The Wandering Jewess

Akko - June 28, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 22:32:00 +0000

staircase with colored stones and the "evil eye"

schoolgirls walking in Akko

interior of Uri Buri fish restaurant - Akko

boys playing near water - Akko

mosque - Old Akko

headscarves for sale - Akko marketplace

horse and carriage - through Akko

I decided to venture outside of Tel Aviv and drive north to the city of Acre (Akko). It has been a long time since I drove that far north but today's a beautiful day to take that drive. After an early breakfast, Fage yogurt with fruit, I decided to take the beautiful coast road, driving alongside the sea most of the way -- through Caesarea, Netanya and other coastal resorts. Old Akko is genuine -- it hasn't been gentrified or reborn as an artist's colony. Akko was built in the 18th century on top of the Crusaders' city. The underground corridors were once the home of knights and inhabitants. Mosaic-adorned mosques, minarets, and Turkish baths reflect the influence of the Ottoman empire. The town isn't filled with tourists; instead there is real life here -- marketplaces selling spices, shoes, clothing and necessities for those who reside there. Akko has been a principal port for 2,000 years. Watching horses riding through the streets, watching residents atop staircases just looking out to the horizon, seeing teenage boys playing on the cliffs hanging over the water are just a few of the scenes that I encountered here. Particularly noticeable was a staircase with embedded rocks, including the blue "evil eye" so common in the Middle East. There are several restaurants from which to choose along the coast, but I chose to go to the fish restaurant, Uri Buri. I ordered delicious grilled fish along with the usual mezze of appetizers, including eggplant, hummus and tehina. What struck me most about Akko was its authenticity, certainly refreshingly uncommon in travel these days.

Tel Aviv - June 27, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 00:59:00 +0000

Dan Hotel Beach - Tel Aviv

view of Marina - Hilton Beach - Tel Aviv

amazing sunset - Tel Aviv beach

beautiful beach - Tel Aviv

man walking along beach - Tel Aviv

beach - Tel Aviv

After having spent the weekend in Jerusalem, I was ready to return to Tel Aviv. The warm breezes of the hills of Jerusalem made me think of spending some time at the sea. I drove the TA-Jerusalem highway in less than an hour and was on my way to the shore. Parking is always a hassle at the beach, but I drove into an underground lot along the row of hotels lining the seaside. Residents of Tel Aviv can be seen at the beach any time of day or well into the evening. Of course, summers bring out young people, families and children so it can be difficult to find a spot in the sand. For a small fee, one can reserve a lounge chair and an umbrella. Bathrooms are easily accessible. Often groups of people are clustered together, young and old. The sun is strong, so sunscreen and hats are a must. Ice cream vendors and trinket sellers abound. It's definitely a lively scene. People of all ages can be seeing playing "matkot", a game similar to table tennis without the table. The clatter of balls against wooden rackets is heard everywhere. It seems to be the national summer game of Israel at the seashore.

outside of Jerusalem - June 25, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 22:38:00 +0000

inscription outside walls of Church of St. John the Baptist - Ein Kerem

entrance gates to Church of St. John the Baptist

minaret - Ein Kerem

Mary's Spring - Ein Kerem

lunch in Abu Ghosh

Crusader Church - Abu Ghosh

gardens - Crusader Church - Abu Ghosh

exterior of Church of the Crusader - Abu Ghosh

Saturdays in Israel are the Sabbath, a day of rest. In Tel Aviv, that means meeting friends for brunch, going to the beach, catching up on sleep or doing whatever. In Jerusalem it might mean praying at the Kotel or at synagogue, then enjoying lunch, napping and praying again. On a bright, summer June Sabbath, I decided to drive from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and stop in two interesting spots that I had never visited. My first stop was the Arab-Israeli town of Abu Ghosh, about 6 miles west of Jerusalem on the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem Highway. After driving up a windy road, I came upon the Crusader Church, one of the best preserved Crusader remains in Israel. Built in 1140 and destroyed in 1187, it was acquired by the French government in 1899. Crusaders have identified the site as the biblical Emmanus. The gardens of the Church were in full bloom with impeccably mowed grass and colorful bouganvilla. The building itself was somewhat imposing but the doors were open so I quietly made my way inside. The interior was beautifully painted in subtle tones and had neatly arranged rows of seating. There were stairs leading down to what once may have been a well. A monk dressed in white robes was singing hymns to a few listeners. It was quite awe inspiring and definitely made an impression on me.
After roaming the grounds, I decided it was time for lunch. After all, Abu Ghosh is famously
known as the "Hummus Capital of the World". I stopped at the Abu Ghosh restaurant. I was greeted with warm hospitality at the Abu Ghosh Restaurant and sat down to a filling meal of....hummus, pita and falafel. This was certainly going to be my main meal of the day!!
After lunch, I continued my drive to Jerusalem with another stop in Ein Kerem. According to Christian tradition, John the Baptist was born in Ein Kerem. Many of the visitors today are pilgrims from around the world. Ein Kerem means "Spring of the Vineyard". It is an ancient village of the Jerusalem District and is now a neighborhood in SW Jerusalem. It was one of the few depopulated Arab localities which survived the war with most of the buildings intact. Over the years, the artsy atmosphere has attracted a population of artisans and craftsmen.
According to Christian tradition, which is where Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, miraculously became pregnant and gave birth to John the Baptist. Tradition teaches that during her pregnancy, Elizabeth was visited by Mary, who was pregnant with Jesus. The two women met beside the village well and Mary drink from its cool waters. That place is now called Mary's Well. Many pilgrims come to drink from the well and take the holy water away with them in bottles.

