EXPEDITION WEB-LOG
May: Reflections on Yom Ha’Shoah from Warsaw
April: Passover in Poland and Russia
Feb. 22: Learning Informally & Formally
Feb. 2: Singer Jewish Cultural Festival
Nov. 15: Daily Life in Poland
Oct. 12: Travels in Poland
Sept. 24: JDC in Poland
Sept. 20: Preparing for Rosh Hashana
Sept. 15: Arrival in Poland
May: Reflections on Yom Ha’Shoah from Warsaw
Since I returned from Russia, while participating on the Passover Project, there have been so many things going on in Warsaw; it’s hard to keep up with everything.
The first week in May was Yom Ha’Shoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. One of the ways people commemorate Yom Ha’Shoah is by participating in an event called The March of the Living. The March of the Living takes place on Yom Ha’Shoah, which is the 15th of Nissan (this year May 5th) and thousands of people walk, arm in arm, from Auschwitz to Birkenau. During the Holocaust people were often forced to walk long distances, in the harsh winters and brutal summers; many people did not survive these marches, which came to be referenced to as Death Marches. For the last 17 years people have marched from Auschwitz to Birkenau, a march that actually retraces the steps of the death march between these two camps. The trip offers people an opportunity to come to Poland to learn about the horrors of the Holocaust, and say "Never Again" in a march of life, a March of the Living.
This year 20,000 people from around the world participated in the march. The trip was especially large, as this year was the 60th anniversary of the Allied Liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. People from North America, Israel, Western Europe, Latin America, and many other places came to say, "Never Again." JDC hosted one group for this trip, which this year included 21 participants from Belarus, Buglaria, Hungary, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, and India. For one week they traveled throughout Poland learning about Jewish life before, during, and after the war. Following one week in Poland, participants traveled on to Israel for one week. There, participants learned about the building of the State of Israel and its importance today as a leader among nations and as a homeland for the Jewish people.
The week following Yom Ha’Shoah includes both Yom Ha’azikaron and Yom Ha’atzamut. Here in Warsaw, Yom Ha’zikaron, Israeli Remembrance Day, was commemorated with a service at the Nozyk syngagogue with the Israeli Ambassador to Poland, as well as an activity in the evening, in which two Israelis shared with us their feelings and experiences of Yom Ha’azikaron in Israel. Yom Hazikaron, Israel Independence Day was celebrated with a large party-like atmosphere, with community members gathered for a food, dancing, and games.
Another event, which occurred in May, was the Jewish Film Festival. The Festival was a weeklong and featured over 30 films on the topic of Jewish life; many films were made by Israelis and took place in Israel. I went to several films where so many people came I had to sit on the floor! Needless to say, it was a huge success! It is hard to say who attended the films, but it was clear that most of the audience were non-Jewish people who are interested in Jewish life, culture, and Israel.
I also went to my first play at The State Jewish Theater. The theater is located just next to the Nozyk synagogue and began in Warsaw in 1950. The theater is a really interesting place considering it is a Jewish theater; although all of its shows focused on Jewish life, artists, music, with many in Yiddish, most of the actors are not Jewish. They perform all of their plays in either Polish or Yiddish. The play I saw was called "Live and Not Die" and was in Polish, but featured songs in Polish and a few in Yiddish. It was the 2nd showing of the play and the theater was full! It was hard to understand everything, since my Polish isn’t quite that advanced, but it was really fun and the music was great!
My time in Warsaw is coming close to an end, as I plan to leave August 1. I am anxious to make the best of these next few weeks, and take in as many activities and events as possible. I will be writing again soon and hopefully will have tons to report!
April: Passover in Poland and Russia
"B'chol Dor V'Dor, Hayav et adam lirot et atzmo ..."
"In every generation, each person should see himself as if he personally left Egypt".
Hi everyone!
I have some good news---here in Warsaw spring has sprung! The grass is growing, trees are blooming, and it stays light until almost 8 pm—this is a sure sign that winter is over and warm weather is heading our way! Okay, maybe this doesn’t seem like really great news to all of you polar bears, but for a girl from Texas, the warm weather is way overdue!
But the fact that spring is here also means that Passover, or Pesach, is approaching! Passover is the spring festival which celebrates the Jewish exodus from Egypt and the birth of our nation Israel.
