Is dd going to Poland with seminary

Bnei Berak 10

Tue, Jan 02 2024, 2:56 pm

amother OP wrote:

What is the trip all about! Where are they going. Are they going site seeing or anywhere else? I didn’t get any information from the seminary. Is it like going to the holocaust museum in the states basically?

Ask the seminary to send you more info.

amother

Hunter

Tue, Jan 02 2024, 3:05 pm

I went with seminary.. it was included in the tuition

the most impactful trip and im mainly grateful that I got the opportunity to daven at mekomos kedoshim and kevarim for my future.

that being said I would absolutely not encourage anyone to spend money they dont have on such a thing ESPECIALLY after a whole year in EY where ever inch is kadosh and opportunities for tefillah and growth.

amother

↑ OP

Tue, Jan 02 2024, 3:26 pm

amother Hunter wrote:

It must be the trip itself that was enjoyable I can’t believe that more kevarim on top of all the ones in Israel are so impactful. Not to be dismissing the holy places in Poland.

amother

↑ Almond

Tue, Jan 02 2024, 3:30 pm

amother OP wrote:

It’s difficult decision we can pay it with a credit card and it’s our youngest child at home that we need to pay for. My older dd seminary didn’t offer the Poland trip.

If you'll be paying it off with the credit card interest, no, it's not worth it.

amother

Violet

Tue, Jan 02 2024, 4:12 pm

amother OP wrote:

It must be the trip itself that was enjoyable I can’t believe that more kevarim on top of all the ones in Israel are so impactful. Not to be dismissing the holy places in Poland.

As someone who grew up surrounded by grandparents who survived the holocaust you can't compare. The kevarim in israel are holy but I wouldn't necessarily call them impactful. Walking through the gates of auschwitz that my grandmother walked through 75 years before gave me a deep understanding of what our nation has gone through and what we will continue to go through and come out the other side.

No it's not neccesary. Your daughter will be fine if she doesn't go. But I do think it's a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Elfrida

Tue, Jan 02 2024, 4:20 pm

amother OP wrote:

It must be the trip itself that was enjoyable I can’t believe that more kevarim on top of all the ones in Israel are so impactful. Not to be dismissing the holy places in Poland.

Kivrei tzadikkim in Israel are hundreds, if not thousands of years old. They are places of kedusha, and one can benefit from davenjng there.

Auschwitz is not kodesh, but was the place where thousands of Jews, including tzaddikim were murdered. For this generation, it is still just about within living memory. The feeling and personal impact of going to these sites cannot be compared with going to daven mincha at the kever of the Rambam (for example).

It isn't fun, or enjoyable. There is often a very strong emotional bond that forms during this trip, because it is such an intense experience.

Iymnok

Tue, Jan 02 2024, 4:25 pm

It didn’t impact me that much when I went. It was a very well organized trip. It was enjoyable.
Only do it if this is the type of thing that would be impactful on your child.
Is she also coming home for Pesach? I’d be hesitant to pay for both.

Simple1 ↓

Tue, Jan 02 2024, 4:31 pm

I would think the trip has more meaning if you’re from a European background and your ancestors were affected by the Holocaust, which is not the case for everyone.

amother

Honeysuckle ↓

Tue, Jan 02 2024, 6:05 pm

I can’t speak for the current climate now, but DD1 went in 2020 about 4 weeks before Covid got to the US/Israel/Europe, and DD2 went in 2021.
I thought it was extremely worthwhile.
It is expensive, but it is not a money making scheme. It costs because life and doing things is expensive. There are plane tickets, hotel, busses, tour guides, food and museum tickets.

amother

Sapphire

Tue, Jan 02 2024, 6:19 pm

amother OP wrote:

I’m going to assume you do not have Holocaust survivor grandparents or grandparents who came from Poland
To me, this is something deeper than a “trip” or even to a Holocaust museum
Poland is my actual roots, I was close with my grandparents, both the ones who went through the holocaust and remained Torah true yidden and told over their experiences in detail, and the ones who didn’t go through the war but grew up there, lived Yiddishkeit, learned in bais yaakov under Sara shenirer or her talmidos…
I did, and a trip to Poland a deep deep deep part of me. It’s part of who I am and my connection to my mesorah

amother

↑ Honeysuckle

Tue, Jan 02 2024, 6:27 pm

Simple1 wrote:

I would think the trip has more meaning if you’re from a European background and your ancestors were affected by the Holocaust, which is not the case for everyone.

Honestly, I think it is our collective history, regardless of if your ancestors came to the US in 1885 or are from Yemen.
I also think it is important that we are all educated about the exodus from Ethiopia, our history in Morocco, and being kicked out of Iran.

amother

Poppy

Tue, Jan 02 2024, 6:30 pm

amother OP wrote:

It must be the trip itself that was enjoyable I can’t believe that more kevarim on top of all the ones in Israel are so impactful. Not to be dismissing the holy places in Poland.

I disagree. My son went on a week-long Poland trip with his school recently, and it was definitely more impactful for the kids because of what is going on in Israel. I think these Poland trips definitely have a positive influence on the teens who go. I would definitely recommend people’s kids go IF they want to and it is financially feasible.

amother

Zinnia

Tue, Jan 02 2024, 6:42 pm

I know some Holocaust survivors who couldn't understand why there are Jews going back to Poland... They were upset that people are supporting these countries that are soaked with Jewish blood.
I do understand that the children of today are not like the past generation who grew up with Holocaust survivors all around us. A $2,000, unaffordable trip is not the solution.
Most parents are barely managing to pay their seminary tuition, it's a chutzpah to add a $2000 trip.

↑ Simple1

Tue, Jan 02 2024, 6:43 pm

amother Honeysuckle wrote:

Education and feelings about the holocaust are important, but not everyone will feel ready to pay 2k on top of the other sem fees.

amother

Buttercup

Wed, Jan 03 2024, 1:55 am

I didn't go on my BY seminaries trip - because my father would not pay for me to go to poland.

Here is what I heard from friends that they gained:
- a sense of perspective on life, how easy and good we have it now
- a sense of responsibility, there was a lot of discussion if 1 person could do so much destruction, each one of us us capable of so much positive.
- an understanding of galus, and an understanding of what the generation that rebuilt went thru. I sense of responsibility to be more like them and think more beyond our petty desires....

My friends described going to a mass grave of children, and having the speaker describe what they went thru, and thinking about the huge gift of being alive and having the opportunity to do what these children didn't. They went into cattle cars and sang ani maamin, walked thru aushwitz in the snow , saw how poland had been a thriving jewish community.....

I wish I had gone.