Tel Aviv - June 22, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 21:40:00 +0000

book sale on Ibn Gvirol - Tel Aviv

Memorial to Yitzhak Rabin - Tel Aviv

typical apartment building - Tel Aviv

I decided to relax in the area near my apartment today. Sometimes it's just feel right to lounge around and explore what's in the neighborhood. This was one of those days I walked to the Kikar Hamedina for breakfast. I enjoy having yogurt and muesli, a staple on Israeli breakfast menus. After my honey-topped breakfast, I headed over to Rechov Ibn Gvirol, a main north south thoroughfare in the city. Lots of small shops, cafes and business are on this street which has recently been completely redone with palm trees and chairs. Many city and governmental offices are located on Ibn Gvirol so there are usually lots of people working, strolling and meandering in the neighborhood. Many of the apartment buildings look alike in Tel Aviv. Built in the "Bauhaus" style, most do not have parking garages. Most apartments have balconies and usually have shutters to keep out the hot summer Mediterranean sunshine.

I continue on my path on Ibn Gvirol and pass the memorial to the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. An eternal flame and Hebrew inscription mark the exact location where the Prime Minister was shot in 2004. There are photos of Rabin depicting his tenure in the IDF as well as his political career. It is indeed fitting that this memorial is set along a busy walking area of a major boulevard so that people pass it on their routine walk.
Not far from the memorial I saw throngs of people. Because I don't read Hebrew, I couldn't figure out why there was such a large gathering. After inquiring, I realized that it was a book sale. People of all ages were gathered for this outdoor event, even with threatening clouds in the sky. I didn't notice any signs or books in English so I decided to pass on this outdoor event. One never knows what you can experience on a stroll through the neighborhood.

Tel Aviv - June 21, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 20:58:00 +0000

bar along walkway @ Jaffa port

view north towards Tel Aviv from Jaffa Port

sunset view of Jaffa Port

Arab women along beach pathway looking south

sunset view from HaTachana looking west

renovated building at HaTachana

"Keren" shop in Neve Tzedek

No trip to Israel is complete without visiting Neve Tzedek. Every time I visit, there are more shops, restaurants and new apartments cropping up everywhere. Tiny spaces that were once parking lots and alleys have been converted to upscale boutiques, ice cream parlors and shops. One of my favorite shops is "Keren". With designs by Keren Wolf, the boutique showcases hand made vintage jewels. It is a delight to browse and meander through the unique decor and interesting pieces. A must see on Shabazi Street.
Not far from Neve Tzedek is HaTachana, Tel Aviv's old railway station. Originally built in 1892 as the terminus for the Jaffa-Jerusalem railway, the site fell into decay. Recently, the transformation has become of the of Tel Aviv's hottest spots to congregate. Located between Neve Tzedek and the sea, afternoons and evenings bring locals and tourists to eat, shop, browse and shmooze.
Earlier in the day, I decided to walk along the Tel Aviv Promenade, always a favorite activity of mine. Since my last visit to Israel, the walk path has been extended. One never tires walking along the Tayelet which borders the sea. Jaffa Port is a wonderful place to stop and take a break. Restaurants, cafes and bars dot the area. Old warehouses and shipyards have been converted to public spaces and the entire area welcomes pedestrians.

Tel Aviv - June 20, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 19:34:00 +0000

Free Gilad Shalit -- seen in Neve Tzedek

June bride

the happy couple

fresh veggies in G Market

Bob Dylan concert @ Ramat Gan Stadium

After a long 14 1/2 hour flight from Los Angeles to Tel Aviv, I finally arrived at Ben Gurion Airport. After collecting my bags, I proceeded to the newly built car rental facility at the airport. New service included a shuttle bus with a driver that actually helped load bags onto the bus and helped with unloading them at the car rental booth. This might not seem like anything special, but on previous trips, there was no driver assistance. One had to shlep your bags onto the bus and off the bus -- not an easy feat if traveling with several bags!
After a few hours rest, I managed to get myself ready to drive to the Ramat Gan Stadium to see Bob Dylan in concert. After finding parking (no easy feat), I walked the distance to the stadium. After some confusion, I found my assigned seat. It was rather far from the stage -- sitting on simple folding chairs in the middle of a row. As soon as the music began, people began leaving their seats and rushing closer to the stadium. Let's just say it was "meshigeh". No one was seated and people were dancing in the aisles. Maybe this was a typical Israel concert scene.....no one seemed to follow the rules in spite of security trying to restore order. The music was great and Dylan performed his usual songs. All in all, quite the Israeli concert experience.
The following morning, I went to the market in the G mall and stocked up on fresh produce. Summer fruits and veggies were available and I couldn't wait to taste them.
In the evening, I went on my daily evening stroll and decided to visit "HaTachana", the Hebrew name for the old Jaffa railway station. It has recently been transformed into one of Tel Aviv's most popular public spaces. Here one can find cafes, restaurants and boutiques all in a wonderful, historic setting. June is the month for brides, all over the world, and that includes Israel. I saw numerous couples being photographed in their bridal attire. It seems as if bridal wear (for women) is as extravagant in Israel as it is back home.
On the way back to my car, I passed through Neve Tzedek and noticed some graffiti on the wall saying "Free Gilad Shalit", the Israeli soldier that has been kept in captivity for over five years. The reminders of the cruelty of Israel's neighbors are once again exposed.

