Getting Involved: Issues

MOTL 2010 Blog   Current Time in Tel Aviv, Israel: Current Time in Warsaw, Poland: Welcome to the 2010 MOTL Blogspot! See posts sorted by date below for updates and photos from your Marchers! Also, be sure to check the Polaroid Site for lots of photos and videos! ** Don’t forget to check the NEW video from the JLTV broadcast featuring our group with interviews with Craig Schneid, Rabbi Fred Guttman, Hank Brodt and Paul Gast on JLTV online. ** April 26, 2010 Rabbi Fred Guttman I finally arrived home after extending my stay in Israel to be with my son and Nancy’s family. I wanted to share some thoughts concerning the last few days in Israel. Sunday – I thought that our hike was magnificent. The Negev is so beautiful at this time of the year. I give a lot of credit to Rachel Saslove for going on this hike with us. She has an intense fear of heights and kept it really hidden from the Marchers. I loved our time with Amitai at the air force base. I hope that you all appreciated what an extraordinary opportunity this was. To the best of my knowledge, we were the only group of Marchers to have this experience. I hope that it registered with all of you how much he loves Israel as well as what is means to be in the Israel Defense Forces. I also thought that the ceremony in Arad was very moving. It was interesting to see the pictures of the men and women of Arad who had died in defense of Israel. It really brought it home to us what a terrible sacrifice is demanded of those who live in a free Jewish country. The discussion was unexpected but interesting. I am sorry that some of you felt that I wanted to demonize all Palestinians. I hope and pray daily for a two state solution, an Israel and a Palestine living side by side in security and with economic cooperation and peace. This simply is not so, I do wish to stress however that Israel faces some very real enemies and just “being nice” will not cause them to go away in my opinion. I do not know it you saw it, but Hamas yesterday issued a very cruel cartoon concerning Gilad Shalit. You may find the article here. Monday – Thanks for being such good sports and getting up early to climb Masada. I also felt that most of you really “got it” about grasping the meaning of Masada. I hope that you took a stone with you and that you will keep it on your desk as I do. The final discussions seem to have gone very well. I was really pleased by the comments that I heard from the White bus. It seems that most of you got what I had hoped for which was a desire to become more active in the Jewish community and an increased love for Israel. Is anyone out there still wearing their blue and white bracelet? Thanks to all who participated in the closing ceremony. I really enjoyed the spontaneous dancing at the end. I hope that you enjoyed our time on Ben Yehuda of Erev Yom Ha’atzma’ut. It is so wonderful to be in Israel at this time and you are so lucky to have had this incredible experience. Tuesday – The second March in Jerusalem is always so meaningful to me. The difference between the two Marches is so marked. I just love the singing and the joy. I hope that all of you enjoyed the Main event party. It is such a special event and is so filled with good ruach! A special shout out to Jenna for doing such a good job. I would like to thank all of the staff for a terrific MOTL. Thanks first to our incredible doctors, Sheryl, Phillip, Harriet and Jay. Our Israeli guides, Amir and Eran are so special and each of them takes time away from their businesses to do this when I take a group. Our bus captains Carolyn and Chen did a wonderful job and I hope that we will be able to do this in the future. This was the first time that I took Madrichim but it will certainly not be the last. Rachel and Adam both did an incredible job and I have told them that they too are invited next time. Rabbi Eli Havivi is such a wonderful friend. This was our third MOTL together and I hope that we will be together for many more. Finally, a special thanks to Nancy for putting up with all of my meshugas and for being such as help with the adults and the Madrichim. A FINAL NOTE - As you probably know, I really feel that the MOTL is a must experience for American Jewish teens, so talk it up among younger friends and siblings. My next MOTL will be in 2012 and 2013. The dates for 2012 will be April 15-29. Please send your comments and pictures to this blog. Have a great summer and Mazel Tov to all of our graduates. B’shalom, Rabbi Fred Guttman April 20, 2010 | Closing Photos | April 19, 2010 Kathy Manning Along with her daughter, Kathy Manning, chair of the Jewish Federations of North America's Board of Trustees, joined this year's March of the Living in Poland. Here Kathy shares her impressions. I have just returned from the March of the Living in Poland, along with 8,000 Jewish teenagers and adults, and saw first-hand what happened to our people during the Holocaust. Joining the group were Jewish Agency Chair Natan Sharansky and Israeli tennis star Shahar Pe'er. The March of the Living, from Auschwitz to Birkenau, challenges us with two of the most profound events in our history -- the Holocaust, and the birth of the Jewish state -- and is held between Holocaust Remembrance Day and Israel Independence Day. This year we also paid tribute to Poland's President, Lech Kaczynski, his wife and many others who perished in a tragic plane crash