March of the Living 1999 Diary

April 12, 4:35 PM

I have a lot of tell and I don't know how much I'll get done now, but I don't know when the next time I'll get to a chance to write will come around. We're on the bus now in heavy traffic, so I'll write as much as I can.

First today we had a tour of the old Jewish section of Krakow, called Kasiemirz. However, we just got to the hotel, so explanations will have to wait.

5:00 PM: Okay, I'm back. So first today we went to a very small synagogue called the Dramah Synagogue. It was very little inside, but that made it feel "cozier" and more personal. The beemah was in a little cage-like structure with beautiful painted doors.

Then we went to the cemetery next to the synagogue. It is, I think, the smallest cemetery I have ever seen in my life. It was almost relaxing, though. In fact, it was relaxing. The smallness of it made it easier to deal with, as opposed to the rows and rows of tombstones in Montreal. And on every tombstone was a long inscription about the person. It made me feel that each person was an individual and would be remembered as such. Rabbi Pupko [Note: the leader of the Montreal delegation of the March] said that the cemeteries in Poland are laces of normality and dignity, as opposed to the death camps and gas chambers. I think he's right. Even the headstones that were destroyed by the Nazis have the pieces put together as part of the cemetery wall. There's a story behind one of the stones, but it doesn't seem very important now.

We kept walking the streets and there's not much that really caught my attention except for one thing. There was this group of Hassids. When I first saw them, I felt almost relieved, as if things weren't as bad as they told us and there were still Hassidic Jews in Poland. Then they got in a semi-circle and one took a picture. I assume that they are tourists. It made me feel sad and a little angry inside.

We saw the Isaac synagogue, where we'll be later tonight, so I'll write about it later.

We went to a reform "temple". It was there, I think, that the contrasts are most apparent. The temple is being renovated, or redone, and so the area outside the balcony is absolutely beautiful. It was hand-painted, maybe even hand-carved. Just underneath, the walls were completely bare, and the plaster was pealing.

The three groups were there [Note: Montreal's delegation came on three groups, three buses, and usually we only traveled with our own bus and not the entire group.] and Rabbi Pupko gave us a speech. He said that we, the Jews, were the "ghosts of Poland." I like the phrase. It fits well. Then someone started singing "Am Yisrael Chai" [Note: In English, it means "The Israeli Nation Lives".] and everyone joined in. We started singing faster and faster, and soon we were dancing. We danced in the synagogue around the construction poles and then we went out into the streets and continued dancing. I loved it. Hopefully, there will be more so I can get a picture.

Luch was meager, only a roll and some tuna fish and some crackers with cream cheese. I'm happy I brought food with me.

Then we went to the ghetto and the work camp, called Plaszow. We had a ceremony there, but I didn't feel any particularly strong emotions, and I don't think I'll describe it.

That's all for today.

Until later,
Julie