Going to the town today was beautiful. Starting off with the bus ride to it. The whole route was just view after view. It goes to show that there’s so much beauty in Poland that doesn’t go unnoticed even with the history…
We started our day with a walking tour of the limited remains of the Warsaw Ghetto. Among the bustling capital city of Poland are fragments of the ghetto wall, unobtrusive memorials to denote where the wall once stood, and others to honor…
In Majdanek’s silent blocks they lie,Echoes of lives that passed us by,A sea of shoes, a testament,To lives extinguished, souls that went. Leather worn, fabric frayed,Tiny shoes where children played,Heels and soles in quiet piles,Speak of journeys, countless miles. Each shoe a…
As an English teacher and a First Amendment professor, I spend a lot of time thinking about words. In my role as a high school English teacher, I am constantly pushing my students to experiment with language – to show rather than…
I teach middle school ELA, and my literature textbook for 8th grade has a story in it entitled “Walking With Living Feet.” The story is about a high schooler visiting Majdanek with 5,000 other teens during her birthday week. The story goes…
Warsaw bricks on the sidewalk marking the borders of the ghettoBrick wall without the sharp glass and barbed wire appearing so non threatening , innocent in the drizzling rainNot revealing the horrors that took place on the other side. Later, long stones,…
Sure I could write about what I have been doing, thinking, and feeling for days, but as far as making meaning and processing this is not my method. To really capture the moment I am in, I take pictures. To deal with…
I have always loved history. As far as my memory allows, I have been captivated by the events that shaped the world in which I live. I served in the United States Army as a young man, and at 22 years old,…
I wondered which of the places we would be visiting would allow us to take pictures. Before I left Pittsburgh, everyone said “Make sure you take a lot of pictures!” and asked to see them as soon as I return. When we…
After reflecting on a busy first day in Poland, I am touched by the remarks of Rabbi Schudrich during our visit to the Nozyk Synagogue. While addressing the long term effects of the Holocaust on Poland and the Jewish population, he said…
What a trip thus far! The airline fairies weren’t kind to me as I began my journey to Warsaw, Poland, but God certainly was because a mechanical issue was discovered before we boarded. Instead of feeling frustrated, I was just tired and…
Our 2024 Poland Personally Begins! As we embark on a poignant voyage through Jewish history, the Holocaust, and the enduring struggle against antisemitism, our hearts are heavy with the weight of remembrance and the promise of understanding. Welcome to the Poland Personally…