last week. Walking through the remnants of the Warsaw Ghetto, the death camps at Auschwitz, Birkenau, Treblinka, Majdanek and the killing fields, we saw the worst of what mankind can do. We saw what can happen when there is no Israel, when there is not a strong and active Jewish community standing ready to help Jews in need no matter where they live. We can never again allow Jews to be so vulnerable, so helpless, and so unable to protect themselves from tyrants, and from the evil that ordinary people can commit. No matter how much you study the Holocaust, it is not possible to be prepared for the reality that hits you when you walk through the concentration camps. It is not possible to reconcile or wrap your mind around what happened in those horrific places. How could this have happened? Who could possibly have thought up the atrocities that were committed, and how did so many people go along with such a monstrous plan? We were fortunate to hear from a Polish woman who was a teenager during the war. Her father was a mechanic, her mother was a seamstress, and they hid 27 Jews in their apartment during the war. She was proud to tell us that none of the 27 people they hid were ever hungry or humiliated. When asked why she and her family took the risk of hiding other people, she replied simply, “It was normal.” Why were there so few others who felt that way? Why didn’t more people say, “I can’t let this happen?” At Auschwitz, we saw the piles of shoes – work shoes, sturdy pumps, baby shoes, stylish red shoes, white fancy pumps and sandals and espadrilles from women who must have been taken during the summer. We saw piles of hair, including braids from young girls. We saw bowls and pots that women brought so they could prepare meals for their families. And we saw luggage – with names and addresses carefully written on the outside by people who wanted to be able to reclaim their bags when they arrived at their destinations. One large leather suitcase had written on it: M. Frank, Holland. We wondered whether the “M” stood for “Margot” and whether that could have belonged to Anne Frank’s sister. My youngest daughter, Jenny, was on the trip along with more than 50 other people from Greensboro including two of our wonderful rabbis. At Birkenau, Jenny came up to me and said, “This is why you do what you do with the Jewish Federations. I am so proud of you.” Being with her, and seeing thousands of Jewish teens from around the world, who are so comfortable with their Judaism and are preparing themselves to live vibrant Jewish lives, was the highlight for me. These young Jews will, in the years ahead, take over the mantle of leadership for our community, and they will ensure that, together, we will build a strong future for all of us. April 18, 2010   | Photo from the Desert | April 18, 2010 Maddie Kaufman and Brett Wohl | Day 12 | (From Maddie Kaufman) Israel, I’m speechless, there are no words to describe how at home and how free I feel here. Coming from Poland, cold and gray, to a place of color, happiness, pride and glory is worth more than a thousand words. Gorgeous is an understatement, magnificent is an understatement, amazing is even an understatement! Friday night for services we went to the Western Wall, I’ve never been somewhere with so many Jews, religions and praying. It was a phenomenon that will definitely be an experience that I will never forget. Saturday was a pretty laid back day, I was able to spend a lot of time with all of my new extended family, getting to know everyone even better – a group went to a park, then last night we went to a mall, which was a lot fun (shopping in foreign countries is so much fun)!!! Today we woke up and got on the bus and are heading to the desert for a hike, and then we will be attending a memorial services tonight. There is no doubt in my mind that I will be back in Israel, sooner than later, I am so set on studying abroad here, and possibly even becoming a citizen at some point in my life. (Sorry mommy!) To all the parents, don’t worry they won’t even let us go on the hike, if we A) don’t have a hat, and B ) if we don’t have a water bottle, and all the adults on the trip are lathering us in suntan lotion, do we won’t come home looking like ripe tomatoes!!! Shavoatov- have a good week! Maddie Kaufman (From Brett Wohl) Shabbat has been, and forever will be, a prime opportunity to enjoy the company of others, reflect over the past week, and to look forward for the week to come. Having done more in the past week than most people do in a month there was much to reflect upon. With this past Shabbat I was given the chance to reflect upon transitions; making a large transition between life and death – more specifically a shift from the ghettos and death camps of Poland, to the land of Israel, our home land. In retrospect, this transition gives me more of an understanding about Israel and the Jewish people. Now that I more concretely know about the sacrifices that we make as Jews in order to be Jewish. And what it means to give up our lives in order to face those enemies of our people that somehow arise in every generation. Whether these enemies are the Philistines, the Romans, or even the Nazis we as Jews know that our nation, our people hood, and our religion, is all worth fighting for. This understanding of pride really makes my experience in Israel all that more holy and truly meaningful. Having been to Israel two