Tel Aviv, Israel - January 14, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 19:41:00 +0000

Caffe Tazza D'Oro - good cappucinno and pastries

Shabazi Alley - off Shabazi Street - Neve Tzedek

Am Yisrael Chai - graffiti signs all over Neve Tzedek

Neve Tzedek

Shakshuka breakfast @ Benedict in Tel Aviv

Benedict Restaurant on Ben Yehuda St.- Tel Aviv

I have pretty much spent most of the morning catching up on my sleep from the long flight from LA. I decided to begin my morning with an Israeli breakfast. Several friends recommended Benedict, known for their amazing breakfasts and brunches. It's a good find since it's open 24/7. I decided to walk towards the sea and go to the branch on Ben Yehuda Street. I wasn't disappointed. Usually I would order an Israeli salad which comes with delicious breads and yogurt, but today I decided to try the shakshuka. My meal arrived on a hot skillet and was delicious. Shakshuka are eggs cooked in tomato sauce, onions and spices. It definitely woke me up!! I haven't been there, but there is a restaurant in Old Jaffa called "Dr. Shakshuka" which I'll have to try next time I'm in Tel Aviv.
After breakfast I took a cab down to Neve Tzedek, the oldest part of Tel Aviv. Shabazi Street is the main drag and it's always fun to check it out. Cute boutiques, wine bars, restaurants and unique gift shops line the narrow road. Tourists and locals come often to enjoy the ambiance and quiet of this enchanting neighborhood. Each time I return to the area, it becomes more upscale and gentrified. Old, shoddy buildings become newly renovated and there are cranes to be seen everywhere. A great place to stop for a cappuccino and pastry is Caffe Tazza D'Oro, tucked behind Shabazi Street on Ahad Ha'am St. The mood is casual and the coffee outstanding. After being fortified, I continued my walk toward the Promenade by the sea. Watching and listening to the sounds and sights of the sea is one of my pastimes, and again the Promenade didn't disappoint. There is something soothing and calming walking along the boardwalk in the middle of winter and enjoying the clean, crisp air along the sea.

Tel Aviv, Israel - January 13, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 15:33:00 +0000

new shopping center - Tsammeret Park

winter foliage - Tel Aviv

fresh veggies @ Eden Market - Tel Aviv

dried fruit and nuts @ Eden Market - Tel Aviv

older couple hand in hand - Tel Aviv

religious man walking - Tel Aviv

After a 14 1/2 hour flight from LA to Tel Aviv, I finally made it to my apartment in the center of town. Sometimes it's a good idea to break up the long flight with a short stop in Europe or NYC. In this case, I wanted to avoid any weather delays so I opted for the non-stop flight.
I woke this morning to a beautiful, warm (high 60's - low 70's) winter's day. What better way to deal with jet lag than to go out and walk in the sunshine. I decided to walk in the neighborhood and see what was new. I took a short 2 minute stroll to the new mini-mall serving several high-rise buildings in the "Tsammeret Park" neighborhood. A new market, Eden, was open and I spent at least 30 minutes walking through the amazing food displays. The fresh fruits and veggies, the displays of fresh lentils, dried fruit and just about anything you could expect to find at your local Whole Foods was there, including "Soy Vay", my favorite marinade from Trader Joe's. Who knew??
I continued my walk to the Kikar Hamedina, the circle of high-end, designer shops servicing a high-end Israeli consumer (of which I am neither high-end nor Israeli). You never know when you need to make that Louis Vuitton, Burberry or Ralph Lauren purchase!
As always, the most interesting part of walking through any city is people watching and Tel Aviv is no exception. Because people spend at least a good part of their day walking about and sitting in cafes, people watching can become an interesting way to gauge the feel of the beat of the city.

Krakow - July 24, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 20:57:00 +0000

Image of Star of David - Wieliczka Salt Mines

descending staircase - Wieliczka Salt Mines

banquet room made entirely of salt @ Wieliczka Salt Mines

religious imagery carved out of salt - Wieliczka Salt Mines

One of the highlights of my trip to Poland was having the opportunity to meet and speak with Marty Weiss, a Holocaust survivor and volunteer at the USHMM. Mr. Weiss is a delightful man with a wealth of personal experiences and information about the Holocaust. He is friendly, animated and eager to speak about his life. His attendance on our group tour gave everyone the opportunity to get a personal window into the tragedy of the Holocaust.
One of our last "field trips" with the museum group was our visit to the Wieliczka Salt Mines located on the southeast outskirts of Krakow. They have been worked for 900 years and used to be one of the world's biggest and most profitable industrial establishments when common salt was a rare commodity. Since the mid-18th century, these mines have become a huge tourist attraction, giving visitors the opportunity to walk underground for about 2,000 meters in the oldest part of the sale mine and see its subterranean museum. The mines have been placed on the original UNESCO list of World Heritage sites.
Nine centuries of mining in Wieliczka produced a total of 200 km of passages as well as 2,040 caverns of varied size. The tourist route starts 64m deep, includes twenty chambers, and ends 135m below the earth's surface.
It was quite an experience getting to the deeper levels of the mines. After descending several staircases and riding in a small, rickety elevator, I finally arrived at the deepest level of the mines.
The unique acoustics of the mines have made hearing music here an outstanding experience and our group was given the opportunity to attend a piano recital while enjoying dinner in the underground mines. This was certainly an opportunity of a lifetime.

