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Hello TJJ JSU Parents,
We got to explore the past, present, and future of the Jewish people today. We began the day with a tour at Yad Vashem where we visited the most well known Holocaust museum in the world and learned about the horrors of anti-Semitism. While this was a difficult tour for our teens, they clearly understood the importance of educating themselves about the Holocaust so that they can, in turn, teach others, ensuring the legacy of those who perished.
This visit was juxtaposed with a visit to Mount Herzl, a short distance from Yad Vashem. Our teens visited Israel’s national cemetery which houses the final resting place of soldiers who lost their lives in battle, victims of terror attacks, and important goverment figures. We heard moving stories about those who sacrificed their lives for the State of Israel and were left with a profound understanding of the importance of the sacrifices that Israeli soldiers made for our country. These two powerful experiences helped our teens understand one of the most important periods in Jewish history, and appreciate the bravery, heroism and sheer determination of so many fellow Jews who sacrificed everything for our people.
We then traveled to the Nefesh B’Nefesh offices, where we heard from Rabbi Uri Pilichowski, a renowned political commentator and educator who we are lucky to have on staff at Southern NCSY! He spoke to the teens about Israeli history and engaged them in a conversation about what they can do to support Israel from America. Encouraging them to take action through political lobbying and other means of political involvement, he showed them how they can fight to preserve what the Jewish people fought so hard to build. By the end of this intense day, our teens felt empowered with a deep understanding of their Jewish identity and legacy, and with a tremendous sense of connection to their history. Looking forward to heading to the Negev tomorrow!
Rabbi Avi Warman
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