Passover has always been one of my favorite holidays. Of course some years are more difficult than others—eating only Kosher for Passover food can be sometimes be difficult, especially when you really want to be eating your favorite after school pizza snack (you can of course make matzah pizza)! But when I think of Passover, I think of my family gathered around the table, inviting friends and family into our home, reading the Haggadah, and searching for the afikomen.
Because Passover has always been one of my favorite holidays to celebrate, I was very excited to discover how Jews in Poland celebrate the holiday. As it turns out, Jews in Poland seem to celebrate quite similar to Jews in America.
Before Passover, many Jews rid their homes of chametz, and begin buying and preparing Kosher for Passover food. In Poland, Kosher for Passover food is not sold in regular grocery stores, so everyone buys their food from the Nozyk Synagogue Kosher store. Just today I bought a box of matzah from the store, which cost me 13 zloty (about $4.20).
On the first night of Passover there will be three seders going on simultaneously at the Nozyk synagogue; one in Polish, one in Hebrew, and one in English! They expect over 150 people to attend the 3 seders. There will also be other organized seders, including one at the progressive Beit Warszawa, and one at Chabad Lubavitch. Additionally, there will be lots of families who prefer to make the Passover seder in their homes with family. Warsaw has only 2 Rabbis, so for the holiday we will also have several Rabbis visiting from America and Israel.
I was also interested to see what a Polish Haggadah looks like, so I visited the JDC Pedagogical Resource Center (sort of like a library). There they create materials about Jewish holidays, events, and activities in Polish for Jews throughout Poland. I was able to find a lot of information about Passover in Polish, as well as a Haggadah in English, Polish, and Hebrew. I was surprised to find that all of them contain the same information, prayers and songs; they even look similar, it is just the language that is different!
As you can tell, I am excited to experience Passover in Warsaw! However, the first few nights of Passover, I will be with Jews from Israel, America and Russia in St. Petersburg, Russia as part of a program called "The Passover Project." This is a project which JDC developed 7 years ago in Russia. The idea of the project is to give a "toolbox" to Jewish families who want to celebrate Pesach, but are unsure of the steps to take, since Jewish education wasn’t available when they were growing up. Some of the tools are explanations, such as what are the proper items to put on the Pesach plate, or at what time to hide the afikoman, or even what the concept of ‘haggadah’ or ‘seder’ is.
I will be with American and Israeli college students, and together we will share our stories, songs, and celebration of Passover, as we gather with Russian Jews, who for years were unable to practice their Judaism freely. Thanks to the work of the JDC and other Jewish organizations, Russian Jews now have places to meet and take part in Jewish activities and education.
I am really excited about the trip to St. Petersburg and will be sure to tell you all about it when I get back! For now, go ahead and start thinking of questions you may have about Jewish life in St. Petersburg, and I will be happy to answer them when I get back.
I wish you all a Chag Sameach where ever you are celebrating Passover this year!
Trzy maj sie (take care),
Feb 22: Learning Informally & Formally
Ben Zoma said; Who is wise? He who learns from every person, as it is said: "From all my teachers I grew wise" Pirke Avot, 4:1
I think in some ways my life is very similar to yours. You may be thinking how can that be? I live in Poland, while you live in the United States; you are going to school, while I have already graduated from college; you live at home with your parents and maybe your brothers or sisters, and I live alone. Yet I think we probably have many things in common; I brushed my teeth this morning, did you? Do you like coca-cola? I do. Do you like to play or watch sports? I like to do both! We are also both Jewish, which is certainly something we both have in common!
Also, in my opinion, we are both students. You are a student of the classroom and you learn everything from math to music. I am also a student, but I am learning outside of the classroom, about life in Poland, the history of the Jewish people here, and how I can be helpful for the Jewish community today. I am also learning how to speak Polish, how to work with others, and how to get around a new city. You know that saying, "Every day you learn something new!" Well I believe it, and I think it is true no matter where you are living. But I have to tell you that in Poland, there is a lot of "something new" and always something for me to be learning about!
When it comes to learning there are many different kinds, but two of them are formal and informal learning. Formal learning includes the things you learn in a classroom with an instructor or teacher, in an organized fashion, and you may even get tested on this knowledge. Informal learning may also happen on a regular basis, and the knowledge learned is also important, but it can happen in any setting. Someone who isn’t a teacher or instructor, or even someone who is younger than you can also transmit informal learning!
Before I came to Poland I bought a lot of books about Poland and often read historical articles to learn as much as possible about this country, the people, and things that would make my move here easier. I also talked to a lot of people who had traveled here, or even some who had lived here for a short time; these people were very helpful in providing information about their experiences in Poland. Which of these do you think is more like formal learning, and which is more like informal learning?