Korniaktow/Budy Lancuckie - July 22, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 20:56:00 +0000

sign on deserted synagogue - Poland

letter written by my father to Julian Wojtyna

envelope posted on 8 July, 1979 from my father to J. Wojtyna

Maggie and Michael with J. Wojtyna family (Julian Wojtyna-3rd from right)
Korniaktow, Poland

barn where my father hid from Nazis - home of Mach Family

Maggie and Michael with Mach Family - Budy Lancuckie, Poland

Budy Lancuckie, Poland - village where my father was born

farmland near Korniaktow, Poland

Korniaktow, Poland - my father's childhood home

schoolhouse in Budy Lancuckie that my father attended

signs in km from Rzeszow traveling east

Our tour of Poland with the USHMM has ended. It was a life-altering experience to visit first-hand the areas where the horrors of the Holocaust took place. In addition, for me it was a personal experience. As a daughter of two Holocaust survivors, it was especially meaningful and at the same time eerie to step on land that had been the scene of so much tragedy and death.
With a tour guide/translator/driver, I set out to visit the small villages where my father was born and where he had spent his youth. It took several hours by car, driving through Rzeszow, to begin to see the farmland and scattered homes along a two-lane road. Passing signs with familiar sounding names (my father had spoken to me of working and living in different towns in Poland), I knew that I was getting close to my destination. After seeing the signs indicating that we had entered "Budy Lancuckie", I began to feel my father's presence. My guide/driver pointed out an old, deserted two story building that he knew had been a schoolhouse in years gone by. Maybe my father had been a student in this building. The sun was shining brightly as we entered the town of Korniaktow. This was the village where my father spent his youth. He often told stories of how he helped his mother in the garden and how he often went into the big city with his father to barter grains and farm animals for other goods.
After asking local villagers about two families that I knew had been neighbors of my father, they directed us to their homes. You can imagine the amazement of both families as they opened their doors to the daughter of someone who had once lived close by. The guide was able to translate Polish-English and it was quite miraculous to be able to stand in the homes of families knowing that my father had stood there some sixty years before.
The first home that we visited was that of the Mach family. The elder Tadeusz Mach was no longer alive, but his daughter and grandchildren greeted us. They showed us the barn where the elder Mr. Mach hid my father during the years of the Holocaust. I could barely hold back my tears.
The second home that we went to was that of the Wojtyna family. Miraculously, the elder gentleman, Julian Wojtyna, was still alive at 96 years old! His Polish commentary which I have recorded and plan to send to Yad Vashem, was his recounting of the days during WWII when he aided my father and other Jews who were trying to escape from the Nazis. His family made us feel extremely welcome. To my amazement, Mr. Wojtyna's daughter went to the kitchen drawer and opened it to reveal that she had saved letters from my father after the war. For some reason, she felt the need to hold on to them and save them. I held back my tears as I recognized my father's handwriting. This was truly a dream come true for me -- to be able to stand in the home of a Christian family who had the courage and humanity to save my father from his death.
I am deeply indebted to both of these families and will remember them in my heart forever.

Treblinka - July 20, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 20:55:00 +0000

Treblinka memorial with Star of David

Memorial candle at Treblinka

replica of train tracks - Trebinkla

memorial at Treblinka

vast woods - Treblinka

It was a warm and sunny day when I arrived at Treblinka. It was both a forced labor camp as well as an extermination camp. In reality, it was a factory of death, more than anything else. It is estimated that over 99% of arrivals at the camp were sent to the gas chambers immediately. Treblinka was located about 62 miles northeast of Warsaw. The camp received its first shipment of victims, 6,500 Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto on July 22, 1942. The gas chambers became operational the following day. Shipments continued on a daily basis thereafter, usually between 4,000 and 7,000 victims per day. The killing center had no other function, unlike concentration camps, in which prisoners were used as forced labor for the German war effort. In order to prevent incoming victims from realizing their fate, the camp was disguised as a railway station, complete with train schedules posters of destinations, and what appeared to be a working clock (in reality, a prisoner would move the hands to the approximate time before each convoy arrived.
All that remains of the horrors of Treblinka are a symbolic set of tracks along with a huge memorial consisting of rock formations as far as the eye can see. On the day that I visited, the largest rock formation had a small Star of David laying at its base. Numerous memorial candles with melted wax had been placed at different locations where visitors had been. The vastness of the area and its quiet greenery felt eerily calm. Simply walking through this place of horror brought images of unimaginable crimes of humanity.

Lodz - July 18, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 20:55:00 +0000