times before I was never given the opportunity to understand all that was lost for me and the 14 million other Jews to have a Jewish state and home land, mainly because I had not been to Poland until the past week. One of these many sacrifices was all that was lost during the holocaust. The cities of Poland that were once flourishing with religious life and commerce before the war became agnostic and desolate from the Jewish perspective. But what was most holy to me is how in Israel we can be free to continue what we once sacrificed on new levels. In my opinion there is no other way to connect to the state of Israel than to know what was lost for this land to be called our home. For no matter how captivating the glow that shines off the Jerusalem stone may be for the eyes, it does not compare to the pride that grows in the heart, mind, body, and soul when one looks at the red bricks of Auschwitz and compares that to the meaning of what that Jerusalem stone truly represents. Brett Wohl April 17, 2010 Rabbi Fred Guttman | Day 11 | We went to services this morning at a variety of places. These included Hebrew Union College (Reform), the Conservative center, Shira Hadasha (traditional but egalitarian) and the Great Synagogue (Orthodox). We had a terrific Shabbat lunch and then some took a nap and others went to a park or just hung out. Tonight, after Havdalah, we are taking the group to the Malka Mall. Rabbi Fred Guttman April 16, 2010 Rabbi Fred Guttman | Day 10 | Our day began at Yad Vashem, Israel’s National Holocaust Memorial. The idea here was to learn how Israel remembers the Holocaust. We did not tour the museum but rather several other sites there with two wonderful guides from Yad Vashem. From there we went to Mount Herzl and the military cemetery. We stopped at the graves of Herzl, Rabin, Golda and Hannah Senesh. We also told several stories about significant military heroes that were buried there and attempted to help the students prepare for Memorial Day – Yom Hazikaron – which begins on Sunday night. We visited the outdoor market Machaneh Yehudah and had lunch there. In the afternoon, my brother-in-law, Tom Sawicki, gave us a briefing about the security barrier. The briefing was from a place in Talpiot wherein we could see the barrier from afar. We returned to the hotel and got ready for Shabbat. About 20 kids went to visit relatives. We went to the Kotel for Shabbat and walked back. Rabbi Havivi pegged it correctly when he said that what went on there on Friday night was a “prayer rave.” The students were dressed so nicely. It was a beautiful sight to walk back with them and to have a wonderful dinner with them. TGIS – Thank God it is Shabbat. The group is exhausted and the sleep deficit is beginning to catch up with us. Rabbi Fred Guttman April 15, 2010 Rabbi Fred Guttman | Day 9 | Our day began at Kibbutz Misgav Am. Misgav Am sits on top of a large mountain which overlooks Lebanon. We met a man there named Arieh who spoke to us about living so close to Lebanon and to Hezbollah. It is indeed pretty scary. The news from Lebanon says that the Syrians are sending Hezbollah scud missiles. One left with the impression that Hezbollah will stop at nothing until Israel is destroyed. Despite all of this, the view from there was magnificent. It is sad to consider the beautiful region of southern Lebanon is now controlled by this form of Radical Islam. We then went on a terrific hike in the Golan Heights. I liked the idea that we were exposing the kids to the natural beauty of Israel. From there, we went to a former Syrian bunker overlook the Hula valley. Again a beautiful site with a very powerful message. The day ended with a visit to the Naot shoe factory at Kibbutz Naot Mordecai where we bought lots of shoes. From here, we traveled to Jerusalem, checked into a nice hotel in the center of town and had dinner on Ben Yehuda Street. It is so nice to be in Israel and Jerusalem. Rabbi Fred Guttman April 14, 2010 Names to be announced | Day 8 II | (Unknown) I love Israel – this being my first time here, I am already in love. We got here early in the morning, but that didn’t slow us down one bit. After breakfast, we went to the beach for a little “welcome to Israel fun.” We didn’t spend much time there before we went to the Haifa Cemetery, the camp the British put the Jews in after the Holocaust. It was absolutely beautiful. The story about Tal, I think had a huge impact on all of us. The story teaches us that you have to be careful, even in everyday situations, and that you shouldn’t take life for granted because you don’t know when it will be taken away from you. The view from the cemetery also was absolutely gorgeous; you could look out and see the water and the mountains – breathtaking! Name to be announced (Unknown) We just arrived in Israel yesterday and I was in love from the start. Coming from the intense feelings of sadness in Poland, the hope we found in Israel was a welcome relief. The entire plane started cheering when we touched down, and from that moment we were on the move – the fact that it was 4:00 a.m. didn’t matter. In fact, it meant that we were able to see the sunrise on the bus ride to breakfast by the sea. Though it was cold, we were all so excited to be here and eat some food that we didn’t get to eat in Poland, like fresh bread. From breakfast we went to the beach and played an Aliyah Bet game, where each bus divided up into