When I applied to this trip, I was grasping for a connection that me, as a Spanish teacher, could make to this program in Greece. I was willing to explore, and just assumed I would collaborate with a Social Studies teacher in the end to convey my message. In our first seminar, I learned that we would be visiting a city where the Jewish population had been invited to settle after being expelled from Spain by Isabel and Ferdinand in 1492. This city is called Thessaloniki. These people brought their traditions and language to their new home in Greece. Staying in Thessaloniki for two days and visiting so many sites and learning about how these Jews were impacted by the Holocaust was truly eye opening. There are many connections that could be made within my own classroom. We had such a special experience with the community attending Shabbat and hearing what will most likely be the last generation using the old language of Ladino, which was brought from Spain.