Lodz Ghetto Memorial

List of Names on Transport out of Lodz Ghetto

Train Cattle Car out of Lodz Ghetto

Radegast Station for transport out of Lodz Ghetto

Old synagogue - Lodz, Poland

Arthur Rubenstein sculpture on Ul. Piotrkowska

main street in Lodz - ul. Piotrkowska

fresh vegetables in market - Lodz, Poland

my favorite Greek yogurt @ market in Lodz, Poland

We took a side trip to Lodz, Poland, a city which is well off the usual tourist trail. It is home to Poland's biggest film studios and one of Europe's most famous film schools. During the 19th and 20th centuries, Lodz grew to become Poland's second largest city.
During the Nazi invasion of Poland, Germany captured Lodz on September 8, 1939 and annexed it to the Reich in November, 1939. The city received the new name of Litzmannstadt after the Germany general Karl Litzmann, who captured the city during World War I. The Nazis planned to evacuate the whole community of Jews from the city of Lodz, however, as it was impossible to do it immediately, they established a closed ghetto on December 10, 1939. The northern part of the city including streets of the Old City and the Baluty District, was chosen as a location of the ghetto. Because the Jewish community was so large, it took the Nazis eight months to lock the Lodz Jews in the small area of the Lodz Ghetto. In April, it was surrounded by wire and wooden fences. Over the years, Jews from other parts of Europe and Romans were deported to the Lodz Ghetto.
The Radegast Station, or the loading platform, is one of the most important historical sites connected to the Lodz ghetto. From this place, tens of thousands of people were herded off to the death camp at Chelmno and then to Auschwitz. The original wooden building along with its loading platform still stands today. The railway station was built in 1937. The Radogoszcz (Radegast) Station was the so-called Umschlagplatz of Lodz, the site where people were assembled just prior to being shipped out, in most cases, to die. For years, the building lay in ruin. In 2002, a Jewish heritage organization proposed that a museum of the ghetto be created in the Station building. It is one of the major historical sites that tell the tragic story of the Lodz ghetto.
Unlike Warsaw, the city of Lodz escaped major destruction during WWII. Ul. Piotrkowska is Lodz's 3.6 km long north =south backbone. Most of the city's tourist sights, hotels and restaurants are located on this cobblestone street. There is a branch of the Muzeum Sztuki, one of Poland's best museums of modern art in Poland, located in the area of Lodz largest mall "Manufaktura". Many upscale shops and restaurants are located in the area of the Manufaktura, including an outdoor "sand" beach area. The largest 19th Century textile factory complex which was built by Izrael Poznanski is an example of a modern business which operates in restored 19th century buildings. Our hotel, Andels Hotel, is an example of a contemporary interior located in such a restored building. We purchased items in the local grocery store and enjoyed a picnic lunch watching sand volleyball players. Who could have imagined the horror that had taken place in Lodz just seventy years ago?

Oswiecim - Auschwitz-Bierkenau - July 16, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 21:20:00 +0000

Memorial to Victims of Auschwitz

Arbeit Macht Frei - Work Makes You Free
sign at entrance to Auschwitz

Candle Memorial to Victims

Interior of Barracks

Ribbon with Israeli flag color
placed on train tracks at Auschwitz

Chilling view of tracks leading to Auschwitz

Auschwitz-Birkenau was the killing center where the largest numbers of European Jews were killed during the Holocaust. By mid 1942, mass gassing of Jews using Zyklon-B began at Auschwitz, where extermination was conducted on an industrial scale. Some estimates run as high as three million people kiled through gassing, starvation, disease, shooting, and burning. 9 out of 10 were Jews. In addition, gypsies, Soviet POW's, and prisoners of all nationalities died in the gas chambers. The largest single mass deportation during the Holocaust occurred between May 14 and July 8, 1944 where 437,402 Hungarian Jews were deported to Auschwitz in 148 trains.
The facility was established by order of Reichsfuhrer SS Heinrich Himmler on 27 April 1940. Private diaries of Goebbels and Himmler reveal that Adolf Hitler personally ordered the mass extermination of the Jews.children were often killed upon arrival. Children born in the camp were generally killed on the spot.
So called camp doctors, especially the notorious Josef Mengele, would torture and inflict incredible suffering on inmates.
The horrors of Auschwitz-Birkenau have been recounted widely. Books, manuscripts, films etc. have established the extraordinary evil committed by human beings.
Our trip to Auschwitz was emotionally difficult and trying. Every step that I took, every tree that I saw, every blade of grass could not remove the images of death and horror that Auschwitz conveyed. Throngs of people were witnessing Auschwitz the same day that our group was there. Schoolchildren, the frail and elderly, people of all nationalities and races were here to witness the gravesite and memorial to the millions killed.
So much has been written about Auschwitz. There is no need to write more. The memories that I have of being in this place will be with me forever.

Krakow Old Town - July 15, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 19:43:00 +0000

Painted Door Entrance to Shop - Old Town, Krakow

Planty Park - Krakow, Poland

Cafe located in stone building - Old Town Krakow

Pastries on display in cafe - Old Town, Krakow

Scene - Old Town, Krakow

Archway of stone in building - Old Town, Krakow

Google Office sign - Old Town, Krakow

Krakow's historic center, which includes the Old Town, Kazimierz and the Wawel Castle, was included as the first of its kind on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1978. The Old Town (Stare Miasto in Polish) is the most prominent example of an old town in the country. The architectural design has survived all wars of the past and has retained its original form coming from the medieval times. The Old Town is home to about 6,000 historic sites and more than two million works art. Every hour, trumpeters from the church steeple ring the bells in the middle of the Town Square. Housed in old buildings made of stone are modern, contemporary shops including an amazing deli (Delikatesy 13) which proudly displays its fresh fruit and veggies and delicious pastries. Walking through the winding streets of the Old Town I spotted a Google sign. Sure enough, Google has an office in Krakow!!
On my way back to the hotel after a pleasant afternoon, I strolled through the beautiful Planty Park which was established in the 1800's in place of the old city walls, forming a green belt around the Old Town. Skies were blue and temperatures were warm.....the seeming calm and beauty that I was experiencing would be changing drastically as I anticipated our trip tomorrow to Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Krakow - July 15, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 19:06:00 +0000

Krakow, seat of the famous Jagiellonian University founded in 1364, was the capital of the Polish kingdom from 1038 until 1596. Jews are known to have been residents of the city since 1176. In 1935, Krakow had a population of 245,000, including more than 68,000 Jews. German troops captured Krakow on September 6, 1939, less than a week after Nazi Germany invaded poland. After carrying out a military maneuver that spared Krakow significant destruction, Soviet troops liberated the city on January 19, 1945.
The Germans deported two thirds of Krakow's Jews (more than 40,000) between Oct. 1940 and March 1941. The remaining Jews were forced to live in the Krakow ghetto. By October 1941, nearly 25,000 Jews lived in the ghetto.
In two deportations, in June and Oct. 1942, the Germans sent almost half of the ghetto population, 12,000 Jews, to the Belzec killing center. In March 1943, the ghetto was liquidated: approximately 6,000 Jews were sent to the forced labor camp in Plaszow, and the remainder were either killed in the ghetto or deported to the gas chambers in Auschwitz. Less than 700 Jews remained at Plaszow when the Soviets liberated the camp in January 1945. Perhaps 6,000 Krakow Jews (10%) survived the war.