two teams, one to wait in the water while the other group ran down the beach to “rescue” us from the ocean and carry us in. Though the White Bus lost, it was so much fun! After having some fun with the idea of Aliyah Bet, we learned more about what actually happened when the European Jews attempted to immigrate to Palestine. Though the conditions were bad in the camps that the Jews were forced into, they were happy to be in the land of Israel. Then we went to a cemetery and heard from Ron Kehhrman, whose daughter was killed in a terrorist bombing. It was so sad and it made me realize that the fighting isn’t helping anybody, only breaking up families. We had the opportunity to relax afterwards at the hotel, and catch up on our sleep before our barbeque dinner and disco boat. It was an amazing first day in Israel. Name to be announced April 14, 2010 Rabbi Fred Guttman | Day 8 I | Yeah! Today we arrived in Israel having taken a red eye from Poland. The students did not sleep on the plane and so they are really dragging. We started the morning with a fabulous breakfast by the sea in Caesarea. Before breakfast, we stopped for a moment to appreciate how lucky we all were to be able to come in freely to Israel. This is especially true when one considers what we have seen in Poland. Adam our madrich led us in Modeh Ani, the shehekeanu and the Shema. Afterwards, we made kiddush and motzi and then went to breakfast. The students really seemed to appreciate the food and the espresso. From there we went to the beach wherein we played the “Aliyah Bet” game. This is a game wherein holocaust survivors are being greeted by people who live in Israel during the period of the British Mandate. The kids also made human pyramids and seemed to really be enjoying themselves. As I write this, the students are at the Atlit detention center, a place where, in 1946, the British imprisoned Jews who had tried to come into Israel. More on the day later but at this point I would like to share a thought. Our kids for the most part do not fully know or comprehend the narrative of the Shoah and what this narrative teaches us that we really need a free Jewish state. We have seen such powerlessness among the story of the Jews in Europe. It is nice to see Jewish defense and self determination. Yes, Israel has many political problems and security issues, but this is such a wonderful country. The hi-tech environment and the economic development really jump out at you here. I can only hope that they will continue to learn this narrative and will become an active part of the pro-Israel community in the U.S., especially on when they head off to college. I am very proud of this group. They seem to absorb so much of what we are trying to teach them. I honestly feel already that this trip will be life-changing for many of the participants. Rabbi Fred Guttman April 13, 2010 Hillary Muss, Katherine Bernstein, Michael Perlmutter, Sarah Cassell and Carolyn Berlin | Day 7 | (From Hillary Muss) It’s hard to imagine that sixty five years ago our brothers and sisters were standing on this very ground subject to inhumanity beyond our comprehension. The stories of various acts of brutal torment were brought to life as we walked through each death camp. As overwhelming emotions filled my mind I found that even with visions of suffering engraved in my heart I still felt a sense of pride and dignity as we continue to remember and embrace our Jewish identities. As we marched from Auschwitz and Birkenau, I realized that the large amount of people marching was less than one train to each camp. As I took a moment to stare at a few individual faces I found it impossible to imagine how many people were murdered each day. As the colors of the sky represented each day’s journey—specifically when the sun finally came out on the day of the March—I realized that while most of this experience has left me feeling distraught, each person walking and remembering gave me a sense of hope for “am Israel chai.” The Holocaust will always be instilled in us—we will never forget. Hillary Muss (From Katherine Bernstein) This afternoon we toured Majdanek, one of the six death camps—the most preserved camp we have seen so far. We focused on learning about the evidence against those who say the Holocaust never happened. We visited the gas chambers, and saw green residue all along the walls left over from the Zyclon B (a poisonous gas). Next we saw a room filled with 600,000 pairs of shoes from prisoners of the death camp. We all walked around in silence, finding one pair to focus on—reflecting on how that one pair of shoes defined that person’s individuality, but was stripped away after coming to this camp. Then we went to the crematorium, and Emily sang a blessing for those who were cremated, which goes directly against the Jewish belief of life after death and natural decomposition. Lastly, we walked to the monument holding the ashes, which was three stories high. We all stood around the pile of ashes of half a million of our people and sang Hatikvah and then read the Mourner’s Kaddish. For me, it was the most emotionally difficult day in Poland. But we are now on our way to Israel, and are all excited to celebrate life and the future of the Jewish people. Katherine Bernstein (From Michael Perlmutter) Today, for the first time in a while, we were able to sleep-in till 9:00. After waking up we had the “usual” breakfast (a bread