I would say that most of my time in Poland, most of my experiences, fall into "informal learning." Can you imagine what some more of them are? When you go to some place new do you think you use formal or informal learning more often?
For example, the first time I went to a restaurant I had never heard of peirogies, a traditional Polish dish, I also didn’t know how to order water when I was thirsty. I did order peirogies and learned that they basically are a noodle with filling, which could be potato and cheese, or cabbage and mushroom, or any other combination (some places say that they have over 30 different peirogies!) I also learned that you ask for water by saying "prosze woda" which means, "Water please". When I first arrived, I also didn’t know how to buy a ticket for the buses, so I asked a friend and she told me where I could find the stores that sell bus tickets.
Not knowing where to find things, or how to get around, or what to eat at restaurants with menus I didn’t understand, all took time. I relied on friends who would help me, or I would study Polish at home, so I could learn to communicate with people on my own. All of these are examples of informal learning. I never had an instructor or a class thought would teach me how to live in Warsaw, instead I relied on friends, others who were kind enough to help me, and sometimes just myself.
However, I did have some "formal learning" experiences. For example, although I am not a student in a classroom now, I was when I first got here. I needed to learn Polish, and I needed to learn, at least the basics, fast! I enrolled in a Polish class at University Warsaw (Uniwersitet Warszawa). The class met on Tuesday and Thursday for over 2 hours each time.
My class was for foreigners, people who aren’t from Poland. The class was small, only 8 people, but we were all from different countries. There was someone from Italy, England, France, Germany, Sweden, Thailand, Vietnam, and of course I, from the United States. As you can imagine it was very difficult for us to communicate, as few of us spoke the same language, and none of us spoke Polish. The teacher, Pani Maria (Ms. Maria) spoke only in Polish, which was difficult as first, but helped us learn the language faster.
The class lasted for 3 months, and I learned a lot! Polish is still very difficult, and I have a lot to learn, but at least now I can talk to people more, buy things at the grocery store, and sometimes read short letters or advertisements in Polish.
Since I arrived, the learning, both formal and informal, hasn’t stopped, but it is so exciting to learn so many new things! What types of things have you learned in an informal way? Do you prefer learning informally or formally, and why?
What about the quote I included at the top? What does Judaism say about education and learning? Does learning about a new place count as an educational experience?
Feb. 2: Singer Jewish Cultural Festival
The stranger that lives with you shall be to you like the native, and you shall love him or her as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God." -Leviticus
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which can have the potential to turn a life around. –Leo Buscaglia
Dzien dobry moja prsyachiele, Good afternoon my friends,
Moving to Poland, in some ways is like starting at a new school. You have to learn your way the school, who your teachers are, and maybe even more importantly, you have to make new friends. I had to do all of those things when I first got here, and at first it was really overwhelming. I would get lost, I would be confused about my "homework" and I wasn’t sure whom I should ask for help.
But like starting a new school, it usually takes only a few weeks before you feel comfortable, and that feeling of being scared, confused, or nervous seems like something of the past. This is my story of my transition to life in Warsaw.
I think the best thing that aided my transition were my new friends. They showed me around, went to restaurants with me, and invited me into their homes. They also helped me when I wasn’t sure how to operate my washing machine, or couldn’t find things I needed at the grocery store.
Most everyone in Warsaw lives in apartments, so they don’t have backyards (or front yards!) or garages. Most young people also share their bedroom with their brothers or sisters. People’s homes differ of course, but most people have a washing machine, but not a dryer, some people have dishwashers and some have microwaves, but not everyone. Most everyone does have a telephone, and a cell phone, and some people have computers; for those who don’t there are Internet cafes all around and they are pretty cheap.
My apartment is very small by American standards, but it is the standard size for one or two people living in Poland. It is basically one room, with 4 sections, which make a small living room, bedroom, bathroom, and a kitchen. I do have a washing machine, but not a dryer, microwave, or dishwasher, or a television! It is pretty simple, but for me, it’s pretty perfect!
Most of my friends are Jewish, and we have met through different Jewish organizations or events. Just after I got to Warsaw, there was the Singer Jewish Cultural Festival in Warsaw. The festival is named after Isaac Bashevis Singer, a Jewish Pole who won the Noble Prize in Literature in 1978. It was a 4 day celebration with Klezmer music, Israeli dancing, Israeli and Jewish foods, art, and lectures, all available at the festival, which was attended by thousands of Jews and Poles. This was a great way to meet people, and it was really fun. Despite rainy weather there were so many people, young and old, and everyone was very friendly!