Krakow - July 15, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 19:48:00 +0000

Torah Ark - Remuh Synagogue, Krakow

Kazimierz

Gates to entrance to Remuh Synagogue, Krakow

Interior of Tempel Synagogue - Krakow

Synagogue Doors - Krakow

Jews Forbidden - photo of sign in Krakow History Museum

Nazi insignia tiled floor - Krakow History Museum

Our day in Krakow begins with a trip to the Krakow History Museum. The museum is housed in what used to be the administrative building of what used to be the Oskar Schindler Factory. The museum shows the history of the factory in a broad historical context and provides visitors the opportunity to learn more about the history of Krakow under German occupation. After a brief lunch at Szara's, we began our walking tour of Kasimierz. It is best known for being home to a Jewish community from the 14th century until WWII. The town was founded in 1335 by King Kasimierz where it once thrived as a community of tolerance between Christians and Jews. Through the years, Kazimierz became a town with walls separating the two religions and in 1791, it lost its status as a separate city and became a district of Krakow. The death knell of Jewish Krakow was sounded in 1939 when the Germans invaded and occupied Poland. After the war, Kazimierz was mostly deserted by its pre-war Jewish population and became a poor and dangerous neighborhood. Many old buildings were not repaired after the war devastation. Since 1988, a popular annual Jewish Cultural Festival has drawn Krakovians back to Kazimierz and re-introduced Jewish culture to a generation of Poles who have grown up without Poland's historic Jewish community. A Jewish youth group now meets weekly in Kazimierz and the Remuh Synagogue actively services a small congregation of mostly elderly Jews.
Our next stop was the Galicia Jewish Museum which commemorates victims of the Holocaust and celebrates the Jewish culture of Galicia. It hopes to educate Poles and Jews about their own histories. It is home to the internationally acclaimed permanent photographic exhibition, Traces of Memory.

Lancut - July 14, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 22:34:00 +0000

Interior of Lancut synagogue

Hebrew inscription - Lancut synagogue

Interior Wall of Lancut synagogue

Stones from Jewish Cemetery - Lancut, Poland

Ten Commandments above the Torah Ark - Lancut synagogue

Prior to WWII, Lancut had a thriving Jewish community, which made up about one-third of the town's population. Local Jewish cemeteries are the resting place of famous rabbis, and every year Hasidim come to pray at their graves.
The Lancut Synagogue, built in 1761, has a plain exterior, but its interior walls and ceiling are beautifully decorated with stucco work and paintings from the 18th through the 20th centuries. The synagogue is a rare surviving example of the four-pillar, vaulted synagogues built throughout the Polish lands in both wood and masonry from the 16th through the early 19th centuries.
The synagogue was set on fire during World War II, but survived because of its masonry construction. It was then used for storage of grain during the war. In 1956, with no Jews residing in Lancut, the town council proposed destroying the building. A member of the community persuaded the council to preserve the building as a museum and memorial to Lancut's destroyed Jewish community.

Belzec - July 14

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 20:03:00 +0000

Belzec Memorial

monument to Rzeszow - at Belzec

listing of names at Belzec - Mindel, my Yiddish name

layers of wood to resemble train tracks - Belzec Memorial

Upon arriving at the Belzec Memorial, the site of the first stationary killing facility established by the SS, I knew that this would be an emotional experience. The summer skies continued to be gray and full of humidity which gave the experience an intensity that was indescribable. The area of the memorial was huge -- and was filled with hundreds of thousands of rocks as far as the eye could see. In the distance were huge forests of green bordering the memorial. Our small group seemed inconsequential compared the vastness of the area. One could never imagine the scene here in the 1940's when this vast area knew only murder and annihilation. Scattered throughout the memorial were walls with sacred words written in Hebrew, Polish and English. One wall listed the first names of Polish Jews. Because the names of the real victims were unknown, this wall gave the victims some sense of identity. Among the names that stood out for me were Yiddish names that I knew from my own family. My Yiddish name is Mindl....my mother's name is Bajla, my aunt's name is Syma and my father's name was Lemel. The personal significance was deeply emotional for me and it was impossible to hold back the tears.
In addition to the names of people there were plaques naming the communities where the victims were from -- among them, Izbica, Zamosc, Rzeszow, Tarnow, and Lancut. These names were familiar to me from the stories that my parents had told me throughout the years.
As I entered the walking path to the memorial, I realized that the walls on either side of me became higher and the feeling of walking into an unknown place surrounded by thick concrete walls must have been similar to the feelings of victims walking into the unknown. This feeling was incredibly poignant and terrifying. Who could ever imagine the horrors?
As we left the memorial, we noticed one last piece of construction -- large pieces of wood put together to resemble railroad tracks -- another horrific symbol of the events that took place here.