roll, some orange juice, an apple, a hardboiled egg and cereal). Nothing here is to be taken for granted, a bed with a blanket and an occasional snack seems enough at this point. All our wants have diminished to simply things we need, a meal and a place to sleep. Today we went to Maidonek, the last death camp we were to tour in our time in Poland. We walked around the camp, occasionally going into various rooms which had once served varying purposes. One room maintained a giant barrack which used to “house” a small percentage of the Jews, Gypsies, and Poles who resisted the Nazi regime its agenda. Paul and Hank, our group’s Holocaust Survivors, passed through this camp. They spoke of their experiences within the camps they were held and of camps they were liberated from. After this talk, we continued walking until we reached a room filled entirely with shoes of those who were taken to Maidonek. We were told to find a single pair of shoes and focus on them. We came to the realization that they weren’t simply shoes but symbols of all the different people affected by the Holocaust. The shoes told the story and showed the personalities of the innocent people who were brutally murdered as the world held a deaf ear. As I looked into the endless piles of shoes, I took off my shoe and held it in my hands and thought, “My shoe is no different, my shoe could have been in there, my family’s shoes…my friends’ shoes.” This event wasn’t simply a personal attack upon an individual but rather the entire community – Jewish families that you knew and everyone that disagreed or stood-up to the Nazi regime, the “Righteous Gentiles.” We continued on our tour and walked into an old chamber stained green by the noxious gases that once filled it. This is clear, visible, physical evidence of the atrocities of the Holocaust, yet there are still numerous people in the world who claim this event did not occur. While walking through the gas chamber I remember standing in a spot in solitude and breathing in. The air filling my lungs was fresh, air not available to the Jewish people who were exterminated in that very place I stood. We exited this chamber and walked a decent distance to the crematorium. Within the crematorium we saw at least five very large incinerators. Within the incinerators small fragments could be seen, fragments of our people. Hitler’s “Final Solution” was no longer simply a strategy in governmental documents and textbooks to us, it was a glaring reality. Shock is the main factor you feel – the idea that something of this magnitude could happen can only be named insane. If things weren’t emotionally tough enough we saw a mass pit filled entirely with human ash. In Judaism, it’s an unholy act to be cremated, yet the Nazis used this practice anyway. We weren’t simply dehumanized; they made every effort to break our spirit, our faith, and our hope. We Marchers represent the hope, the faith, the strength and perseverance of a people. We are a change people can believe in. The theme we have forever been told is “Never Forget.” The places we’ve visited are impossible to forget, yet they’re so horrific you wish so hard to forget. In wishing to forget the horrors of this event, the significance and reality of the Holocaust is ultimately denied. Remembrance is an active pursuit and we must continue to inform people of this genocide. The world we live in isn’t as nice a place as it seems. The Holocaust serves as evidence that events like this can happen, and that it is easier to hate than to love. My faith in humanity was broken when touring these camps. My faith has been restored by the knowledge that those ashes did not consist only of Jews and those sought out by the hateful Nazi regime, but also “Righteous Gentiles” who stood up for humanity and for our people. People who went against the current, stood up for what they believed, and took action. We as a Jewish people are capable of providing the change necessary to make this world a better place. “I will forever remember and I vow to never forget.” Michael Perlmutter (From Sarah Cassell) A pair of shoes can seem insignificant, especially when you have many, as most of us do. But what if they’re all that is left of you? The only clue I have about this Jewish girl who was killed in the Holocaust is a pair of red sandals. I noticed them because I myself would buy and wear them; red, woven leather sandals. I imagine a girl like me – she’s young and lively and bright. Maybe she was beautiful, or funny, or smart. Maybe she loved to read, or dance, or draw. I imagine her laughing with friends back at home, recalling inside jokes and chasing boys, fighting with and forgiving her siblings and her parents. She was, simply put, a real person. She bought those red sandals because she liked them, the same way I like them. She could be sitting here speculating about me today, and I could be the one with the red sandals, my body reduced to ashes. Who decided it would be her and not me? Why am I the one alive? I will never know. I think I will buy myself a pair of red sandals. Every time I wear them, I will remember her. Sarah Cassell (From Carolyn Berlin) We are now in Krakow on the plane on the way to Israel. We have had an amazing experience together in Poland. This is my fourth March. Each time is so different because of the kids. This time the group is so impressive. The students from various communities have really integrated