During Chanukah there were so many things going on, which was another good way to get to know people. For every night of Chanukah there was some kind of community-wide celebration. We celebrated Chanukah here in Warsaw the same way as I would celebrate at home, except there was no gift giving. We lit the Chanukiah every night at the synagogue and ate potato pancakes, which we call latkes in Hebrew, and plackei ziemniaczane in Polish (pronounced, platski jemnacharne) and jelly doughnuts, which we call sufganiot in Hebrew, and pqczki (ponchkey) in Polish.
Most of my friends speak English, which is very helpful! English is taught in schools now, so most of my friends are fluent English speakers, which makes things a lot easier; but doesn’t help me practice my Polish. It is amazing how much I have in common with my Polish friends, considering we grew up so far away from each other, and our lives have been so different. But we enjoy similar things, like music and movies, and we have a lot of fun together.
A lot of my friends have also been to Israel, many on the Birthright Israel program, and many of them now want to make aliyah. Though I have no plans to make aliyah, I have been to Israel several times and can relate to their experiences and love of Israel.
The people I have met and my close friends have made the transition to life in Poland very smooth and to them I am very thankful! Have you ever been in a situation where you have had to rely on people for their help in a new place, or with a new task? How can you be more helpful when there is someone new to your class, or your city?
Hope you all are well and look forward to hearing from you!
Do Widzenia,
Jessica
Nov. 15: Daily Life in Poland
"If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shows that he is a citizen of the world, and that his heart is no island cut off from other lands, but a continent that joins to them."
-Francis Bacon
"The start of something new brings the hope of something great. ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE There is only one you. And you will pass this way only once. Do it right,"
-Unknown
Czesc prsyachiele,
Jak sie masz? Jestem bardzo dobre!
How are you? I am really good!
(Pronounced: Yak sheh mash? Yestem bard-zo dob-je!)
I can’t believe that I have been in Warsaw for over 6 weeks! Now that I am a bit more familiar with the city, I wanted to tell you a little bit about Warsaw and my life here. As you know, I grew up in San Antonio, Texas and I find Warsaw to be very different than that city; however, for some of you who have lived in large metropolitan cities, Warsaw may sound more familiar and similar to your experience in those cities
Poland is located in Eastern Europe, which in the past was considered less developed than Western Europe, however, the Poland I see is one of constant progress! Physically, economically, and socially, things in Poland are on the move! In this entry I am going to tell you a little bit about Warsaw and try to describe some of the city. Did you know that Warsaw had the second largest Jewish population after New York City before World War II? In 1935, the total population of Warsaw was 1.3 million people and 380,000 of them were Jewish! Can you figure out what the percentage of the total population was Jewish? I’ll give you a hint, for every three people you might meet during the day, one of them would be Jewish. It shouldn’t be too much of a surprise that many people in America have family members, maybe great grandparents or grandparents that were born in Poland. The Warsaw I see, however, is very different from the one your grandparents, or people of that generation, may remember. Although, perhaps there are some things that never change.
Warsaw, which in Polish is written, Warszawa, and pronounced, var-sha-vah, is the capital of Poland and has almost 2 million people. The Wistula River runs through the city dividing it into East and West. To the east of the Wistula is Praga, a district of Warsaw; to the west is Stare Miasto and the center of the city, all of which are popular among tourists. Most people and most attractions are found to the west of the River, so it is uncommon for me to cross over, unless I am visiting friends.
I live in the "center" of Warsaw, so I have the luxury of being close to most everything! When I first arrived, I was nervous to use public transportation, not because it is unsafe, but because I was afraid of getting lost, so instead, I walked everywhere!
Walking helped me discover Warsaw for myself, and I really came to enjoy being able to walk wherever I wanted to go! At home, I am used to driving everywhere: school, grocery shopping, and museums, everywhere! I have never lived in a city that has efficient public transportation, as say, New York City does, and so I am used to relying on a car to get where I need to go; I even had my own car in San Antonio. Here it is uncommon to have a car, and most people rely on public transportation to make their way throughout the city. Warsaw has a bus system, a tramway, and a subway. I usually only take the transportation when I am headed outside of the city, or I am really cold!
