#jdcentwine

This post is long overdue, but I still thought it was interesting enough to post two months too late.  

I had an opportunity to see the gorgeous city of Lvov (or Lviv, if you want to be all nationalistic).   Today, Lvov Oblast is viewed as the most nationalist region of Ukraine.  Almost every store/restaurant you walk in to will speak Ukrainian, as opposed to in Odessa, where everyone speaks Russian.  This nationalism favors European culture and is politically aligned with Viktor Yushenko, Ukraine’s third president.  Click here for more detailed information on him and his policies. 

Fun fact that I just learned about this city- its the last place that my parents traveled to together before my mom left for America with her parents in 1979. They didn’t know if they would ever see each other again, and Lvov was where they said their goodbyes.  My dad had to travel on the 12 hour train back to Odessa alone.  

 Here is a photo of the train that I took to Lvov.  The corridors are so narrow, a small rolling carryon barely fits through.  There is absolutely no ventilation, making it a less than comfortable experience.  The “Kupe” which is a higher class sleeper car, is equipped with several “train seat/rooms” with two bunkbeds each, both of which are about half a cot size.  

 The best part of this 12 hour ride was one of the many 15 minute smoke break stops along the countryside, where old Babushkas walk up and down the tracks trying to sell whatever they’ve cooked that day.  Meal options varied from dried fish, dumplings and cognac.  Anya and I were really excited by the idea of some homecooked potato vareniky, and found a lady who would help us out.   

The exchange felt natural, and 25 hryvna (about $1) bought us a bag of hot fresh dumplings, kneaded and pressed together by this lovely woman.  Needless to say, we dined like queens.

My journey to Lvov was quite strenuous, as my coworker Anya and I were chaperoning 8 teens from Odessa for a pre-Szarvas camp seminar.  My concluding role as a JDC fellow is to be a madricha and multi-week coordinator for Szarvas International Summer camp.  Every summer, around 1500 Jewish campers from over 20 countries attend Camp Szarvas, which is sponsored by the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.  

In Lvov, I joined 8 other Ukrainian madrichim who will be working with me in Szarvas this summer.  Most of it was like an intensive 3 day madrichim school, full of long, meaningful peulot designed for us to critically think about how we lead, and can enable our chanichim to be leaders.  We were simultaneously running programs for 4 groups of teens from around Ukraine who were there to prepare for a summer at Szarvas.  We opened the summer theme of “Jewish Time,” and got the kids pretty excited about all the fun that awaits them at Szarvas.  There will be some photos and videos at the bottom of this post which can show some of the cool things we did together at the seminar, and other photos of the city :)

It was really inspiring to be in an environment that provides a holistic experience of learning and action.  We were in sessions with other madrichim for the first half of the day, and the next we were leading sessions for our teens.  In the evenings, after all the programming was finished, we sat together with the madrichim and gave feedback about our day. We spoke about what issues arose for us throughout the day, what programs worked well, which kids to give extra attention to, and how we can use all of this when we are in camp over the summer.  

It reminded me of how much of my life has been spent doing this type of work.. from my 6 summers as a madricha at Camp Galil, and two summers working in Sohnut camps in Russia and Ukraine.  Regardless of my experiences, I am still learning every day from the madrichim here, and from the kids as well.

Until next time!

- Is a chant I heard this weekend when 40 proud participants of AJT shouted their cheers and shared their experience with me.

Although there was a serious blizzard in the middle of April (shockingly unheard of in this part of the world.. I was extremely prepared nonetheless #trustnoone) I had the opportunity to attend an AJT seminar in Kishinev, Moldova.  When you think about Kishinev, what comes to mind?  All I really knew about this community before this year was what I learned in my 9th grade Global Studies class: Kishinev Pogroms. Before the Holocaust, Jews dominated about 80% of the population, with 77 synagogues throughout Moldova.  Now, out of the 2 million people that live here, about 20,000 of them consider themselves Jewish and have only 2 synagogues to choose from, both of which are in the Chabbad community.