well. Some have made fast friends already. And still a week to go! I have been so impressed by the maturity of this group. You have much to be proud about as parents! They have coped well in Poland through the camps and the sadness and can barely contain themselves as we head for Israel. The ruach in this plane is palpable!! Carolyn Berlin April 12, 2010 Rabbi Fred Guttman Jillian Norwick, Lindsey Stiles and Sarah Edelstein | Day 6 | (From Rabbi Fred Guttman) What an incredible day. Beautiful weather for the March! Our kids seemed to love the overall experience. More on this later. Our day began in the Jewish quarter of Krakow. We learned about Rabbi Moses Isserles and saw the 16th century synagogue named after him. The cemetery outside has been desecrated by the Nazis. Some of the tombstones had been made after the war into a wall to protect the cemetery. We then went to the Temple, a progressive synagogue from the mid 19th century. The synagogue had been restored by the Lauder Foundation in the 1990’s. After a story to prepare them for the March, the kids put our two survivors in a chair and lifted them like Bar Mitzvah boys. It was such a joyous scene and the other groups in the room at that time seemed to look at us in amazement. Well, we made it to the staging place in Auschwitz on time. By then the weather was nice and we were all so grateful not to be in the rain as yesterday. The students marched together most of the way. For a good part of the way, we were led by our two survivors. I have not heard how many people were on the March this year, but I have heard estimates from 8-10,000. The ceremony at the end was nice. There was a fabulous violinist and Dudu Fischer sang. Fischer is a cantor in New York and once played Tevye on Broadway. Some of our students sang in the choir and Kathy Manning along with her daughter Jenny and Tal Havivi lit one of the six memorial candles. The feedback from the kids about being a part of the 2010 March has been incredibly positive. This is such a good group of students and they seem to be absorbing so much of what we are trying to teach and are so appreciate of this experience. Now we are on a very long bus ride to Lublin. Tomorrow will be our last day in Poland and we are going to our last death camp, Maidenek. Tomorrow night, we fly to Israel! Rabbi Fred Guttman (From Jillian Norwick) Despite the fact that this sounds very cliché, I think for all of us this has been an experience so far that will completely change our lives. From the happy to the hard times we have all been so overwhelmed with emotions that we have never felt in our lives. Going from standing inside a gas chamber where thousands people had died to being with thousands of fellow Jews marching together for peace and love, I think without a doubt this will be an experience I will never forget. And to quote one of our amazing survivors Paul, “We need to never repeat the past, and we need to live in the future.” Love you, Mom and Dad! Jillian Norwick (From Lindsey Stiles) Greetings from Poland! Today was the March of the Living and I can't believe it’s done. We started the day off by visiting two different synagogues in old town Krakow and sharing stories in a cemetery that was partially ruined by Nazi invasion. After that we rushed back to our very lovely buses and hit the road once again, back to Auschwitz. Upon arriving there, we were swarmed by thousands and thousands of Jewish teens from all over the world; from Lyon, France to Hungary and Canada. There were lots of Canadians, it was nice and they gave me a free shirt! The March itself did not take as long as I was expecting but it was great. Everyone was walking arm in arm and the sea of Jews was never ending. It’s hard to describe how comforting it is to look around and know that no matter where you're from, you have something in common with everyone around you. It’s an amazing feeling. After the ceremony was over, we all got back on the buses once again and headed to Lublin. One more day until Israel! I hope everyone is doing well! Lindsey Stiles (From Sarah Edelstein) With a Mr. Big candy bar in my belly and a pair of sore (but happy) feet to my name, I write to you, the endless and glorious inter web. Today was the day we had all been waiting for: the March. We walked from Auschwitz, where we spent a very rainy several hours yesterday, to Birkenau, where we heard the story of one of our Delegation’s survivors, Paul. The scene was almost indescribable. Between the ten thousand marchers, hundreds of survivors, and endless seas of blue jackets and Israeli flags, it was almost impossible to tell Panama from Brazil, Australia from Argentina, or Poland from America. In this ambiguity, there was a deep feeling of solidarity and togetherness, as if each of our separate nations was forming into one nation: the future of the Jewish people as a global community. Sarah Edelstein April 12, 2010   | Weekend Photos | April 10, 2010 Maddie Kaufman and Jenny Kaplan | Day 3 (night life!) | (From Maddie Kaufman) This morning we had two separate services for Shabbat. I went to the Reform service, and it was very lively and energetic! At the end of the service, there was a 91 year old Polish man who saved a large number of Jews during the Holocaust. Not being a Jew himself, we looked to him as a hero. He risked his life more than once and, to physically be able to see, let alone meet, hug and kiss