "Holy of Holy" places - the spot of the ancient wall closest to the stone of life. I put another prayer for health for my family, friends,the world, into the cracks in the
wall. You have all now been prayed for at least 5 times!
7/8
Lectures on the role of bystanders during the Shoah made us stop and think about the times we have all either walked by or turned a head to someone in need. We walked along the Path of the Righteous and made note of the many gentiles that risked their life and the lives of their families, often helping Jewish strangers escape certain death. Oskar Shindler, and the King of Denmark were among the "standout" names, but the walk is filled with so many others. I also walked back to the Hall of Names- an enormous round room filled floor to ceiling with thousands of binders filled with the names of those who died in the Shoah. I could stand in there for hours just looking at these books on the walls.
I had the most interesting lunch - shnitzel in pita. Basically shnitzel is a giant chicken nugget folded into a pita with french fries on top. hmmmm.....
Rabbi Itiel also told us sad news of his teacher rabbi, Yehuda Imital, passing. He took the rest of the day to mourn and attend the funeral. We
ceiling of the children's museum
inspired by a famous poem "Butterflies don't live in the Ghetto"listened to an amazing speaker telling us about fighting anti-semitism in the world today and then - renowned Nazi hunter, Efraim Zuroff. He worked for many years for the State dept, and now is with the Simon Weisenthal center. I could have listened to him for a hundred more hours - he had stories to tell about the over 700 active cases. 700! Incredible. I bought his book for Will and Lee.
We went back to the hotel early to get ready for Shabbat and I ended up wandering alone to Machane Yehuda market to get supplies for our big trip tomorrow to the Dead Sea and Masada. Grapes, plums, chocolate rugalah, all the necessities... Also managed to get back to Ben Yehuda street and enjoyed an iced coffee in the 90 plus heat. A cool cab ride back to the hotel and I was set until the wake up call.
7/10 More later on our speed tour of Masada and the best float of my life in the Dead Sea...the day inlcudes sweating in 100 plus heat and our descent 1200 feet below sea level to rub elbows and mud with the Domican Republic's Minister of Sports...interested?
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Linda Signer
non-member comment
Hi Kelli, I just love your blogs. You will have to print them up and make a book out of them. Looking forward to seeing you soon and hearing all your stories over lots and lots of wine!!! Love Linda.