Picture-perfect Poland

For those of you (myself included prior to my first trip to Poland in 2007) who think of Poland as a cloudy, gray ex-Communist country in Europe's heartland, think again! Even if you lack the time to read the descriptions, a look at the photographs will be enough to explain why I love this country.

Click here: POLSKA

Countdown till take-off? dwa tygodnie (two weeks) from today!

Podróż kontynuuje (The Journey continues)

"Anti-Semitism is a Sin against God and Humanity," Oświęcim, Poland

It has almost been a year since I have accessed this blog; I quickly realized once I was in Poland last July (2011) that my limited access to internet and lack of free time was not conducive for proper (and entertaining) blog writing. BUT I am at it again, this time with much more anticipated success. You see, I have been accepted as a fellow through the Auschwitz Jewish Center Fellowship Program, where I will be traveling to Poland for the month of July to study pre-war Jewish life and post-Holocaust repercussions. A bit more about this incredible opportunity:

The AJC Fellows Program provides a unique educatonal opportunity to learn about the Holocaust in situ in the context of Poland’s history and Jewish heritage. It is the goal of the Auschwitz Jewish Center Fellows Program that Fellows gain not only knowledge of the Holocaust sites they visit, but also an understanding of the legacy of the Holocaust in Poland, its effects on collective memory, and complexities surrounding such categories as victim, bystander, and perpetrator. After a brief orientation in New York City, the Fellows travel in Poland for three weeks, during which time they visit Kraków, Warsaw, Łódź, Treblinka, and Oświęcim (Auschwitz). The Fellows travel to small towns in the regions surrounding Warsaw and Kraków, as well as through south-eastern Poland and north-eastern Slovakia, to explore the area’s rich Jewish heritage and meet with local leaders to learn about pre-war Jewish life, life under the Nazi occupation and Communism, and the state of Jewish communities and memory in Poland today. In Oświęcim, the Fellows attend an intensive program at the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum where they tour the camps, study the history of Jewish, Roma, and Polish inmates, and take part in workshops with Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum staff on the collections and education departments. While in Oświęcim, the Fellows have the opportunity to meet European students and observe educational workshops at the Auschwitz Jewish Center. Upon returning home, each Fellow will complete an article for the Auschwitz Jewish Center E- Newsletter and an essay reflecting on his or her experience.