Belzec - July 14

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 19:15:00 +0000

Memorial at Belzec

Map of Belzec and neighboring communities in Poland

Belzec is a small town located ten miles from the present-day Polish-Ukrainian border. In 1942 Germans established one of the first death camps. During the ten months of its existence approximately 450,000 Jews were killed. In 1944, SS and police authorities in Lublin District began construction of a killing center in Belzec. The killing center at Belzec began operations on March 17, 1942. It was the first stationary killing facility established by the SS and served as a training ground for future operations of that kin. Experience gained in Belzec was later applied at the other killing centers established later at Treblinka, Sobibor, and eventually Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Jews were brought to Belzec from ghettos nearby as well as those from the Lublin, Lwow, and Krakow Districts. Many of the victims were murdered during often brutal deportation actions. After arrival at Belzec, victims were told that they had arrived at a labor camp and needed to undress and take a shower. Victims had to run undressed along a narrow path that led directly into gas chambers labeled as showers. Once the doors were sealed, auxiliary police guards started an engine located outside the building. Carbon monoxide was funneled into the chambers, killing all those inside.
In October 1942, German SS and police began to exhume the mass graves at Belzec and burn the bodies. The Germans also used a mchine to crush bone fragments into powder. By late spring 1943, Jewish forced laborers, guarded by the SS had completed the task of exhuming the bodies, burning them, and dismantling the camp.
After the Belzec camp was dismantled, the Germans ploughed over the site, built a manor house there, and planted trees and crops to disguise the area as a farm. Soviet forces overran the region in July 1944.

In 2004 the US Holocaust Memorial Museum and its Polish partners completed an almost ten-year process of creating a new monument to the victims of Belzec.

Lublin - Majdanek - July 13, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 05:12:00 +0000

Barracks at Majdanek Concentration Camp

Guard Tower - Majdanek

Barbed Wire Fence - looking in Majdanek

Black Crow on Fence - Majdanek

After a short bus ride, our group gathered for a briefing about our upcoming visit to Majdanek , a camp and killing center located four miles from the city, and unlike most camps, visible from all sides. Director Tomasz Kranz gave us a short intro to the history of the camp. Constructed in Oct. 1941, Majdanek served as a center for the realization of the so-called "Final Solution to the Jewish Question". The majority of the prisoners were Jews, mainly from Poland, but also from Czechoslovakia, Germany, Austria, and France. The second largest group of prisoners was Polish Catholics. Among an estimated 150,000 prisoners who entered Majdanek, 80,000 people, including 60,000 Jews, were killed. In order to remove the traces of the crimes, the Germans burned the corpses on pyres or in the crematorium. The camp occupied an area of 670 acres. On November 3, 1943, the largest single-day of killing in a single location during the Holocaust took place at Majdanek. The Red Army liberated the cap on July 23, 1944 making Majdanek the first concentration camp liberated by the Allies. Soon after the liberation, the first Holocaust museum was created there.

Our visit took place on a dreary and cloudy summer day. The air was filled with humidity and the clouds threatened rain. Large black crows flying in groups added to the eerie feeling of being in such a horrific place. Much of our group followed the group leader in entering the barracks, but several of us were unable to walk through the interior rooms. Emotions were hard for some of us to control as we came to the realization that Majdanek was the first of four camps that would tell the story of the Holocaust in such real terms.

Warsaw/Lublin - July 13, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 04:27:00 +0000

View from Room at the Grand Hotel Lublin

Facade of Building in Old Town, Lublin

Old Town, Lublin

Biblical Art on Church, Old Town, Lublin

The day began with the sun shining as we made our way from Warsaw to Lublin. Lublin is the ninth largest city of Poland. The city's history goes back as far as the 10th century when a significant fortification existed there. One of Poland's most prominent Jewish communities was established in Lublin in the 16th century. In 1518 a yeshiva was founded in Lublin to which students came from all over Europe. At the end of the 18th century Lublin became a Hasidic center. Throughout the 19th century, Jews constituted more than half of Lublin's inhabitants. Yeshiva Chachmei Lublin opened its doors in 1930 and instantly became a center of Jewish learning. A ghetto was established in Lublin in March, 1941 with around 34,000 inhabitants. Lublin and its district played an important role in the German plan of annihilation of the Jews. Lublin was the headquarters of the Operation Reinhard, the SS-run program to kill all the Jews in the four major death caps - Belzec, Sobibor, Treblinka and Majdanek. A majority of the 3 million Polish Jews killed in the Holocaust went through these caps or died during the deportation process. Almost all of the Lublin Jews were killed by the end of the war - about 30,000 were killed in Belzec - mostly between March 17 and April 11, 1942.

Warsaw - July 12, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 03:07:00 +0000

US Ambassador to Poland Mr. Lee Feinstein

Restored Megillah at the Jewish Historical Institute, Warsaw, Poland

Area in Poland where my mother, Bella Magenheim, is from

Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw, Poland

The morning began with a trip to the Jewish Historical Institute which focuses on the study of the history and culture of Polish Jews. It is the largest depository of Jewish-related archival documents,books, journals, ritual and art objects. After lunch we enjoyed a luncheon in honor of our group at the lovely residence of Ambassador and Mrs. Lee Feinstein. Invited guests included members of the Polish government as well as professors and lecturers at the University. The remainder of the day was spent at the Warsaw Uprising Museum. The museum is dedicated to the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. The museum collects and maintains hundreds of artifacts. The goals of the museum include the creation of an archive of historical information on the Uprising and the recording of the stories and memories of the still living Uprising participants.

