Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on January 24, 2010 by The Director of Digital Media
One of the Poland trip participants wrote an e-mail to her father about the Poland trip, and sent it to me for this Pardes blog… here it is:
Hi Poland was an enriching experience. The days were emotionally intense and long and cold, but Rav Levi Cooper--my Hassidic teacher and main tour guide made sure the trip was educational and appropriate; also the group was supportive of one another and introspective. Most times I was disgusted at what the Nazis and Polish people did to our fore-brothers/sisters/mother/fathers/etc AND other human beings and I felt defiant and remembered what Danny Steinmetz said to me this summer, "we (Jews) are too strong, rich, smart, and powerful to let that happen to us again." This thought left me with a feeling of power and responsibility TO DO and to ACTUALIZE my POTENTIAL, BUT ALSO not to forget other people who are not so strong to take care of themselves. And in the name of social responsibility and being a light-onto-the-nations I feel a new responsibility. I learned a lot in Poland about the War and about Jewish life. Furthermore, when we got to the Polish airport I was soooo excited to go to Israel. I didn't not like Poland and I didn't feel like I was in a country that didn't want me, but Israel truly felt like a safe-haven. I wasn't expecting to feel that. good shabbas, see you in February! love, Jordy
Pardes trips to Poland are run in partnership with Heritage Seminars. The Claims Conference has provided trip scholarships for qualifying Pardes participants, as well as subsidies for program components directed at Jewish educators. 