Despite these numbers, I have experienced an incredible community that AJT has been involved with and in many ways, brought forth.  When we talk about Jewish community and how to make it stronger, more united, value oriented, actively involved and influential- what is the answer we give to that? YOUTH MOVEMENTS.. well that’s the answer I give and its a pretty good one.  This AJT Seminar was all of those things and more.  We had days full of programs under the theme “Gmilut Hasadim”: Acts of Loving Kindness.  We debated tzedaka vs. gmilut hasadim, spoke about women and women’s organizations that are fulfilling this role in the Jewish world and then the teens worked really hard to write projects for their communities.  Evenings were full of feedback among the madrichim which allowed us to be reflective practitioners, discuss the days activities, share best practices and of course, prepare for how we can make tomorrow better than today, so that the teens not only have an amazing time with their friends, but can develop as people and leaders in the Jewish world.

Back to the projects bit which is SO COOL.  Each member of AJT is responsible for creating their own project that they must begin in their community.  The ultimate goal is to identify a need in the community and through the leadership skills that they develop during their time at AJT seminars, build a project that can fulfill this need.  The project can range from having an event in their home youth club each week where they discuss a certain topic, creating something that benefits their community, even “project activeness” is acceptable for teens to engage in a smaller action that will add value to their experience.  They have a budget of $100 for materials, for example books which will be used for their project, transport if necessary, etc…

Heeeeyyyy ALLLLLL!

Spring is in the air! Or so I thought when I saw the sunshine and put on my yellow pea-coat in excitement and ran out the door, only to realize that sun doesn’t necessarily mean warm, and then I caught a cold.. but regardless, things have brightened up a bit.

#PROMOTION

You are currently reading the blog of the new social media representative for Derech Youth Club and AJT Odessa! To be fancy we can call it a promotion, except the only additional benefit is that I get to come to all the programs and take a photo worthy of making it to our super exclusive Instagram page.  For those of you who want to see some money making photos, follow mk_dereh and show some likes!

#BBYOIC2017

I just came back to Odessa from some big important travels.  I was gone for nearly a month, first in Dallas, TX at BBYO’s International Convention and then in Israel for JDC Entwine’s Service Corps mid-year seminar.  For BBYO’s IC, I was one of the facilitators (among the fantastic Alla Magas from Kharkov, Tanya from Russia and Vito from Georgia) of a group of 17 from Russian Speaking countries, specifically from AJT (see my recent posts for more information, or visit www.ajteens.org)  Our teens were from 5 countries, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, Moldova and Georgia.  Some of the teens even had the incredible opportunity to fly on an airplane for the first time, an experience that I fortunately had when I was less than half their age.

The Dallas Jewish Community welcomed our international teens into their homes for a week before the convention began, allowing for us to foster meaningful connections with people in the community that aren’t necessarily affiliated with BBYO, but are involved with Jewish life.   My host parents took in Shoshana as well, the current fellow in Tallinn, Estonia and they were fabulous.  They treated us to delicious breakfasts full of cream cheese, bagels, fruits and an unforgettable daytime energy boost, ZIPFIZZZ! Shosh and I couldn’t get enough. We also got a chance to have some real TexMex at Chueys!s :) THANKS RHONDA AND DAVID <3

The convention itself lasted 4 days, and reached about 5,000 people.  We were based at a hotel/convention center in Dallas which was completely bought out for the duration of the program.  It was nearly impossible to get anywhere during the convention because there were so so so many people everywhere.  If any of you have ever been to a concert/protest/march/rally/line at the food court in the Galleria mall, you know how I felt.  But, on a positive note, there were some unbelievable programs and the teens I chaperoned were exposed to so many new ideas, people, information... not to mention they were in complete culture shock 90% of the time.  All in all, I want to thank #BBYO for the amazing opportunity to be a part of IC this year.

#MADRICHIMSCHOOL

I recently started helping with madrichim school every Sunday (and now Saturdays too since we just opened a session for future madrichim school participants) They are amazing and working with them is always really interesting.  Each meeting we start with an assignment that they needed to prepare from the last week which usually involves a program of some sort which they need to lead for the rest of us.  After their program, each person gives their own feedback for every part of the prepared program.  This is meant to help them build on their skills and plan better programs in the future.  I have really enjoyed working with them every week and have already seen a lot of improvement.  I’m (not so) secretly hoping they all pass and I’ll be able to write programs alongside them in the next couple months!

Thats all the updating I’ll do today.  Stay tuned for a semi-long pause before my next post!

It’s hard to believe my year in Krakow as a JDC Entwine Jewish Service Corps fellow at JCC Krakow is almost over. I went to Poland with the mission to live a more meaningful life and to help a community in need.

