As many of you know, about 10 years ago I discovered the beauty of leading communal travel at Temple Adat Elohim. Since that time I have had the honor of leading three family trips to Israel and an adult trip to Poland and Israel. Following this life-changing trip back in 2015, I was so excited to begin to plan the next adventure, a trip to Berlin, Prague and Budapest. This trip was formally announced in 2019, with a departure date of November, 2021.
I chose these three destinations for very specific reasons. Each is a "bucket list" destination for me. In Berlin, since learning of the events of the Wannsee Conference of January 20, 1942, I knew this was a location I would need to see in person during my lifetime. On this day in history, at this beautiful villa, a group of men met to ensure the cooperation of the administrative leaders of various departments of government in the implementation of the Final Solution to the Jewish Question, where European Jews would be deported and murdered in occupied Poland. In Prague, I knew we would be in close proximity to two very important sites for me, the concentration camp at Terezin (which holds a very important place for me personally that you will learn about later) and the town of Rakovnik, where Temple Adat Elohim's Holocaust Torah is from. I have always dreamed of doing a service in what once was the synagogue where our Holocaust Torah would have been read. And in Budapest, I have always wanted to experience the Shoes on the Danube Bank, a moving Holocaust memorial.
In addition to this and other World War 2 historical places, each of these locations has a vibrant cultural life today, something that we will experience together.
When registration opened, the tour quickly sold out, with more than 18 months before our November 2021 departure. I look through the list of people who were planning to go on that trip that included my parents, who sadly, because of some health issues are unable to join this trip, and others, who sadly have passed away since 2019. Of course, COVID 19 delayed our departure by one year, and then delayed the departure once again. And then the devastating news that Da'at, the travel company I have used for each and every communal trip I had created decided to close up shop meant the full cancellation of our trip. Finally, after finding J2 Adventures, which brought together many of the staff from Da'at who I have built strong friendships with over the years, a new trip was created, with the departure date of November, 2024.
In many ways, after 5 years of intense planning, and intense disappointment, it felt like this trip would never leave Los Angeles.
And here we are, just days before our departure, I am finally feeling the excitement of what is to come. I am so excited to travel once again with my dear friend, Ron Singer, who is our Israeli educator who will be with us throughout our journey. Over the last 10 months our 34 travelers have met several times to build connections to each other, and I have already found deep friendships with those traveling with us. I am so excited to share this experience with Leasa and I am grateful that you will be along with our journey virtually through this blog. I will try my best to, as Chick Hearn, of blessed memory would say, give you a "words-eye view" of this trip.
The moment I really started to feel the excitement of our upcoming journey was this past Friday night, November 1 at Temple Adat Elohim, where many in our traveling group met for a pre-service dinner and received a blessing from Rabbi Diamond and the Adat Elohim community during Shabbat services.
Standing on the Bima with these dear people, who have become like family to me, making eye contact with each of them as Rabbi Diamond shared such meaningful words, knowing that in a few days we would share once-in-a-lifetime moments together that would forever bond us together was something I do not take for granted. With all of the craziness in our world right now, issues with Israel and the long list of those who wish to see her destruction, the unimaginable fact that there are still 101 hostages being held in Gaza, a divisive and intense election in the United States, with all that is happening to us in our personal lives, we will not take for granted the opportunity ahead of us, the chance to really experience what is coming.
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