this righteous person was like a miracle. He does not see himself as a hero, he said it was just something he had to do, but no matter what he says, there is not enough we can do to thank him for saving so many of our brothers and sisters. After we came back to our hotel, we had lunch (the same thing for the past three days!!!) Mom, I certainly enjoy your experimental dinners much better! We then had some free time and I took the best four and a half hour nap of my life!!! I've been meeting so many different people from so many different countries, hearing tons of languages. I cannot remember all of the names of the people I've met so far on the elevator. It's a lot of fun meeting so many different kids! Shortly after services started, we were informed that the president of Poland was killed in a plane crash this morning. How ironic, right before Shabbat services the president passed away. We are now at the Warsaw University for a memorial. Walking here, on just about every corner people were selling memorial candles and flowers. The entire country of Poland is in mourning. It's very sad and gray, and everyone seems very out of sorts, which I don't blame them for... Well tomorrow we wake up at 5:30 a.m. (oh boy!) and we will be heading out for Auschwitz and we will be in a different hotel. Shabbat Shalom and Good Night! Maddie Kaufman (From Jenny Kaplan) After a very emotionally trying day yesterday, Shabbat was certainly a relief for us all and a chance for our group to relax and bond. This morning there were two options for services, a reform service at the Holiday Inn and an orthodox service at the only remaining live synagogue that has been in existence in Warsaw since before WWII. I attended the orthodox service and enjoyed hearing Gary Lindenberg's aliyah immensely. Though the orthodox service was interesting, it really made me appreciate our services at home where participation from all congregants is encouraged. In addition to services, I went on a walking tour of Warsaw this afternoon and saw a gorgeous and historic part of the city that we had not previously seen. This experience was made truly unique and special by the fact that we saw first-hand the intense mourning of the Polish people at the loss of their president, first lady, many important members of the president's cabinet, and the head of the Polish army. Walking through the plaza in front of the president's palace, we pushed through over a thousand people standing in the plaza together, placing flowers and candles to try and express and share their grief and the grief of all of the Polish people. Keeping the fact that the nation is in grief in mind, we are trying to keep the mood somewhat somber, but are now waiting to see a talent show organized by the Canadian delegation. Today was all together a very full but relaxing day; tomorrow should be much tougher as we leave Warsaw and move on to Auschwitz. Hope all is well at home. Jenny Kaplan (influenced by Carrie Brown) April 10, 2010 Rabbi Fred Guttman | Day 3 (so far) | We split into two groups today with some going to the Norjick synagogue for Orthodox services and others going to a Reform service.  At the latter, there was an opportunity to meet with a 91 year old man who is recognized for his work saving Jews during the Shoah. Our kids were visibly moved by the opportunity to meet this giant of humanity. IMPORTANT - Of course, the biggest news of the day was the tragic death of the Polish president. The entire country is very calm and in deep mourning. Our guide tells us that the level of mourning reminds her of the death of Pope John Paul II. There will be two minutes of silence tomorrow at noon. This tragedy should not be a cause for concern for parents. It is true that Poland is in the news, but our program is going on as scheduled. The Polish president was known as a very good friend of Jews, Israel and the United States. We will keep you informed of how this plays out here. We have communicated our condolences to our guide and the Polish people over this terrible loss of so many of their leaders. We are going to Warsaw University for Havadalah and a program which is being put on by the Canadian contingent. More later.   Shabbat shalom! April 9, 2010 Rabbi Fred Guttman | Day 2 | We started our day at the death camp of Treblinka. There is not much left of the camp other than some monuments and a pit where Jewish bodies were burned after gassing. We tried to stress the heroism of the Treblinka revolt. The students put together a very nice ceremony which was done at the ash pit. Early in the ceremony, one of the students read the poem "The Last Butterfly" by Pavel Friedman. The poem was not written in Treblinka but in Terezin by a young teen and it describes his feelings upon seeing a yellow butterfly in the ghetto.   Later in the ceremony, a group was singing the song, Eli Eli, when all of a sudden a single yellow butterfly flew over the ash pit. People were viably moved. Was it just a moment of chance or something more?   From there it was on to the small village of Ticochin. There we visited a magnificent synagogue. There are no Jews left in Ticochin so it is proper to describe the synagogue as a “dead synagogue.”  