I moved here without ever having set foot in Poland and without really knowing what I'd be doing. I put my trust in the JDC - knowing they match the needs of a community with the background and skills of each fellow. The people responsible for my well-being on the ground - Karina Sokolowska, JDC Country Director for Poland and Jonathan Ornstein, Executive Director of JCC Krakow told me to take my preconceptions of Jewish Poland and throw them out the window. My parents happened to be visiting Krakow during my interview process and had the opportunity to meet with Karina, Jonathan, and Irene Pletka, a good friend of the JCC whom I've since gotten to know really well and who reiterated what Karina and Jonathan had told me.

To say that the year has been a success for the JCC and me, would be an understatement. I'm often asked how things are going in Krakow and I usually say something along the lines of - "I love it here - the city, the people, and the work are all great!" With just a few weeks to go in the fellowship (even though I’m planning to continue working at JCC Krakow a few extra months), let’s take a look at some of the things I'm most proud of accomplishing during my fellowship year:

1. Launching Friends of JCC Krakow

We have roughly 7,000 visitors that come through the doors of JCC Krakow each month. 90% of the operating budget is raised overseas from foundations, federations, synagogues, and individuals. The ability for Americans to make tax-deductible donations to a 501c3 is extremely important and I'm glad we were able to launch Friends of JCC Krakow during my time here. I built the website using Squarespace, enabling me and the rest of the team to update the site very quickly and easily. The Friends of organization has allowed us to build a Board of Trustees, helping to raise awareness about the renewal of Jewish life in Krakow and receive gifts from many American communities. You can check out the Friends of JCC Krakow website by clicking here.

2. Ride for the Living

I've made lots of great friends here in Poland. One of my closest is Robert - a young guy from London who moved to nearby Katowice to live with his girlfriend, Basia. Robert rode his bike from London (taking the ferry across the channel) 1,350 miles along the WWII path of liberation, ending his ride at Auschwitz-Birkenau. After becoming a member of the JCC, he had the idea that his ride shouldn’t have ended in a place of such sadness and loss, but instead in a place of hope.

This past June we organized the inaugural Ride for the Living, bike riding 55 miles from Auschwitz-Birkenau to JCC Krakow, to celebrate Jewish life in Poland. We had 15 participants in this first year (including my whole family, which was really special for me) and raised money to send a group of Holocaust survivors who are members of the JCC on a trip to Israel. We already have 20 participants signed up for next year's Ride and are hoping for even greater participation from Poles, Israelis, Brits, Americans, or anyone interested in joining our efforts! If you'd like to participate, please check out our website.

3. Participating in every holiday - becoming a member of the community

From building our sukkah with volunteers, staff, and members to lighting the hanukkiyah with Pani Zosia (a Holocaust survivor who gives the D'var Torah each week at Shabbat dinner and on YouTube) to dressing up for our 60s themed Purim party (ok, I had a Cleveland Browns t-shirt on, but the last time the Browns won an NFL Championship was 1964); I’ve had a blast being part of this community. They've welcomed me with open arms and made me feel like I'm one of their own. It’s not easy being away from family and friends for a year, but I couldn't have done it - or it would have been a lot more difficult, if I didn't feel the warmth that I feel from this very special community.

4. Getting to know Poland

There is a postcard on my colleague Ishbel’s desk. It’s a picture of a rainbow in Poland.

This is my general perception of what people think before arriving here. The reality couldn't be further from that picture. Krakow is one of the most beautiful cities I've ever visited and has perhaps Europe’s most impressive main square. I've also visited Wroclaw, Warsaw, Bialystok (where my mom has family roots), "skied" in Kluszkowce (Poland had the most mild winter ever - the skiing in January was on all man-made snow), visited and licked the wall in the salt mine in Wieliczka, and more. The countryside is beautiful. This was especially true on the 55 mile bike ride as we cycled from Auschwitz-Birkenau to the JCC in the Ride for the Living (see #2 above).

There is so much to see and do in Poland from a cultural, historical, and nature/outdoors perspective.

5. Getting to know Jewish Poland

I think a lot of people have a certain impression of Jewish Poland before arriving here. We tell all visitors to the JCC that there are three streams of the narrative you need to connect with when visiting Jewish Poland to get the full picture.

