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Regarding the value of a trip to Poland for teens.
I too traveled to Poland and Israel with a group of teenagers. The value
of the trip for students, staff and survivors was immeasurable.
We traveled with high school juniors and seniors - I think that the
seniors for the most part were better equipped to handle the experience, I
would not recommend that students before their junior year participate in
a trip like this. In addition, the high schools that students attend
should have some input as to whether or not particular students are good
candidates for the program. Advance preparation (regarding the nature of
the trip and what to expect) and study (about history and the Holocaust)
helps, as does a strong staff who are knowledgeable about the history of
the Holocaust and are able to relate to the kids and to help them deal
with their thoughts and feelings. The students were also a tremendous
source of support for each other.
In terms of processing the experience - everyone really has to do this in
their own way - some kids wrote a lot, others talked a lot and others did
neither. Everyone needed space to handle things in their own way. I'm not
sure that this kind of experience can be fully processed and integrated
while it is going on. The processing and integration continued after the
trip was over - incredibly strong bonds were formed among the people on
the trip and discussion continued after we returned home. In fact, I think
that coming home and getting back into "real life" which may seem petty
and unmeaningful, is in some ways more difficult than the trip itself.
Kids had a very hard time relating to others who were not on the trip with
them, and it was hard to feel motivated to deal with finals... Part of the
processing took place when the students shared their experiences and spoke
at their schools, shuls.....
Giti Bendheim raised a good question about the amount and intensity of
what the kids experience in a short period of time. While in Poland, I
felt that there was too much in too short a period of time. However, when
reflecting on the trip after it was over and realizing that for most, this
is a once in a lifetime experience, I think there is value to "cramming"
in as much as possible. It's not a perfect way to do it, but the positive
aspects, for the most part, outweigh the negative.
I believe that kids who have these experiences develop a greater
understanding and appreciation of Israel and of Jewish history and the
importance of each individual's role in it. I don't think that any course
or school experience can compare to actually being there. I am certain
that these students develop a stronger sense of appreciation of the
Holocaust and that they take on a certain sense of responsibility for
educating others. A very significant piece of this is having survivors
travel with the group. The kids were acutely aware of the fact that they
may be among the last groups to have this privilege.
For many participants, these trips are truly life changing experiences. I
think it is particularly valuable for kids who are not yeshiva students -
it gives them an opportunity to live Jewish history and to connect to kids
who they would not ordinarily have the opportunity to meet. The yeshiva
and non-yeshiva kids learned a lot from each other and developed a mutual
respect that was refreshing to see.
Marian Getzler-Kramer</HTML>
