Following Tribe’s largest ever trip to Poland, 74 participants reunited this week at Mill Hill US. The Poland trip was part of Tribe’s Learn2Lead programme which inspires secondary school students remember the past to build the future and as a result of their experience, take an active role in their communities.
At the reunion, Participants reflected on memories of their life-changing journey. It was an opportunity for parents to hear about their child’s experience, which together with short multimedia presentations was a way for the group to re-live their journey.
Talking about the trip, Max Goldstone said: “The huge ruach and close bond we shared was a tribute to the sacrifices that our grandparents made during the holocaust. Whenever I look at my pebble from Birkenau, I'll remember the most incredible feeling I've ever had of when we walked out of Auschwitz arm in arm singing Am Yisroel Chai. I'll remember that every time I wake up in the morning, I am living a miracle and I have a duty to sing as loud as I can, to be a Jew through and through and to remember and tell the story of the holocaust”.
Led by Rabbi Eli Levine of Tribe and both Tzvi Sperber and Zak Jeffay of JRoots, the group travelled to several significant places including Warsaw, Majdanek, Lublin, Belzec, Lizhensk, Tarnow, Zybilatovska Gora, Krakow and Auschwitz Birkenau. They were joined by a survivor, ‘Bobby’ - Eva Neumann.
Rabbi Eli Levine commented: “At a time when there are fewer Holocaust survivors than ever, it’s vitally important that the stories of the Holocaust are passed on to the next generation, so that they can keep alive the memory of both victims and survivors. I am delighted that this trip has given participants the opportunity to learn about their history and I hope that this Tribe trip has inspired our students to lead Jewishly engaged lives, connected to their Jewish heritage and will become future leaders of a vibrant future for UK Jewry”.