Warsaw - July 11, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 21:04:00 +0000

Memorial to Warsaw Ghetto 1940-1943

Inscription Marking Warsaw Ghetto Walls 1940-1943

Okopowa Street Jewish Cemetery

Ulica Mila - location of Mila 18

Memorial to Warsaw Ghetto

Monument to the Heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto

Our group's day begins with a briefing by our extraordinary tour guide, leader and expert in Jewish Poland, Jacek Nowakowski, the Polish born curator of acquisitions and research at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum during breakfast at the Sheraton Hotel. Then we're off to our first day of touring. We drive to Memory Lane where we visit the monument to the Heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto, Mila 18, and Umschlagplatz. The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was the Jewish resistance that arose within the Warsaw Ghetto in German occupied Poland during WWII. Mila 18 is the address of the headquarters bunker of Jewish resistance fighters who lived underneath the building at ulica Mila 18 (in English it is 18 Pleasant Street) The Umschlagplatz is the spot at the northern boundary of the Warsaw Ghetto where the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto assembled to board the trains which transported them to the death camp at Treblinka, beginning in July, 1942. The last stop of the morning was at the Okopowa Street Jewish Cemetery. It is one of the largest Jewish cemeteries in Europe. The cemetery contains over 200,000 marked graves, as well as mass graves of victims of the Warsaw Ghetto.

Warsaw - July 10, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 18:12:00 +0000

Candle Memorial to Polish President Lech Kaczynski

"lody" means ice cream in Polish

Old Town - Warsaw, Poland

Presidential Palace - Warsaw, Poland

The last time that I was in Poland was in the summer of 1996, accompanied by my two sons, David and Jason, who at the time were teenagers, my father-in-law Myron and my father, Louis. We had gone to Poland to return to the small town that my father was born and grew up in before WWII. During the war, he was in hiding and was the only one of his family to survive. It was an incredibly emotional and moving trip for me. This time, I am returning to Poland for two reasons: 1) I am on a tour of Jewish Poland with the US Holocaust Memorial Museum - - a very in-depth study of the history of Jews in Poland before the war and 2) a personal mission to connect with two Polish Catholic families who were responsible for hiding my father during the war and, as such, saving his life. I am hoping to place their names in Yad Vashem in Israel as "Righteous Gentiles" -- those non-Jews who risked their lives for saving Jews during WWII I knew that it would be a difficult, emotional trip but it was something that my heart told me I had to pursue.
Flying into Warsaw and seeing it from the sky, it was hard to imagine the horrible scenes that took place here several decades ago. From my seat in the plane, the skies were blue, the land was green and lush. How could such evil have existed here?
I was met by our greeter from the museum and we began a half hour car ride to our hotel, the Sheraton Warsaw. After checking in, I went upstairs to meet my fellow tour members. Everyone had a different reason for attending the Mission to Poland and it was interesting to hear how varied those reasons were. Many people had relatives who had lost their lives during WWII and others were curious about the plight of Jews during the war. After a brief lunch, we took a short bus ride to the center of Warsaw. Just a few weeks before, the President of Poland, his wife, and many government dignitaries had lost their lives in a plane crash in Russia, and our first stop was to the Presidential Palace where a large memorial to the victims had been erected . Flowers and candles were everywhere and clearly the people of Poland were mourning their loss. As we continued our walk, we were soon in the Old Town. Typical of European old towns, the cobblestone streets, colorful buildings and quaint ambiance were a throwback to previous times. Restaurants, horse drawn carriages, people strolling on a beautiful day made the scene quite idyllic. After seeing the word "lody" at many ice cream shops, I realized that "lody" meant ice cream. As a child, my mother used the Polish word "Lalka" meaning doll. As we passed by a shop selling dolls, I realized that the store name was, in fact, "Lalka". Our tour led us to the former home of Mme. Curie. She was born in Warsaw and lived there until her twenties. Her full name was Marie Sklodowska Curie.
Our tour ended at a lovely, typically Polish restaurant in the area, called "AleGloria" where we were treated to a wonderful Polish meal. This was the beginning to a full week of sights and sounds -- some of which would be difficult to bear.

Paris - July 7, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 01:52:00 +0000

Jerome Dreyfuss - Paris

W.H. Smith - Paris

stained glass ceiling - Printemps Dept. Store - Paris

Annick Goutal - Paris

What would a trip to Paris be without shopping? The window shopping is phenomenal -- each "fenetre" perfectly displayed to entice the viewer. And entice they do. The imaginative and tasteful windows lured me in and before the shopkeeper said "bonjour" I was in fantasyland. On the main shopping boulevard, Boulevard Haussman, lie the two major department stores on the Right Bank - Galeries Lafayette www.galerieslafayette.com and Printemps www.printemps.com Both stores are several stories high and it takes hours to explore each department. My recent trip to Printemps was a huge success. I didn't realize that I had arrived during the month of "soldes", one of the two months where all of the shops in France hold their "soldes" or sales. (January is the other month -- but I much prefer to be in Paris during July than during January). The dollar is stronger than it has been in years so my purchases became even sweeter. One of the musts in Printemps is looking up at the stained glass domed ceiling from the top floor restaurant -- not to be missed. Also,the vast shoe department is a must for every shoeaholic.
WHSmith www.whsmith.fr/ is a Parisian English bookshop located at 248 Rue de Rivoli in the 1st Arrondisement. They have an extensive selection of English books, DVD's, newspapers and magazines. If you are looking for something that is unavailable in the shop, they will place a special order to get it for you. It's really a wonderful place to browse the latest editions of books, etc. Another lovely, small French chic shop in the 1st Arr. is Annick Goutal. It is a house of "Haute Parfumerie" offering the finest in French scents and skin care. Among the popular scents are "Eau d'Hadrien", " Petite Cherie", and " Ce Soir ou Jamais " (tonight or never).
Moving over to the Rive Gauche, you will be amazed at the selection of fine leather handbags, wallets and backpacks at Jerome Dreyfuss located at 1 Rue Jacob in the shopping mecca near Blvd. St. Germaine www.jerome-dreyfuss.com. His bags are French chic and never trendy. Made from the finest quality materials, Jerome Dreyfuss bags are quintessentially French.
Au revoir!! A bientot!!