This is our last night, of a 19 day adventure that brought us from Warsaw to berlin. We traveled by bus, boat, but mostly by foot. It was an emotional journey of the history of Europe, but mostly of I ur fellow jewish community. Listening to all the stories and visiting the homes, ghettos, neighborhoods, transit and labor camps and finally the death camps - we couldn't help but feel sad and sickened to see with our own eyes, where it all took place. What would we have done? What would have been our fate? Would anyone have helped us? Would we have helped others? Could it happen again?
Mostly I think of my parents, my grandparents and my extended family. Some were just lucky to have found hiding places but most were murdered. Amazing that my parents started a family just three years after liberation. They loved life, they were thankful for every single moment. They loved their new homeland of Canada and were so proud their new little family. Hard to imagine that they could still see good in the world despite all they lost. Tomorrow we leave for holland. One if the highlights of our trip will be our visit with Roeli and Jaap balder, the righteous who saved my father.
On this thanksgiving, stephen and I feel incredibly lucky in so many ways. But mostly to have a loving and close family, with children who care for each other, their own little families, and the greater community around them.
Thank you karen and Harry for coming along! It was great to share this incredible experience together with such great friends!
Stephen and Miriam, sounds/looks like a beautiful but emotional trip! In so many of the pictures it appeared that it was really cold. Did your trip actually end on Thanksgiving day? We like the blog format - we may try this for our next trip.
ReplyDeleteWe wish you the best of everything (Health, Peace and Happiness) in 2015...
-Bob and Gretchen