Poland Day 6 - Shabbat in Warsaw

Shabbat morning began with Kiddush at our hotel before we began our walking tour of Warsaw. The first stop was the last remaining remnants of the ghetto wall. There are only 3 sections left of the wall and while there, we discussed what life was like in the ghetto and how the Jews may have felt when moving into such a place.

We then walked to the kosher restaurant for lunch where we had the privilege of hearing a firsthand account from one of the Righteous Among the Nations, someone who saved Jewish lives during the war for no personal gain and despite the danger to themselves.

After that, we walked to a section of the city where a couple of the buildings from the time of the ghetto are still standing. It was amazing to see the contrast between those buildings and the ones around it, one felt as if they were stepping back in time. We walked inside one of the courtyards and heard about what life was like for people living there. Throughout this time, we saw the current residents walking in and out, and we wondered how people could still live here. We were told that it is now government housing for those too poor to have their own place. The buildings were in terrible condition, some needing supports to stay up and we all hoped that this important piece of history would be maintained.

From there we made the short walk to the bridge which was used to cross between the two sections of the ghetto. All that stands there now is 2 pillars marking the site where the bridge stood and cables depicting the height of the bridge. On the ground, there are plaques showing where the wall actually stood at different points during the war. Once again, all we could do was imagine what it really looked like and hope that the memory isn’t lost to future generations.

The next and final stop for on was the Courthouse, a building that itself was divided with one half being in the ghetto and the other half outside. We heard about this building was used to smuggle in food and smuggle out people and that it was a gateway for those willing to try and have access to the outside world. Also, we discussed the function of the court and what type of cases would be heard, such as one person stealing a piece of bread or someone pushing in line while waiting for food.

As Shabbat was drawing to a close, we went back to the shule to do a musical havdala. After that, the Rabbi spoke to us about the rise and fall of the Warsaw Jewish community and what type of community it is today. We learnt a lot about the history of Jews in Poland and how today, it is a unique community in that most of the Jews don’t know they are Jewish. He told us about a group of around 200 people that meets weekly, and that this group is made up of those who know they are Jewish, but haven’t told their families. Many of them are child survivors and grew up in Christian homes, but this group helps them identify with fellow Jews. This talk certainly reinforced the question for all of us of what it means to be a Jew.

Dion