Many people go to the market or grocery every day. Near my house there is a large open market where you can find everything! Monday through Saturday from very early in the morning until 6pm, you can find row after row of vegetables and fruit stands, meat counters, and even people selling clothes and second-hand goods. As many people do not have cars, they have to carry their groceries home, so they can’t buy too much, and this way they only buy what they really need for the day. You can find most everything either at the market or at large grocery stores, including some of the same brands we have in America, like Dove and Colgate, and of course Coke and Pepsi (and yes there are McDonald’s, though not in the grocery store)! As I said, it is not uncommon for people to go the open market on a daily-basis but as more people are working a 9-5 work day, going to the market is becoming less practical, instead grocery stores that stay open late are becoming more and more popular.
I really enjoy shopping at the market, but as you may imagine, it is very different than shopping at a grocery store. In the market, you can find large tables, filled with crates of all kinds of the freshest fruits and vegetables! When I want to buy, lets say tomatoes, I have to ask "Ile to kostuje jeden kilo pomodory?" I am asking, "How much does one kilogram of tomatoes cost?" One kilo is 2.2 pounds which is really a lot of tomatoes, but they are delicious, I can not resist. Usually, one kilo of tomatoes costs about 5 zloty. I often buy fresh bread, chleb, and fish, ryba, at the market.
As you may have figured out, the money here is called Zloty, pronounced Zwoo-ti. Approximately 3.5 zloty equal $1.00. In 2000, 4.131 zloty equaled $1.00, but as the economy improves the difference between zloty and the dollar becomes less. Poland used to be a very inexpensive country, and in some respects it is still cheap, especially compared to major cities in America. Most meals cost no more than $3.00 or $4.00, but of course in more popular or "trendy" areas you can find the cost much higher, more like $8.00 to $12.00. Clothing at department stores is fairly expensive and a lot of people buy clothing at second hand stores or at the open markets. Drinking tea (herbata) is also very popular here. Most people keep a kettle in both their homes and their offices, and will drink tea (sugar optional) many times throughout the day. Traditional food in Poland includes periogi, barszch czerwony, and cabbage salad. However, it is possible to find nearly every cuisine, though less frequently than you can in America. Lunch is usually eaten around 1:00 or 2:00 pm. Most meals are eaten in the home, though that is also changing.
Gatherings and meeting with friends usually occur in the home, although it is becoming more and more popular to meet in coffee shops. Although there is no Starbucks, there are similar companies, which provide coffee-to-go and have become very popular with the young people of Poland.
Warsaw is a very interesting city and I am really enjoying my time here. I feel very comfortable here, though it is still difficult to communicate, as my Polish is still very basic. Most of the young people speak English, and most of the elderly appreciate my attempt, but hopefully, in time I will be speaking Polish with ease.
I look forward to any questions you may have about life in Warsaw. Of course there are times when everything feels new and awkward, but with each day I feel more settled and comfortable here. Hope you all are doing well, and that you enjoyed the information about the city.
Czesc,
Oct. 12: Travels in Poland
I did not find the world desolate when I entered it; my fathers planted for me before I was born: so do I plant for those who will come after me. - Jerusalem Talmud, Ta'anit 23a
Since I have arrived in Poland, there has been plenty to keep me busy. My first weekend here was a two-day seminar in Krakow (pronounced "Krakuf") for Jewish welfare volunteers. There were about 25 people in attendance from many different cities in Poland. The next big event was the arrival of 12 Russian volunteers for a 5-day stay in Warsaw. They came to Poland as part of an international program that sends volunteers to other communities to learn how other organizations operate, which I’ll explain more about later.
Both events were very special for the people in attendance because it was an opportunity to learn a lot about volunteering, but it was also a reward for those who have been working very hard in their communities. Volunteers often play a very big role in their organizations. For example, one woman from Russia is in charge of her organizations’ 900 volunteers! What a big responsibility! By bringing her to Poland she had a chance to learn about how we manage our volunteers, but it was also a chance to thank her and reward her for all of her hard work in Russia. Imagine going on a field trip with your class to a different city or state? It would be an opportunity for you to learn about a new place, but it would also be a lot of fun because you would be with people who share similar interests as you. That is exactly what it is like for the participants of the program; their experience is both educational and fun!
