News & Impact

July 8, 2012 Today, we went to Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. It was absolutely magnificent and well thought out. The museum focused on the remembrance of the unnamed victims of the Holocaust. We had the opportunity to explore on our own and fill our heads with so much information. The countless photos of people before the Holocaust had a particular impact on me, because you could see the souls of the people. Their personality and humanity was crystal clear through those photos.After spending about four hours there, we had a discussion with Gil Hoffman, a political journalist with the Jerusalem… Read More

After our first few days in Jerusalem I can honestly say it feels like we have been here forever…. like coming home again. Enjoy our photos and reflections… tomorrow we venture south to the Negev and then on to Tel Aviv.  You will notice the introduction of some beautiful photography taken by Alex, Legacy Tour college fellow. Quite impressive!  July 7, 2012 Israel- the final leg of our journey. When we landed in Tel Aviv, we recited the Shehekianu, a prayer for new beginnings. Being here is certainly a new experience for all of us! In Poland and Germany we… Read More

July 6, 2012 Warsaw is 1000 times different than both Berlin and Krakow on the outside, and that was the first thing I noticed. It has much larger buildings, bigger lights and it is more like a classic city. But as we got more familiar with the synagogues and Jewish community I realized that it was more similar to Krakow than anymore believed it to be. In short, there was once a thriving Jewish population… then the war. Following the war there was racism with communism. And now it has a small Jewish community…similar to Krakow. However, this was put… Read More

Greetings from Jerusalem! We arrived just before sunrise, and the group is loving the rest and relaxation. We’ll post pictures and reflections tomorrow. Shabbat shalom!… Read More

Over the past few days we have traveled over 500 miles and through 500 years of history. We are still attempting to catch our breath, but at the same time stopping to smell the roses in each garden along the way. Tomorrow will be our final day exploring Warsaw and then off to Israel.  Enjoy the reflections and photos. July 4, 2012 Yesterday we arrived in Warsaw. The long drive across the countryside was relaxing and yet somewhat eerie knowing the unfortunate history of the visibly beautiful landscape. Going to the Majdanek concentration and death camp was a surprise for… Read More

I didn’t know what to feel as we approached Auschwitz Birkenau. There was no dramatic music or flashes of tears or terror. I felt a more subtle kind of fear. The kind that starts as a small chill at the bottom of my spine or as a fleeting shadow when I’m home alone. It was eerie and silent but haunting none the less. I realize how that there are stories, beyond the black and white photos that history books never told me. They never seemed to explain the way that gravel crunches under worn shoe soles, or how electric fences… Read More