1. The loss from the Shoah 2. The 1,000 year history of Jews in Poland 3. The revival of Jewish life taking place here

For years, people have done a thorough job of connecting with the loss. In the past, visitors to Poland would often go to Auschwitz-Birkenau or another concentration camp and then visit non-Jewish Krakow or Warsaw. That would be like going to Japan to connect with what's happened there before, during, and since WWII, and only visiting the memorials in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Today it’s unconscionable to come to Poland and only see the loss. The beautiful new Museum of the History of Polish Jews, officially opening in October 2014 in Warsaw, will go a long way to explaining the 1,000-year history of Jews in Poland. Like many countries, Jews have had good times and bad times here. Most people don't know that Jews were expelled from England from 1290 until 1657. People tend to focus only on the Holocaust because it is more recent and so painful. We must remember the past and can work to ensure genocide never happens to Jews or anyone again, but we can't let it define us.

As I've previously written, there is a small, but vibrant and growing Jewish community here. JCC Krakow currently has 500 members with Jewish roots. If you ask any of them if they have friends with Jewish roots who haven't yet stepped forward, they would each say they have 5, 10, or 15 friends.

I attended a beautiful Jewish wedding in Wroclaw a few months ago and we hosted a bris at JCC Krakow last fall. The community is growing each day and it's been very special to witness it first-hand.

20 percent of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) has Sephardic Jewish ancestry. If you told someone their great, great, great, grandfather was Jewish, he’d shrug his shoulders as if to say “so what?" In Poland it's different. There's great interest in Jewish life, culture, and religion now. We have a period in time, post-Shoah and post-communism, to connect to these people and show them the beauty of the Jewish world. If they don't begin their exploration now, they may be cut off from their Jewish roots forever.

In combination with what we're doing at JCC Krakow, annual Jewish events in Krakow, including JDC's 7@Nite and the Jewish Culture Festival, are connecting people to their roots and to the Jewish world.

During the Festival, I presented a lecture about Jewish Cuba and China - places I visited with the JDC.

6. Eating Polish food

I've had my fair share of pierogi (that’s the plural - pierog is the singular), bigos, gołąbki, kiełbasa, kopytka, barszcz, zapiekanka and a whole lot more. I've participated as a judge in a JCC Krakow cooking contest, (the Student Club received a last place vote from me for serving herring cake) and in a pierogi eating challenge with Robert (I lost 33 to 30. With better tasting pierogi and a fan or A/C - I would have won).

I've found traditional Polish food to be rather tasty. You bet I miss my weekly (ok, maybe daily) burgers in NYC, but there is something to be said about how much more natural the food is here.

I even led a food walking tour during the Jewish Culture Festival! I had planned to make stops for traditional Polish items, but with only Poles showing up for the tour, we made the audible to falafel, hummus, and of course ice cream!

7. Learning Polish

I'm by no means fluent. I’m barely even conversational. But I know a good amount of vocabulary. I know the past tense, present tense, and future tense. I set a goal for myself at the beginning of the year to learn the language (wherever I would be placed as a fellow) and I consider this goal accomplished. By the way, who knew Polish was the most difficult language in the world to learn? I've enjoyed conversing (even limitedly) with our members, other locals, and in restaurants.

8. Meeting Great People

This year would not have been nearly as meaningful or special had I not been surrounded by incredible people at JCC Krakow.

Jonathan - I could not have asked for a better boss, mentor, and friend. The energy and passion that runs through you is palpable and anyone who is lucky enough to meet you will attest to it.

Jonathan, Sebastian, Rabbi Avi, Anna, Joanna, Kasia, Ishbel, Agnieszka, Agata, Mikołaj, Magda - you've all been amazing and have made Krakow feel like home. Each day of the fellowship I woke up and was thankful to be working with such talented and hardworking individuals. I think we made a great team and I look forward to finding ways to continue working together in the future. Kasia gets an extra shout-out for keeping me well fed!

The members and volunteers of JCC Krakow are the reason there is a Jewish future here and I've been incredibly lucky to interact with so many different and wonderful people. I'll be back in Krakow in the not too distant future and can't wait to see the progress that's been made.

In just a year, I've also met some "people in high places". Jonathan and I were invited to the Presidential Hanukkah party in Warsaw with the President of Poland, Bronisław Komorowski. U.S. Consul General in Krakow, Ellen Germain is now a close friend whom I've eaten pizza with on many occasions and interviewed for JCC Krakow's monthly magazine, Jesteśmy. I've had the opportunity to meet her boss, U.S. Ambassador to Poland, Stephen Mull at several events. Chief Rabbi of Poland, Rabbi Michael Schudrich is now a close friend of my family and is a great source of wisdom and humor.