We recreated life in the synagogue by singing and dancing. It was wonderful. So much ruach or spirit. Josh Van der Linden came up to me and told me that was one of the best Jewish experiences of his life. We then went to the Lubochowa forest some two miles from Ticochin to pay our respects at the mass grave where the Jews of the town, some 200+, were shot in 1941. The forest is incredibly beautiful. We lit six candles. Two were lit by Hank and Paul, our survivors. Emily Siar and Sarah Cassell sang a hauntingly beautiful Ani Maamim, "I believe with perfect faith." After the first time through, we all sang it with them a second time. We said Kaddish and sprinkled some of the dirt from the Mount of Olives on the grave. Then we lined up in two parallel lines and let Hank and Paul go between the lines as is traditional at a funeral. On the outside, we washed our hands and ate an egg sitting down as if we were all observing Shiva.  It was an extremely powerful moment. Rabbi Havivi's explanation of why we do these rituals as Jews was also extremely powerful.   We then returned to Warsaw.  On the way, our Madrichim, Rachel and Adam, led singing of Shabbat songs on each bus. Upon our return to the hotel, we all took showers to prepare for Shabbat. I do not know how else to say this, but that shower was terrific. Lots of hot water. It seemed as though we were being cleansed of all of the dirt, ashes and tears from the day. Rabbi Havivi led services in a hall outside of the dining room. The volume and the spirit were so high and the students were so beautifully dressed. Every one of them seemed to be incredibly handsome and beautiful. It is nice to be young. Even the food for dinner was good.   Shabbat shalom! April 8, 2010 Rabbi Fred Guttman | Day 1 | After a fairly uneventful flight, we arrived in Poland on Thursday morning. There was an opening at the Warsaw Ghetto wall. Paul Gast, one of our two survivors, told us about what it was like t live in a Nazi Ghetto, specifically the Lodz Ghetto. Paul is wonderful and is such a mentsch! This was followed by a visit to the Warsaw cemetery. We took the students into a section of graves from the mid 1800’s. These graves were all in Hebrew and had some wonderful art on them. These included deer, lions, tzedakah boxes, books, priestly hands and others. The students made grave rubbings of these and hopefully they will come back to the U.S. in good shape. We also went to the mass grave there and Jenna, Carmi and Emily led us in prayer. Emily chanted the El Male Rachameem prayer for the first time. It was beautiful. At the stature commemorating Janucz Korchak and his orphans, Hank sang the children’s song Ofen Pripetchek for us. FABULOUS!!! It is moments like these that make me realize that our being with him is really exposing the students to a world that has for the most part disappeared. We also visited the Korchak orphanage and the Norjick synagogue. Our day ended with the Ghetto fighter’s memorial walk. We had a good discussion at the Warsaw Ghetto square followed by Minchah. Our hotel is fine and the food is okay. We will be in Warsaw until Sunday morning. All-in-all a terrific, but tiring, day. Most of the students went to bed early as wake up this morning was at 5:45 a.m. We will be going to the Treblinka Death camp and then on to the small Jewish village of Tikotchin. Lots of travel but we need to get back before Shabbat. We will attempt to send in more pictures shortly. Our group seems to be quite good. No kvetching and lots of good energy. All of the effort by parents to pay for the trip and to send the kids on the trip seems to be very worthwhile.   Shabbat shalom! April 8, 2010   | Day 1 Photos | In front of ghetto wall in Warsaw, Poland Mila 18 Inside the Noyszk Synagogue Doing a rubbing of a matzevet (Tombstone in the Warsaw cemetery) April 7, 2010   April 7th! The 2010 March of the Living has begun! Our Greensboro delegation met up with San Diego and Roanoke delegations to officially become and represent the Mid-Atlantic Region for this year's March of the Living. As I write, our Marchers are in transit and will arrive bright and early in Poland tomorrow morning. They'll hit the ground running and I'm sure will have lots to say - keep checking back for the latest March activity! - Amanda Tadlock - 2010 MOTL Mid-Atlantic Registrar   ~| 2010 Mid-Atlantic March of the Living Roster |~ Debbi Aberman Jacob Aberman Neil Aberman Jay Bartell Carolyn Berlin Katherine Bernstein Adam Blotner Aida Brodt Hank Brodt Carrie Brown Judy Bryant Sarah Cassell Jacob Caudill Sarah Edelstein Lisa Felber Maia Ferdman Paul Gast Jennifer Glick Sheldon Glick Ted Glick Wilma Glick Mara Goldberg Rachel Goldstein Ari Goodman Chen Greenberg Philip Grubbs Philip Eugene Grubbs Rabbi Fred Guttman Nancy Guttman Adam Guyes Rabbi Eli Havivi Tal Havivi Aaron Hopkins Sam Hughes Jenny Kaplan Maddie Kaufman Erin Klarsfeld Jay Klarsfeld Reid Klarsfeld Rhoda Klarsfeld Stephanie Krantz Karen Kriegsman Margaux Lander Harriet Langley Carole Lindenberg Erica Lindenberg Gary Lindenberg Sabrina Livne-Kennedy Tzuria Malpica Kathy Manning Carmi Medoff Michael Mozzar Hillary Muss Mariya Nikolaeva Jillian Norwick  Erika Ostroff  Michael Perlmutter Andy Rosen Keith Rosen Alex Rotenstreich Rachel Saslove Dana Schleien Jenna Schleien Daniel Schlossberg Neil Schlossberg Craig Schneid Bret Segall-Abrams Emily Siar Sheryl Siar Ra'anan Sistare Noam Soker Anna Solomon Dorit Stein Lindsey Stiles Jerry Stolov Lori Strauss Rachel Strauss Lauren Swersky Jennifer Tolin Rebecca Vail Josh Van der Linden Matthew Von Ende Daniel Wendell Andrew Wohl Brett Wohl Zev Woodstock Back