Krakow is 3 hours by train from Warsaw, or about 300 km. Krakow is a very special city. In the year 965 a traveling merchant wrote that Krakow’s Wawel (pronounced "Vavel") Hill was "a bustling trade center." Wawel Hill later became the home to the Wawel Castle, which was built sometime in the 11th century and can still be visited today. Wawel Castle was the residence for Polish rulers until the late 17th century, when in 1791 the capital was moved to Warsaw because Warsaw was more centrally located. Sadly, Krakow faced difficult times throughout the 18th century. Krakow suffered many sieges and foreign occupations. Fortunately, Krakow managed to survive WWII with little destruction, so many historical sites, both Jewish and non-Jewish can still be seen today.
The volunteers who participated in the two-day seminar included people from Warsaw, Krakow, Lodz, Gdansk, Szczecin, Katowice, and Wroclaw. Can you find where these places are on a map of Poland? Some of the volunteers were as young as 22 and others as old as 75. Many had been volunteering or helping others their entire lives. They gathered in Krakow to learn more about how they can help the people they work with. Some of the volunteers have one person that they visit in that person’s home, we call that a "warm visit." Others have many people that they visit both in their homes and/or at senior centers, similar to those you have in your city.
On Friday afternoon we introduced ourselves and shared some of our experiences as volunteers and in the evening we celebrated Shabbat together. On Saturday a woman named Grazyna Ptlachcinska joined our seminar. Grazyna is a psychotherapist from Warsaw and she talked about how volunteers should interact with their elderly, which included role-playing and discussions. We all had a great time and it was wonderful for me to meet so many volunteers from all over the country! I was so impressed by their desire to learn and share their experiences!
More recently back home in Warsaw, we had a group of 12 volunteers from Russia. Six were from the city of St. Petersburg and 6 were from the capital of Russia, Moscow. They came to Poland as part of a new program called VIP, which stands for "Volunteer International Program." Six countries are involved in this project: Hungary, Holland, Russia, Poland, United Kingdom and Germany. Each country participates by sending a group of volunteers to one of the partner country countries. So a group from Poland was sent to Russia during the summer and in return we had a group of Russians come here to Poland in the fall.
During the visit, volunteers exchanged information about their Jewish communities at home and what kind of volunteer projects they operate in their cities. This program is a way for organizations to learn from one another and to build relationships among Jews from other countries who are also committed to volunteering. It was really interesting to have them here. Most of them were about 65 years old and all but one was female! The welfare organizations in Russia are much bigger than the one operating in Warsaw. "Hesed Chama" from Moscow has 200 volunteers and 10,700 clients and "Hesed Avraham" from St. Petersburg has 900 volunteers and 42,000 clients. They are very large organizations from very big cities, much bigger than Warsaw!
"Hesed Chama" and "Hesed Avraham" are part of the "Hesed" welfare system. In the early 1990’s the situation for people in the Soviet Union was very desperate. The government was collapsing and the economy was ruined. JDC recognized immediately that many elderly did not have enough money for even basic necessities; they often had to choose whether to purchase food, medicine or clothing. JDC provided guidance and financial assistance to create "Hesed" welfare centers, with the hope that it would not only provide basic physical needs, but also help encourage the growth of local communities.
The first "Hesed" opened in 1993 in St. Petersburg, Russia and now there are 174 "Heseds" that provide essential services to more than 240,000 elderly throughout the Former Soviet Union! It is really amazing what kind of impact JDC has made around the world! It would be impossible for me to tell you everything about each "Hesed" center but if you would like to learn more about what kind of programs they have and who they help click here
My experiences in Krakow and my time with the Russians were really exciting! I had an opportunity to work with Jews from different backgrounds and different places. It was inspiring for me to see people who were devoted to helping others and were willing to share their experiences! They were all eager to learn from others, and share the experiences they found helpful in their work as volunteers. In the coming months all of the participating countries of the VIP project will meet to celebrate their first year of exchanges, so you will be hearing about VIP often throughout the year!
I hope everyone is doing well and I look forward to any of your questions about the things I am learning about! I would love to hear what your thoughts are on the quote "I did not find the world desolate when I entered it; my fathers planted for me before I was born: so do I plant for those who will come after me." and how you think this relates to your life. How do you see it impacting the lives of the people in Poland and those who are involved in the VIP group?
Do Widzenia (good-bye), pa pa (bye-bye!)
Sept. 24: JDC in Poland
"To save one person is to save the world" (Mishna, Sanhedrin 4:5).
