Eastern European Vacation

Jon just returned from a Holocaust education conference in Poland and Hungary, where he and his group learned both about the Holocaust, the Jewish life in those regions before World War Two, and the current "resurgence" of Jewish life today. Below are some non-Holocaust highlights.

Sundays in the Park - In the heart of Warsaw, surrounded by fantastic architecture, is a massive park with a lake in its center. Every Sunday there are free hour-long Chopin concerts, after which the crowds wander through the gardens to relax, eat, and feed the peacocks that roam the area freely.

Food - Apparently borscht, made by Poles in Poland, is actually really good. Who would have guessed?

Good Luck Charms - Pictures and statues of Jews holding money are good luck charms in Poland, and can be found everywhere. Kind of ironic, like a rabbit's foot.

Synagogues - The shuls in this region, even though they often have severe troubles with attendance, are beautiful. This is especially true of the Neolog temple in central Budapest, which is fashioned after local churches. The massive building seats over 3000, and is covered in gilding. The structure even houses an organ over a storey tall which is played every Shabbat (by a non-Jew, of course!).

Transportation - It seems to be the law in Poland that all drivers must brake only at the last minute, and only to avert imminent disaster - if wild swerving or swearing can take the place of gentle defensive driving it should. Also, taking a train ride after visiting Aushwitz, especially if it involves sleeping on a triple-decker bed in cramped quarters, is not recommended.

Scenery - Krakow and Budapest are gorgeous European cities, regardless of what our grandparents tell us.

Life - Many of the Jews in this region either hide their Jewishness or have only found out recently about their roots. One individual with whom Jon talked found out from his second cousin, while he was vacationing in Toronto at the age of 12. Another learned from her grandmother, at the age of 19, when she told her about an impending vacation in Israel. Still, people are rebuilding communities and identities in these battered nations. Also, German tourists wearing Ben Yehuda t-shirts are scary.