Czesc Przyjaciele,
How are you all doing? Hopefully you are glad to be back at school and are busy preparing for the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. I am doing well settling into my life here in Warsaw. I have an apartment that is just for me! I have never lived alone before, but I think I will like it.
Everyone I have met is very friendly and they are all helping me learn Polish. It is important I speak their language so that I can communicate with people at work and in the community. Imagine going into a store and knowing you want something but not knowing what it is called or how to ask for it? As you can imagine it is quite a challenge. But in time I will learn.
As I told you last time, I am working with the Central Jewish Welfare Commission of Poland. Do you remember what they do? They provide help to people who may be elderly or sick and need assistance such as food, money, winter relief or medicine. I am going to be working here for one year as a volunteer of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. Wow! That is a long name, so people just call them JDC or the Joint. JDC supports the Central Jewish Welfare Commission by providing them with money and resources. JDC does many other things in Poland, which I’ll share with you in upcoming web logs. For now, I’ll just mention that JDC has been assisting Jewish communities for 90 years in more than 85 countries around the world!
I am going to tell you a little bit about JDC because they have helped so many people, maybe even people you know!
The JDC has three main goals:
- JDC rescues Jews who are in danger
- JDC provides food, clothing, and medicine as relief for Jewish communities in distress
- JDC supports renewal projects, to help Jewish communities rediscover their heritage and rebuild a vibrant Jewish communal life.
They are committed to the idea that all Jews are responsible for one another and that "To save one person is to save the world" (Mishna, Sanhedrin4:5).
Before WWII, Poland had the second largest Jewish population with 3.3 million Jews! There were many Jewish organizations, synagogues, schools, and communities of Jewish families. After WWII and Nazi occupation there were only 300,000 Jews. Many had lost all of their family members, were poor, sick, and suffering. At this time many moved to America, Israel or other countries in Europe.
For those Jews who stayed in Poland, most did not speak of or practice their Judaism because they were afraid. It wasn’t until the late 1980’s that people began speaking of their Jewish past. JDC became an important place for the elderly survivors of WWII to get much needed help, as well as a place for young people to come and learn about their Jewish heritage.
Today there are about 10,000 Jews in all of Poland and JDC provides many services for Jewish elderly, such as money, medicine, physical therapy, transportation, and more! For younger generations there are educational programs, cultural programs, Israeli-Folk Dancing clubs, student clubs, camps and more! JDC also works with local organizations by encouraging them to create new programs that can help the community strengthen and provides information and supervision to make this possible.
Hope to hear from you soon. I want you to write me with any questions or thoughts you may have about anything you feel is important! You can write to me at wolfexpedition@jdcny.org .
Do widzenia e L’Shana Tova,
Sept. 20: Preparing for Rosh Hashana
"Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, you can.
Boldness has a genius, magic and power to it." --Goethe
Shalom Chaverim v’Shana Tova,
This year I am welcoming the New Year 5765 in a different way then in the past. Usually I am at home in San Antonio, with family and friends. Now, I find myself half way across the world, with a lot of new faces and new places! I am meeting a lot of new people and finding my way around the city and the Jewish community. I also think it is nice to begin the New Year in a new place. I think I have mentioned to you that coming to Poland was something like fulfilling a dream. I have always enjoyed helping others, but the opportunity to live in another country and work with such a special community, I never thought it was possible! But here I find myself doing just that. Let me tell you a bit about what I have found.
Here in Warsaw there are two places that offer services to celebrate the holidays. The Nozyk synagogue is named after the family who built the synagogue in 1893. It is located in the city center, and was inside what was the Jewish Ghetto during World War II. This place is pretty amazing. After WWII, the Germans destroyed almost the entire city of Warsaw to try to cover up the severity of their crimes. This synagogue remained because the Nazi’s used it as a stable for horses. Appalling, right? They were using a holy place for the purpose of housing animals, which is bad; but what is good, is that this is what prevented the synagogue from becoming destroyed! The synagogue is an Orthodox synagogue. The synagogue and the buildings surrounding it hold most of the offices of the Jewish community, including my office at the Volunteer Center.
There is also Beit Warszawa, which means "House of Warsaw"; it is a Jewish Cultural Association. "Warszawa" is the Polish word for Warsaw and it is pronounced Var-sha-va. They are a very young organization, but they are growing quickly. They are located outside of Warsaw and use a home as their meeting place. The goal of the association is to promote Jewish culture, to help build the Jewish community, and to popularize the idea of tolerance among young people; they are not a synagogue, but more like a community center. They also meet weekly to celebrate Shabbat and have services for the holidays.
For Rosh Hashanah both the Nozyk Synagogue and Beit Warszawa had a record number of people in attendance. In the afternoon on the first day, we all joined as a community for Tashlich. Tashlich is the custom of symbolically casting away our sins of the past year. We typically use bread to represent our sins and throw them into a body of water, so they are carried far away. Close to 100 people gathered at the synagogue and together we all walked to the Vistula River. It was very special to do this ritual with people from such different Jewish backgrounds!
I also want to tell you about some of the other things that went on during the days prior to Rosh Hashanah. The Jewish Social Welfare Commission brought 22 elderly from all over Poland to Srodborrow. This is a retreat center just outside of Warsaw sponsored by JDC. They provide activities and physical rehabilitation to the elderly during their ten-day stay. It is a combination vacation and rehabilitation center. I met them during their first day at Srodborrow to welcome them and to present them with gifts from the local Jewish Day School, the Lauder-Morasha School. Each person was given a small round challah, an apple, and some honey, along with a Happy New Year wish from the school. It was very nice and each of them was excited to receive such a present.
During this week, I also spent some time at the Lauder-Morasha school and met with students in grades 6,7 and 8. We talked about the importance of volunteering and projects that each class could do for this school year. It was very exciting and they had some really good ideas. I will let you know what they decide, as I will work with them to create projects that will help their communities.
I will be writing more as they are many exciting things happening here in Warszawa! Please be in touch and let me know what questions you may have. I am more than happy to answer them! And take a look at the quote at the top of the page; each entry will feature one quote that I think is special and applies to my web log entry. I can see now, by being here, that dreams can come true and with hard work and determination, anything is possible! I hope this year you can make some goals, and maybe even share them with me. Together we will make this year very special!
L’Shana Tova,
Sept. 15: Arrival in Poland
The following was the introductory entry to the 2004-05 Roslyn Z. Wolf Cleveland - JDC Fellow Web-Log:
Hello Friends! Or as they say in Poland, Czesc Przyjaciele!
Right now I am sitting in the airport waiting to board a plane that will take me to my new home, Warsaw, Poland. Of course I am a bit nervous but more than that I am really excited about the journey ahead of me!
I am moving to Warsaw for an entire year. The weather there is much different than what I am used to growing up in Texas. In fact, the weather is more similar to that of Cleveland, four seasons with a very harsh winter. I filled up 3 suitcases with everything from warm clothes and hats to photographs of my family and friends.
Before I forget, I just want to make sure you know what I will be doing in Warsaw this year. I am going to be working with the Central Jewish Welfare Commission of Poland. They provide assistance to both elderly and young people that are in need. They help over 1200 people with 7 social workers in 50 different cities and villages in Poland. I will also work on projects that encourage people to volunteer. One of these projects is called the Volunteer International Program, I will share with you more about this project in the coming weeks.
I also wanted to share with you some of my thoughts and feelings before I left, because I know once I get there I will be so happy to be there that I may forget to tell you some important details about me.
As some of you may know, I am 22 years old and just graduated college. I grew up in San Antonio, Texas and went to school in Austin, Texas which is about 90 miles away from where I grew up. Now I am preparing to move over 3,000 miles away from my family and friends. For the most part I am very excited, but of course I am a bit nervous about being so far away from the people who I care so much about. I hope to be in touch with each of you during this year, so you can keep me company though I am far away. I am very much looking forward to learning more about you, too.
I know that in moving to Poland there are going to be so many neat things for me share with you all. For one, because Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are coming up soon, I am looking forward to learning about how they celebrate the holiest of holidays. Of course language may be a bit of a problem for the first few months as I know little Polish, but hopefully I can meet lots of people who will help me learn the language. I am also looking forward to learning more about the history of Jews in Poland. Do you know how many years Jews have lived in Poland? One thousand years! That’s almost three times the number of years Jews have lived in America! I have read that before WWII and the Holocaust there were over 3 million Jews living there, today they estimate that there are about 10,000 Jews living in Poland. Because it is a relatively small community, I am excited to become a part of the Jewish community and meet as many people as possible.
My goal for the next year is to be as involved in the Jewish community of Poland as possible. I can’t wait to tell you all about all of the people I meet and all the things that are unique about life in Poland! I hope you will log on often, maybe every 2 weeks, so we can get to know each other better!
Shalom, Good-Bye, Do Widzenia,
Jessica
